A colleague may tell you directly that they are struggling, or you may notice a change in how they are coping at work. You do not need to diagnose the cause. You can check immediate safety, speak privately, listen without judgement and help the person reach suitable support. This guide addresses an everyday first conversation; Psychological First Aid after a critical incident addresses a different, event-specific situation.
Begin with observation, not a label
Changes in attendance, concentration or behaviour can have many explanations. A manager should not announce a suspected diagnosis or ask colleagues to investigate. Choose a private time, describe what you have observed and ask an open question such as, “How are things going for you, and is there something you need from us at work?” Allow the person to decide how much to share. A colleague who is not a manager can offer the same respectful opening without promising to solve the problem.
Listen for the practical issue as well as the feeling. Is the person asking for time, information about available support, help with a work task or simply to be heard? Reflect what you understood, avoid arguing about whether their reaction is reasonable and ask what next step they would find useful. You can offer to help them locate a trusted contact or professional resource; you cannot guarantee confidentiality if someone is in immediate danger.
Know when the concern is urgent
If someone says they may harm themselves or another person, cannot remain safe, or has an acute medical concern, treat this as an urgent situation. Stay with the person when it is safe, involve the organisation's emergency contact and obtain professional emergency help. In China, call 120 for a medical emergency. Give the exact location and describe what you can observe. Do not leave an urgent concern to an email thread or a future wellbeing session.
When there is no immediate danger, the next step may be an existing employee assistance route, a qualified mental-health professional, a healthcare appointment or a conversation about manageable work adjustments. Ask the person what contact they prefer and what information they consent to share. Do not circulate personal details beyond people who need them for the agreed support or urgent response.
Make support usable after the conversation
A vague instruction to “seek help” is easy to lose. Agree on one concrete next action: the person may contact a professional resource, a manager may explain an available workplace process, or HR may arrange an appropriate follow-up. Record the work arrangement and agreed contact without turning private health details into a general performance note. If the person declines help and is not in immediate danger, keep a respectful route open.
For a team, the useful question is whether its managers and staff know how to recognise a concern, hold an initial conversation and refer onward. The Mental Health First Aid course develops these skills through learning and practice. The broader mental-health services page helps organisations choose education, manager support, PFA or a tailored programme. The WHO guidelines on mental health at work address organisational measures as well as manager and worker training; an individual conversation is only one part of a healthy workplace.