Mental health in the workplace has become a critical focus for organisations, with senior leaders increasingly recognising its impact on performance, retention, and culture. While many executives maintain strong resilience in their 30s and 40s, recent research shows men in their 50s may face unique challenges that increase their vulnerability to depression and related mental health conditions.
Why Risk Increases in Your 50s
Clinical experience and emerging research highlight that while male executives often cope well with stress earlier in their careers, resilience can diminish with age. Several factors contribute to this shift:
- Cumulative stress: After decades of navigating high-pressure roles, long-term exposure erodes physical and mental resilience.
- Workplace demands: In their 50s, many leaders are tasked with succession planning, organisational transformations, leading in more complex regulatory and global markets, or managing multiple leadership portfolios.
- Life transitions: Examples include children leaving home, taking care of ageing parents, changes in marital status or role identity.
- Health concerns: Physical health issues—sleep disturbances, increase in chronic conditions, hormonal shifts—affect mood, energy, and ability to recover from stress.
What the data tells us
When depression and anxiety affect men in their 50s, the impact is often more severe and complex than in younger males.
- Severity and impact: Depression in this age group is strongly associated with physical health problems such as cardiovascular disease, sleep disturbance, and chronic pain. Large cohort studies have found that middle-aged adults with depressive symptoms face higher risks of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality (JAMA Psychiatry).
- Help-seeking behaviour: Men in their 50s are significantly less likely to seek professional support, meaning issues can remain unaddressed until they reach crisis point (Ten to Men Study – AIFS).
- Suicide risk: Suicide remains a leading cause of death for men of all ages, but the highest age-specific suicide rates in Australia are consistently found in middle-aged men (40–54), despite this group reporting lower rates of diagnosed depression than younger males (ABS, 2022).
- Work and life stressors: Executive responsibilities, combined with life transitions such as caring for ageing parents or preparing for retirement, can heighten vulnerability.
For executives, untreated depression doesn’t just impact personal wellbeing. It can affect decision-making, productivity, and relationships across both personal and professional domains, with consequences that flow through to the organisation as a whole.
Building Resilience and Prevention Strategies
The good news is that proactive measures can significantly reduce risk and improve outcomes. Organisations and individuals can take steps to support mental health in this demographic:
- Executive Health Assessments: Regular check-ups that screen for both physical and mental health risks can identify early warning signs.
- Executive Health Management Programs: Access to psychologists, health coaches, and confidential services helps executives build coping strategies.
- Lifestyle optimisation: Sleep quality, exercise, nutrition, and alcohol use all play measurable roles in sustaining resilience.
- Organisational culture: Destigmatising mental health and encouraging open dialogue create safer environments for seeking help
A shared responsibility
For male executives in their 50s, acknowledging the potential risks to mental health is not a sign of weakness but a proactive step toward long-term wellbeing. For organisations, investing in comprehensive health programs supports not only the individual but also the sustainability and success of leadership teams.
At Executive Health Solutions by Altius, we see first-hand the benefits of early intervention. Our executive health programs are designed to provide tailored assessments and personalised strategies that address both physical and mental health, helping leaders build resilience and maintain peak performance.
Where to Seek Help
If you are experiencing depression, anxiety, or emotional distress, support is available. In Australia, you can contact:
Reaching out for help is a sign of strength, and a critical step in protecting your health, performance, and quality of life.