Supporting the Supporters: Protecting Managers’ Mental Health
We often talk about supporting employees—but what about the people leading them?
Managers are the first line of support when teams struggle with stress, conflict, or burnout. Yet, behind the scenes, many are silently running on empty themselves.
They’re holding space for everyone else while trying to hit targets, manage change, and keep it together. The truth is: you can’t pour from an empty cup.
The Hidden Pressure of Leadership
Leading people has never been more complex. Hybrid work, psychosocial risks, constant change—it’s a lot.
Managers are expected to check in, listen, respond with empathy, and keep performance on track. But when their own wellbeing isn’t prioritised, that emotional load becomes heavy.
You might notice signs:
Shorter patience or irritability.
Decision fatigue.
Disconnection or emotional numbness.
Quiet burnout—the kind that looks like “coping” but isn’t.
Why Protecting Managers’ Mental Health Matters
Managers set the tone for the whole team. When they’re supported, the ripple effect is huge: engagement rises, stress drops, and communication flows. When they’re not—everyone feels it.
A well-supported manager can:
Lead with empathy instead of exhaustion.
Recognise and respond early to psychosocial risks.
Model healthy boundaries and resilience for their teams.
How to Support the Supporters
Normalise vulnerability. Encourage leaders to talk about stress, not hide it.
Provide MHFA or RFA training. Give them tools to support others and confidence to seek support themselves.
Build peer networks. Managers need safe spaces to share challenges with other leaders.
Make wellbeing part of leadership development. Not an add-on, but a core skill.
The Role of Senior Leadership and HR
Culture starts at the top. When senior leaders openly protect their own mental health—by taking breaks, saying no, or seeking help—they set permission for everyone else to do the same.
HR can reinforce that by designing systems that make wellbeing sustainable, not optional.
Managers aren’t superheroes—they’re human.
If we want them to lead with empathy, energy, and clarity, we need to make sure they’re not burning out while holding everyone else up.
Because when we support the supporters, everyone benefits.