The True Cost of Ignoring Mental Health at Work (And What to Do Instead)

Mental health has moved from a personal issue to a business-critical one. While it might be hard for businesses to pinpoint where stress thrives within the organisation, workplaces have always been environments where stress, anxiety, and burnout thrive. Well-being is now a corporate conversation as much as a personal one.

For professionals in sectors like education, healthcare, and HR, the emotional demands of the job go well beyond growing to-do lists. These are roles where people show up every day, not just to perform tasks, but to help others. Supporting students, caring for patients and guiding teams through the ups and downs of work life are no small feats.

But who is looking after them?

At Wellhub, we believewell-being shouldn’t be left to chance. Our platform helps businesses make meaningful mental health support accessible, giving employees the tools they need to care for themselves as well as they care for others.

The State of Mental Health at Work: What the Data Tells Us

Burnout isn’t just a buzzword; it's a reality for a significant portion of today’s workforce. Research from Deloitte reveals that nearly two-thirds of employees, 63 percent, have experienced at least one characteristic of burnout,whether that is exhaustion, inability to focus, or a drop in performance.

And this pressure isn’t easing. In the UK, 79 percent of employees say they commonly experience work-related stress, a figure that has risen by 20 percent since 2018. These aren’t just personal struggles, they are organisational risks.

The cost of poor mental health at work is staggering, with UK employers losing £51 billion a year, up from £45 billion just five years ago. But the financial toll is only part of the story. Stress, depression, and anxiety are responsible for over half of all work-related illness cases,  leading to theloss of 17 million working days annually.

Behind every one of these numbers is a person showing up to work already depleted. It's the emails answered late into the night, the exhaustion that doesn’t lift by morning.  Three out of five working people say they feel drained at the end of each workday; many spend extra hours outside of their contracted time just trying to keep up.

The impact is clear. When mental health is neglected, people suffer, and so do businesses. £28 billion was lost to workplace stress and burnout last year. We know now the opposite is also true: when wellbeing is prioritised, the return on investment is just as evident. 

Key Learnings Businesses We Can't Ignore:

Mental health challenges don’t just show up on sick leave forms; they quietly reduce productivity, stifle collaboration, and erode leadership potential. Chronic stress not only takes people out of the workplace, but it also limits how fully they can show up when they are there.

Choosing not to invest in mental well-being isn’t just harmful to people; it's also costly for companies. But the good news is that a proactive, human-first approach works. For every £1 spent on supporting mental health, employers see nearly £4.70 back in improved productivity!

When businesses offer tools like Wellhub, they send a powerful message. We care about your well-being, and we are here to help you thrive in all parts of your life. This doesn’t just improve satisfaction and retention, it helps break down stigma and makes asking for help feel like the norm, not the exception.

My employer offers Wellhub as a benefit, and my mental health has significantly improved because of it. I would definitely recommend it as an employee benefit. - Chiara P,  Wellhub Member

Making mental health a shared responsibility across the organisation, rather than leaving it solely to HR, signals a true culture shift. One where people feel safe, supported, and empowered to prioritise their well-being.

Shifting from Reactive to Proactive: Building a Culture of Mental Wellbeing

Stress is a universal experience, but some sectors face it at exceptionally high levels. Educators juggle the demands of students, families, and heavy admin loads. Healthcare professionals absorb trauma, grief, and long, unpredictable shifts. HR teams hold space for sensitive conversations while balancing the needs of the wider business.

Too often, the support these roles need arrives only when burnout has already taken hold. But what if care wasn’t reactive? What if it were part of the everyday culture?

Proactive support means embedding mental health tools into the rhythm of work life from the start:

• Raising mental health awareness and following through with therapy, mindfulness, and emotional well-being resources that are readily available
• Leaders who model healthy behaviour, like taking personal days or not sending emails after 6 PM
• Managers who make space for honest check-ins
• Workplaces that build recovery time into the schedule, not just deadlines
   

This approach does more than prevent burnout, reduce absenteeism and lower the rate of turnover. It builds emotional resilience across teams and fosters a culture where well-being is part of how work gets done.

“With Wellhub, I was able to do therapy online during the pandemic, all included in my plan, and I discovered a new version of myself. I reinvented my self-esteem, my motivation, and even my relationships.”- Mariana L, Wellhub Member.

How Wellhub Helps: Beyond the Gym

When many people think of Wellhub, they think of fitness classes and gym memberships. But we are here for so much more than that. That'swhy we rebranded!

Wellhub offers a complete well-being platform because proper health goes beyond physical fitness. Our partner apps give employees access to a wide range of support, including:

• Virtual and flexible licensed therapy
• Meditation and mindfulness sessions
• Breathing and relaxation exercises
• Sleep support and guided rest routines
• Financial well-being tools to ease money-related stress
• Community events that help foster connection and belonging

These aren’t just crisis tools. They are everyday resources that make mental health care approachable and easy to access, whether you need a quiet moment to meditate, help getting your finances in order, or a therapy session from the comfort of home. They support life in a well-rounded way.

“Wellhub isn’t just about gyms and physical health; it’s also about mental health, meditation, breathing, and living a healthier lifestyle. Wellhub gave me the opportunity to do therapy at an affordable price, along with the gym, helping me break away from a sedentary lifestyle and invest more in myself.”- Eduardo O, Wellhub Member.

By supporting the whole person, body, mind, and lifestyle, Wellhub helps employees feel better equipped to handle the everyday demands of work and life in tandem.

Mental Health Support Should Be Built In, Not Bolted On

Our personal and professional lives coexist alongside one another. Mental and physical health are deeply connected, too. Stress and anxiety don’t just weigh on the mind; they show up in the body, and with that in mind, businesses need an all-encompassing approach that addresses wellness on all fronts.

¨Access to exercise is key to my physical and mental health¨ - Paula M, Wellhub Member

With Wellhub, businesses can offer their teams access to therapy, mindfulness, movement, sleep tools, and more. This creates a well-being ecosystem that supports every aspect of health.

¨Wellhub has been a vital part of my recovery and supported my mental health by being able to go swimming and use the gym wherever I am. ¨ - James P, Wellhub Member

The conversation around mental health at work has changed. It is no longer seen as a perk that's thrown in; it's a critical facet for many to perform in their roles. Now is the time to stop treating well-being as an afterthought and start making it a shared priority.

Whether it is a moment of calm or a place to move the body, Wellhub makes it easier to access the support people need, when they need it. 

Ready to make mental health a shared priority in your workplace? Get in touch today!