Mental Health Training: Improving Workplace Mental Health

We all have mental health. Yet, 45% of us still believe mental health is a ‘taboo’ topic, and many of us don’t know what ‘poor’ mental health looks like.¹

This is where mental health training comes in handy. Mental health training courses can bridge the gaps in our knowledge, helping us understand what mental health is, notice when others are struggling and get support.

But what does mental health training involve, and what are some of its other benefits? On this page, we discuss:

What mental health training is
Types of training in mental health
Mental health training by profession
Bespoke mental health training at PsychWrite

What Is Mental Health Training?

Mental health training helps people understand mental health and challenge any misinformation they’ve learnt about it. It also teaches people how to notice mental health challenges in themselves and those around them, as well as how to offer support to anyone who’s struggling.

Training for mental health comes in all shapes and sizes, which we’ll explore next. However, training typically centres around getting people comfortable talking about mental health. This focus is fundamental as, according to research, 34% of us choose to stay silent about our mental health, rather than risk an awkward conversation.²

Types of Mental Health Training Courses

Mental health training courses aren’t one-size-fits-all. They’re typically tailored to the environment and its people, and can be designed completely bespoke to your workplace. Let’s delve into some of the main types.

1. Mental Health First Aid Training

Mental health first aider training is an in-depth course that talks through the ins and outs of mental health. It covers what mental health is and what ‘good’ mental health looks like.

During first aid mental health training, in-person or online training groups discuss the biological, social and psychological factors impacting mental health, and how to recognise when and how these factors are affecting us.

This training also teaches people about self-care and coping strategies to stay mentally healthy, as well as how to identify when someone around you is struggling with their mental health. For example, if a colleague is experiencing depression, or your spouse is becoming increasingly anxious. Mental health first aid training gives you the tools to speak to them with confidence and steps to take to support them.

Once you complete an accredited mental health first aid training course, you become a certified mental health first aider. This enables you to support and signpost people with mental ill-health to relevant therapeutic services.

2. Mental Health Awareness Training

Mental health awareness training (MHAT) overlaps with mental health first aid training, but they’re not the same. While the latter is an in-depth course, the former offers a more basic, foundational understanding of mental health.

Awareness courses, available either in-person or as mental health training online, tend to be half a day long and involve a mix of interactive discussions and presentations.

You’ll leave mental health awareness training with an understanding of what mental health is and basic guidance on looking after your mental wellbeing. You’ll learn about the most common mental health difficulties, such as depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder, and factors that affect your mental health, like stress, relationships and workplace culture.

3. Workplace Mental Health Training

Workplace mental health training focuses on people’s mental health at work. It can be tailored to:

Managers
Employees
Stress management/wellbeing teams
Teachers

The exact nature of the training will depend on who it’s aimed at. However, it will typically focus on the main mental health difficulties associated with work, such as burnout and anxiety.

You’ll also discuss factors that impact a person’s mental health at work. For example, unsafe work conditions, an unhealthy workplace culture, harassment, violence, bullying, discrimination and job insecurity.³

Sometimes, mental health in the workplace training focuses on developing a healthy, inclusive work environment, which may involve improving skills such as healthy boundaries and effective communication.

Workplace mental health training can be completed as a team or individually, in-person, virtually or online.

4. Children’s Mental Health Training

Children’s mental health training teaches the adults supporting children (such as parents and carers) how to identify mental health issues in children and teens. Think of it like mental health first aid training, but instead of focusing on adult mental health, it’s all about young people aged 8-18.

This training won’t give you the qualifications needed to become a therapist. However, it will give you the basic tools to understand how to talk to young people about their mental health difficulties and to signpost them to relevant support.

5. Bespoke Mental Health Training

Many mental health training courses follow a set curriculum. Bespoke mental health training, on the other hand, is tailored to your organisation. Research shows that people learn best when information feels relevant to their daily experiences – especially when training includes opportunities for practical application.¹³ Customised programmes can mirror the kinds of conversations, pressures and situations your team face day-to-day, helping increase their confidence and make them feel more capable.

Another advantage of bespoke training is that it’s a form of interactive, experience-led learning – such as guided discussions, scenario-based practice and role-play. These help people retain skills for longer and apply them more naturally in real life. Instead of worrying about saying the wrong thing or ‘opening a can of worms,’ staff can practice supportive conversations in a safe environment and reflect on what went well.¹³

Tailored training can also be developed with long-term learning in mind. Follow-up sessions, refresher modules and ongoing coaching help reinforce knowledge and prevent skills from fading over time.¹³

Mental Health Training by Profession

We’ve talked through some of the types and benefits of training for mental health, but what does this look like for different professionals?

Mental Health Training for Managers

Mental health training gives senior leaders the confidence to notice when a staff member is experiencing ‘poor’ mental health. Research also shows that implementing effective mental health training among managers can:⁴

Increase their knowledge and understanding of mental health issues.
Reduce stigmatising attitudes toward mental health in the workplace.
Better equip managers to support employees who face mental health troubles.

What’s more, mental health training for managers will encourage them to look after their own mental health. These positive practices often filter down to their staff, which can create a more supportive, healthier work environment.

There are even benefits to the organisation as a whole. Studies show that line manager training in mental health can improve:⁵

Staff recruitment and retention.
Business performance.
Customer service.

It may reduce mental health-related long-term sick leave, too.

Mental Health Awareness Training for Employees

Employee mental health awareness training can improve your staff’s self-awareness, helping them to notice stress triggers and implement coping tactics. Just like for managers, training employees in mental health also reduces stigma, as it gives them a safe space to talk about their mental wellbeing.⁶

If you’re a business owner, it’s important to think about the cost benefits associated with employee mental health training. Poor mental health costs around £300 billion a year, with sickness absence, presenteeism and staff turnover being the biggest issues.⁷

Fortunately, studies show that employee mental health training can reduce sick days by 22% and lower rates of presenteeism.⁸ What’s more, for every £1 you invest in workplace mental health interventions, you get an average of £4.70 back in productivity.⁹

Mental Health Training for Teachers

74% of teachers say poor mental health is negatively impacting their pupils’ ability to learn.10 Yet, half of teachers don’t feel confident addressing these issues with students.¹¹ And around half of them are struggling with their own mental health.¹² So, mental health training for teachers is desperately needed.

This training enables teachers to identify mental health warning signs in students and learn what they need to do next. It also teaches them the skills to model positive mental health strategies and to confidently speak to students about their mental health.

Bespoke Mental Health Training at PsychWrite

Effective mental health training has clear benefits for both your team and your organisation. The next step for you is finding a training program that fits your needs.

At PsychWrite, we work closely with organisations to design bespoke mental health training that aligns with your team and culture. Our programs are tailored to help you and your staff feel supported, confident and equipped to handle mental health challenges in the workplace.

Whether you want to raise awareness, build practical skills or improve your workplace culture, we can create a program that works for you and is built around your needs.

If you’re interested in making a change in your workplace and need bespoke mental health training, get in touch today. Our team can discuss how we can help you create a compassionate, confident and mentally healthy workforce.

References

Mind. (2024, February 1). UK hiding behind a ‘brave face’ to avoid speaking about mental health. httpss://www.mind.org.uk/news-campaigns/news/uk-hiding-behind-a-brave-face-to-avoid-speaking-about-mental-health/
Mind. (2025, February 6). A third of UK prefers to keep silent about mental health rather than risk an awkward conversation. httpss://www.mind.org.uk/news-campaigns/news/a-third-of-uk-prefers-to-keep-silent-about-mental-health-rather-than-risk-an-awkward-conversation/
World Health Organization. (2024, September 2). Mental health at work. httpss://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-at-work
Gayed, A., Milligan-Saville, J. S., Nicholas, J., Bryan, B. T., LaMontagne, A. D., Milner, A., Madan, I., Calvo, R. A., Christensen, H., Mykletun, A., Glozier, N., & Harvey, S. B. (2018). Effectiveness of training workplace managers to understand and support the mental health needs of employees: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Occupational and environmental medicine, 75(6), 462–470. httpss://doi.org/10.1136/oemed-2017-104789
Hassard, J., Dulal-Arthur, T., Bourke, J., Wishart, M., Roper, S., Belt, V., Leka, S., Pahl, N., Bartle, C., Thomson, L., & Blake, H. (2024). The relationship between line manager training in mental health and organisational outcomes. PLoS ONE, 19(7), e0306065. httpss://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0306065
Halderthay, E. (2024, February 28). The strategic and financial benefits of corporate mental health training. Mind: Coventry, Warwickshire and Worcestershire. httpss://swwmind.org.uk/the-corporate-benefits-of-mental-health-training/
Cardoso, F., & Mchayle, Z. (2024, March 27). The economic and social costs of mental ill health. Centre for Mental Health. httpss://www.centreformentalhealth.org.uk/publications/the-economic-and-social-costs-of-mental-ill-health/
Gray, N. S., Davies, H., Brad, R., & Snowden, R. J. (2023). Reducing sickness absence and stigma due to mental health difficulties: a randomised control treatment trial (RCT) of a low intensity psychological intervention and stigma reduction programme for common mental disorder (Prevail). BMC Public Health, 23(1), 1324. httpss://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-16200-x
Deloitte. (2024, May 17). Poor mental health costs UK employers £51 billion a year for employees. httpss://www.deloitte.com/uk/en/about/press-room/poor-mental-health-costs-uk-employers-51-billion-a-year-for-employees.html
YoungMinds. (n.d.). Nearly three quarters of teachers believe poor mental health support is having a negative impact on learning. httpss://www.youngminds.org.uk/about-us/media-centre/press-releases/nearly-three-quarters-of-teachers-believe-poor-mental-health-support-is-having-a-negative-impact-on-learning/
Early Intervention Foundation. (2021, July 9). Half of UK teachers don’t feel confident helping pupils with their mental health. httpss://www.eif.org.uk/press-release/half-of-uk-teachers-don-t-feel-confident-helping-pupils-with-their-mental-health
Mental Health Foundation. (2018, December 10). Shocking research reveals half of teachers affected by mental ill health due to work pressure. httpss://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/about-us/news/shocking-research-reveals-half-teachers-affected-mental-ill-health-due-work-pressure
Donnelly, E. (2025, August 2). Learning that sticks: Why most training fails – and what actually works. Ripple&Co. httpss://www.rippleandco.com/insights/learning-that-sticks-why-most-training-fails-and-what-actually-works