Mental health is no longer a fringe topic – it’s front and centre in workplace conversations. But in Glasgow and across the rest of Scotland, many workers still feel like their voices are getting lost in the noise.

In April 2025, we teamed up with independent mental health charity SANE to shine a light on the state of mental wellbeing in the workplace. As part of the campaign, we ran a OnePoll survey of 2,000 employed adults across the UK.

*All statistics referenced in this article are based on responses from people in Scotland.

Despite the growing awareness, more than a third (37%) of employees still don’t feel comfortable talking about mental health at work – not even to disclose a condition. That kind of silence can be damaging in the long term and has the potential to impact businesses in terms of productivity, morale, and retention.

Around 36% of workers have taken time off due to mental health, but some felt they couldn’t be honest about why. While half (50%) said their employer was supportive when they returned, that’s far from the norm.

Among those who didn’t feel supported:

  • Forty-one per cent reported their employers weren’t flexible enough, setting rigid deadlines or not allowing for breaks.

  • Thirty-five per cent said too many questions were asked as to why time off was taken.

  • And

    35% felt micromanaged and criticised, rather than encouraged.

For many, coming back to work after a mental health-related absence doesn’t feel like recovery – it feels like walking into a storm.

What’s behind the crisis? Overwork, undervaluation, and leadership that’s missing the mark

The top culprits behind poor mental health at work in Glasgow are clear:

  • Heavy workloads (37%)

  • Work-life balance (33%)

  • External life events (31%)

  • Management style (27%)

While workload and work-life balance have long been ongoing challenges for many businesses, the role of management style is increasingly in the spotlight. A staggering 27% of respondents believe their bosses’ management style is negatively affecting their mental health.

When management makes it worse

A manager’s style can make or break the emotional climate of a workplace. Sadly, many Glaswegian workers say their leaders are adding to the pressure, not easing it.

Micromanagement is a recurring theme. It sends a message of mistrust, strips away autonomy, and creates a culture of fear. For someone already dealing with anxiety or burnout, it’s essentially adding fuel to the fire.

Worse still, a lack of empathy – especially after someone’s been off for mental health reasons – can leave people feeling isolated, ashamed, and even discriminated against. In fact, 36% of workers across the country have felt stigmatised or discriminated against due to their mental health.

The potential fix? Organisations should consider investing in mental health awareness for managers. This could include training leaders to spot the signs of distress, have open and supportive conversations, and build psychologically safe environments where people feel seen and heard.

Now more than ever, leadership is about cultivating a culture where people can thrive, and in the workplace especially, that means putting mental health at the heart of management.

The stigma hasn’t gone away

It's encouraging that 38% of employees feel comfortable talking to their peers or team members about mental health. But the data also reveals the harsh truth: a third (33%) of workers simply don’t feel comfortable discussing their mental health with anyone at work – not a manager, not HR, not a colleague.

This silence says a lot. It suggests that for a third of Glasgow’s workforce, the workplace still doesn’t feel safe enough. Whether it’s fear of judgement, bad past experiences, or just a lack of visible support, these workers are carrying their struggles alone.

What Glaswegian workers really want

Many employers across Glasgow have made moves to support mental health – but there’s still a gap between what’s offered and what people actually need.

Here’s what’s currently in place:

  • Employee assistance programmes (33%)

  • Counselling services (27%)

  • Flexible working hours (26%)

But when asked what would really make a difference, workers said:

  • 37% want more flexible working arrangements

  • 36% want mental health awareness training for managers

  • 34% want better communication about available support

There needs to be a culture of care in place at work. One where flexibility reflects real life, where leaders understand mental health, and where support is easy to find – not just buried in a policy document.

The message from Glasgow’s workforce has never been clearer: mental health support can’t be a token gesture – it needs to be woven into the fabric of how we work.

That means creating psychologically safe workplaces where people can speak up without fear, equipping managers to lead with empathy and emotional intelligence, or even rethinking workloads and performance expectations to prevent burnout before it starts. But most importantly, employers needs to value people not just for what they do – but for who they are.

Looking for a talented professional to join your organisation? Or are you looking to take that next step in your career? Contact Reed’s Glasgow office now.