Managers play a big role in supporting employee wellbeing. Find out how you can ensure your managers have what they need to help their team feel seen, heard, and supported.

Employee wellbeing starts with managers. While the C-suite sets the broader vision and culture for an organization, managers shape employees’ daily experiences. They’re the ones employees turn to with questions and concerns. 

That’s what makes them the front line of mental health support. Managers can spot early signs of burnout, model healthy boundaries, and foster open conversations. But their influence goes both ways: they can just as easily reinforce a culture of support or contribute to one of silence and stress.

Here’s how to ensure they have the tools and training to make a positive impact.

The front line of mental health support

Managers are often the first to notice when something’s off, whether it’s a dip in performance or a change in mood. Because of their close, day-to-day connection with team members, they’re uniquely positioned to spot early indicators of mental health challenges. 

Their response can make all the difference in an employee feeling safe and supported or increasing their feelings of stress and isolation. That’s why trust and psychological safety are so essential. When employees believe their manager genuinely cares and won’t judge them for speaking up, they’re more likely to seek help when they need it.

The difference leadership can make

The way leaders show up has a measurable impact on employee wellbeing. According to the APA, workers who were satisfied with their manager relationship were far less likely to describe their work environment as toxic—just 10%, compared to 55% of those who were dissatisfied. They also were less likely to say things felt uncertain at work (31% vs. 66%). 

Supportive managers don’t need to be mental health experts, but small actions can go a long way. Checking in regularly, being approachable, and modeling healthy work-life boundaries can make employees feel seen and valued. 

For example, our CEO, Lorna Borenstein, often shares an anecdote about a manager who noticed that a Grokker employee just wasn’t acting like his normal self. After approaching him in a supportive way (not admonishing him about his work performance), the employee revealed that he had been struggling with his mental health. He was connected with the appropriate resources, and with hard work and help from qualified professionals, he was able to improve his mental wellbeing. This incident had a ripple effect. Today, that employee is an advocate for mental health, particularly among men. And it all started with an attentive manager. 

Managers need support too

To have the kinds of conversations that allowed the Grokker employee to get help, managers need to be properly equipped. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), nearly a quarter of managers (22%) say they don’t even know whether their company offers mental health benefits. Almost half (45%) don’t know how to help an employee access care through their employer-sponsored insurance.

And it’s not just about benefits. Seven in ten senior-level employees say they’ve never received training on how to talk to their teams about mental health. That leaves managers in a tough spot. They want to support their people, but are unsure of what to say or where to point them.

It’s no surprise that many managers worry about saying the wrong thing, overstepping boundaries, or unintentionally making a situation worse. Without proper training or resources, even well-intentioned leaders can struggle to provide meaningful support. Addressing these knowledge gaps is a crucial step toward building a culture where both managers and employees feel empowered to prioritize mental wellbeing.

Empowering leaders to offer real support

If we expect managers to play a meaningful role in supporting mental wellbeing, they need the right training and tools.

• Provide basic mental health literacy: knowing how to recognize signs of stress, burnout, or other challenges, and understanding how to respond appropriately. 
• Train them on having open conversations with empathy, setting healthy team boundaries, and guiding employees toward the right support, without overstepping their role.
• Ensure they have easy access to resources they can share with their teams, such as mental health benefits, EAPs, crisis support lines, and wellbeing tools. 
• Encourage them to model healthy behaviors, like taking breaks and talking openly about wellbeing.

When mental health support is built into leadership development, rather than treated as an optional add-on, it sends a clear message: supporting employee wellbeing is part of the job, and we’re giving you what you need to do it well.

Leading with empathy

Managers don’t need to be mental health experts, but their role in supporting employee wellbeing is essential. With the right training and resources, they can create a culture where employees feel seen, heard, and supported.

Empower your managers to lead with empathy. Invest in the tools and systems that help them recognize when someone’s struggling, respond with care, and foster a workplace where wellbeing is a shared priority.