Every June, Men’s Health Week spotlights the health challenges that men face. While physical health often gets center stage, men’s mental wellness continues to take a back seat—especially in the workplace. Societal expectations around masculinity can make it harder for men to acknowledge, talk about, and seek help for mental health issues. This silence can have serious consequences not just for individuals, but also for organizations as a whole.
Prioritizing men’s mental wellbeing is essential to building healthier, more resilient workplaces. During Men’s Health Week and beyond, organizations have an opportunity—and responsibility—to break the stigma and provide real, proactive support.
The state and stigma of men’s mental health today
Men face significant mental health challenges, often silently. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), nearly one in five men in the U.S. experience a mental health condition each year, including depression and anxiety, yet they are far less likely than women to seek treatment. In fact, in 2022, only 41.6% of males with a mental health condition received treatment, compared to 56.9% of females with a condition.
This reluctance to seek treatment can have detrimental effects. Studies have shown that men are at least twice as likely as women to develop substance misuse disorders, and they account for 75% of all suicide deaths in the U.S.—with even higher rates in rural communities. Men’s mental health conditions may also present differently than women’s, showing up more consistently with symptoms such as anger, irritability, or increased risk-taking. These patterns often go unrecognized or unaddressed, particularly in workplaces where talking about men’s mental wellbeing is still taboo.
Much of this silence is the result of the serious stigma around men’s emotional wellbeing. As Journey CEO Stephen Sokoler writes in The Mental Health Advantage, “Generally speaking, cultures worldwide have discouraged men from investigating and expressing their emotions, or cultivating support networks wherein they feel safe to explore their emotional lives.”
Phrases like “man up” and “boys don’t cry” have reinforced this mindset, equating vulnerability with weakness. The stigma is compounded for men of color, who face systemic barriers and even more entrenched cultural stigmas.
While discussions around men’s mental health may be more prevalent today, the residual impact of these gender stereotypes runs deep nearly everywhere. Many men still find it hard to access, name, and process their emotions, much less take action to care for their mental wellbeing. Instead of seeking help, they try to manage alone—or not at all.
Why addressing men’s mental health at work matters
Considering how much time we spend at work, the environment and attitudes surrounding us in the workplace greatly affect our mental health. And as environments go, the workplace can be especially tough for men’s mental health. The cultures of male-dominated industries like construction, manufacturing, finance, and tech typically reinforce traditional norms around masculinity. Physically demanding jobs and high-pressure roles also demand stoicism and nonstop output, leaving little space for self-care. In fact, in many of these environments, ignoring one’s health in lieu of work is treated like a badge of honor.
Regardless of industry, executives and those in senior management roles—three-quarters of whom are men—often feel the greatest pressure to “power through” without showing vulnerability. Yet, they’re also in the best position to model and champion change. When male leaders open up conversations around mental health, it creates space for others to do the same and helps normalize support-seeking.
The price of inaction is high for organizations as well as individuals. Since men are less likely to seek help, they’re more likely to experience unaddressed mental health challenges that lead to disengagement, presenteeism (showing up to work while unwell), and burnout. With men holding many leadership and operational roles, this silent strain can have wide-reaching effects. The National Safety Council estimates that mental health issues cost employers $15,000 per affected employee each year. In male-dominated sectors, where stigma is strongest and engagement is lowest, those costs multiply—impacting retention, performance, and morale.
The upside? Organizations that bring men’s mental health to the forefront unlock deeper engagement, stronger retention, and more effective leadership. When men feel safe, seen, and supported, they’re not only more likely to stay—they’re also more likely to lead with empathy and shape cultures where everyone can thrive.
4 Ways Organizations Can Actively Support Men’s Mental Health
To support men’s mental health and drive real change, organizations must take targeted, proactive steps. Here are five ways to get started:
1. Normalize talking about men’s mental health—including by male leaders.
Making it normal and comfortable to discuss men’s mental health is one of the most effective ways to break down the stigma, which is crucial for improving men’s wellbeing. To help, organizations can…
- Offer workshops that explicitly address men’s mental health and common misconceptions
- Facilitate open discussions to build psychological safety
- Encourage men in leadership roles to speak openly about their own experiences with mental health and consistently affirm the importance of mental wellbeing
This last point makes a big difference. During the pandemic, Andrew Miller, COO of the NFL team the Minnesota Vikings, shared his experience with depression on a 200-person, company-wide Zoom call. People responded so positively that others within the organization followed suit, sharing about their struggles, ultimately launching an internal interview series called “Getting Open” that sparked lasting change in their workplace culture.
2. Tailor support for men’s mental health in your EAP.
Update your Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to include specialized content for men. Journey’s Proactive EAP includes tools for stress management, guided sessions to breathe through moments of anger, and videos on emotional literacy—all designed with accessibility in mind.
You can also increase outreach through the EAP to target particularly stressful periods like performance reviews, product launches, or organization restructurings. Amplifying the conversation around mental health in these moments can help remind male employees to slow down and seek support, not just “push through.”
3. Promote everyday techniques to sustain men’s mental health.
Big change often starts with small actions. Encourage micro-habits that male employees (and all employees) can start to incorporate every day to aid their mental wellbeing, such as the following:
- Journaling about their thoughts and emotions
- Doing deep-breathing exercises before important meetings
- Setting device-free time after work
- Taking short walk breaks throughout the day
- Scheduling downtime for themselves and with loved ones
Make it normal, common, and celebrated for all employees to prioritize mental wellbeing in daily routines—not just in crisis.
4. Build industry-specific initiatives for men.
Tailor mental health support to your industry. In many male-dominated fields, mental health is often the elephant in the room (that is, if it’s in the room at all). We recommend creating culturally aware programs that meet your employees where they are, and show that caring for mental health isn’t a liability, but a strength.
Here are a couple of examples.
Manufacturing: Jobs in manufacturing involve major physical and mental strain, safety risks, irregular schedules, and job instability—all of which contribute to fatigue, stress, and mental health concerns—but significant stigma, communication barriers, productivity pressures, and limited access to digital tools often inhibit mental health support. Employers in this field can help by…
- Encouraging regular breaks to step outside for some fresh air
- Providing healthy snacks
- Integrating mental health into safety protocols to put it on par with physical health
- Putting up posters with mental health tips and resources on the floor
- Providing mental health tools in break rooms and at transition times
Professional Services: Law, finance, business consulting, engineering, IT, architecture, etc., all demand sustained high performance under pressure. Long hours, constant connectivity, and intense expectations lead to chronic stress, anxiety, or burnout, yet cultural stigma and leadership resistance often block support or prevent many employees from seeking help.
Employers in these fields can help by…
- Normalizing taking time off
- Creating flexible work arrangements and improved work-life boundaries
- Celebrating achievements, big and small
- Broadcasting information about mental health resources and benefits widely and often
- Providing specialized training on specific industry responsibilities or practices that routinely cause stress
- Instituting “off-camera” or “no meeting” days to promote focus and recovery
It’s time to break the silence
We can no longer leave men’s mental health in the shadows. Men deserve time, space, and tools to manage their mental and emotional lives, and workplaces are better positioned than almost anywhere else to offer such critical support day to day.
By acknowledging the stigma, understanding the unique challenges men face, and implementing proactive, culturally attuned support, organizations can both empower men to speak up and seek help, thereby making a notable difference in the mental health of men—and their families, teams, and communities—everywhere.
