Mental Health Awareness Day: Why Senior Leaders Set the Tone for Workplace Wellbeing

10th October marks World Mental Health Day, and while it can sometimes feel like one more date in the diary, we think it’s one worth pausing for.

Because in our experience, workplace wellbeing starts at the top. The senior leaders you bring into your business set the tone for how people feel day to day.

We’ve seen the difference first-hand. Leaders who model healthy boundaries, check in with their teams, and foster open communication create workplaces where people thrive. On the flip side, leaders who push relentless hours, undervalue wellbeing, or ignore signs of burnout quickly create environments where staff disengage and eventually leave.

For manufacturing and chemical SMEs, this is critical. These are industries where demands can be high, margins tight, and safety paramount. Leaders who support wellbeing aren’t just “being nice”,  they’re protecting productivity, retention, and ultimately, the bottom line.

The good news is that candidates increasingly expect this. The senior professionals we speak to want to work in environments where wellbeing is recognised as part of performance. That means if you’re hiring, embedding wellbeing into your leadership strategy can be a huge advantage in attracting the right talent.

As we reflect this October, here are three small but powerful things senior leaders can do:

1. Be visible and human - Share your own challenges, show empathy, and normalise open conversations.
   
2. Respect boundaries - Encourage balance and model it yourself.
   
3. Invest in support - From EAPs to training, small investments make a big difference.
   

Mental health at work isn’t a box-tick exercise. It’s the culture you create every day - and it starts with leadership.

👉 At Handley James, we help businesses hire senior leaders who don’t just deliver results, but also bring the people-first approach needed for teams to thrive.