Implementation tips for mental health first aid training

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training is a powerful tool for creating a more supportive and resilient workplace. But to make a real impact, it needs to be implemented properly.

Simply sending a few employees on a course isn’t enough – MHFA should be embedded into your workplace culture, with clear structures and ongoing support. From choosing the right training provider to tracking its effectiveness, every step matters.

In this article, we’ll share practical tips to help you integrate MHFA training successfully, ensuring it delivers real benefits for both employees and your business.

Setting the foundation for MHFA training

There are 3 main foundational pillars to establish before you embark on any MHFA training: an audit of your workplace needs, management support, and alignment with other company policies and procedures.

This ensures that your MHFA training isn’t:

• A ‘tick in the box’ to meet Health and Safety requirements
• Something that only applies to employees, not management
• One standalone session without any further follow-up
• An off-the-shelf product that doesn’t address the specific needs of your organisation
• A responsibility that’s passed off to trained mental health first aiders, with no further training or support
• Seen as something that ‘solves’ mental health issues without expecting any further education into the nuances of the topic

A full commitment to developing a psychologically safe work environment begins with these 3 actions:

Step 1: Assess workplace needs

This means carrying out an internal mental health risk assessment – just as you do for physical threats to employee health and safety.

You need to identify potential mental health risks – the Health and Safety Executive has a useful framework to follow for this stage. Then you need to evaluate the impact of these risks and consider what you can do to mitigate them.

Bear in mind that different workplaces will have different types of risk. For example, in the construction industry, the likelihood of employees having or witnessing serious injury at work is much higher than in an office-based business. In this case, you have the option to add Trauma Risk Management and Trauma Prepared courses as part of mitigating the impact of unavoidable mental health risks.

Step 2: Get leadership buy-in

Even general discussions about mental health issues put people in a place of vulnerability. It’s crucial that your leadership team is fully onboard and supports full implementation of MHFA training.

We all know that the only way to ensure proper funding and prioritisation of any new initiative is through management support.

It’s also the only way that your people feel that their mental health is important to the organisation – and not seen as just another annoying Health and Safety issue to meet.

Step 3: Align mental health training with company policies

Positive mental health changes can’t become embedded into your workplace culture unless they’re fully integrated into existing health, safety and wellness initiatives.

Consider how new knowledge, skills and expectations from MHFA training can be woven into your current policies and procedures.

How to roll out MHFA training with success

You want to avoid the common problems of MHFA training and make the most of your investment. This can feel overwhelming, particularly if this is a new venture for your organisation.

We’ve summarised the key things you need to do to really maximise the positive impact of your MHFA training—it’s often truly transformational!

Here are our 5 steps to success:

1. Choose the right MHFA training provider

With continued discussions around making MHFA training mandatory, a lot of new providers are popping up – many more focused on profit than real impact. But MHFA training isn’t just a tick-box exercise, it’s one piece of a much bigger approach to workplace mental health.

MHFA training courses are officially accredited by MHFA England. It should go without saying that your first step is to check that your provider is registered with them.

But to truly develop a psychologically safe workplace environment, you need an expert partner like Resilient People, who can help you build a strategy that goes beyond MHFA.

Our service doesn't just cover crisis response – we help you build the holistic, company-specific solutions you need to really support the well-being and good mental health of your people.

This includes support with mental health risk assessments, policy writing, ongoing support for your mental health first aiders and management, and other types of mental health training courses.

2. Identify and train the right people

Selecting the right individuals as Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) officers is crucial for fostering a supportive workplace environment.

Choose employees from various departments to ensure a broad understanding of different roles and challenges within your organisation. Diversity among MHFA officers enhances their ability to address a wide range of employee needs and promotes accessibility.

By implementing a diverse MHFA team, organisations can create a more inclusive and supportive atmosphere, encouraging employees to seek help when needed.

3. Embed MHFA into workplace culture

Making Mental Health First Aid a lasting part of your workplace culture takes ongoing effort. Here’s how to keep it effective and sustainable:

Promote awareness with internal communications and campaigns

Regularly highlight mental health issues and the role of MHFA officers through emails, posters, team meetings, and awareness events. This keeps mental health support visible and accessible for all employees.

Offer refresher training to keep skills up to date

Mental health best practices evolve, and refresher training ensures MHFA officers stay confident in their knowledge and abilities. It also reinforces their role within the company.

Recognise and support MHFA officers to avoid burnout

Being an MHFA officer can be emotionally demanding. Acknowledge their contributions, check in on their well-being, and provide additional support where needed to prevent compassion fatigue or total burnout.

It’s absolutely crucial to define the role of an MHFA officer and communicate it clearly to all staff. For example, 2 am phone calls are not part of the remit.

4. Integrate MHFA into Health & Safety protocols

To make MHFA truly effective, it needs to become part of your existing health and safety processes. Here’s how to integrate it seamlessly:

Include MHFA in incident reporting

Mental health concerns should be treated with the same urgency as physical injuries. If an employee experiences a distressing event, such as workplace bullying or a traumatic incident, MHFA officers should document and escalate it just like any other workplace health and safety issue.

All staff need to be aware that this is an official role, with procedures that must be adhered to. It’s not the same as having a quiet chat with a friend. Confidentiality will be respected, and the subject of any conversations will not become staff room gossip.

But, just as importantly, MHFA officers are obliged to record and share information with other appointed people in the organisation – and this needs to be completely understood by all employees.

Establish clear support pathways

MHFA officers need clear guidelines on when and how to escalate concerns, whether to HR, occupational health, or external mental health professionals. Having a structured process in place ensures employees get the right level of support at the right time.

Gather feedback to refine the program

Regularly check in with MHFA officers and employees to see what’s working and where improvements can be made. Feedback loops help keep the programme relevant and responsive to your team’s needs.

By integrating MHFA into health and safety protocols, you reinforce the idea that mental well-being is just as important as physical health, creating a safer and more supportive workplace for everyone.

5. Measure the impact of MHFA training and adjust if necessary

To ensure MHFA training provides a return on investment and makes a real difference, it’s important to track its impact and make improvements where needed.

Start by monitoring key metrics like absenteeism rates, employee well-being survey results, and the number of reported mental health concerns. A decrease in sick days related to stress or anxiety and an increase in employees feeling supported are strong indicators of success.

Gather regular feedback from both MHFA officers and employees to understand what’s working and where additional support is needed. Use these data insights to refine your approach—whether that means offering refresher training, improving escalation processes, or increasing awareness campaigns.

By continuously evaluating and adapting your MHFA program, you can ensure it remains effective and truly supports your team’s mental health.

Make MHFA a long-term success with Resilient People

Implementing Mental Health First Aid training is just the beginning – making it a lasting part of your workplace culture takes ongoing commitment.

From selecting the right people and embedding MHFA into your health and safety policies to tracking its impact and making improvements, every step plays a role in creating a mentally healthy workplace.

At Resilient People, we don’t just provide training – we partner with you to build a long-term strategy that truly supports your employees. With expert-led courses, tailored guidance, and ongoing support, we help you create a workplace where mental health is prioritised, stigma is reduced, and employees feel safe and supported.

Let’s talk about how our tailored mental health training can support you – give us a call today.