Responding to suicide risk in the workplace: A guide for people professionals

It’s important that organisations use appropriate language relating to sensitive subjects such as mental health and suicide. Samaritans point out that inappropriate use of language can perpetuate stigma or unhelpfully sensationalise or inadvertently romanticise a suicide death. By understanding the appropriate language to use, organisations can raise awareness around potential mental health issues, begin to tackle stigma around suicide and facilitate positive conversations. 

We all have mental health, just as we all have physical health. This can fluctuate on a spectrum from good to poor and we all have times when we feel better or worse. 

Good mental wellbeing is a term that describes a positive state of mind. It enhances resilience and our ability to cope with the day-to-day stresses of life, and helps us to work productively. It enables us to interact positively with others and realise our own potential. When we talk about ‘wellbeing’ in this guide, we are referring primarily to mental wellbeing, while acknowledging that this is also affected by physical health. 

Poor mental health may result from low mood, stress or anxiety. This may be because we’re feeling restless, confused, short-tempered, upset or preoccupied.

A mental health problem is when difficult experiences or feelings linger and start affecting our ability to enjoy and live our lives in the way we want. This could involve a specific diagnosis from a doctor. For more detailed information on types of mental health problem, see Mind’s guidance. 

Work-related stress is defined by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) as "the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed on them" at work. Stress, including work-related stress, can be a significant cause of illness. Stress is not a medical diagnosis, but when severe stress continues for a long time it may lead to a diagnosis of depression or anxiety, or more severe mental health problems. 

Sustained work-related stress can also lead to feelings of burnout, which the World Health Organization does not classify as a medical condition but defines as: "a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed". Feelings of burnout aren't always necessarily directly associated with triggering thoughts of suicide, but can provide an important context in which such thoughts might further develop. 

Self-harm is when you purposefully hurt yourself as a reaction to adversity, or as a way of trying to cope with very difficult feelings, painful memories or overwhelming situations and experiences. (See Mind guidance for more information.) The UK Cross-Government Suicide Prevention Strategy recognises self-harm as a potential risk factor for suicide, but most people who self-harm will not go on to take their own life. However, all instances of self-harm should be taken seriously. Should self-harm be mentioned by an employee, signposting to appropriate medical or psychological therapy services, such as a GP, is advised (see NHS advice). 

It’s important to use appropriate terms so there is greater awareness and understanding about suicide. Terms appropriately used to refer to suicide include ‘take one’s life’, ‘death by suicide’, ‘suicide attempt’ and ‘person at risk of suicide’ (see Samaritans guidelines). 

Most of us spend a large part of our waking hours working, and the quality of our working life has a major bearing on our overall health and wellbeing. Work can give us purpose and meaning, and an important sense of belonging and social cohesion.  

Conversely, an unhealthy or stressful working environment can contribute to poor mental wellbeing. Employers play an important role in creating a supportive and healthy climate that acknowledges the risk of suicide. This means recognising particularly difficult and stressful situations and putting additional care and support in place when needed by employees. Employers’ approach to mental health and wellbeing should expressly address suicide risk and incorporate a prevention strategy.  

People can’t be expected to leave their personal worries at home, and work can contribute to someone’s state of mind. Organisations should create an environment that encourages people to share mental health issues and/or suicidal thoughts, and one where they feel listened to and supported, without judgement. An empathetic colleague or manager may be the first step in them accessing the help they need.

Dealing with an employee who discloses suicidal thoughts or has already attempted suicide can be extremely challenging as an HR professional. This could be a one-off situation, or someone could have a plan to attempt suicide and/or has enduring thoughts about taking their own life. 

As an HR professional, you cannot be expected to act as a counsellor, and nor can a manager. It’s essential to know when/how to refer someone to more specialist sources of help where needed. The organisation should make this signposting clear to managers and colleagues in any guidance you disseminate. If someone is in distress and tells a manager or colleague they are thinking about suicide, guidance should urge them to contact their doctor. If the crisis is immediate and someone is in imminent danger of taking their own life, the manager or colleague should call for an ambulance and not leave them alone. 

It’s also important that the organisation is proactive in offering appropriate wellbeing support, such as counselling, to anyone, including managers, HR professionals and employees, who is the recipient of suicidal thoughts from a colleague. 

Being under pressure is a normal part of life: it can help people to feel more energised and get results. But if that tips into stress and someone becomes overwhelmed by stress, these feelings could become a problem for someone’s mental health.  

Workplace suicide prevention strategies should address workplace factors that contribute to suicide risk. Such factors include bullying and harassment, monotonous tasks, stressful or distressing psychological work pressures, lack of control over work, extreme effort and inadequate reward. 

Like physical health, mental health will sometimes require employers to make reasonable adjustments, such as a change to working patterns or duties. Such adjustments are required where there is an overlap between health needs and capacity to work. Where someone’s mental health has been identified as a factor in their working context, employers should work with employees to make reasonable adjustments to mitigate harm. This is additionally true for suicidal thoughts, where identified risk factors may be mitigated through access to support and appropriate signposting to additional specialist services. 

There is no straightforward explanation for why someone may decide to die by suicide, and it’s typically not caused by one particular factor. The reasons why a person may be more at risk of attempting or completing suicide are complex and multifaceted, and cannot be oversimplified.

Suicide is more common in some groups than others. Samaritans’ research shows that dying by suicide is much more common among men than women across all age groups; men from the lowest social class, living in the most deprived areas, were much more likely to end their lives by suicide compared with those in the highest social classes from the most affluent areas. Middle-aged men are the age group most at risk. That is not to say, however, that women experience suicidal thoughts less than men. The statistics around suicide deaths are explained by a number of reasons, including that men are less likely to seek support as early as women, more likely to ‘bottle things up’, and, if they do have suicidal intention, can select a method that is more likely to result in their death.  

Some occupations are at particularly high risk of suicide. It’s important that in these settings (as described below), attention is given to the specific risk factors that might be present, for example availability of means. According to ONS research, the following settings have been identified at highest risk:  

However, all organisational settings need to be vigilant to the potential for suicide risk.  

Attempting to explain suicide by occupation is also complex, as it’s likely that several factors interact. The ONS outlines some broad reasons why an occupation may carry a high risk of suicide, including:  

Risks also include impulsivity (how quickly we are likely to act on emotional challenges or changes) and disinhibition (for example, alcohol or drug use can lead us to act in ways we would ordinarily not do). 

However, risk factors should not be misinterpreted as warning signs. How specific risk factors and life events impact on one individual is a unique and complex process, and suicide is not predictable in that sense. As such, suicide is one of the most difficult behaviours to predict. Many people will experience the risk factors for suicide and never go on to take their own life, but it’s important to understand these factors, to help think about your employees and who may be most at risk. 

Mind’s guidance says that everyone’s experience of suicidal feelings is unique to them. Struggling to cope with certain difficulties in your life can cause you to feel suicidal. It highlights a long list of work- and non-work-related events and circumstances, including: 

By being aware of the potential risk factors for suicide and understanding that people are affected by circumstances and events inside and outside work, organisations can create the culture and support to help employees who may be facing difficult issues. 

An employer can raise awareness about suicide among employees, communicating the important fact that some suicides are preventable, and highlighting key sources of professional help. Many people worry that mentioning suicide to someone may encourage that individual to attempt suicide, but this is not the case, as Business in the Community/Public Health England make clear in their toolkit: "Talking about suicide will not put the idea in someone’s mind, but it will make the topic less taboo." 

Furthermore, individuals who have been experiencing suicidal thoughts will often say what a relief it was to be able to discuss what they were experiencing. The experience of mental health workers tends to be that asking about suicide will, at worst, leave the level of risk unchanged; at best, it will be a critical factor in making it less likely. As such, the key guidance is to always ask about suicidal thoughts if they are suspected.

The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that the signs of suicide are often not always visible, but urges employers to pay particular attention to people who are losing their job.

The WHO lists other warning signs to look out for, such as:  

The symptoms that could be associated with someone having suicidal thoughts are not definitive on their own, but could still show that someone is struggling to cope and needs help.  

It’s about noticing that someone’s behaviour changes by comparison with what has been typically experienced. Warning signs might be different for everyone, but having a good relationship with your employee, and the ability to recognise change in behaviour, can prompt a conversation about whether they’re okay. 

Conversely, many people won’t show any warning signs and will do their best to conceal how they are feeling. Nonetheless, being alert to potential indicators could help to build up a picture of concern for that person’s welfare. Some of the warning signs and changes can include:  

However, just as it’s important to understand that someone thinking about suicide may not show any visible signs, it’s also important to recognise that if an individual does show some of the above signs, it’s not necessarily because they are feeling suicidal. 

Many of the elements that create a mentally healthy workplace, such as effective stress risk management, an open culture around mental health and good people management practices, will lay the groundwork for an employer’s response to suicide risk. A supportive and positive culture is key to offering the right support.  

Establishing an effective organisational framework to support good mental health should include fostering an environment where people can discuss their feelings. This kind of culture should help to tackle the silence and stigma around suicide and hopefully encourage people to talk about suicide concerns and seek help. 

A framework that encourages good mental health, and supports people appropriately if they experience mental health issues should cover several key areas. 

It’s important that an organisation’s chosen OH service and EAP provider can offer appropriate support from trained professionals for people experiencing mental health issues. If an organisation does not have access to OH services or an EAP, they could still consider providing appropriate counselling support for an employee who needs it. There are also several mental health charities providing helplines and other support, including Samaritans.

If someone is experiencing suicidal thoughts, the organisation should signpost them to their doctor, GP or specialist mental health services. 

The CIPD/Mind People Managers’ Guide to Mental Health provides comprehensive practical advice on how to develop a mentally healthy workplace. 

Much of the day-to-day responsibility for implementing the policies and adjustments to prevent stress and support people’s health and wellbeing falls on line managers. A manager will typically be the first point of contact if someone needs to discuss any concerns or feels distressed.  

Employers should ensure that all people managers are trained and have a broad understanding of the important factors relating to mental health and suicide, and know how to spot changes in employee behaviour that could signal potential warning signs of distress, including suicide risk. This should be embedded in a broader training programme that educates employees on supporting good mental health.  

Managers should have the confidence to not shy away from personal or emotional issues and feel comfortable having sensitive conversations with employees. They need to be able to signpost to expert sources of support such as OH, medical services and an employee assistance programme, if available. This will require investment by employers in managers’ development and skills that should include a competency-based approach so they can demonstrate behaviours such as empathy and compassion, as well as specific education around mental health and suicide.  

Dealing with a sensitive situation like suicide can be very challenging. Managers and employees should be prepared to reach out to a colleague if they are concerned and ask how they are, including if they are experiencing suicidal thoughts. But managers are not qualified to act as counsellors or give a diagnosis, and they need to understand the boundaries of their role. Employers therefore need to provide training and ongoing guidance. They also need to ensure managers know when and how to access support from HR and other sources of help if they are finding the employee’s circumstances challenging for their own wellbeing, as well as if they are unsure how to handle the situation.  

Asking about suicide can be a challenging experience and research shows that even specialist staff, such as counsellors, doctors and other mental health workers, can find this difficult. However, it’s important to remember that asking about suicide will not put the thought into someone’s mind. If a person is not suicidal (or they do not wish to talk about it), they will simply say they are not having thoughts. More importantly, asking about suicide shows that it's okay to talk about it and the employee might approach someone at a later stage, when they are ready.  

It’s important managers understand when to listen and offer empathy, and when to signpost someone to a qualified health professional. This should be a GP or doctor in the first instance if someone discloses they are having suicidal thoughts.  

No one should be made to feel responsible for the actions of another person who is feeling suicidal. The organisation should ensure that anyone providing support to someone in this situation should also be offered appropriate support in turn, such as access to employee assistance programme services or similar: see Mind’s advice. This needs to be emphasised and included in any policy or guidance provided by the organisation, as well as in practical guidance given to employees/managers.

Good practice in mental health points to asking questions about suicide with empathy and sensitivity, but also directly and clearly. People will often initially hint at suicidal thoughts, or use a metaphor (‘I just want to get out of everyone’s way’, or ‘I feel a burden to people’). The ‘rule of thumb’ is: if in doubt, ask. Do so simply and clearly: ‘Have you had thoughts about ending your life?’, or ‘Do things get so bad for you that you think about suicide?’ The actual words you use are less important than that they are clear and to the point. Samaritans advise that, if you’re worried someone is suicidal, it’s okay to ask them directly. This involves asking someone about their suicidal thoughts in a calm, confident, and sensitive but clear way. The fear of talking about suicide is always worse than actually talking about it.  

If a person is asked and they say they are not having thoughts, it’s worth following up with something like, ‘If anything changes, please do feel able to talk to me about it.’ If someone says they are having suicidal thoughts, you may then decide it is appropriate to ask them if they have had any plans or intentions to act on those thoughts and encourage them to contact their GP or doctor. Knowing this additional information may help you signpost more effectively.  

It’s not possible to offer full confidentiality if someone tells another employee or manager they have suicidal thoughts. If an employee asks if they can talk in confidence, the person told needs to make clear – consistent with any mental health policy – that they would have to sensitively share any information if they believed someone to be at risk. Therefore, it’s important the organisation makes clear in its guidance to whom managers and employees should speak if an individual shares suicidal thoughts with them, such as HR or a senior manager or OH services, if available.  

An organisation’s suicide prevention approach needs to include training and awareness raising for employees and managers. This way they will know how to respond if they are worried someone is in distress and/or having suicidal thoughts.  

If an employee discloses they are experiencing suicidal thoughts, they should be encouraged to contact their GP or doctor as the first step for support.  

Samaritans offer practical advice and videos explaining simple actions that can help you be there for someone who is experiencing suicidal thoughts, as well as the importance of seeking professional support and when to step back to look after yourself. There are also a number of specialist charities who can provide immediate and specialist support to talk to someone with suicidal thoughts, via a helpline and/or their websites and by email. 

The following guidance applies to any employee or manager who thinks another employee could be at risk of attempting suicide. It’s important to remember that people aren’t trained counsellors or clinicians so should remain within the boundaries of their role and offer signposting to professional help where appropriate. 

Source: Samaritans guidance If you think it’s an emergency 

Access to means is a major risk factor for suicide. In some cases, the decision to attempt suicide can be an impulsive act, and whether or not lethal means are available for someone to act on their suicidal feelings can be instrumental in preventing a suicide.  

"Internationally, there is consistent evidence that restricting access to lethal means is associated with a decrease in suicide. Restricting access to means involves implementation of measures to reduce availability of and access to frequently used means of suicide." 

Source: British Psychological Society  

As part of its strategy to help prevent suicide, an employer needs to carry out a risk assessment of the workplace to eliminate or restrict the access employees have to locations or substances that could be used for suicide. The availability of lethal means will depend on the nature of the organisation’s business as well as its premises. 

An organisation’s risk management process should also include steps to make sure customers or members of the public can’t access lethal means.

The term ‘suicide postvention’ refers to the actions taken to support people affected by a suicide death in the workplace when an employee has taken their own life, regardless of where the suicide took place. Although it’s a rare event, every employer needs to be prepared to respond very quickly to a suicide death and to give support to employees. The organisation’s suicide postvention plan should cover the death of an employee as well as bereavement relating to the suicide of an employee’s family member or friend and a supplier or client. Organisations will also need to consider the death by suicide of a former colleague; even if the individual has left the organisation, there could still be a significant impact among the colleagues they have left behind. The organisation’s plan should include all the steps and organisational support outlined in the CIPD’s Guide on Compassionate Bereavement Support, including provision for a bereavement policy and compassionate leave, but there are further considerations to take into account following a suicide death. 

The unexpected death of a colleague, whatever the cause, can be very upsetting, but if the death is by suicide, the emotional impact on close colleagues can be even more extreme. Individuals can also be affected by the death by suicide of a former colleague, especially if they worked closely with the deceased and/or was or still is a close friend. If an employee dies by suicide, the psychological effect on their immediate colleagues and the wider workforce can be profound and long lasting. It can feel inexplicable, and the stigma that often surrounds suicide can add to the distress and guilt people may feel. Some people may also feel emotions such as anger that are difficult to manage or disclose.

A plan to respond to a suicide death is essential and should provide access to wellbeing services and psychological support such as bereavement counselling, as well as practical support like compassionate leave. Smaller employers may not have an EAP and/or other wellbeing services, but every organisation should consider offering access to bereavement counselling and other support for employees. This could be on a temporary basis for as long as is needed, in the event of a death by suicide of a colleague. A number of charities provide services such as helplines that the organisation can also help people access.  

Suicide bereavement can trigger mental ill health and leave those affected more vulnerable to a higher risk of suicide themselves. In industries with high levels of “access to means”, like construction, the possibility of a tradesperson witnessing a suicide first-hand is, unfortunately, very high. This risk makes it very important that an employer responds to a suicide death with compassion but is careful with the tone, content and language of its communications with employees and other stakeholders.  

The guidance Responding to the Death by Suicide of a Colleague in Primary Care: A postvention framework describes ‘suicide postvention’ as "the provision of crisis intervention, support and assistance for those affected by a death by suicide" and sets out its four key aims: 

A postvention framework could be a standalone plan or might be a section of the organisation’s business continuity plan. It’s better to be prepared in case the worst happens, as if there is a death by suicide, it’s very difficult to respond without a plan, in the midst of the devastation. 

Following a suspected suicide of an employee, the organisation should appoint a senior manager to take responsibility for co-ordinating the organisation’s response to the death. They have an important role to play in leading the organisation through the crisis in a sensitive, calm and appropriate manner. It’s important the organisation ensures they have the appropriate practical and psychological support.  

The senior lead should oversee all communications and ensure that the organisation provides immediate and effective support for people, both psychologically and operationally. It’s important to note that the psychological impact of a suicide can take time to present and an organisation should be ready to provide support at any time a person asks for it or appears to need it.  

Part of their role is to ensure essential operations continue to run while making allowances for the understandable upset, grief and disruption caused by a sudden death. The senior lead should act as a bridge between the senior management team and other key stakeholders such as HR and relevant people managers. It’s crucial to build trust with employees following an employee’s death by suicide: people need to have confidence in leadership and know they are supported through a traumatic event.  

The compassion and kindness shown by senior management will be instrumental in creating a caring and supportive culture that fosters peer support, where people can reach out if they need help. Having the courage to show their own vulnerability and talk about how they have personally been affected by the suicide can send an important message to people that it’s not a sign of weakness to express their feelings.  

Compassionate leadership can encourage a healthy grieving process. This includes rolemodelling behaviour such as active listening and empathy, as well as being prepared to make temporary changes to work schedules or workloads to support people where needed. Leaders need to look after themselves, too, and seek mutual support from their peers and access more specialist help, such as counselling, if required.

There’s a range of organisations that provide expert information and resources about suicide prevention, as well as useful guidance to help employers develop a good mental health framework.  

It’s also important to provide information on workplace support for employees. Health and wellbeing policies should link to other helpful services and resources, if you offer them, such as occupational health and employee assistance programmes, or point to external sources of support if you don’t offer them.  

Read the case study about PwC's approach to responding to suicide risk.

This guide was researched and written by Dr Andrew Reeves, Associate Professor in the Counselling Professions and Mental Health, and Rachel Suff, Senior Policy Adviser at the CIPD. 

The CIPD is grateful to the individuals and organisations who gave their time and expertise to provide feedback to help inform this guide. These include: 

• Andrew Berrie, Head of Workplace Wellbeing Programmes, Stephen Buckley, Head of Information, and Rich Green, Information Officer, Mind 

• Gill Dix, Head of Workplace Policy, Acas 

• Dr Emma Donaldson-Feilder, Occupational Psychologist, Affinity Coaching and Supervision 

• Sally Evans, Wellbeing Lead, PwC 

• Neil Greenberg, Professor of Defence Mental Health, King’s College London 

• Abigail Hirshman, Director, Workplace Programmes (Mental Health and Wellbeing), Charlie Waller Trust and Consultant in Mental Health and Wellbeing at Work 

• Dr Gail F Kinman CPsychol FBPsS FAcSS FHEA, Visiting Professor of Occupational Health Psychology, Birkbeck University of London 

• Jacqui Morrisey, Assistant Director Research and Influencing, Samaritans 

• Cheryl Samuels FCIPD, BA, Deputy Director of Workforce Transformation, NHS England and NHS Improvement 

• Dr Rebecca Torry MB BChir MMedEd FRCGP, Trustee, Louise Tebboth Foundation and GP Nexus Health Group 

• Dr Roxane L. Gervais, CPsychol CSci AFBPsS, Director, Practical Psychology Consultancy Ltd 

• Lisa Ayling, solicitor and employment law specialist. 

We are also grateful for helpful feedback from internal colleagues and experts at the CIPD, including Holly Ivins, Claire McCartney and Ben Willmott.