World Mental Health Day 2026

9 October 2026

World Mental Health Day takes place on 10 October each year, providing an opportunity to raise awareness, reduce stigma and encourage open conversations. This year’s theme is Lived Experiences Heard: Real Voices, Real Change. It highlights the importance of listening to people’s experiences and ensuring that they are heard and can contribute to positive change.

Mental Health UK is encouraging people to remember that support starts with being heard. Taking the time to genuinely listen can help someone feel understood, less alone and more able to cope with the challenges they are facing.

This is particularly relevant in the workplace. Work can have a positive impact on mental health by providing structure, purpose and social connection, but workplace pressures can also contribute to stress and poor mental health. Creating a supportive workplace does not mean managers need to have all the answers. Often, it starts with creating an environment where people feel comfortable speaking openly about their experience.

Some simple ways employers and manager can support include:

* Making time to listen
Creating opportunities for meaningful conversations about wellbeing, not just work and performance.

*Choosing the right time and space
Give the employee your full attention and minimise distractions.

*Listening to understand
Allow employees to share as much or as little as they want, without judgement or assumptions.

*Asking open questions
Give employees space to explain how they are feeling rather than immediately offering solutions.

*Showing empathy
Acknowledging someone’s experience can be more helpful than trying to fix things straight away.

*Helping employees to identify their own next steps
Where appropriate, ask what support or adjustments they feel would help them.

The World Federation for Mental Health has produced a 2026 toolkit to support organisations and workplaces getting involved with this year’s theme.

The Mental Health Foundation also has free resources, including tips on talking about mental health and listening effectively, along with posters and social media graphics.

This day also provides a great opportunity to remind employees of the Rowan employee counselling service. Employees can self-refer for counselling via Rowan using their online form. The QR code for this can be found in the Employee Counselling Poster in the downloads section of our website.

While 10 October provides a focus, supporting good mental health should be part of workplace culture throughout the year. This World Mental Health Day, consider how your organisation can make people feel heard, supported and able to turn their experiences into positive change.