Workplace Mental Health and Suicide Prevention

Workplace wellbeing and mental health are essential components of any healthy, productive organisation. But when it comes to suicide—a topic still cloaked in stigma and silence—many workplaces don’t know how to respond or where to begin.

In the Headtorch Wellbeing Hour episode “When It’s Darkest”, we were joined by Professor Rory O’Connor, one of the world’s foremost authorities on suicide prevention and Past President of the International Academy of Suicide Research. As Professor of Health Psychology at the University of Glasgow and author of When It Is Darkest: Why People Die by Suicide and What We Can Do To Prevent It, Rory combines decades of research with personal experience. In this conversation, he shared powerful insights that every organisation, leader, and individual needs to hear.

For every person who dies by suicide, up to 135 people may be affected

The Invisible Impact of Suicide

Suicide affects far more people than we realise. The ripples extend well beyond family members—to colleagues, acquaintances, and entire communities. Rory emphasised that workplace mental health strategies must take these invisible impacts seriously.

Workplaces often overlook the emotional aftermath when a suicide occurs, especially among staff who weren’t closely connected to the individual. But grief is unpredictable. Employers must be equipped with compassionate protocols and support systems—not just reactive responses.

People don’t die by suicide because of one thing—it’s always complex

Understanding Why People Die by Suicide

Professor O’Connor introduced his three-phase model of suicidal behaviour:

Pre-motivational phase – early life experiences, trauma, disadvantage
Motivational phase – feelings of defeat, humiliation, and psychological entrapment
Volitional phase – what pushes someone from thought to action (e.g., access to means, impulsivity, exposure to suicide)

He explained that while mental illness is a risk factor, not all suicides are linked to diagnosable conditions. In fact, up to 50% of those who die by suicide globally do not have a diagnosed mental health disorder. This is why workplace wellbeing efforts must go beyond clinical support—they must address emotional safety, social connection, and inclusive culture.

People aren’t hard to reach—we’ve just failed to reach them

Reaching Out Saves Lives

One of the most powerful myths Rory debunked was the idea that asking someone about suicide will “plant the idea” in their head. In fact, the opposite is true.

Asking someone directly if they’re feeling suicidal could be the beginning of a life-saving conversation

Workplaces have a unique opportunity to become spaces of compassionate intervention. Rory shared the story of Zara, an elderly woman who was contemplating suicide until a neighbour slid a note under her door inviting her for coffee. That simple act reminded her she mattered—and it saved her life.

In the workplace, this means checking in with colleagues, always asking twice, and creating environments where people feel safe to open up.

Suicidal thoughts come in waves. A moment of human connection can interrupt them

Turning Awareness into Action

Rory challenged organisations to go beyond awareness campaigns and take meaningful steps to remove invisible barriers to mental health support.

These barriers include stigma, fear of career damage, or not feeling “sick enough” to justify help. Rory advocated for mental health champions, especially at leadership level, who can normalise vulnerability and model authentic conversations.

We hear a lot about support being available—but what about the barriers people face in actually accessing it?

Building Workplace Cultures That Care

Rory left us with several key tips for nurturing workplace wellbeing and preventing suicide:

Prioritise sleep – for emotional and cognitive resilience
Share failures – normalise imperfection and reduce shame
Encourage exercise and nature – movement supports mental health
Challenge negative thinking – support people to reframe and reset
Learn to say no – protect energy and prevent burnout
Practice self-compassion – treat yourself with the kindness you offer others
Be authentic – drop perfectionism and show up as yourself

A note, a smile, a second ‘how are you?’—these small acts of connection can be life-saving

Final Thought: Small Acts Save Lives

Suicide prevention isn’t just the job of mental health professionals. It belongs to all of us. By fostering compassionate, psychologically safe workplaces, we can play a powerful role in reducing suicide and supporting each other through darkness.

If your workplace is not prioritising mental health and wellbeing, it’s time to start the conversation. True change happens when mental well-being becomes a core part of workplace culture, not just a corporate checkbox.

Listen to the “When It’s Darkest” episode of The Headtorch Wellbeing Hour on Spotify and other main podcast channels for more expert insights on workplace mental health and suicide.

Headtorch – creating healthy organisations – boosting wellbeing, increasing performance and leadership development. If your organisation wants to take real steps toward workplace wellbeing and suicide prevention, get in touch with Headtorch for a tailored consultation.