Lyra Health logo

Talking About Mental Health at Work: A Guide for Managers

Managers are often the first to notice when something’s off, but many don’t feel equipped to respond. Learn 3 ways to lead mental health conversations with empathy, confidence, and clarity.

talking about mental health at work guide thumbnail

Guide

Mental health challenges don’t stay outside the workplace. They often show up in missed deadlines, changes in behavior, increased stress, and strained team dynamics, often surfacing first in manager-employee conversations. But these moments are rarely straightforward. Managers are expected to respond with care while balancing performance, boundaries, and uncertainty about what is appropriate to say.

Without the right tools, even well-intentioned leaders may avoid these conversations or handle them inconsistently, missing the chance to offer early support that can make a meaningful difference. 

In this guide, you’ll learn:

  • How to recognize behavioral changes that may signal an employee is struggling
  • How to approach difficult conversations with empathy and clarity
  • How to offer support and connect employees to available resources

Explore additional resources

woman putting her hand on another woman's shoulder

Guide

A Benefits Leader’s Guide to Crisis Response

Learn more
two women sitting a table

Guide

How Good Communication Creates Great Workplaces

Learn more
Working-Parents-Are-Becoming-Mental-Health-Navigators-thumbnail

Guide

Working Parents Are Becoming Mental Health Navigators

Learn more