There is a growing recognition among business leaders of the impact of mental health issues on business outcomes. This improved awareness, however, has not been accompanied by a proportional increase in investment and implementation of related programs. This research aimed to explore the context and perspectives of business leaders on mental health and related services in the workplace from private industries in lloilo City. The study utilized a convergent mixed methods design. Fifty-three business leaders, chosen through convenience sampling, answered an online, three-part questionnaire. For the qualitative strand, seven purposively sampled leaders took part as key informant interviewees. Results showed that majority has been operational for 2-5 years (43%), were classified as micro (40%) and small (43%) enterprises, and came from the food and beverage (28%) industry. Both strands of the study revealed positive results in terms of the leaders' awareness on and attitude towards mental health in the workplace. While participants had differing experiences of mental health concerns, they similarly agreed that related services were costly and difficult to access. Respondents were indecisive about providing mental health services as evidenced by a lack of institutionalized programs, athough they had high perceived acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility scores to the prospect of having an employee assistance program regardless of the age, type, and financial position of their business. The context where and when practices or services for workplace mental health occur played a crucial role, such as leadership style, employee characteristics, and company culture. In conclusion, business leaders demonstrated positive awareness around mental health and were open to looking for ways to support their employees, although this came with logistical and financial reservations. The results may inform businesses and relevant agencies in contextualizing the role of mental health in the workplace and understanding the factors that affect program design and implementation.

Human ; Mental Health Services