A deep dive into how wholesalers can build a mental health plan into their operations
Warehousing, logistics pressure, long shifts and physical strain make the wholesale channel vulnerable to burnout and stress-related issues. This is why building a mental health plan into an operation will not only improve morale across the employee base, but also positively affect safety, productivity, staff retention and even customer relationships.
The impact of poor mental health in the workplace has been well documented in recent years. As well as its effects on the individual, the impact on organisations, the economy and society are severe, and according to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), 16.4 million working days were lost due to work-related stress, depression or anxiety in 2023/24.
What is your duty of care as an employer?
The British Red Cross training website states that the law requires employers to tackle work-related stress. It adds how it’s crucial to treat mental health in the workplace as you would first-aid requirements within your organisation, and plan the training you require accordingly.
The 2024 HSE guidance introduces the inclusion of mental health considerations within first-aid needs assessments to identify training requirements, and references the six ‘Core Standards’ for managing Mental Health at Work:
1. Produce, implement and communicate a Mental Health at Work plan
2. Develop mental health awareness among employees
3. Encourage open conversations about mental health and the support available when employees are struggling
4. Provide your employees with good working conditions
5. Promote effective people management
6. Routinely monitor employee mental health and well-being.
Using these six standards, here’s a starting point, some quick wins and a practical plan for wholesalers to implement:
Leadership commitment and culture
Train supervisors to recognise early signs of stress, burnout and fatigue; include mental health KPIs alongside productivity metrics; and encourage open conversations without stigma.
Risk assessment
Identify where mental strain is coming from in your workflow; run anonymous employee surveys quarterly; map stress ‘hotspots’ (e.g. delivery routes, busy periods, admin bottlenecks); and include mental health in standard health and safety risk assessments.
Work design improvements
Ensure realistic productivity targets; build buffer time into schedules during peak demand; and limit excessive overtime.
On-the-ground support systems
Appoint trained ‘mental health first-aiders’ on each shift; provide quiet/rest areas in warehouses or offices; and offer access to confidential counselling services (such as employee assistance programmes).
Training and awareness
Normalise mental health as part of operational training; offer mandatory training for all staff on stress management and resilience; and run manager-specific training on handling sensitive conversations.
Crisis and absence support
Clear protocol for employees experiencing acute mental health issues; have supportive return-to-work plans after absence; and avoid punitive approaches to mental-health-related sick leave.
Measurement and continuous improvement
Track absenteeism and overtime levels; track employee satisfaction/stress survey results; and track incident and error rates (often linked to fatigue).
Integrate into existing operations
Embed mental health into health and safety policies; align with HR, operations and compliance teams; include well-being checks in standard operating procedures (SOPs); and provide managers with clear escalation pathways.
