Mental Health in the Workplace
What is Mental Health?
The World Health Organization describes mental health as “a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn and work well, and contribute to their community. It has intrinsic and instrumental value and is a basic human right [4].”
Our mental health can impact all aspects of our lives, including relationships with family and friends, our physical health, and our ability to participate in education and work. Factors that influence mental health are wide ranging and can be:
Biological, e.g. genetics, brain chemistry, or chronic illness/pain
Physical and emotional, e.g. resulting from trauma or abuse, low self-esteem, or unresolved grief or loss
Social and environmental, e.g. workplace stress, financial pressures, loneliness, or discrimination and stigma
Lifestyle and behavioural, e.g. poor sleep, an unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity, or substance abuse
Understanding and supporting mental health requires both the promotion of good mental health practices whilst also assisting those who are experiencing issues. Statistics from a 2023/24 NHS England survey of mental health and wellbeing suggest that 1 in 5 people experience a common mental health problem (such as anxiety or depression) in any given week [5].
The most common treatments for mental health problems are talking therapies and medication, but there are many actions and activities that can support good mental health and aid with problems. These include physical activity, community support, and workplace accommodations. Raising awareness of mental health and wellbeing and reducing stigma can also have a significant impact.
Key Types of Mental Health Issues and Related Models
There are numerous different categorisations of mental health issues available, including those defined in medical publications such as the International Classification of Diseases, 11th Revision (ICD-11) and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5). Generally, mental health conditions include mental disorders and psychosocial disabilities as well as other mental states associated with significant distress, impairment in functioning, or risk of self-harm [6]. These can be loosely grouped as the following:
Anxiety Disorders such as Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Phobias and Social Anxiety, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Obsessive Compulsive and Related Disorders such as Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Body Dysmorphic Disorder, and Hoarding Disorder.
Mood Disorders such as Depression and Bipolar Disorder.
Psychotic Disorders such as Schizophrenia and Psychosis.
Eating and Personality Disorders such as Anorexia, Bulimia, Borderline Personality Disorder, and Antisocial Personality Disorder (APD).
Substance Use Disorders such as addiction to drugs or alcohol.
Neurodevelopmental Conditions such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and other neurodivergences.
It is important to note that this is not a comprehensive list, nor does it align exactly with the medical nomenclature and categorisations of ICD-11 or DSM-5.
It is also essential to recognise that each individual’s experience of mental health issues is unique, as is the support they will require to recover and to thrive. For example, working from home might aid one person who is experiencing anxiety as they are better able to control their surroundings, whilst it might exacerbate issues for another person if their home environment is busy. Furthermore, a person may experience multiple issues simultaneously. For example, those with neurodevelopmental conditions are more likely to experience anxiety, mood, substance use and/or eating disorders than the average member of the general populace [7].
When identifying and discussing mental health issues it is also essential to understand that there are different lenses through which to consider them. In particular, they may be considered through medical or social models. An awareness of both models will help you to contextualise the issues that employees might experience and help you take a holistic approach to support them. This can ensure that any measures put in place are appropriate and address the full range of opportunities and challenges relating to mental health.
The medical model views mental health issues as a result of a physical or biochemical defect, put most simply, that the body is a machine and issues experienced are a result of something that is broken or wrong. The medical model focuses primarily on diagnosing specific disorders and taking steps to reduce or eliminate related symptoms using tools like medication, psychotherapy, or institutional care.
The social model views mental health issues as a product of social-economic barriers, often categorised as physical and environmental, attitudinal, organisation and systemic, and communication, as well as the related impacts of these barriers, including poverty, trauma, discrimination, and loneliness. Through the lens of the social model, an individual is not impaired due to anything inherent within themselves, but rather by a societal infrastructure that exists for and benefits those with what are considered “average” needs and life experiences, causing issues for those whose needs and experiences differ. Addressing mental health issues then focuses on changing social structures, reducing inequity, and improving living conditions using tools such as peer support, community advocacy, improving welfare services, and policy reform.
Neither model is ideal, with the medical model often being linked to stigma, feelings of personal failure, and a lack of awareness of contextual and environmental factors, whilst the social model may not adequately account for potential biological triggers. It is, therefore, useful to think from both perspectives when considering mental health issues, their causes, and how they can be treated, managed, or addressed.
It is important to also recognise that mental health issues can co-occur with and impact on physical health issues, and vice versa. Examples include extreme weight loss and exhaustion due to an eating disorder or stress or depression triggered by a chronic illness such a diabetes or fibromyalgia. This can create complex needs which require a holistic and multifaceted approach to support and treatment.
Common Workplace Mental Health Issues and Causes
While employees might experience any type of mental health issue (as listed above) that might affect their ability to attend or perform at work, those that are most commonly linked to workplace experiences include:
Stress
Definition: The physical and mental response your body had to feeling threatened or under pressure.
Common signs and symptoms:
Headaches
Stomach aches
Tight muscles
Feeling anxious, angry or sad
Trouble sleeping or focusing
Burnout
Definition: A state of severe physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion caused by long-term, unresolved stress and/or being constantly under pressure.
Common signs and symptoms:
Constant fatigue
Frequent headaches
Sleep issues
Feelings of helplessness, cynicism or detachment
Loss of motivation
Withdrawal from responsibilities
Lower productivity or procrastination
Anxiety
Definition: A future-orientated fear response focused on uncertain or diffuse threats that might happen later. Anxiety becomes a disorder when the feelings are too intense, last a long time or begin to impact on daily life, education or work.
Common signs and symptoms:
A racing or irregular pulse
Shortness of breath or rapid breathing
Stomach upsets
Muscles aches or headaches
Feeling dizzy or faint
Hot or cold flushes, sweaty hands
Avoiding situations that might trigger fear
Constant worry or feelings of dread
Restlessness and focus issues
Frequent seeking of reassurance
Depression
Definition: A common and serious mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness, emptiness, and a loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed.
Common signs and symptoms:
Sadness and tearfulness
Irritability
Fatigue
Sleeping too much or too little
Loss of appetite
Trouble concentrating
Difficulty making decisions
Thoughts of death or suicide
While mental health issues that affect employees’ ability to work might be caused by a wide range of external forces, there are also a significant number of factors that can cause or exacerbate mental health issues within the workplace. They can include:
Excessive workloads and understaffing, including too many demands, unrealistic or unclear expectations, and a lack of control of job design
Long, unsocial, or inflexible hours, that may result in conflicting home and work demands
Negative organisational cultures, including contexts that allow or turn a blind eye to harmful behaviours such as discrimination, inequity, and bullying
Unsafe or inferior physical working conditions
Poor relationships with colleagues and managers, including authoritarian supervision, exclusion, or isolation
Job insecurity, inadequate pay, or a lack of investment in career development
An under-use of skills or being under-skilled for work, which might also be linked to under- or over-promotion
Any understanding of mental health in the workplace, and any initiatives aiming to support good mental health or address issues, must take into consideration these potential factors.
Mental Health in the Record Keeping Community
Both anecdotal evidence and general workforce studies have long suggested there are a number of mental health challenges that are specific to or disproportionately affect those in the record keeping community. These were first brought into sharper focus by the Digital Preservation Coalition’s (DPC) 2025 “Mental Health and Wellbeing in the Digital Preservation Community Survey Findings Report” [8] and have been further investigated by a 2026 survey of the record keeping community undertaken as part of the preparation of this guidance.
Both surveys have indicated that the record keeping community experiences issues of stress, burnout, and anxiety at higher levels than the general populace. For example, the DPC’s survey found that 88% of respondents experience stress at work, which is 28% higher than the 60% reported in relation to the general workforce [9]. The 2026 survey found that 43% of those in the record keeping workforce have had at least one absence due to mental health issues in the last five years, with 18% having three or more short absences (a week or less) or at least one long absence (more than a week).
Through both surveys, key contributing factors of mental health issues in the record keeping community have been highlighted as:
A lack of self confidence in their abilities and/or feelings of imposter syndrome
Unrealistic expectations in relation to performance/outputs
Unclear job descriptions/responsibilities
Fear of disclosing mental health issues
Feelings of loneliness/isolation
Poor relationships with managers
A lack of understanding of and appreciation for record keeping work
Working with records that contain distressing content
A significant cause of these problems has been the long-term defunding and deprioritisation of archival work, leaving services understaffed and struggling to manage increasingly complex demands. This has only been exacerbated by the growing need for archive services to manage both physical and digital records, without any additional resources being provided to facilitate these additional responsibilities. Further to this, the “lone archivist” is a growing phenomenon within the profession, where one person is required to fulfil the duties of several roles, each requiring its own specialist skills, whilst feeling increasingly overloaded and isolated. In turn, the need to advocate for sufficient resources for archival work and to constantly make the case for its importance creates another layer of burden and stress.
The 2026 survey asked respondents to indicate how mental health issues have affected their careers in record keeping. Only 31% of respondents stated that their mental health has had no significant impact on their career. In relation to how mental health issues have affected careers; the following details the percentage of total respondents who have experienced each of the following impacts.
Attendance at work 36%
Ability to undertake professional development 31%
Career progression/promotion 29%
Securing Employment 22%
Ability to remain in employment 17%
These results show that mental health issues are having a significant impact on those in the record keeping community, particularly in relation to securing, retaining, and progressing in employment. This translates to a clear need for proactive support on the part of employers and managers. Taking steps to support mental health can help employees by making them feel a sense of belonging, increase motivation, and reduce stress and burnout. This can, in turn, reduce presenteeism, absences, and increase productivity.
Employers’ Legal Responsibilities in Relation to Mental Health
While it is important that employers recognise they have moral and ethical responsibilities to support their employees’ mental health, in the UK and Ireland their responsibilities are also established in law. In the UK this is through the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Equality Act 2010, and in Ireland through the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 and the Employment Equality Act 1998. Therefore, when planning how to support employees’ mental health, it is essential to understand and ensure you meet your legal obligations.
Health and Safety Legislation
In both UK and Irish Health and Safety legislation employers are required to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of their employees, protecting them from both physical and psychological harm. The framework for fulfilling these responsibilities requires employers to undertake three main activities relating to mental health:
Identify risks – Employers must look for potential mental health hazards within the workplace. These may include things like high stress, heavy workloads, poor support, bullying, or discrimination.
Assess and control risks – The risks that have been identified must be documented and actively monitored. This would usually be carried out through the use of a risk register which is regularly reviewed and updated.
Prevent harm – Employers must do everything that is reasonably practicable to proactively manage and reduce potential workplace risks to employees’ mental health and to address issues if they occur. Any issues that do occur should also be documented, including what steps were taken to attempt to remedy the problem. This ensures accountability as well as providing information to help continually improve practice.
Detailed guidance on how to fulfil these responsibilities is available from the Health and Safety Executive [https://www.hse.gov.uk/] in the UK and from the Health and Safety Authority [https://www.hsa.ie/] in Ireland.
Equalities Legislation
Legislation around equalities is complementary to health and safety legislation but rather than taking an approach centred around the identification of risks, the related acts set out protected characteristics, elements of employment that are covered, and the responsibilities of the employer. In both the UK and Irish acts, mental health is encompassed under “Disability”, as a protected characteristic in the UK act and as protected grounds in the Irish act.
Under the UK legislation, a very broad definition of disability is used, focusing primarily on the impact on a person’s daily life. A mental health issue qualifies as a disability if:
It has a “substantial adverse effect” on their life and/or it affects their ability to do normal day-to-day activities. This can include things like not being able to focus on tasks or taking longer than normal to complete them, experiencing issues interacting with other people, difficulties following instructions, or trouble keeping to set working times.
It has lasted, or is expected to last, at least 12 months.
Additionally, a mental health issue does not require a formal diagnosis to qualify a person for support under the UK Act.
The Irish legislation likewise defines disability broadly, but through a more medically focused perspective. Definitions of disability covering mental health include:
Total or partial absence of bodily or mental functions.
Conditions or malfunctions resulting in different learning styles compared to someone without the condition.
Conditions, illnesses, or diseases affecting thought processes, reality perception, emotions, judgment, or resulting in disturbed behaviour.
Under both acts, employers have responsibilities to ensure the equality of and access to opportunities and to protect job applicants and employees from discrimination, harassment, and victimisation. This cuts across the full lifecycle of employment from advertisement of vacancies and recruitment, through all elements of employment such as supervision, pay, training, promotions, and definition of roles and responsibilities, to termination of employment, whether it is triggered by the employee (e.g. through resignation or retirement) or the employer (e.g. through dismissal or forced redundancy).
These responsibilities can be understood to fall under an employer’s “duty of care” to their employees and are usually addressed through one of the following three types of action:
Preventing discrimination – covering both direct and indirect discrimination.
Stopping harassment – putting in place measures to reduce the likelihood of harassment happening and stopping it if it does.
Providing reasonable adjustments (UK act)/accommodations (Irish act) – taking practical steps to adapt the workplace or duties so that a person can access, participate, and advance in employment.
It is important to also note that both acts include clauses relating to vicarious liability, where an employer is legally liable for any discriminatory acts or harassment carried out by an employee unless the employer took reasonable steps to prevent the behaviour.
Failure to meet the responsibilities set out in the relevant acts open organisations to the risk of employment tribunal claims which can result in the award of substantial damages if they are found to be at fault.
[4] https://web.archive.org/web/20260823080325/https://www.who.int/health-topics/mental-health
[7] https://www.kcl.ac.uk/research/mental-health-problems-in-neurodevelopmental-disorders