Toolkit

Preventing and Responding to Suicide at Work

Intervention—Responding to Suicide Risk

The second of the three pillars addressed in this toolkit is intervention. This section helps managers and people leaders recognize when an employee may be at risk of suicide and outlines how to respond in a timely, compassionate, and appropriate way. It is not about diagnosing or "fixing" the person; it is about noticing changes, starting a caring conversation, and connecting them to support.

The Continuum of Mental Health

Developed by the Department of National Defence, the MHCM shows that mental health moves along a spectrum from healthy to reacting to injured to ill. It highlights typical signs in each zone and actions managers can take—such as noticing early changes, adjusting workloads, encouraging the use of support services, and involving health resources. (Govt of Canada, 2019). See the chart on the following page.

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Your role in a crisis is to notice changes, start a caring conversation, ensure safety, and connect to qualified help—not to diagnose or ‘fix’ the person.

The Mental Health Continuum Model

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Signs and Indicators
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Healthy

No distress, normal functioning

  • Normal mood fluctuations
  • Calm and takes things in stride
  • Performing well
  • In control mentally
  • Physically well
  • Good energy level
  • Socially active
  • Physically active
  • Healthy sleep patterns
  • No or limited drug/alcohol use
Reacting

Common and reversible distress

  • Irritability/impatience
  • Displaced sarcasm
  • Occasional trouble sleeping
  • Occasional lack of energy
  • Occasional performance issues
  • and/or procrastination
  • Occasional avoidance of physical/social activity
  • Limited trouble/impact due to substance use
Injured

Significant functional impairment

  • Anger
  • Anxiety
  • Pervasively sad/ hopeless
  • Negative attitude
  • Poor concentration/ decisions 
  • Restless/disturbed sleep or nightmares
  • Frequent tiredness
  • Frequent performance issues/ procrastination
  • Avoidance or withdrawal
  • Frequent trouble/impact due to substance use
Ill

Severe and persistent functional impairment

  • Excessive anger or rage
  • Humourless
  • Inability to fall/stay asleep or insomnia
  • Constant and prolonged physical exhaustion
  • Inability to perform duties and/or complete tasks
  • Isolation, avoiding social events
  • Severe trouble/impact due to substance use or other addictions
Actions Managers Can Take
Healthy
  • Lead by example
  • Get to know employees
  • Foster a healthy work climate
  • Identify and resolve problems early
  • Address performance issues promptly
  • Demonstrate genuine concern
  • Encourage and support work-life balance
Reacting
  • Watch for behaviour, performance changes
  • Adjust workload as required
  • Know available resources and how to access them
  • Reduce barriers to seeking help
  • Encourage early access to care and support
  • Consult with HR or medical resource as required
Injured
  • Watch for behaviour, performance changes
  • Adjust workload as required
  • Know available resources and how to access them
  • Reduce barriers to seeking help
  • Encourage early access to care and support
  • Consult with HR or medical resource as required
Ill
  • Involve mental health resources
  • Respect confidentiality
  • Minimize rumours
  • Respect accommodation requirements
  • Appropriately employ personnel
  • Maintain respectful contact
  • Involve team members in social support
  • Seek consultation as needed
  • Manage unacceptable behaviours

Adapted from the Government of Canada, Department of National Defence. (Govt of Canada, 2019)

Be Alert to Personal and Work-Related Factors that Increase Risk

Suicide risk is influenced by a combination of personal history, current stressors, and environmental conditions, including those at work. These factors do not cause suicide on their own, and managers should never diagnose; the goal is to understand vulnerability so you can notice changes early and offer support.

Factor
Description
Personal history and health

Family history of mental health or substance use concerns. Past experiences of trauma, abuse, neglect, or significant loss. Family or loved one’s history of suicide. Previous suicide attempts or self-harm.

Current mental and physical health

History of depression and other mental illnesses. Substance use. Chronic pain, serious or life-limiting illness, sleep problems, or conditions that interfere with work or daily life.

Work and life stressors

Prolonged high workload, long hours, shift work, job insecurity, low pay, role conflict, or exposure to trauma or violence through work. Significant changes or losses, such as separation or divorce, financial crisis, job loss, or demotion.

Social and interpersonal factors

Relationship conflict at home or at work, bullying, harassment, or feeling excluded or isolated. Limited social support or feeling like a burden to others.

Life Experiences, environment, and access to support

Experiences of racism, discrimination, stigma, colonialism, or historical and intergenerational trauma. Stressful events like rejection, divorce, financial crisis. Barriers to culturally safe care, lack of access to mental health services, or easy access to lethal means.

Remember—these factors are meant to deepen awareness, not to predict behaviour or label any individual employee. They do not mean someone will attempt suicide; they highlight situations where a person may be more vulnerable, especially when stress is high. Your role as a manager is to notice changes, respond with care, and link people to support—not to diagnose, assess, or judge risk.

​Focus on what you can see and influence at work: notice shifts in behaviour or performance, reduce unnecessary pressures where possible, foster inclusion and respect, and regularly remind employees about available supports. If you know an employee is facing several of these challenges and you see changes that are out of character, check in early, name what you have noticed, express genuine concern, and offer to help them connect with resources such as EAP, health benefits, community, or cultural supports.

Identifying Employees Who May Be at Risk for Suicide

Employees in distress may show changes in what they say, how they act, and how they show up at work. You do not need to see every sign on this list; even a few out-of-character or sudden changes in behaviour can be enough to prompt a check-in and offer support. When in doubt, it is safer to reach out than to wait and hope things improve.

General warning signs

These signs suggest that someone may be struggling and could be at increased risk, especially when several are present together:

Talk
  • Talking about feeling overwhelmed, empty, or like they "can't cope anymore"
  • Feeling hopeless
  • Feeling that the pain they are in is unbearable
Behaviour
  • Noticeable withdrawal or isolating from others
  • Reduced participation in activities Loss of interest in usual activities
  • Changes in sleep (sleeping too much or too little)
  • Loss of appetite
  • Appearing fatigued or exhausted
  • Increased use of alcohol or drugs

Moods
  • Significant mood changes, such as increased irritability, anger, anxiety, or persistent sadness.
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Agitation or anger
  • Shame or humiliation

These signs call for a caring, nonjudgmental check-in and an offer to connect the person with support. (Health, 2025)

Treat these warning signs as signals to pay closer attention and to reach out, even if you are not sure how serious the situation is. It is safer to check in than to wait and hope things improve.

Use specific observations when you speak with the employee (e.g., "I've noticed you seem more withdrawn and have been missing meetings; I'm concerned about you and wanted to check in").

Signs of possible immediate risk

Some signs suggest that a person may be at more immediate risk of suicide and require urgent action:

Talk
  • Talking about wanting to die, not wanting to be here anymore, or that they are a burden to others.
  • Talking about specific plans to end their life or ways they might harm themselves.
Behaviour
  • Actively researching or trying to access means of self-harm (for example, medications, equipment, weapons in certain settings).
  • Saying goodbye, giving away prized possessions, or making unusual final arrangements.

If you notice any of these signs, follow your organization's emergency procedures immediately, connect the person with crisis support (such as www.988.ca or local emergency services), and involve HR or designated contacts as appropriate.

Remember, managers are not expected to determine how serious the risk is; the expectation is to take these signs seriously and get the person to qualified help.