Despite greater awareness, many employees still hesitate to speak up about mental health. Learn how HR can build psychological safety and respond with care when someone opens up.
Deciding whether to talk about a mental health condition at work is deeply personal. For some, it’s a step toward support and understanding. For others, it’s a risk they’re not sure they can take.
In fact, despite more awareness of mental health than ever before, Beyond Blue’s most recent population research found that, since 2022, there has been a significant increase in the number of people avoiding professional mental health support due to feelings of shame or embarrassment.
HR leaders have a critical role to play in shaping workplaces where people feel psychologically safe to speak up, and where disclosure leads to support, not stigma.
This isn’t just about policy. It’s about culture, leadership and trust.
Why psychological safety matters
Psychological safety is a critical component of a healthy workplace culture and contributes to creating mentally healthy workplaces. It’s what allows people to speak up about ideas, mistakes, workloads and wellbeing without fear of judgement or negative consequences.
When people feel psychologically safe, they are more likely to raise concerns early, seek support when they need it and contribute openly to their teams. When people feel unsafe at work, silence can take hold – and that can come at a cost, for both people and businesses.
Recent Beyond Blue data found that, in a survey of 1000 Australians, one in two people said they had experienced burnout in the past year. Yet around one in three workers didn’t feel they could talk to their manager about feeling burnt out.
Some feared doing this would negatively affect their job or promotion opportunities. Others didn’t want to be seen as weak or incapable, or they just wanted to handle it privately.
These findings highlight a key challenge for HR leaders: how do we create environments where people feel safe to speak up, and confident they’ll be supported when they do?
Disclosure is complex – and deeply personal
There’s no right or wrong answer when it comes to telling others at work about a mental health condition. Whether someone chooses to disclose can depend on how their condition affects their role, the trust they have in their manager, how safe they feel to disclose, the support they have outside work and their relationships with colleagues.
Some people may choose to speak up because their condition is affecting their ability to perform safely, or because they need adjustments to their workload or schedule. Others may even want to help shift attitudes by sharing their experience.
But there are also valid reasons not to disclose. Some people may not need any changes to their work. Others may worry about discrimination, stigma or reduced career opportunities. And some may feel they already have enough support outside the workplace.
As a person who lives with and manages an anxiety condition, I understand these reservations. As a leader and workplace professional, I also know that HR leaders can shape the environment in which that decision is made.
“Disclosure doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It’s shaped by the culture of the organisation – and by what people see, hear and experience every day.”
Things to consider before disclosure
If someone is thinking about disclosing a mental health condition, there are a few things they might want to consider:
- Is their condition affecting their ability to perform their role safely?
- They don’t need to share everything – just enough to explain the impact and the support they need.
- Does the workplace have a mental health strategy?
- Are there policies in place to support return-to-work and protect privacy?
- Is the stress of hiding their condition affecting their wellbeing?
- Are there support resources available, including supports like Beyond Blue’s Before Blue program?
- Do they know of anyone else who has disclosed and can offer advice? These questions can help someone weigh up the pros and cons and decide what’s right for them.
While disclosure is a personal choice, there are responsibilities on both sides.
Employees must let their employer know if their condition creates a health and safety risk. Employers, in turn, have a legal responsibility to protect privacy, prevent discrimination and make reasonable adjustments to support someone’s wellbeing.
But beyond legal obligations, there’s a broader opportunity: to build cultures where disclosure leads to understanding, not judgement – and where support is proactive, not reactive.
What to consider after a disclosure
When someone chooses to disclose a mental health condition, it’s a moment that matters. How their manager responds can shape their experience, and influence whether others feel safe to speak up in future.
Here are some practical things for leaders to keep in mind:
- Listen without judgement. Thank the person for their trust and avoid jumping to conclusions or offering unsolicited advice.
- Respect privacy. Clarify what information they’re comfortable sharing, and with whom.
- Focus on support. Ask what changes or supports might help and most importantly, follow through.
- Check in regularly. Disclosure isn’t a one-off event. Keep the conversation going.
- Know your policies. Be familiar with your organisation’s mental health strategy, return-to-work and privacy policies, and Employee Assistance Program.
Example phrasing for managers
Sometimes, it’s hard to know what to say. Here are a few examples of supportive, inclusive language:
- “Thanks for sharing that with me. I really appreciate your openness.”
- “Let’s talk about what support or changes might help you feel more comfortable at work, and set you up to succeed”
- “Would you like me to keep this confidential, or are you okay with me speaking to [HR/another manager] to help organise support?”
- “I’m here to support you. Let’s check in again next week and see how things are going.”
Creating a culture that encourages disclosure
Disclosure doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It’s shaped by the culture of the organisation – and by what people see, hear and experience every day.
Here are some practical ways HR leaders can foster psychologically safe cultures:
- Embed mental health into everyday systems
Make mental health part of your organisation’s DNA. Include it in onboarding, leadership development, performance conversations and team check-ins.
When mental health is treated as a normal part of work life – not a separate or sensitive issue – it helps reduce stigma and build trust.
- Share lived experience stories
When leaders and employees speak openly about their experiences, it helps normalise conversations and reduce stigma. It also signals that disclosure is safe and that support is available.
At Beyond Blue, many of our leaders, including our CEO, speak openly about living with a mental health condition.
We’ve seen the power of storytelling in shifting workplace culture. When people hear from others who’ve navigated similar experiences, it can help them feel less alone and more confident in seeking support.
We have regular touchpoints for our employees to hear from our lived experience speakers, like at our quarterly all-staff meetings and as part of our induction program.
Our speakers are often invited to organisations to share their stories to open conversations about mental health.
- Train your managers
Managers are critical in translating mental health strategies into practice and are often the first point of contact when someone is struggling. Equip them to design good work, recognise signs of distress, respond with empathy and know where to direct people for support. This includes understanding the organisation’s policies, knowing how to access supports and being confident in having supportive conversations.
Many managers feel uncomfortable having conversations about mental health. Beyond Blue training can help you to have constructive conversations.
- Promote support resources
Make sure people know what’s available, and how to access it. This includes your EAP, peer support programs, mental health strategy and any relevant policies. If people don’t know what support exists, they’re less likely to seek it.
- Lead by example
Culture starts at the top. When leaders prioritise wellbeing, speak openly and respond supportively, it sets the tone for the whole organisation. It also gives permission for others to do the same.
A mindset shift
Disclosure isn’t just about individual choices. It’s about collective responsibility.
For HR leaders, the challenge is clear: how do we build workplaces where people feel safe to speak up, and where that choice leads to support, not stigma?
It starts with culture. It starts with leadership. And it starts with us.
Greg Jennings is the Chief Engagement Officer and workplace mental health expert at Beyond Blue, a leader in workplace mental health and behavioural change for more than 20 years.
Gain the knowledge and skills needed to navigate the complex landscape of psychosocial wellbeing in the workplace with AHRI’s Psychosocial Code of Practice short course.
