“Mental health issues in the workplace, one of the final frontiers, an issue that few have boldly explored before.”
Adaptation of the introduction narration of the 1966 Star Trek series
*In thinking about Mental Health in the workplace, no supervisor should ever try to diagnose an employee, or make assumptions concerning mental health. Supervisors should not approach employees around these issues without first conferring with organizational resources such as EAP/FSAP, HR, and your own supervisor. Mental health issues in the workplace are often the issue we talk around but not confront. It has become one of the “final frontiers” in terms of need of increased attention and support. There is usually lots of attention when mental health issues are at the center of a workplace tragedy. After the collective memory of the tragedy fades– usually a few news cycles– so does our attention and vigilance to workplace mental health issues. It is important to note that violent manifestations of mental health issues in the workplace (tragedies) represent the extreme and are only very small occurrences in relation to the millions in the workplace who have a mental health diagnosis. The vast majority of employees with a mental health diagnosis suffers in silence and displays no extreme externalized behavior.
Then why is there a need to bring this issue to the forefront? The impact to both the employee and the organization makes it a front line issue that organizations can no longer ignore. Here are a few sobering facts:
? 70% of individuals with a diagnosis of depression are currently employed.
? Depression accounts for more lost days of work than chronic illnesses like heart conditions, diabetes, and hypertension.
? Mood disorders cost employers at least 50 billion a year in lost productivity and 321.2 million lost workdays.
? 79 billion dollars of indirect cost to business yearly due to untreated mental illness.
From: http://www.mentalhealthconnection.org/pdfs/brc-final-report-full.pdf
Greater recognition of the topic would help create an organizational climate where those with a mental health diagnosis feel safe to seek assistance in the workplace. By in large, that is not the reality for most now. Potential reasons for this are many. Whether it be the employee’s fear of stigmatization, the supervisor/manager discomfort with the topic area, or a lack knowledge about resources in the area, the discussion of the issues remains in the shadows. This month’s blog has goals of increasing discussion of mental health issues in the workplace. In addition, to increase the knowledge of supervisors/manager of the many ways that mental health issues can manifest and impact the workplace. Lastly, it issues a call to supervisors/managers to become more aware of signs, organizational resources, rights of employee diagnosed with a mental illness, applicable laws, and general support available to you as a supervisor and those living with a mental health diagnosis.
To help you frame your reflection 4 articles and 1 video are provided. Included are 2 articles examining the many issues confronting both the employee and supervisors when mental health becomes an issue in the workplace: Mental health problems in the workplace, and Mental Health. The other 3 articles examine compliance issues for supervisors and managers: Accommodating Mental Illness, Responding To Mental Illness in Your Workforce: Following the Law and The Best Way to Address an Employee’s Mental Health Issue :What an employer needs to know in addressing disruptive behaviors in the workplace . Last, Having a conversation: discussing mental illness in the workplace, is a video that is linked to a series of videos recognizing and beginning the discussion with employees when mental health issues become a concern. *Explore with your supervisor and HR what the policies and procedures are in your workplace relevant to these issues.
