May is Mental Health Awareness Month – Is Your Business Doing Enough?

May is Mental Health Awareness Month – Is Your Business Doing Enough?

Each May, we shine a light on something that too often stays in the shadows: mental health in the workplace.

Behind every deadline, project, and performance review, there are real people—dealing with real pressures. And while the conversation around mental health has come a long way, many organisations still treat it as a tick-box exercise rather than a critical pillar of their workplace culture.

Here’s the truth: Mental health isn’t just a “nice-to-have” focus. It’s a legal duty under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. And if your business hasn’t actively addressed mental health, stress, and wellbeing in your workplace strategy, May is the perfect time to change that.

A Legal & Moral Responsibility

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is clear: employers have a duty of care to identify and manage work-related stress and risks to mental health. This includes:

• Recognising signs of stress and poor mental health

• Conducting regular risk assessments related to psychological hazards

• Implementing systems to support mental wellbeing

• Creating open, stigma-free environments

This isn’t about throwing a mindfulness poster in the break room. It’s about proactive, ongoing care that is built into your health and safety framework.

Because just like a faulty scaffold or a frayed cable, poor mental health is a workplace hazard.

The Power of an Independent Mental Health Audit

So, where do you begin?

That’s where Bennett Business Partnerships (BBP) comes in.

We understand that mental health can be a sensitive topic—and that many managers don’t feel confident knowing how to assess or improve it. That’s why we offer independent Mental Health & Wellbeing Audits tailored to your organisation’s size, sector, and risk profile.

Here’s what we look at:

• Workload pressures and employee expectations

• Managerial support structures

• Communication channels and reporting culture

• Signs of presenteeism, absenteeism, or burnout

• Accessibility of mental health resources and training

• Legal compliance with HSE stress management standards

The result? Actionable insights—not vague ideas. You’ll know exactly where you stand, and what steps to take to boost morale, protect your people, and reduce risk.

Why Outsourcing This Matters

You might have an HR team or a health and safety officer already in place. But bringing in a neutral third party like BBP has several benefits:

• Objectivity – Staff may open up more to someone outside the business

• Expertise – We understand both the human and regulatory sides of workplace health

• Credibility – Demonstrating you’ve worked with a certified consultancy shows your people you’re serious

• Time-saving – Let your team focus on delivery while we focus on diagnostics

Most importantly, it sends a message: “We see you. We value your well-being. And we’re doing more than just talk.”

The Business Case for Mental Health

Let’s talk facts for a second:

• 1 in 4 people in the UK experience mental health problems each year

• Mental ill health is the leading cause of long-term absence from work.

• Poor mental health costs UK employers up to £45 billion annually (Deloitte, 2020)

• And yet, for every £1 spent on mental health, employers see an average £5 return in productivity and reduced turnover.

So, it’s not just the right thing to do—it’s the smart thing to do.

Take Action This May

Mental Health Awareness Month is more than a campaign. It’s a call to action. A reminder that your business runs on people, and those people need support to thrive.

Whether you're a growing construction company, a busy office team, or managing high-pressure field workers, now is the time to evaluate how you're supporting mental health.

Reach out to Bennett Business Partnerships today to book a confidential mental health audit.

Ensure you’re compliant, proactive, and genuinely supportive.

Watch your morale, retention, and productivity rise.

It’s more than duty—it’s dignity. Let’s raise the standard together.