Bridging the workplace support gap

People are increasingly willing to talk about mental health. Employers need to make sure there is someone they feel able to talk to.

An employee can arrive at work on time, complete their tasks and appear to be coping, while quietly carrying pressures that nobody else sees.

Financial worries. A relationship under strain. Caring responsibilities. Loneliness. Anxiety about work or the future.

The 2026 AXA Mind Health Report, conducted in partnership with Ipsos, surveyed 19,000 adults aged 18–75 across 18 countries. Its findings raise a practical question for employers: how easy is it for someone in your organisation to take that first step towards support?

Awareness is growing, but wellbeing is declining

Across the survey, 46% of respondents were classified as struggling or languishing. Ipsos reports that this proportion has risen by six percentage points since 2021. Among the 16 countries included in every wave of the study, ten recorded their lowest mind health results since the research began.

Younger adults face particular challenges. Among respondents aged 18–34, 59% were struggling or languishing—13 percentage points above the overall average.

These categories describe wellbeing within the research; they should not be read as clinical diagnoses. The findings are also international, rather than a measure of any individual UK workforce.

Nevertheless, they give business leaders good reason to look beyond appearances and ask whether their support arrangements are reaching people.

Willingness to seek support is only part of the picture

One encouraging finding is employees’ willingness to engage. AXA reports that 84% would participate in mental health and wellbeing programmes offered by their employer.

Yet reporting on AXA Global Healthcare’s findings highlights a substantial gap: around two-thirds of employees said workplace programmes were unavailable to them, or that they did not know whether they existed. Insurance Business

Some organisations may need to introduce support. Others may already provide services that employees struggle to find, understand or trust.

A benefit listed on an intranet still requires someone to recognise their need, locate the service and feel comfortable using it. Employers should examine each of those steps.

The first conversation can feel difficult

Among respondents with a mental health concern who had not consulted a professional, 33% identified consultation and treatment costs as a barrier, while 15% cited fear of stigma or judgement. Insurance Business

These findings underline why simply telling people to “reach out” may be insufficient.

Someone may be unsure whether their concern warrants help. They may worry about what colleagues will think, or feel uncomfortable approaching a person they have never met.

Employers can respond by explaining clearly what support is available, how to access it, any costs involved and how confidentiality works. They can also make space for everyday conversations before someone feels ready to ask for more formal help.

Support needs to reflect the whole person

At P3 Business Care, we recognise that people bring their whole lives to work.

Conversations may involve workplace pressures, family circumstances, bereavement, financial concerns, physical health, relationships or a combination of difficulties.

Our approach is built around three principles:

• Personal: a visible presence, with familiar Business Partners who build relationships over time.

• Proactive: regular workplace contact that creates opportunities to talk before concerns escalate.

• Partnership: working alongside employers, HR, HSE and existing support services, with care extending to employees’ immediate families.

A familiar conversation can provide a starting point for someone who is uncertain where to turn. Where further help is needed, Business Partners can signpost or support access to appropriate services.

Confidentiality must be explained clearly, including safeguarding limits. Employees need to understand how their personal information will be treated.

Listening should also lead to action

Individual support is one part of an employer’s response. Leaders also need to consider whether work itself is contributing to difficulties.

If concerns repeatedly involve workload, working relationships, unclear expectations or organisational change, those patterns deserve attention.

Employers can review appropriately anonymised themes alongside employee feedback and other workforce information to identify questions that need further investigation. Care is needed to protect people in small teams and avoid treating conversation counts as a measure of how widespread a problem is.

Providing someone with support and addressing the conditions affecting them should go hand in hand.

Make the first step easier

The AXA findings offer employers a clear opportunity: people say they are willing to engage with workplace support. The task is to make that support accessible, understandable and trusted.

Ask your team:

• Do employees know who they can speak to?

• Can people working different shifts or locations access help?

• Are confidentiality arrangements clear?

• Do leaders act on recurring concerns?

At P3, we believe a regular, trusted presence can help make those first conversations easier.

To explore how P3 Business Care could strengthen support for your workforce, get in touch.

Because People Matter.