In 2025, the conversation around mental health in the workplace is louder than ever, but in Nottingham and across the East Midlands, many workers still feel unheard.
In April 2025, we partnered with mental health charity SANE to bring awareness and shed light on mental health in the workplace. As part of this collaboration, we conducted a OnePoll survey of 2,000 UK employed adults.
Despite growing awareness, 33% of employees in Nottingham and the East Midlands remain uncomfortable discussing mental health at work, including disclosing a mental health condition. This silence is not just a personal burden - it’s a systemic issue that affects productivity, retention, and workplace culture.
Nearly three-in-10 workers (29%) have taken time off for mental health reasons, and seven per cent felt unable to disclose the real reason for their absence. While over half (54%) said their employer was supportive upon return, the experience is far from universal.
Among those who didn’t feel supported:
Forty-four per pent reported hostility from their employer
Thirty-three per cent said there was a lack of flexibility, such as rigid deadlines or no allowance for breaks
And 33% felt micromanaged and criticised, rather than encouraged.
These figures paint a troubling picture: for many, returning to work after a mental health-related absence is not a step toward recovery, but a return to stress.
The root causes: overwork, undervaluation, and leadership gaps
The leading causes of poor mental health at work are clear:
Heavy workloads (34%)
Management style (32%)
Feeling undervalued (32%)
While workload and recognition are long-standing challenges, the role of management style is increasingly under scrutiny and rightly so.
The mental health impact of management style
A manager’s approach to communication, delegation, and support can significantly shape the emotional climate of a workplace. Unfortunately, many employees report that their leaders are contributing to, rather than alleviating, mental health pressures.
Micromanagement, in particular, is a recurring theme. It signals a lack of trust, stifles autonomy, and creates a culture of fear and second-guessing. For employees already navigating anxiety, depression, or burnout, this can be deeply destabilising.
Moreover, a lack of empathy or flexibility - especially after a mental health-related absence - can lead to feelings of isolation, shame, and even discrimination. In fact, 39% of workers across the region have felt stigmatised or discriminated against due to their mental health.
To reverse this trend, organisations must invest in mental health literacy for managers. This could include training on how to have supportive conversations around mental health, recognising signs of distress and responding appropriately, and creating psychologically safe environments where employees feel seen, heard, and respected.
Leadership is more than driving performance, it’s about cultivating a culture where people can thrive. And in today’s workplace, that means putting mental health at the heart of management.
A culture of stigma still persists
While it's encouraging that 41% of employees in Nottingham and the East Midlands feel comfortable talking to their manager about mental health, the data also reveals a more sobering truth: 30% of workers wouldn’t feel comfortable discussing their mental health with anyone at work - not a manager, a colleague, or HR.
This silence speaks volumes. It suggests that for nearly a third of the workforce, the workplace remains a space where vulnerability feels unsafe. Whether due to fear of judgement, past negative experiences, or a lack of visible support systems, these individuals are navigating their mental health challenges in isolation.
What employees want, and more importantly, need
While many organisations across Nottingham and the East Midlands have taken steps to support employee mental health, the current landscape reveals a gap between what’s offered and what employees truly need.
The most common support systems currently in place include:
Employee assistance programmes (32%)
Flexible working hours (26%)
Mental health first aiders (24%)
When asked what would make the biggest difference to their mental health at work, employees said:
They want more flexible working arrangements (43%)
They would like mental health awareness training for managers (35%)
Better communication about available support (29%)
These are clear signals that employees want a culture of care, not just a checklist of benefits. They want flexibility that acknowledges the realities of modern life, leadership that understands mental health, and transparency that makes support easy to access.
The data is clear: mental health support must move beyond token gestures. It’s time for employers across Nottingham and the East Midlands to embed mental wellbeing into the fabric of their organisations.
This means fostering psychologically safe workplaces where employees feel empowered to speak openly about their mental health - without fear of judgement or repercussions. It requires equipping managers with the skills to lead with empathy, emotional intelligence, and mental health awareness. It also calls for a rethink of workloads and performance expectations, shifting from reactive crisis management to proactive burnout prevention. Most importantly, it means valuing people not just for what they produce, but for who they are and recognising that wellbeing is not a barrier to performance, but a foundation for it.
Looking for further mental health and wellbeing advice? Take a look at our mental health and wellbeing hub for further guidance.
