Suicide Prevention Toolkit
This Suicide Prevention Toolkit, helps senior leaders, line managers, HR and occupational health professionals identify staff members who may have suicidal feelings and gives practical advice on how to deal with a crisis situation. It was produced in partnership with Public Health England and supported by Samaritans. This toolkit will help embed suicide prevention strategies in your organisation’s health and wellbeing policies, guide your approach to supporting those at risk and act as a resource to provide support across your workforce.
Key elements of a workplace suicide prevention programme might include
- A work environment that values its employees and their families, and promotes respect, open communication, a sense of belonging, emotional wellbeing, and encourages people to seek help when they need it and to support each other.
- A plan for responding to a suicide attempt or death.
- Helplines with national reach and issue focus are signposted across the workplace, such as Samaritans and national domestic violence helplines.
- Specialised suicide awareness and prevention training for the workplace’s Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) providers and/or HR staff.
- Clear policies, procedures and practical guidance to help employees who need support around issues including mental health, long-term health, domestic violence and financial insecurity.
- Internal communications and induction programmes that ensure employee are aware of resources and support available and that these are accessible to everyone.
- Education and training on mental health, including suicide awareness, for all employees especially line managers
Employers have a crucial role to play in suicide prevention. People in work spend about one-third of their lives at their place of employment. Colleagues and line managers can provide an important social and emotional support network, built on shared experiences. Employers are in a unique position to help colleagues understand the importance of wellbeing and good mental health, and the knowledge of how to keep safe and well and how to spot the signs of being unwell.
This toolkit is designed to help organisations adopt a strategy to reduce the risk of a suicide that will have an impact on the workplace. In this context, the term ‘workplace suicide’ is understood to be a suicide in or outside the workplace, which may involve an employee or contractor, or a family member or close friend of an employee or contractor. It may also concern a significant customer or supplier, or a person who is important to the organisation, such as a union representative.
View and download the other seven toolkits in this series, developed in partnership with Public Health England
Crisis Management in the Event of a Suicide
Crisis Management In The Event Of A Suicide: A Postvention Toolkit For Employers, developed with support from Samaritans, offers practical advice for employers to follow in the aftermath of an employee suicide.
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