Workplace mental health is complex and significantly affected by personal circumstances, interpersonal dynamics, and organizational design. While benefits and culture initiatives play an important role, they cannot negate the impact of management behavior. That responsibility (opens a new window) is shaped by how organizations design and exercise management authority.
Three structural decisions must be made – about who is given authority, how that authority is used, and what happens when it is misused.
1. Structuring management as a role, not just a reward
Too often, management is treated as the default progression for high performers, rather than a distinct role requiring a specific skill set. Candidates for management positions are routinely assessed based on their technical capabilities, tenure, and visibility. The result is a steady stream of managers who may not possess the ability nor willingness to lead others effectively.
One way to address this is to introduce temporary or rotational management responsibilities as part of regular work, without an implicit promise of promotion. These trial periods allow employees to gain firsthand experience in managing others, while giving the organization valuable insight into who genuinely thrives in such roles.
Just as importantly, this approach emphasizes the importance of every role, and that not becoming a manager is neither a failure nor a dead end. By safeguarding the path to management, organizations reduce the likelihood of promoting unwilling or ill-suited employees to positions where their behavior can unintentionally result in poor workplace mental health.
2. Making management behavior visible
Regular, well-designed 360-degree feedback exercises for managers do more than identify problem areas; they reinforce the message that in the organization, leaders are held to equal standards of accountability, transparency, and scrutiny.
Anonymity is essential; if employees fear retaliation, they will inadvertently adjust their responses to protect themselves rather than provide honest feedback. A good system should collect inputs regularly (e.g. at least once every 3 months) from at least 5-8 direct reports, 3-4 peers, and 1-2 senior leaders, and category-level results should only be reported when minimum response thresholds (e.g. at least 80% participation per category, or a minimum of 4 direct reports, 3 peers, and 2 senior leaders) are met. If these thresholds are not met, only aggregated feedback should be provided. To further avoid risk of identification, comments should also be included only if the same theme appears in multiple responses.
When used alongside regular performance reviews and due processes, 360-degree feedback exercises greatly strengthen workplace mental health and business outcomes.
3. When management isn’t the right fit
Lastly, managers whose behaviors consistently have a negative impact on their teams should be addressed in a fair and timely manner. For example, organizations should clearly spell out thresholds for intervention, such as specific recurring negative themes or poor consecutive ratings, alongside qualitative feedback and contextual factors.
Interventions do not need to be punitive or stigmatizing. In many cases, such managers can continue to contribute meaningfully as specialists or individual contributors (where any role changes follow fair, documented processes and clear communication). In other instances, managers might significantly improve their leadership abilities through corrective training.
The key lies in instituting processes that facilitate the prompt identification and rectification of harmful behavior, and demonstrating that all employees deserve equal and respectful treatment regardless of their role. When organizations make firm and decisive calls about managers who fail to carry out their duties, they create strong foundations for workplace mental health to thrive.
If organizations want employees to truly thrive, they must stop treating mental health as a wellness program and start treating it as a management responsibility. This responsibility involves designing how managers are selected, evaluated, and held accountable.
The most powerful workplace mental health lever is often not another program, but a manager who is technically capable, emotionally self-aware, and interpersonally respectful and supportive. And sometimes, fulfilling that responsibility involves recognizing that people can contribute most effectively in roles that no longer require managing others.
