Why Mental Health Is Now a Strategic Priority for HR Managers
Mental health in the workplace has moved decisively from the margins to the core of organizational strategy. Across Europe and beyond, Human Resources managers are increasingly expected not only to ensure compliance and efficiency, but also to actively shape working environments that protect psychological well-being, foster inclusion, and enable sustainable performance.
This shift is strongly supported by international policy frameworks. In 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) issued landmark guidelines on mental health at work, calling on organizations to move beyond individual-focused interventions and adopt structural, preventive, and rights-based approaches.
This article presents the WHO/ILO three-pillar framework for mental health at work and explains why it is particularly relevant for HR managers today. It also outlines the conceptual foundation that underpins the MH4HRM project, which aims to strengthen the capacity of HR professionals and managers to translate these guidelines into everyday organizational practice.
The WHO/ILO 3-Pillar Strategy for HR
1. The Prevention Pillar: Managing Risks
This represents the most impactful level of intervention. Instead of relying solely on individual stress-management workshops, HR must address the root causes of stress through organizational interventions.
The goal:
Mitigate psychosocial risks such as heavy workloads, low autonomy, unclear roles, and toxic behaviours (including bullying and harassment).
HR action:
Redesign jobs to offer greater flexibility and autonomy and strictly enforce anti-harassment policies.
2. The Promotion Pillar: Managerial Literacy
Managers are the critical link between high-level policy and the daily employee experience. HR must invest in training managers not just in “first aid”, but in fostering a supportive and psychologically safe culture.
The goal:
Create a distributed support system that reduces stigma and normalises conversations around mental health.
HR action:
Train managers to recognise signs of distress, listen without judgement, model healthy behaviours, and refer employees to professional support services (e.g. Employee Assistance Programmes).
3. The Support Pillar: Participation and Inclusion
This pillar ensures that workers experiencing mental health conditions can continue to participate fully in working life.
The goal:
Uphold the right to work through inclusive and adaptable organisational systems.
HR action:
Implement reasonable accommodations (such as adjusted schedules, responsibilities, or communication styles) and structured return-to-work programmes, combining graded reintegration with clinical support where appropriate.
From Guidelines to Practice
For HR managers, adopting the WHO/ILO approach to mental health at work is more than a compliance exercise—it is a signal of strategic leadership. By addressing psychosocial risks at their source, equipping managers with the skills to foster supportive cultures, and ensuring inclusive systems for employees experiencing mental health challenges, organisations lay the groundwork for both individual well-being and long-term sustainability.
The MH4HRM project builds on this framework by supporting HR professionals and managers in turning international guidelines into concrete, actionable practices within their organisations. Through training, pilot actions and shared learning, the project contributes to bridging the gap between policy and practice, helping workplaces become not only more productive, but also safer, healthier and more human-centred.
Bibliography
World Health Organization (WHO).
WHO. (2022). Guidelines on mental health at work. World Health Organization.
World Health Organization (WHO) & International Labour Organization (ILO).
WHO & ILO. (2022). Mental health at work: Policy brief. World Health Organization & International Labour Organization.
