Breaking the Silence – Tailored Strategies for Men’s Mental and Financial Health

Breaking the Silence – Tailored Strategies for Men’s Mental and Financial Health
October 29, 2025 9 mins

Breaking the Silence – Tailored Strategies for Men’s Mental and Financial Health

Tailored Strategies for Men’s Mental and Financial Health Amid Gaps

Conversations at work about mental health and finances can be daunting. That’s especially true for male employees, who fear the associated stigma. Employers can help those conversations by supporting a healthy culture and providing benefits designed to help with financial and mental wellbeing.

Key Takeaways
  1. Men are less likely to report mental health issues than women, despite being more at risk of suicide.
  2. Financial burdens are known to be significant sources of stress, leading to poor mental wellbeing.
  3. Having targeted strategies and communications to help men overcome the stigma of mental health issues can improve overall wellbeing.

In recent years employers have invested more resources into wellbeing programs, especially those targeting emotional and financial wellbeing, such as Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), financial counseling and flexible work arrangements. The investment in benefits and services is paying off: Nearly four in five employees reported that mental health training made them more comfortable talking about their mental health at work.1

However, there are differences regarding emotional and financial wellbeing across certain demographics in the workforce, including between men and women. For instance, men are far more likely to die from suicide,2 and research suggests that men may be less likely to report their mental illness or lack of emotional wellbeing thanks to the stigma attached.3 In addition, research shows that stress from poor financial wellbeing has a different effect on men’s physical health than women’s, with men more susceptible to certain conditions like hypertriglyceridemia when under financial stress and women more susceptible to others like prediabetes.4 It is also true that women are 30% more likely to report worsening mental health5 and 26% more likely to take time off for poor mental health.6 That may also be partly influenced by women’s approach to seeking help and utilizing wellbeing, as reflected in Aon’s research below:

Agree with the following statement: Men Women
Employers should support employees’ wellbeing “a lot.” 47% 51%
A company’s investment in employees’ wellbeing will set it apart. 28% 32%
Health and wellbeing benefits are extremely important to me. 37% 43%
Emotional wellbeing support is my most valued employee benefit. 12% 15%

Source: Aon’s 2025 Global Employee Sentiment Study of 9,202 employees

There are a few factors that help account for the discrepancy in how men and women approach mental and financial wellbeing, especially at work.

  • Stigma. Just over a third of men report that they fear their job could be at risk if they discuss their mental health at work.7 The negative stigma attached to seeking mental health support can lead to men not seeking or feeling they need treatment. While the reluctance to self-report poor mental health exists for both men and women, cultural norms and attitudes suggest that this barrier prevents many men from seeking treatment — or even discussing the need for treatment.8 That means it’s important for managers and colleagues to keep in mind that just because they don’t hear their male colleagues discuss their poor mental wellbeing, it may still be present.
  • Loneliness. Especially in the last five years, there is what has been described as a “loneliness crisis,” which has disproportionately affected men. In surveys conducted two decades apart, in 1990 and 2021, the number of men who said they had no close friends increased fivefold to 15%, while the number of men who said they had 10 or more close friends was slashed from 40% to 15%.9 Women are also twice as likely to discuss their mental health with friends.
  • Expectations. The World Economic Forum finds there is still a 39% gap in women’s economic opportunity and participation globally.10 Combined with a persistent pay gap, it is recognized that men may feel the expectation of being the primary breadwinner. But those gender expectations can lead to poor mental and financial wellbeing. Research finds when men are the sole source of income for their family their psychological wellbeing scores are 5% lower.11

“Cultural norms can also have a big influence on the burden men might feel on their mental health and financial stress. This is particularly true across Asia Pacific countries," notes Paul Gordon, who led financial wellbeing in the region and is now Chief Commercial Officer, Financial Wellbeing. In countries across the region, men are more likely to be seen in a provider role, given that the gender gap is larger in many countries across the region than elsewhere.12 “Employer strategies must be adapted in a way that feels authentic to local workforces,” Gordon says.

34%

of men fear that their job could be at risk if they discuss their mental health at work.

Source: Ipsos poll for Movember U.K.

Getting More Men to Access Wellbeing Benefits

In addition to men placing a lower value on wellbeing benefits, a UK study showed that nearly twice as many calls to EAPs were made by women as by men (56% to 29%, with 15% being undisclosed or unknown).13 In order to change these behaviors, a culture change is needed. Employers can lead the way by targeting communications to employees showing the value of seeking out help and breaking down the shame of both mental and financial problems by discussing successful treatments or positive experiences. Women can play a role in helping with this as well, as they are directly affected by the mental wellbeing of the men in their lives, be it partners, fathers, sons or their male colleagues. The stigma men feel can be overcome, and women can help by creating a permission structure to discuss mental health in ways that most men aren’t taught how to do.

Quote icon

Changing men’s attitudes on valuing seeking help with their mental health is no small job, we have to start building spaces for men to start these conversations because, right now, they don’t exist.

Fleur Iannazzo
Associate Partner, Wealth Solutions, United Kingdom

7 Employer Strategies to Support Mental and Financial Wellbeing

As employers look to support men in their workforce or other groups that report lower wellbeing, they can be more targeted in communicating wellbeing benefits and encouraging engagement with existing benefits.

  1. Create a positive workplace culture where employees feel that they can open up about issues they may face, including with their finances and mental health. Nearly three quarters of employees say it is appropriate to discuss mental health issues at work, but only 58% are comfortable discussing their own mental health.14
  2. Raise awareness about mental health issues to normalize the topic and tackle the shame of self-reporting. It is good practice to provide financial wellbeing training to those who offer support to employees such as line managers, human resources and Mental Health First Aiders.
  3. Use the workplace as an opportunity to create positive social wellbeing, reducing feelings of isolation and loneliness, and creating stronger support networks. This can take the form of an employee or business resource group model, or informal programs to strengthen social bonds.
  4. Don’t underestimate the value of benefits with work-life balance implications like paid leave and flexible work. Employees with access to work-life balance programs were 20% less likely to report being often or always stressed at work. Those working in their preferred environment (remote, office or hybrid) more often reported better overall mental health than those who were not.15
  5. Ensure you have the right mix of benefits, services and support available for employees, and make these easy to access. Review any policies to ensure they do not exclude gender-specific health issues or apply unreasonable limitations that impact an employee’s ability to be supported back to health.
  6. Highlight benefits that may not traditionally be seen as financial wellbeing initiatives but support the financial wellbeing pillar of being prepared for the unexpected and can be helpful in the long term. For example, employees with life and disability insurance were 10% less likely to report being chronically stressed at work.
  7. Encourage financial wellbeing by highlighting how non-retirement employee benefits support their long-term financial wellbeing. Benefits like maternity, paternity and adoption leave, subsidized financial advisors, free budget and finance planning apps, and estate planning benefits can provide peace of mind for employees.

How Aon Can Help

In addition to creating a culture where concerns about mental health and financial resilience can be discussed, employers can take concrete steps to improve overall wellbeing. Having a robust EAP program is now considered the baseline for employee support. However, an integrated program where financial wellbeing sits at the heart of employee wellbeing requires personalized and targeted communications.

Our framework helps employers support their workforce in all areas of wellbeing and recognizes the interconnectedness of the pillars of wellbeing. For example, by helping employees manage their day-to-day financial commitments, prepare for the unexpected and invest for the long term, people can be financially resilient, protect their mental health and improve overall performance. Learn more: Employee Financial Wellbeing

1 The 2024 NAMI Workplace Mental Health Poll | National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
2 Suicide worldwide in 2021
3 Men’s Experiences of Mental Illness Stigma Across the Lifespan: A Scoping Review
4 Gender Differences in the Relationship Between Financial Stress and Metabolic Abnormalities - PMC
5 Employees want more workplace mental health resources | Ipsos
6 Workplace Well-being: The Gender Gap | Randstad UK
7 Be a Man of More Words in the Workplace
8 Males and Mental Health Stigma - PMC
9 How many close friends do Americans have? | Pew Research Center
10 Global Gender Gap Report 2025
11 Being the Primary Breadwinner is Bad for Men’s Psychological Well-Being and Health | American Sociological Association
12 Global Gender Gap 2024
13 The UK Employee Assistance Professionals Association Why don’t more men use the EAP? - EAPA UK
14 The 2024 NAMI Workplace Mental Health Poll | National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
15 The Experience of Working in America During Times of Change

Aon’s Thought Leaders
  • Fleur Iannazzo
    Associate Partner, Wealth Solutions, United Kingdom
  • Sasha Francis
    Retirement Associate Consultant, Wealth Solutions, United Kingdom
  • Paul Gordon
    Chief Commercial Officer, Financial Wellbeing
  • Oliver Walker
    Senior Partner, Wealth Solutions, United Kingdom

General Disclaimer

The information contained herein and the statements expressed are of a general nature and are not intended to address the circumstances of any particular individual or entity. Although we endeavor to provide accurate and timely information and use sources we consider reliable, there can be no guarantee that such information is accurate as of the date it is received or that it will continue to be accurate in the future. No one should act on such information without appropriate professional advice after a thorough examination of the particular situation.

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The contents herein may not be reproduced, reused, reprinted or redistributed without the expressed written consent of Aon, unless otherwise authorized by Aon. To use information contained herein, please write to our team.

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