Researchers for PAM Group’s Health at Work Report found that access and uptake have both fallen over the same period. Roughly one in five (22%) employees said they currently have access to counselling services, down from 25% in 2021.
The report cited that 11% of employees reported using mental health counselling in the past year, compared with 14% in 2023.
Grace Mansah-Owusu, organisational psychologist at leadership consultancy Oxford HR, said that employees may feel uneasy about using workplace counselling services due to preconceptions about therapy or concerns around confidentiality.
She explained that some employees worry that accessing mental health support could be seen as a sign of weakness or negatively affect their career prospects.
Lou Campbell, founder and director at mental health service Wellbeing Partners, said: “Many organisations are realising that traditional Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) often don’t deliver what employees actually need.”
She explained that EAPs can feel inaccessible and impersonal, and the subscription model often means companies pay for support that isn’t fully used.
Campbell suggested that employers can use a pay-as-you-use model, adding that “when workplace mental health support is approachable and meets the needs of employees, they will use it.”
To improve uptake, Mansah-Owusu advised employers to clearly explain how counselling works and reassure staff about privacy: “Senior leaders should communicate the value of these services openly and sincerely, demonstrating their importance to overall wellbeing.”
David Umpleby, PAM Group’ managing director, said: “Data is essential when making the business case for employees’ emotional health to the C-suite. If you’re not measuring the impact of mental health on metrics like absenteeism and productivity, you’re already behind the curve.
“This year’s Health at Work Report shows that employees who are given help to stay healthy by their employer are more than twice as likely to take no sick leave and eight times more likely to report feeling very or extremely productive.”
He explained that once employers quantify the value of that to their organisation, “it’s easy to see what good value for money mental health counselling is.”
Umpleby advised: “Preventative one-off counselling sessions and peer-to-peer counselling from mental health first aiders can reduce the need for more costly support down the line.
“Even when people have access to mental health support, this isn’t being utilised as much as it should be, because people often feel like they shouldn’t ask for help until they’re in crisis.”
He suggested: “It’s actually better for [employees], and much more cost-effective for businesses, for individuals to dip in and out of support, to develop coping strategies before things get too much.”
PAM Group commissioned Sapio Research to conduct an online survey of 1,000 UK workers in July 2025; 20% were part-time workers, and 80% were full-time.
