Strengthening Support from the Top: A Case Study on Mental Health First Aid for Managers, Supervisors and HR Specialists in a Financial Institution – by Louise Dennison O’ Shaughnessy
Recently, I delivered a Mental Health First Aid programme designed specifically for managers, supervisors and HR specialists in a large financial institution. The company had been experiencing a steady rise in stress related absences and growing concerns about burnout across both customer facing and analytical teams. In financial services, where accuracy, regulatory pressure and constant decision-making shape the working environment, wellbeing had become a real organisational priority. With industry research showing that almost one in five employees in finance report symptoms of anxiety or low mood each year, the need for structured support was clear.
In my early conversations with senior management, it became obvious that the core issue was not a lack of care but a lack of confidence and consistency. Managers admitted they often avoided difficult wellbeing conversations because they were unsure how to approach them. HR teams felt overwhelmed by cases that could have been addressed earlier with the right guidance. As part of the preparation, we reviewed the organisation’s culture index scores relating to psychological safety, communication and trust in leadership. Having this data gave the company a baseline and therefore could benchmark themselves once improvements began to take effect.
The two day programme blended scenario based learning with practical examples grounded in the reality of financial services—tight month end deadlines, client pressure, complex regulatory audits and high call volumes. Participants quickly recognised the scenarios and engaged openly with the challenges they faced. One of the most impactful outcomes was the creation of a clear escalation chart tailored specifically to their organisation. The chart outlined what steps a manager or HR specialist should take if they noticed behavioural changes, received a disclosure or identified a potential risk. Many participants said it was the first time they truly understood the internal pathways available to them.
To build structure around the training, I recommended the creation of a wellness committee with representatives from HR, operations, risk, compliance and at least one senior leader. We discussed practical ways to gain buy in from executives, emphasising that strong mental health support is linked with improved performance, lower turnover and better team cohesion. When senior leaders learned that organisations with active mental health frameworks can reduce stress related absence by up to 12 percent and increase engagement significantly, their commitment to the initiative strengthened.
Feedback from participants was very positive. Many said they felt more confident recognising early warning signs and far less intimidated by the idea of holding sensitive conversations. One supervisor told me she had avoided addressing concerns with a team member for months, but after the course she finally felt equipped to approach the situation with clarity and empathy.
Four weeks after the training, I carried out a follow up session. Several managers reported that they had already used the escalation chart, and HR noted that issues were now being raised earlier and with clearer context. This early shift suggested that the training was already influencing the organisation’s culture.
Looking back, the strongest lesson for me was seeing how quickly confidence grows when leaders understand both the human and business value of mental health support. By using their culture index as a starting point, the organisation therefore could benchmark themselves and track genuine progress. My final recommendation was to maintain momentum through regular refresher sessions and ongoing wellness committee activity, helping to embed psychological safety into everyday practice.