Did you know, at any given time one in six working-age adults will be experiencing poor mental health? It’s remarkably common, yet many people still don’t feel able to speak openly at work about what they’re going through.
For HR and L&D professionals, the question is no longer whether mental health affects organisational performance and revenue (we know it does, estimated at a staggering £110bn per year) but if workplaces have created the culture and conditions that allow people to talk about it. Because – and please excuse the cliché – awareness is the first step to change.
This is exactly what our most recent Dolphin Forum set out to address. Expertly facilitated by workplace mental health and wellbeing consultant, Jessica Agudelo, we dived into why belonging and psychological safety are the foundations of company wellbeing. And, importantly, how this all starts with leadership.
The real reason people don’t speak up
Belonging and psychological safety are mutually symbiotic. A sense of belonging creates a feeling of psychological safety; and psychological safety reinforces a sense of belonging. They rely on each other. Belonging helps people feel safe enough to speak, and psychological safety helps people feel connected enough to stay engaged. When both are present, teams communicate more openly, better support each other, and ask for help sooner.
And how does this relate to mental wellbeing? When people feel they belong, they’re more likely to speak openly; when they feel psychologically safe, they’re more likely to ask for help; and when those two conditions coexist, mental health stops being something people hide and becomes something they can actually talk about.
There’s no one-size-fits-all
But creating this isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. Everyone sees the world through their own ‘window’: shaped by their background, culture, values, experiences and personal circumstances. This means the same situation can feel completely different from one person to another. So if we want people to feel they belong, feel psychologically safe, and talk openly about their mental health – without fear of stigma, judgement or retribution – we need to recognise and respond to those differences, rather than assume a single approach will work for everyone.
As Jessica reminded us, belonging lets people be who they are, while fitting in forces them to constantly edit themselves – which is exhausting and increases stress.
Leading by example
As a leader, the culture you create is shaped far more by what you model than what you say. This is why self-awareness matters. If you’re not aware of your own habits or how you show up, it becomes easy to send mixed messages to your team without realising it.
Jessica learned this the hard way. She’d spent years building a supportive environment where people were encouraged to talk openly about mental health. But when one colleague needed her, they didn’t approach her. Why? Because every time they went to book a meeting, her diary was full – and they didn’t want to be a burden.
Her message was “I’m here for you”. Her behaviour suggested otherwise.
It was a powerful reminder that intention alone doesn’t create psychological safety. People take their cues from what leaders consistently do.
Looking in the mirror
So how can leaders change this? It starts with questioning your own assumptions, habits and boundaries. When you rush from meeting to meeting, skip breaks or stay silent about your own challenges, you unintentionally reinforce stigma and make openness feel risky. But when you model healthy boundaries, show vulnerability and make space for real conversation, you give others permission to do the same.
There’s a benefit here for leaders, too. When you look after your own wellbeing, you’re better equipped to support others, make clearer decisions and create a team culture where people feel they truly belong. As Jessica put it, you have to put your own oxygen mask on first.
Four practical actions leaders can take today
To strengthen belonging and psychological safety in your organisation:
1. Model openness
Share appropriate reflections or challenges to show that vulnerability is accepted.
2. Create space
Leave space in your diary, so colleagues know you’re available.
3. Use inclusive language
Avoid assumptions about identities or experiences, and challenge subtle bias when it appears.
4.Prioritise wellbeing frameworks
Tools such as the Five Ways to Wellbeing framework can help build resilience and connection.
A final thought
Jessica closed the session with a reminder many of us need to hear: you can’t pour from an empty cup. Belonging and psychological safety don’t come from statements or posters. They come from daily leadership behaviours that create space, show care and build trust.
Need support building belonging and psychological safety in your organisation?
At Staff Skills academy+, we don’t just offer compliance training, we also have a wealth of courses and resources, covering everything from improving personal effectiveness through bite-sized interactive learning experiences to a comprehensive wellbeing hub. Everything has been designed to help HR teams and people managers create more sustainable, human-centred workplaces.
And if you’d like to join a future Dolphin Forum, we’d love to see you there! It’s a quarterly online event for Staff Skills academy+ customers, including a workshop designed for L&D professionals and an opportunity to network with like-minded people.
Please get in touch if you’d like to find out more.
