Reflections from TradeTech 2025, supported by Sustainable Trading

 

Mental health is something that everyone agrees is important, but it’s still hard to talk about – and often only comes up once something’s gone wrong.

That was the thread running through ‘Breaking the Silence: Discussing mental health in the trading industry’ at TradeTech 2025, supported by Sustainable Trading.

People spoke about the day-to-day reality of working in high-pressure, high-performance environments like trading. How easy it is to hide when you’re struggling and how hard it can be to reach out. The pressure to perform and not show weakness can take its toll.

The truth is, many of us don’t notice the signs in others until it’s too late.

There’s no simple fix. But there are things we can all do – managers, colleagues, firms and peers – to make it easier to speak up.

Here are some of the takeaways from the session on how we can all work together to better support one another:

If someone’s struggling, they might not say it.

Silence came up again and again. People often don’t – or can’t – ask for help, even when things are tough. That doesn’t mean they’re okay. Changes in behaviour, energy, communication or how someone carries themselves day-to-day can be early signs.

If someone who’s usually chatty goes quiet, or a reliable colleague suddenly starts missing things, it’s worth checking in. Trust your instinct if something feels different.

Asking twice can make a difference.

“How are you?” usually gets a polite answer. Asking again – “How are you really?” – and giving someone space to answer honestly can open a bigger conversation.

The second question signals that you actually want to know. One panellist put it plainly: if someone’s struggling, they probably won’t start the conversation, but they might respond if you do.

Create space for honesty.

Formal check-ins have their place, but they’re not always where people open up. Often, it’s the more casual moments – walking to a meeting, chatting over coffee or waiting for a call to start – that gives someone a chance to talk.

Managers should look beyond the scheduled 1-to-1s and make time for informal catch ups too.

Managers aren’t therapists, but they do shape culture.

You don’t need to be an expert to make a difference. Being present, showing you care and knowing where to signpost someone if they need support is still helpful. Listening properly, without judgement or interruption matters.

A question for managers to ask themselves: do I make it easy for someone to tell me they’re not okay?

Train managers, and keep training them.

Too often, people are promoted without support on how to lead others. Mental health doesn’t need to dominate performance reviews or team meetings – but basic training in spotting issues, having difficult conversations and signposting support should be part of every manager’s toolkit. And like any skill, this needs refreshing over time.

What you model, others take on.

If you’re always ‘on’, never take breaks and reply to emails at midnight, that sets the tone – especially for younger colleagues. On the flip side, if you show that it’s okay to log off, take care of yourself and set boundaries, others will feel more able to do the same. The culture we create starts with what we normalise.

Help junior colleagues build healthy habits early.

There are risks for people early in their careers, especially those new to the industry.

For example, if they’ve relocated and lack support outside work, they might throw themselves into work to fill their time, which can quickly lead to burnout. Helping them build balance from the start by encouraging downtime, hobbies or simply switching off can have a lasting impact.

Busy isn’t the same as valuable.

Being constantly busy is often praised in our industry, but it can mask issues. We need to stop equating long hours with effectiveness. Setting realistic expectations and encouraging people to set boundaries are things we can all role model.

Support only works if it’s visible and trusted.

Plenty of firms offer mental health resources, however, some employees don’t know where to go or worry it might be used against them.

The group discussed the importance of raising awareness, genuine encouragement – from someone they trust – and privacy to help people access support before things get worse.

Rethink what support looks like.

Support doesn’t always mean time off. Sometimes people just need space to slow down without fear of judgement. Creating a culture where it’s normal to say, “I’m not at full tilt right now” or “I need to take a step back,” is a simple but powerful shift that helps prevent small issues becoming big ones.

One speaker said it best: people don’t want to be signed off. They want permission to drop to 80% for a bit and not feel like that’s failing.

If something helps you, share it.

Whether it’s counselling, a regular walk, turning your phone off at dinner or just talking to someone, normalising what works for you can help others feel less alone in doing the same.

Be present. It’s one of the simplest, most important things you can do.

Close your laptop. Pause the email. Make eye contact. Whether in a meeting, on a call or grabbing a coffee, being fully present shows someone they matter and that they’re not alone.

The bottom line?

Mental health is personal, but it’s not something we have to tackle alone. Firms can provide structure and support, but culture is shaped by how we treat everyone around us – regardless of role, team or title – every day.

It doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be genuine.