Why Employees Fear Discussing Mental Health
- Key insight: Here’s why employees keep their mental health struggles hidden despite increased workplace awareness.
- What’s at stake: Losing career opportunities and facing retaliation if employees report mental health struggles.
- Support data: 48% of employees who worry about a specific reaction from their colleagues.
Source: AI generated bullets with editorial review
Despite increased awareness of mental health, stigma and fear of judgment still prevent many workers from seeking help.
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“They worry that their manager will question their ability to do the job, that their colleagues will see them differently, or that they will be passed over for a promotion,” said Haydeé Acebo, human resources leader at global Japanese manufacturer Horiba and a two-time TEDx speaker. “Even when employers say, ‘It’s okay to not be okay,’ employees quietly ask themselves, ‘But is it really safe for me to not be okay here?’
A final survey
Concerns about the consequences in the workplace also remain widespread. Almost a quarter of workers (23%) said fear of losing opportunities or facing retaliation prevents them from confiding in someone at work about their mental health. Almost half (48%) are worried that colleagues would judge them if they shared their experiences.
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Managers are not immune to these concerns. 46 percent of managers said they were concerned about the career impact of the dispute
“I personally understand that fear,” said Acebo, who is drawing on some of her experiences in her upcoming book, “Ask for Help Is Not a Burden,” to be released this fall. “I know what it’s like to be a struggling person on stage who is reliable, productive, and always helping everyone else. Sometimes the most powerful person in the room is the one who needs someone.
Acebo recently spoke with Employee Benefits News about the rise of employee stress and how employers can create environments where employees feel more comfortable speaking up and seeking help. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
What pressures are causing the most in today’s work stress crisis?
People wear much more than what we see. Workers are dealing with heavier workloads, financial pressure, caregiving responsibilities, health concerns, workplace uncertainty and the expectation that they must remain productive throughout.
Technology has also blurred the line between work and home. An employee may leave the office, but the emails, messages, and responsibilities remain. We are constantly connected, but many people feel more isolated than ever.
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We live in a culture that celebrates resilience but doesn’t always make room for recovery. Employees are praised for stepping up, staying late, and getting the job done. Over time, people can become very good while falling apart in private. Workplaces “Is the work being done?” one must go beyond asking. and start asking, “What does it cost this person to keep doing the job?”
How can managers tell between someone who is struggling and someone who is having a bad week?
Managers should look for patterns and changes, not a difficult day or a missed deadline. Everyone has bad weeks. However, when a trusted employee starts withdrawing, missing meetings, making unusual mistakes, becoming more emotional or angry, calling them frequently, or not performing as they normally would, these changes may indicate something deeper is going on.
This is where awareness is important for managers. Awareness means getting to know your employees well enough to notice when they’re not behaving like themselves. Managers should not become therapists, and should not try to diagnose anyone. Their job is to notice, approach the employee with compassion, and connect them with appropriate support.
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They might say, “I noticed you’ve been quieter than usual, and I wanted to check in. You don’t have to share anything you’re uncomfortable sharing, but I want you to know that help is available.” Sometimes that simple human conversation can make a huge difference.
What is one thing employers can do tomorrow to make it easier for people to talk?
Encourage each manager to do a real check-in with an employee. The conversation should not be about a project, deadline or performance goal. It should be about the person. “Are you okay?” instead of asking ask, “How are you really?” or “What would make your workload feel more manageable now?” Then pause long enough to hear the answer.
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This mirrors “share,” the second step in my ASK code (which builds on the first step, awareness, and leads to the final step: keep asking). People need an opportunity to share what they’re going through without feeling pressured to divulge personal or medical details. They also need to believe that what they share will be treated with respect.
How the manager responds in that first moment matters. If the response is dismissive, rushed, or judgmental, the employee may never bring it up again. However, if the manager listens and says, “Thank you for trusting me. Let’s talk about what help might help,” that employee learns that asking for help can lead to connection rather than consequences.
You say the mental health benefits are often underutilized. What is the biggest reason employees don’t take advantage of them?
It is the biggest reason
There is also a practical obstacle. When someone is already overwhelmed, asking them to search a benefits portal, call multiple providers and figure it all out on their own can feel overwhelming. Sometimes we give people a phone number and call that help, but real help requires the path to be clear and accessible.
Employers must repeatedly explain what the benefit provides, how to use it, what confidentiality means and where employees can go if the first resource does not work for them. An unused benefit does not necessarily mean that the employee does not need it. It may mean they don’t trust it, understand it, or know how to access it.
