Each year, Mental Health Awareness Week puts employee wellbeing back in the spotlight. For HR leaders and managers, it’s a critical reminder: employee mental health isn’t just a moral obligation—it’s a measurable business issue.
In 2025, supporting mental health is no longer a “nice-to-have.” It is central to performance, retention, and your organisation’s bottom line. But many businesses are still managing wellbeing without metrics, insight, or accountability.
Let’s break down why mental health must now be treated as a key performance indicator (KPI)—and how progressive companies are doing exactly that.
The Mental Health Crisis Is a Business Crisis
The numbers are undeniable:
- Over 60% of employees report symptoms of burnout, yet only 24% say their employer offers adequate support.
- According to Deloitte, mental health issues cost UK employers £56 billion a year through absenteeism, presenteeism, and staff turnover.
- In the U.S., the figure exceeds $200 billion annually.
And the impact isn’t limited to extreme cases. A study by Mind Share Partners found that 76% of workers reported at least one mental health symptom in the past year, including anxiety, stress, or emotional exhaustion.
For HR, the question is no longer “should we address mental health?” but “how effectively are we doing it—and how are we measuring success?”
Traditional HR Metrics Aren’t Enough
HR teams are equipped with tools to track:
- Turnover rates
- Absenteeism
- Engagement scores
- Grievance reports
But none of these offer real-time insight into mental wellbeing. These are lagging indicators—signs that something has already gone wrong.
By the time absenteeism increases, or an exit interview reveals stress as a reason for leaving, the damage is done. And the warning signs? Often invisible to leadership until it’s too late.
The New KPI: Measuring Mental Health in Real Time
A modern approach to wellbeing means tracking mental health as you would sales, retention, or customer satisfaction—with live dashboards, behaviour trends, and predictive analytics.
Solutions like SupportRoom offer exactly that. By combining on-demand therapy, coaching, and Heartbeat Insights, we help organisations:
- Track usage of mental health services across departments
- Identify high-risk teams showing signs of burnout
- Understand sentiment and emotional trends across the workforce
- Analyse the effectiveness of wellbeing programmes over time
- Generate anonymised data that guides leadership decisions
Instead of guessing, HR teams can act—with insight, strategy, and precision.
What Gets Measured, Gets Improved
When companies invest in measurable mental health support, the returns are significant—and backed by data:
- According to Deloitte UK (2022), employers see an average £5 return for every £1 spent on mental health interventions, up from £4 in 2020.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) confirms that every $1 invested in treating common mental health disorders like depression and anxiety yields a $4 return in improved health and productivity.
- A study by Mind Share Partners (2021) found that 91% of employees believe a company’s culture should support mental health—and when it does, retention, trust, and performance improve.
- However, only 31% of employees report feeling comfortable discussing mental health with HR, showing a critical gap in effective support systems.
These findings underscore a truth leaders can’t ignore: mental health isn’t intangible. It’s trackable, actionable—and deeply tied to performance.
Mental Health Awareness Week: More Than a Hashtag
Posting reminders and launching campaigns during Awareness Week is meaningful—but awareness alone won’t change outcomes.
Instead, organisations should use this week to ask:
- Do we know how our employees feel—right now?
- Are we measuring wellbeing, or assuming it?
- Do our managers have access to support themselves?
- Is our current EAP actually being used—and making an impact?
If the answer to any of these is “no,” it’s time to evolve.
A New Standard for Workplace Wellbeing
SupportRoom exists to help HR and leadership teams move from intention to action. Our platform:
- Delivers therapy, coaching, and self-help on demand
- Integrates wellbeing data into your business decision-making
- Empowers organisations to support employees year-round—not just during campaign weeks
As we observe Mental Health Awareness Week, let’s redefine what success looks like.
Because in 2025, mental health isn’t just a wellbeing initiative—it’s a strategic, measurable advantage.
Explore how SupportRoom can help your organisation turn awareness into action.