Every year, World Mental Health Day (10 October) and Mental Health Week remind us of the importance of creating workplaces that prioritise wellbeing. For startups and scale-ups, the pressure to grow quickly can sometimes mean wellbeing gets pushed down the list of priorities.

Yet the challenge is impossible to ignore: in Australia, 45% of people will experience a mental health condition in their lifetime (Black Dog Institute). Add to this the fact that one in five experience a mental health condition in any given year, and it’s clear that mental health isn’t a “nice to have” — it’s a business-critical issue.

The impact on workplaces is significant. Globally, the World Health Organisation estimates 12 billion working days are lost each year due to depression and anxiety, costing $1 trillion USD annually in lost productivity. At the same time, studies show every $1 invested in workplace mental health delivers an average return of $2.30 through improved productivity and reduced absenteeism (PwC/Beyond Blue).

At Pupal HR Consulting, we work with many high-growth businesses who face the same challenge: how to scale without losing culture, connection, or care for people. The good news is that building a mentally healthy workplace doesn’t always require a big budget or complex programs—it’s about being intentional in how you design work, support leaders, and embed wellbeing into everyday practices.

Here are six strategies that startups and scale-ups can use to strengthen mental health and resilience while continuing to grow.

1. Design Work with Balance in Mind

In a startup or scale-up, the energy is fast-paced, and priorities shift often. While this can be exciting, it also increases the risk of burnout if workloads aren’t managed carefully. Leaders should design roles with realistic expectations and help teams create boundaries between work and rest.

👉 Tip: Set clear working hours, discourage after-hours emails, and review workloads regularly to ensure pace is sustainable.

2. Train and Support Managers

Managers in startups are often promoted quickly or juggle multiple responsibilities. They may not have had formal leadership training, yet they hold the most influence over an employee’s wellbeing. Supporting them is critical.

Providing simple toolkits, conversation guides, and basic training in recognising signs of stress can empower managers to step in early and create psychologically safe team environments. Even better, give them the space to role-model healthy practices—such as taking breaks, setting boundaries, and speaking openly about wellbeing.

👉 Tip: Consider running short, practical workshops for managers on leading with empathy and managing wellbeing in high-pressure environments.

3. Introduce Mental Health First Aid Training

Just as physical first aid prepares people to respond to emergencies, Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) equips employees to support colleagues experiencing mental health challenges.

For startups and scale-ups, MHFA is a game changer. It signals that the business genuinely understands and cares, and creates a visible network of people trained to provide safe, confidential support. It also reduces stigma, making it more likely employees will seek help early.

👉 Tip: Train MHFA officers across departments so support is accessible wherever staff are located.

4. Create Spaces to Decompress

The pace of high-growth environments can feel relentless. Providing spaces where employees can pause, gather their thoughts, or manage emotions demonstrates genuine commitment to wellbeing.

This doesn’t need to mean elaborate wellness rooms or gyms. Quiet spaces, outdoor break areas, or small “decompression zones” within the office can help employees reset during stressful moments. What matters most is that leaders normalise their use.

👉 Tip: Encourage managers to suggest short breaks or to hold informal 1:1s in quieter spaces, modelling that taking a moment to breathe is not only acceptable but encouraged.

5. Prioritise Connection in Hybrid Work

Hybrid work is common in startups and scale-ups for flexibility and cost reasons. But without intentional planning, hybrid models can unintentionally isolate employees. Loneliness and disconnection are major risks for mental health.

To counter this, design in moments of connection: regular team check-ins, virtual coffee catch-ups, or monthly in-person collaboration days where the focus is on creativity, problem-solving, and relationship building—not just sitting at desks.

👉 Tip: Reframe in-office time as “connection time” rather than “compliance time.” Employees should come together with purpose.

6. Build Awareness and Reduce Stigma

Awareness is the first step to change. Marking World Mental Health Day and running awareness campaigns throughout the year help normalise conversations about mental health. This reduces stigma, encourages employees to seek support, and signals that wellbeing is a core part of the company’s culture.

The key is pairing awareness with action: share resources, highlight the availability of support services, and have leaders talk openly about their own approaches to managing stress and balance.

👉 Tip: Use internal communication channels to share articles, podcasts, or short videos on wellbeing topics throughout the year, not just in October.

Bringing It All Together

Mental health and wellbeing are not “nice to haves” in startups and scale-ups—they are essential to building sustainable businesses. With nearly half the population likely to experience a mental health condition, every workplace has a role to play.

This Mental Health Week, take time to reflect:

• Do our managers have the tools to support wellbeing?

• Are our people able to decompress when they need to?

• What signals are we sending about how much we value mental health?