Mental health training has become an important part of many Australian businesses. Research by the Diversity Council Australia identified that 1 in 6 Australian workers experience mental ill-health at some point in their lifetime. Equally, mental health has become the leading cause of sickness absence – which costs our economy $12 billion annually. As such, managers can be uniquely positioned to support their staff’s wellbeing.
But how can leaders triage employees who display mental health symptoms? There are a number of ways, including mental health training. Mental health first aid training equips leaders and staff with the knowledge and strategies to support their colleagues. In a world where mental health has become increasingly prevalent, investing in training is essential. So, let’s explore what mental health training is and how it can be implemented across your organisation.
Mental Health First Aid Training: What This Article Covers
The power of mental health training for managers
Why mental health training matters
How to invest in mental health training for managers and employees
What Is Mental Health Training for Managers?
Mental health training for managers can be defined as specialised education on how to recognise mental health issues. Equally, the training equips leaders with the knowledge to effectively support their staff, thereby fostering a culture in which wellbeing is valued.
Forms of mental health training for managers vary. At Converge, we offer a range of training programs that arm leaders with the tools to help their people thrive inside and outside of work. These programs include:
- eLearning modules
- Leadership development
- Management support
- Coaching
- Seminars and workshops
- Professional supervision
- EAP manager support
- And much more
Why Workplace Mental Health Training Matters
The overall goal of mental health first aid training for leaders is to help them handle challenging mental health situations. Mental health claims are growing. In a 2021/22 survey, SafeWork Australia identified that workers’ mental health claims grew by 36.9%.
As a result, mental health first aid training is mutually beneficial to both employees and organisation. Why? Because, according to Gallup:
”“Manager engagement [with employees] is the key to reversing declining productivity, improving employee wellbeing and unlocking trillions in economic potential.”
Gallup
Here are the key components and goals of leadership mental health training.
Identifying signs of mental ill-health and distress
Mental health training for managers teaches leaders to recognise when an employee might be struggling with their mental wellbeing. They will be able to observe behavioural changes and moods that indicate someone might be experiencing a mental health condition.
Knowing how to have supportive conversations
Recognising the signs is just the start. Training guides managers on how to hold supportive conversations, including the dos and don’ts of what to say. It gives them the skills and confidence to initiate mental health conversations with sensitivity.
Understanding psychosocial risk and legal requirements
Workplaces are legally required to comply with health and safety laws and to mitigate psychosocial risks. Therefore, training helps to both create psychologically safe workplaces and to educate leaders on their legal responsibilities.
Promoting awareness
Mental health support must be part of a workplace culture. As such, giving leadership the tools to spread awareness and de-stigmatise their workplace with confidence is paramount. Training aims to support leaders in breaking down barriers and easing the process of accessing mental health support.
Referring employees to specialised support
Prompting employees to access their workplace EAP program or to seek a mental health plan or psychologist referral can sometimes seem daunting. Leadership training teaches managers how to considerately refer employees with sensitivity and confidence and to guide employees to support services where relevant.
Underpinning your workplace culture
Queensland Human Rights Commission outlines that 9 in 10 Aussie employees believe mental health in the workplace is crucial. However, only 5 in 10 employees think their workplace aligns with this value. Therefore, providing mental health first aid training enhances your workplace culture and demonstrates your commitment to wellbeing.
Key Benefits of Mental Health First Aid Training
We see mental health and wellbeing as a critical issue. All workplaces have a moral and legal obligation to support their employees. Much can be done to help staff combat symptoms of mental health:
- Early intervention
- Responding to crises effectively
- Destigmatisation in the workplace
- Promoting mental health awareness
- Being open, non-judgmental, and supportive in communication
With these points in mind, the right training is essential to ensure that leaders can support mental health in the workplace. Examples of potential scenarios include an employee who is struggling with their workload and experiencing symptoms of burnout, or an employee currently undergoing a separation or divorce and/or is concerned about a family member. All of these situations can potentially affect their ability to perform at their best. When staff face these challenging life situations, leaders are often the ones they turn to. That’s why investing in mental health first aid training is an important initiative. Here are some of the benefits:
Benefits for Leaders
- Improved knowledge around mental health awareness, signs and symptoms, and what treatments and support are available.
- Greater skills in active listening and communication with team members about mental health, and providing compassionate and empathetic care.
- The confidence to approach a team member and hold a conversation about mental health and wellbeing, in addition to offering support when someone is in distress.
- Ability to support with initial access to wellbeing plans and provide mental health first aid effectively.
Benefits for Organisations
- Mental health first aid training reduces stigmas and fosters a culture where wellbeing is normalised and seeking support is not discouraged or blocked.
- Mitigates ongoing productivity and performance issues, as employees are empowered to support one another with mental health challenges.
- Demonstrates a commitment to the wellbeing of your people and improves safety through encouraging employees to address psychosocial risks.
- Creates supportive environments where team members feel valued, reducing turnover, disengagement, and job dissatisfaction.
How Mental Health Awareness Training Helps Managers
Mental Health Awareness Training for Managers gives leaders the skills to recognise early warning signs, respond with confidence, and support employees before issues escalate. High-quality workplace mental health training helps create psychologically safe environments where staff feel heard and understood.
By investing in mental health training for managers, organisations improve communication, reduce stress-related absenteeism, and strengthen team resilience. Many businesses now include Mental Health First Aid training as part of leadership development, empowering supervisors to have supportive conversations, guide employees to appropriate resources, and normalise help-seeking behaviours. Ultimately, effective mental health training builds healthier workplaces where people can thrive.
Why Mental Health Training for Managers Matters
Australian workers experience mental ill-health at some point in their lifetime
Annual cost to the Australian economy from mental health-related sickness absence
Increase in workers’ mental health claims reported in 2021–22
Employees believe mental health in the workplace is crucial
Employees feel their workplace truly prioritises mental health
Are often the first point of contact when an employee is struggling
How to Implement Mental Health Training at Work
Implementing Mental Health Training at Work is easier when you have a structured plan that supports both leaders and employees.
Start by identifying psychosocial hazards and mapping your current wellbeing priorities.
Choose a recognised provider that offers Mental Health Awareness Training for Managers, Workplace Mental Health Training, and Mental Health First Aid Training so you can build capability at every level.
Ensure managers complete training first, as they are the frontline in recognising early warning signs and responding to staff concerns.
To drive engagement, make training accessible through multiple channels — eLearning, live workshops, webinars, and ongoing coaching.
Reinforce key messages with policies, clear procedures, and regular refreshers so mental health awareness becomes embedded in everyday work culture.
Key implementation steps
A practical rollout path for Mental Health Training for Managers and broader workplace programs—built for clarity, consistency, and impact.
Start with the risks
Conduct a psychosocial risk assessment to understand workplace stressors.
Choose a trusted partner
Choose a trusted provider for Mental Health Training for Managers.
Embed it into the system
Integrate Workplace Mental Health Training into onboarding and development plans.
Make learning flexible
Offer flexible learning options: online, on-demand, and in-person sessions.
Lead before you roll out
Roll out Mental Health Awareness Training for Managers before employee training.
Support the behaviour change
Provide supporting resources such as guides, toolkits, and checklists.
Measure, refine, repeat
Review training outcomes regularly and deliver refresher Mental Health First Aid Training.
Choosing the Right Workplace Mental Health Training Program
There are a few key points your training program needs to hit here. Firstly, how in-depth is the program, and will it successfully educate your employees? Secondly, what is the time commitment because, as we know, leaders are very busy? Thirdly, is the training multi-modal, and how engaged will your workforce be in the training?
Selecting the right training program is crucial. After all, you want to ensure that your workforce receives relevant and actionable strategies to help your employees with their mental health challenges. Similarly, they need to develop the confidence to tackle these issues, while protecting their own mental health and wellbeing.
At Converge, our workplace wellbeing training offers holistic educational coaching. Our Leadership Development program provides eLearning, personal one-on-one coaching, and workshops on an ongoing basis to ensure your leaders are confident and ready to use what they’ve learnt. What’s included, we hear you ask?
- Our basic package includes three eLearning modules for $2,500 per cohort.
- Our mid-package includes three eLearning modules and three interactive workshops for $7,500 per cohort.
- Our top-tier packages include the above as well as group coaching sessions for $10,000 per cohort.
- You can pick your own themes, and our expert team will support your employees by providing practical, relevant and effective tools that are flexible and scalable.
Not sure which option fits your organisation? Speak to a Converge training specialist today. Invest in leadership training with Converge, and you’ll experience a noticeable and tangible difference!
You could have Converge as your EAP. Reach out now!
Let’s recap: Mental Health Training for Managers FAQs
What Is Mental Health Training For Managers And Why Is It Important?
Mental Health Training for Managers is specialised education that helps leaders recognise signs of mental ill-health, hold supportive conversations, and guide employees to appropriate support services. It matters because managers are often the first point of contact when an employee is struggling.
With mental health now the leading cause of sickness absence in Australia, investing in Workplace Mental Health Training helps organisations reduce risk, improve wellbeing, and foster a psychologically safe culture where employees feel supported.
How Does Workplace Mental Health Training Improve Employee Wellbeing?
Workplace Mental Health Training improves employee wellbeing by equipping leaders to identify early warning signs, respond with confidence, and refer staff to specialist help when needed. Training also normalises conversations about mental health, reduces stigma, and supports early intervention — all of which contribute to healthier teams, reduced absenteeism, and improved performance.
Benefits include:
- Early intervention and crisis response
- Reduced psychosocial risk and legal exposure
- Supportive, open communication across teams
What Topics Are Covered In Mental Health First Aid Training?
Mental Health First Aid Training typically covers practical skills and knowledge to help leaders support someone experiencing a mental health condition. Key topics can include:
- Recognising signs of mental ill-health and behavioural changes
- How to have compassionate, supportive conversations
- Understanding psychosocial risk and workplace obligations
- Promoting awareness and breaking stigma
- Referring employees to an EAP, GP, psychologist, or mental health plan
The goal is to give leaders confidence to act quickly, safely, and with empathy.
Is Mental Health Awareness Training For Managers Different From Regular Training?
Yes. Mental Health Awareness Training for Managers is tailored specifically to leadership roles. While general training may raise awareness across employees, manager training focuses on responsibilities such as identifying risk, managing conversations, protecting confidentiality, supporting team members, and upholding legal responsibilities. It is designed to build psychologically safe workplaces where help-seeking is encouraged and supported.
How Can Businesses Set Up Effective Mental Health Training Programs?
The most effective approach is to introduce Mental Health Training for Managers first, then expand to wider employee groups. A strong implementation plan should:
- Conduct a psychosocial risk assessment
- Select trusted training providers
- Use blended delivery (eLearning, coaching, workshops, webinars)
- Provide follow-up resources and toolkits
- Review participation and deliver refresher Mental Health First Aid Training
When training becomes part of onboarding, development, and leadership pathways, mental health support becomes embedded in everyday workplace culture.
