Why housing must put mental well-being at its heart

Policy is key here, because despite a renewed political focus on housing, we continue to operate in a system that is under strain. Stalled supply, constrained funding, delays in planning and rising costs continue to impact our work.

And yet, despite the crisis we are operating in, housing professionals show up every day and do extraordinary work. They protect communities, improve lives and provide stability in an increasingly unstable world. That contribution deserves far more recognition than it receives.

But alongside the visible pressures on services, there is a quieter, less visible crisis building within our organisations: workforce burnout.

Research from CIH Futures found that over a third of housing professionals under 35 reported feeling extremely tired, stressed or overwhelmed at work. This reflects a wider national picture, where mental health is now the leading cause of sickness-related absence. Beneath the surface of our organisations, these are the fault lines – and they cannot be ignored.

The question is no longer whether organisations should care about resilience. It is whether we can afford not to.

For me, this is not just a professional issue. It is deeply personal.

I grew up in a loving home, and like every family, we experienced challenges. One unspoken chapter came when my father, a proud, hardworking man, experienced a mental breakdown at a time when mental health was rarely spoken about – particularly for men. The prevailing attitude was simple: keep going, say nothing, push through.

But the man I knew as strong and steady became withdrawn and unrecognisable to my young eyes. My mother carried the weight of our family through that period, quietly and with determination. She cared for my dad, looked after five young girls and held down a full-time job.

That experience shaped my understanding of resilience in a way no textbook ever could. It taught me that mental health matters, that silence is not strength, and that asking for help is not weakness – it is strategy.

These lessons are at the heart of my presidential campaign: Rooted in Resilience. Championed by the Chartered Institute of Housing, it builds on the sector’s longstanding commitment to professionalism and development, but goes further, placing well-being where it belongs: at the centre of how we lead, manage and deliver services to our customers.

Too often, resilience is framed as an individual responsibility, something people must build in themselves to withstand pressure. But resilience does not exist in isolation. It is shaped by culture, leadership and the systems around us.

If we want resilient people, we must create resilient organisations.

That means making well-being a strategic priority, not an afterthought. It means fostering cultures where people feel supported, valued and connected. It means embracing a growth mindset, where learning and mistakes are seen as part of development, not failure.

In practical terms, it requires leadership to:

• Put well-being firmly on the agenda, including at the highest levels
• Talk about mental health openly and consistently
• Model compassionate, resilient and kind leadership
• Build teams where capability and confidence can grow

Because culture is not defined by what we say, it is defined by what we do, every day.

The Rooted in Resilience toolkit is one step in that direction, offering practical ways for individuals and organisations to embed well-being into everyday practice. But tools alone are not enough. Change comes from commitment, from recognising that the sustainability of our services depends on the sustainability of our people.

Resilience is easy to dismiss, until the moment it is needed. And then its absence is crippling. But when it is present, it protects individuals, strengthens teams and underpins the services our communities rely on.

As we mark Mental Health Awareness Week, this is my challenge to the sector: if we know resilience sustains our colleagues, our services and our communities, why would we not give it the importance it deserves?

Julie Haydon, president, Chartered Institute of Housing