What happens when leaders speak up about mental health

May 2025

Mental health isn’t a new topic, but it still feels like a silent one in many operational settings. We talk about safety every day. We talk about efficiency, performance, and risk. But when it comes to how people are really doing, mentally and emotionally, it often goes quiet.

And that silence comes at a cost.

Over the past year, I’ve spoken to offshore leaders, deck officers, and rig managers who’ve all seen it: a team member who suddenly withdraws. The short temper. The fatigue. The colleague who “just doesn’t seem like themselves.” These aren’t small things. They’re early signs of stress, anxiety, burnout, or something deeper.

When these signs go unspoken, we don’t just risk losing good people. We risk making operations less safe.

Mental health is part of performance, whether we talk about it or not

In high-pressure industries like oil and gas, shipping, or renewables, mental health is tightly linked to how teams operate.

The 2025 North Sea Workforce Wellbeing Survey found that:

Nearly one in three offshore workers met the clinical threshold for depression during a standard rotation.
Over a third reported deteriorating sleep quality.
Offshore workers are estimated to be up to 15 times more likely to die by suicide than those onshore.

These are not isolated findings. They reflect the lived experience of many who work in safety-critical roles, far from home, under sustained pressure.

According to the World Health Organization, “Workplaces that support mental health are not only more humane, they’re more productive, with lower absenteeism, higher engagement, and fewer accidents.”

Culture doesn’t shift on its own

I understand the hesitation. If you’re a supervisor or technical lead, talking about mental health might feel uncomfortable or out of your depth. But here’s the truth: you don’t need to be a psychologist. You just need to be present.

A simple check-in, a question, or even an honest “How are you really doing?” can be the first step in building trust. And when leaders show that it’s okay to talk, teams follow.

One of the most important insights I share with leaders is this:
When leaders make space to talk about mental health, the rest of the team feels safer to speak up too.

It’s not about lowering standards. It’s about supporting the people who meet them, day in and day out.

Practical steps for leaders

If you’re not sure where to start, here are a few things I share in leadership programmes:

Make mental health part of your day-to-day safety culture. Add it to toolbox talks. Mention it in pre-shift briefs.
Check in regularly, not just when something seems wrong. Prevention is better than rescue.
Notice behaviour change. If someone’s focus, energy, or mood shifts, don’t ignore it.
Speak from a place of support. You don’t need the perfect words. Just let them know you’ve noticed, you care, and you’re here to talk.

And if your company offers Mental Health First Aid training, take it. It’s not therapy. It’s a practical skill that helps you notice the early signs and act early, before small issues become major ones.

Final thought, it starts with us We’ve made progress as an industry, but we still have work to do. Especially in environments where being “tough” is the unspoken rule. The truth is, strength isn’t about silence. It’s about stepping up, even when it’s uncomfortable.

Every time a leader opens the door to a mental health conversation, it gets a little easier for the next person.

And that’s how cultures shift.

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