Mental Health Awareness Month: 5 practical ways to support your team without breaking the budget

October marks Mental Health Awareness Month - a time to reflect on how we’re supporting the people behind our business.

For many small businesses, the challenge isn’t about wanting to prioritise wellbeing, it’s knowing how to do it in a practical, affordable way. The good news? Supporting your team’s mental health doesn’t have to mean costly programmes or corporate wellness apps. It starts with small, intentional actions that show your people you care.

Here are five low-cost ways to make a real difference:

1. Normalise conversations about mental health

Creating a culture where people can speak openly about stress or burnout starts at the top.
Encourage managers and business owners to check in with their teams regularly - not just about workload, but how they’re feeling.
A simple “how are you doing this week?” can go a long way.

Tip: Make it part of your 1:1 meetings or morning huddles. You don’t need a policy to show empathy.

2. Offer flexible breaks and working hours

Mental wellbeing thrives on flexibility.
Allowing staff to adjust their hours for school runs, medical appointments, or even a lunchtime walk helps reduce stress and boost productivity.

3. Train managers to spot early signs of burnout

Managers are often the first to notice when someone’s struggling — but they don’t always know what to do next.
Short, focused training sessions can help managers identify red flags like withdrawal, irritability, or drops in performance.

4. Celebrate wins and recognise effort

Recognition boosts wellbeing - it reminds people they’re seen and valued.
You don’t need expensive reward schemes. Try handwritten thank-you notes, team shoutouts, or celebrating milestones (even small ones) in your group chat or noticeboard.

5. Signpost to support

Make sure employees know where to go if they need help.
Even if you don’t have an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), you can share trusted resources like:

Tip: Add these to your staff handbook, internal newsletter, or even your staff room noticeboard.

Small steps can have a big impact. Supporting mental health isn’t about having a big budget - it’s about creating a culture of care, consistency, and compassion.

Ready to build wellbeing into your HR strategy?

We help small businesses create simple, sustainable ways to support their teams, from wellbeing audits to manager training.

Alice Hosker