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Suicide Prevention Is Every Day: What Employers Need to Know

by Purciarele Group



September is Suicide Prevention Month, but here’s the truth: suicide prevention isn’t about one day, one week, or even one month. It’s about what we do every single day to check in, connect, and care for the people around us.

👉 One of the strongest things you can do — as a leader or as a human being — is to seek help when you need it, and to encourage others to do the same.

As employers, leaders, and coworkers, we spend more waking hours with our colleagues than many of us do with family and friends. That reality makes the workplace one of the most important — and often overlooked — places for suicide prevention.

This doesn’t mean you have to be a counselor. But it does mean you have the opportunity — and responsibility — to create an environment where people feel seen, supported, and safe enough to ask for help.

Why the Workplace Plays a Critical Role

  • Time spent together: The average employee spends 40+ hours a week with their coworkers. If someone is struggling, chances are you’ll see the signs before their friends or family do.

  • Cultural influence: A supportive, stigma-free culture can make it easier for employees to reach out. A toxic one can push them further into silence.

  • Ripple effect: Every policy, conversation, and leadership choice shapes how mental health is treated in your organization.

Warning Signs to Watch For

You don’t need a psychology degree to notice when something isn’t right. Pay attention to:

  • Sudden mood or behavior changes

  • Withdrawal from coworkers or team activities

  • Decline in performance, focus, or attendance

  • Talking about feeling hopeless, trapped, or being a burden

  • Extreme fatigue, agitation, or emotional outbursts

None of these alone mean someone is suicidal — but they are signals that a deeper check-in might be needed.

What Employers and Leaders Can Do

✅ Normalize the conversation. Talk about mental health openly and without stigma. When leaders model vulnerability, employees feel permission to do the same.
✅ Create policies that protect people. Encourage mental health days, flexible scheduling when appropriate, and enforce reasonable workloads.
✅ Train managers. Equip supervisors to recognize warning signs, listen with empathy, and know when and how to connect employees with professional help.
✅ Promote resources. Keep the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline visible in your workplace. Make sure employees know about EAPs (Employee Assistance Programs) or local counseling resources.
✅ Check in. Sometimes the most impactful step is a simple one: “I’ve noticed you’ve seemed off lately — how are you really doing?” That moment of human connection can open the door.
✅ Model seeking support. When leaders are open about asking for help — whether it’s using an EAP, talking to a counselor, or taking a mental health day — it reinforces the truth: seeking help is strength, not weakness.

Culture Over Calendar

It’s easy to wear green ribbons in September, post about Suicide Prevention Month, and then move on. But suicide prevention is not a marketing campaign — it’s a culture.

It’s the way you treat employees when they’re overwhelmed.
It’s the policies you put in place to protect work-life balance.
It’s the compassion you show when someone needs a safe place to land.

Suicide prevention is every day. And while you can’t control every outcome, you can make your workplace one where employees feel valued, supported, and never alone.

Final Thoughts

Your role as a leader isn’t to have all the answers. It’s to create a space where people know they matter, where their struggles are taken seriously, and where help is accessible.

✨ Let’s remind our teams — and ourselves — that asking for help is not a sign of weakness. It’s one of the bravest steps a person can take. And when the workplace makes that step easier, we change — and sometimes save — lives.

📞 If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988 — the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7.

📌 Need Support Building a Healthy Workplace Culture?

At Purciarele Group, we help businesses create safe, supportive, and compliant workplaces where employees can thrive. From policies to training to culture shifts, we’re here to help you put people first.

👉 Reach out today for a complimentary consultation. Because HR isn’t just about compliance — it’s about people. www.PurciareleGroup.com 

We love HR so you don’t have to™.

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