It was just after 10 on a Tuesday when I realised something wasn’t right. One of my team members had been quiet all morning, but then I noticed their hands shaking and their breathing quick and uneven. They looked pale and distant, and when I asked if they were alright, there was barely a response. It didn’t take long to see that this wasn’t the kind of problem a coffee break or a day off would fix, something serious was happening.
In that moment, I felt out of my depth. I knew it was important to help, but I wasn’t sure how to do it without making things worse. My mind raced with questions: Who should I call? What should I say? How could I keep the situation calm?
Later that day, after things had settled, I went looking for answers. I wanted to understand what a workplace should actually do when someone is in a mental health crisis. That search led me to Siren Training Australia, experts in mental health first aid. We spoke with them for this guide because they specialise in giving managers and teams the tools to respond with confidence and care, even without a background in mental health.
This guide is about knowing the signs, taking safe and supportive action in the moment, and making sure professional help is brought in when it’s needed.
Understanding a Mental Health Crisis
A mental health crisis is when a person’s emotional or psychological state reaches a point where they can no longer cope safely on their own. It can be sudden, intense, and overwhelming for both the person experiencing it and the people around them. At work, this might show up in different ways. Someone could be experiencing a panic attack, speaking about wanting to harm themselves, or showing signs of extreme distress that make it hard for them to function.
It’s important to remember that a crisis is not the same as ongoing stress or general mental health concerns. It’s an acute situation that needs immediate attention. While many workplaces now talk about wellbeing, crisis response is about being prepared for the moments where someone’s safety or wellbeing could be at serious risk if help isn’t provided quickly.
Recognising Early Warning Signs
Crisis situations don’t always come without warning. Often there are signs, though they can be subtle. You might notice sudden changes in behaviour, such as a normally engaged employee becoming withdrawn or unusually irritable. There could be physical signs like shaking hands, sweating, or difficulty speaking. You might hear them expressing feelings of hopelessness, fear, or being overwhelmed.
Supervisors and colleagues need to be comfortable noticing and acting on these changes. That means building a culture where people feel safe to speak up when they’re concerned, and where observations are handled respectfully and privately. Confidentiality matters here. The goal is to connect the person to help, not to turn their personal situation into workplace gossip.
Employer’s Legal and Ethical Responsibilities
In Australia, employers have a legal duty of care to provide a safe workplace. This doesn’t only cover physical safety. Mental health is part of the picture. If an employee is in crisis and the workplace fails to take reasonable steps to help, it can have legal consequences as well as human ones.
Anti-discrimination laws also come into play. Employees experiencing mental illness or distress are protected from unfair treatment because of their condition. Privacy laws mean that any details about their health must be handled with strict confidentiality, only shared with those who need to know in order to provide support or meet legal obligations.
Ethically, it comes down to this: if someone is in crisis at work, they are a human being first and an employee second. The decisions you make in those moments can have a lasting impact on their wellbeing and on the trust within your team.
Immediate Response Protocols
When a crisis happens, the priority is safety. That means making sure the person is in a space where they won’t be harmed, and where they feel as calm as possible under the circumstances. Speak in a calm, steady voice and avoid making sudden movements. If the person is open to it, encourage slow, steady breathing.
If there is any immediate danger to the person or others, call emergency services right away. In some cases, it may be appropriate to contact a crisis line while you stay with the person. This is where having contact details for support services close at hand makes a big difference.
It’s helpful to have a designated contact in HR or management who can step in to coordinate next steps. That could mean arranging for the person to go home safely, contacting a family member (with their permission), or getting them to professional help. The language you use in the moment matters too. Avoid judgemental phrases and focus on reassurance, such as “I’m here with you” or “We’re going to get you the right help.”
Creating a Crisis Intervention Plan
A workplace crisis plan means you’re not figuring things out from scratch when something urgent happens. It should outline who is responsible for what, how to access support services, and the process for escalating situations when needed.
The plan needs to be practical, not something that sits in a file never looked at. This could include flowcharts showing the steps to take in different types of crises, a list of key contacts, and guidance on safe and respectful communication. It should also cover where employees can be taken for privacy if they are in distress, and how to manage any disruption to the workplace without compromising the person’s dignity.
Training and Preparedness
Training is what turns a good plan into effective action. Siren Training Australia recommends that key staff, especially managers and supervisors, complete accredited Mental Health First Aid training. This equips people to recognise signs of crisis, respond appropriately, and know when and how to connect the person to professional help.
Preparedness can also mean running through scenarios so managers feel more confident. It doesn’t have to be formal role play in a boardroom. Even talking through “what if” situations in team meetings can help people think through their responses before they’re faced with the real thing.
Keeping resources up to date matters too. Crisis helplines, local mental health services, and Employee Assistance Program details should be easy to find.
Post-Crisis Support and Follow-Up
Once the immediate crisis has passed, there is still important work to do. The person involved will likely need ongoing professional support, and the workplace can play a role in making that access easier. That might mean adjusting workload, offering flexible hours, or simply checking in regularly to see how they are coping.
It’s also important to support the rest of the team. Witnessing a colleague in crisis can be upsetting. Giving people the chance to debrief in a safe space can help them process what happened and feel reassured about how it was handled.
Documenting the incident is another step that should not be skipped. Not only does it help meet legal requirements, but it also gives you the chance to review what worked, what didn’t, and how the plan could be improved.
Resources for Employers
Having a go-to list of resources means you’re not scrambling for phone numbers in a high-pressure moment. In Australia, this should include national services like Lifeline, Beyond Blue, and local mental health crisis teams. Industry associations often have mental health toolkits tailored to specific workplaces, and organisations like Siren Training Australia can provide tailored training for your staff.
Building a Workplace That’s Ready to Respond
Mental health crises are challenging, and they can happen in any workplace, regardless of how supportive the environment is. Being prepared is not about expecting the worst, but about having the confidence and tools to act quickly and compassionately if it does happen.
By understanding the signs, knowing your responsibilities, and putting practical steps in place, you give your team the reassurance that if someone is in crisis, they will not face it alone. A workplace that is ready to respond is a workplace where people feel safer, more valued, and more supported.