As we come to the end of Suicide Prevention Month, a reminder that if you’re struggling, please reach out – you’re never alone.
Also a reminder of Glass Ceilings Change Management’s good practice approach for workplaces:
• Train
• Raise Awareness
• Open Up Communication
• Listen
• Signpost Appropriately
From an employment perspective, contact details where people can access support should be clearly displayed in workplaces; remotely via intranet and on screens (the company desktop wallpaper is a good place); and, in any policies or guidance documents relating to health and wellbeing or taking time off work. Ensure you do due diligence and the services you refer to are properly qualified and trained.
Opening channels of communication and just letting people know you are a safe space for them to open up without judgement is really important. On my first ever day as a line manager – aged 24 and with no training whatsoever in suicide prevention – a member of my team told me they didn’t want to be here anymore. I worked on human instinct in that moment and thankfully they got the help they needed to recover. I made sure I was trained from that day onwards.
I have supported many other colleagues throughout the last 18 years or so who were experiencing suicidal thoughts. Some have been friends, some members of my team, some when I was working in in-house HR roles, some as a Mental Health First Aider. I’ve also had to call blue light services on occasion. Conversations with loved ones are perhaps the hardest in the aftermath of these circumstances; it’s a fine balance between being supportive and compassionate whilst not seeking to intrude in a someone’s private life, which is not the place of an employer.
Signposting someone to the most appropriate support is critical – even with experience and training in this area, if you’re not a qualified mental health practitioner then offering interventions could do more harm than good. Mental Health First Aiders are a really good resource to help hold an initial conversation and signpost to support.
I’m passionate about employers getting these things right, to ensure people living with suicidal thoughts get the best possible support in the workplace, soon enough to make a difference. It can quite literally save a life.
Our webinar on Mental Health is openly available to view in Events here.
In addition to our advisory support on mental health casework, we also provide manager and Mental Health First Aid training to organisations. We also provide support with a range of Serious Incident Responses, with particular expertise and experience in supporting mental health related serious incidents.
If you need support with a particular situation or developing your approach, get in touch: [email protected]
Laura Evans, CEO 30th September, 2025