July 24th marks Samaritans Awareness Day, a time to spotlight the life-saving work Samaritans do year-round and a key moment for workplaces to reflect on mental health and emotional wellbeing. This year’s campaign, The Big Listen 2025, encourages all of us to become better listeners and to create spaces where people feel safe to open up.
In the workplace, stress, isolation, and burnout are common issues that often go unnoticed. While businesses focus on productivity, it’s easy to overlook emotional strain until it’s too late. That’s why The Big Listen is especially important at work. It reminds us that we don’t need to be mental health experts to support one another, we just need to be there and truly listen.
Taking part can be as simple as encouraging regular check-ins between colleagues, offering mental health training for managers, or creating a culture where saying “I’m not okay” is met with compassion instead of stigma. Hosting a coffee morning, a listening workshop, or sharing Samaritans’ resources internally can also make a big impact.
Samaritans are available 24/7, offering a free, confidential listening ear to anyone struggling. But we can all play a role by practicing the same patience, empathy, and attentiveness in our own teams.
So on July 24th, take a moment to pause and reflect – how well do we really listen? Let’s use The Big Listen 2025 to strengthen workplace culture, break down mental health stigma, and remind our colleagues they’re never alone.
Visit samaritans.org to find resources, get involved, or access support.