When a Colleague Isn't Okay

How do I support a colleague who is struggling with their mental health?

To support a colleague who is struggling: listen without judgement, don't try to fix them, ask open questions, take what they say seriously, and guide them towards professional support such as their GP, their Employee Assistance Programme, or a helpline. You don't need to have answers. You need to be present.

Here's the thing nobody tells you. When someone opens up, the most powerful thing you can do is also the simplest. Stay in the conversation.

Most of us panic at this moment. We jump to solutions ("have you tried exercise?"), we minimise ("everyone feels like that sometimes"), or we escape ("you should really talk to someone"). All three, however well meant, close the door the person just found the courage to open.

Instead, try this. Thank them for telling you. Ask "how long have you been feeling like this?" and then actually listen to the answer. Resist the urge to make it better in the next five minutes, because you can't, and that's not your job. Your job is connection. Then, gently, help them think about what support might look like, whether that's their GP, a counsellor, or simply telling their manager.

And afterwards? Check in again. Not once. Regularly. The follow-up conversation says "I meant it" louder than anything you said the first time.

Want your whole team to know this? Explore www.mentality.work the award-winning one-hour course that gives everyone the essentials, or train dedicated Mental Health First Aiders. See the up and coming courses here: https://www.peterlarkum.com/courses-and-events