Encouraging people to speak about their mental health matters. But a supportive workplace also needs to know what to do when they do.
The theme for World Mental Health Day 2026 is “Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change.” The World Health Organisation is calling for lived experience not simply to be heard, but to influence the decisions and services that affect people’s lives.
There is an important lesson in that for employers.
Because asking people to speak openly is only useful if the organisation is prepared to listen and respond.
When an employee says they are struggling, there may not be one simple explanation.
For some women, hormone health may be part of the picture. Perimenopause and menopause can include symptoms such as anxiety, low mood, disrupted sleep and difficulties with memory or concentration.
But not every mental health difficulty is caused by hormones. And it is not a manager’s job to work out whether it is.
If someone says:
“I can’t concentrate.”
“I’m exhausted.”
“I’m overwhelmed.”
The useful workplace question is not “What is wrong with you?”
It is:
“How is this affecting you at work, and what support would help?”
That distinction matters.
Good managers can, however, listen without judgement, understand what is affecting someone at work, consider practical changes and signpost towards further support when it is needed.
That might mean looking at workload, priorities, flexibility or the working environment. It may involve a source of specialist support. And sometimes symptoms require assessment by an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Acas guidance similarly emphasises listening, working together on possible solutions and signposting to specialist help where needed.
The important thing is that the conversation leads somewhere.
We often put the responsibility for mental wellbeing back onto the individual.
Speak up. Become more resilient. Use the wellbeing app. Learn to manage stress.
Individual support has a place. But employers also need to ask harder questions about work itself.
Are workloads realistic?
Can people genuinely switch off?
Do managers have the confidence and time to have good conversations?
Are employees clear about where workplace support ends and clinical care begins?
When people tell us something is not working, do we change anything?
This is where mental health, workplace culture and hormone health meet.
At Balance@Work, our role is to help organisations create better-informed environments: equipping managers, developing champions, improving understanding of hormone health and creating clearer routes to appropriate support.
Because listening is only the first step.
Real voices should lead to real change in the conversation, in the workplace and, where necessary, in the support that follows.
Encouraging people to speak about their mental health matters. But a supportive workplace also needs to know what to do when they do.
A menopause policy can be approved, published and technically complete without changing a single employee’s experience.
For employers, that has a clear connection to hormone health at work. Trust is not created by a policy or an awareness campaign alone. It develops when people can find credible information, understand what support is available and know what will happen if they ask for help.
