The SANE Guide to mental illness for the workplace

This Guide helps you to understand mental illness and it's treatment, and suggests ways to work with and support colleagues in your workplace who are affected. Mental illness is common and is part of life. Nearly every workplace will have someone who experiences a form of mental illness at some time, and it is important that they feel understood and supported - as with any other illness or disability such as asthma, diabetes or a hearing impairment, for example. Work is an important part of our lives. It not only provides us with an income and a position in society, but is also a place to learn new skills and to meet people. Getting back into employment can also be an important part of recovering from an episode of mental illness. Those affected are highly motivated to work and can be as productive as any other worker, except for occasions when they experience episodes of illness or longer-term disability. This Guide focuses on those situations, therefore - where a colleague's mental illness is making things difficult for them at work. Understanding and support can make all the difference for them and for minimising potential negative effects on the workplace.
How to help: Practical advice on how to help. Being aware of mental illness and the effects it may have on people in the workplace is important for a number of reasons - to the person affected, to colleagues, to managers and employers, and to productivity as well. Improved productivity. Untreated mental illness costs the Australian economy hundreds of millions of dollars every year. Familiarity with the effects of mental illness, how it is treated, and simple modifications which can be made in the workplace to provide support, are actually good for productivity. When the workplace maintains someone in a job through a period of being unwell it is far less costly than losing them and having to recruit and train someone new. Improved workplace environment. When employees feel respected and cared for, they generally feel better about themselves and the work they do. This leads to better morale, and a happier, more productive workplace. We are all potentially affected. One in five of us will be affected by a form of mental illness at some time in our lives. An understanding of mental illness and its impact on the workplace is helpful, therefore, whether it is a work colleague, friend, family member or even yourself who is affected. Duty of care: Discrimination of someone in the workplace, or having a workplace which is unhealthy or unsafe, can have legal implications. It is important, then, to understand everyone's legal rights and responsibilities regarding mental illness in the workplace. How to help a colleague affected by mental illness: Understand: Mental illness is greatly misunderstood, and those affected are often stigmatised and treated disrespectfully because of this. No one expects you to be a psychiatric expert, but understanding the basic facts, such as symptoms and effects on everyday functioning, can dispel myths and help you be more aware of how it feels for your colleague when they are unwell. Support: Mental illness can have a serious effect on a person's life. This effect varies from person to person. Some have very occasional episodes of being unwell and recover in a relatively short period of time, as they would from a bout of 'flu or a minor injury. Others experience longer-term psychiatric disability requiring workplace modifications. It makes a big difference to those affected when someone makes the effort to understand and offer support. People with mental illness can sometimes feel left out or not listened to. It is important to remember to include them in discussions, meetings and social events. Act: When someone with a mental illness is receiving appropriate treatment and support, they may not need additional help at work. When they become unwell, though, it can be confusing to know where to turn for help. Avoid giving advice on dealing with mental illness (unless qualified to do so). Instead, focus on getting professional help. Ask the person if they have discussed with their manager or anyone else at work what appropriate action should be taken, and if they have a contact number for their doctor or mental health service.
Here are some examples of helpful and unhelpful ways of reacting to a colleague affected by mental illness. Tanya: Tanya is 42-years old and is employed as a bank teller at the branch where you work. While chatting to you in the lunchroom, she mentions that she has a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Unhelpful reaction: Change the subject and avoid talking to her again. Helpful reaction: let her continue to talk about her illness if she is comfortable doing so, and be supportive and encouraging. Ask if she would prefer you not to mention her diagnosis to others. Talk to her again at lunchtime, especially if she is sitting alone and would like company. Jim: Jim is 38-years old and works in the same team as you at an insurance company. He has just returned to work after a month away recovering from an episode of depression, which he has openly discussed. Unhelpful reaction: Avoid engaging with him, and make jokes about him being lazy. Helpful reaction: In a relaxed way ask how he is going, and offer to bring him up-to-date on what has been happening in your area while he has been away. Kate: Kate is 34-years old and has just started at the building supplies company where you work. In a week you will be travelling interstate together for training, and your manager tells you, with Kate's consent to let you know, that Kate is a person with schizophrenia. Unhelpful reaction: Tell Kate you are aware of her diagnosis and badger her with insensitive questions. On the trip, talk behind her back about her illness. Helpful reaction: behave naturally with Kate and get to know her. If she mentions her illness, ask her to let you know if there is anything you can do to help on the trip. How to help when you are a supervisor: Managers and employers have an important role in supporting workers with a mental illness, to everyone's benefit. Discussing mental illness: If an employee has disclosed that they have a mental illness, it is important to be willing to talk about their condition with them and to express support. At the same time, it is important to be frank about any productivity issues involved and how you can work together to address these - emphasise strengths and then look at areas where support is needed. Discuss too, their right to confidentiality and an agreement on when it would be appropriate to contact a doctor or family member if they become unwell at work. This support from management can make a great difference to someone's confidence and ability to work well. If they are willing for their condition to be generally known, discuss whether it would be helpful to give fellow-workers some basic information. If an employee has not disclosed they have a mental illness but you are concerned they may be affected, do not hesitate to express these concerns to them as you would with any other health issue. Ask a senior manager or human resources manager who might be the best person to speak with the employee, and how it can be done in a confidential, respectful and appropriate way. Making a plan: Once an employee has been diagnosed with a mental illness, it can be useful to discuss any workplace modifications that are helpful to the person and to maintaining their productivity. Some modifications worth considering are:Working hours: For some people, working 9-5, Monday to Friday, is not the most practical option. A provision for working part-time, using time-in-lieu and working from home at times, can be more productive for people affected by mental illness. Provision for medical appointments, extended leave and leave-without-pay may also be necessary, as with any other illness. Environment: The work environment itself can make a difference to how well someone feels and how well they are able to work. Discuss with the employee whether issues such as noise and degree of interaction with the public or other employees affect them, and what modifications are reasonable to manage these. Ask about other simple steps too, such as whether writing all instructions down would be helpful (where these would usually be given verbally), if their illness has affected short-term memory, for example. Allowing a longer period for training and induction is also an easy and cost-effective step that can make a big difference. Being prepared: Talk to the employee about you can both be prepared should they become unwell at work. For example, they may become depressed and unable to focus on tasks, start to feel anxious or even paranoid. If this happens, it would be a great help for you to have agreed on what should be done, such as calling their doctor to make an appointment. Accessing support: Investigate what other workplace support may be available. Larger organisations may have an EAP (Employee Assistance Program) available. A local employment service may have a specialist consultant able to provide on-site or off-site support. CRS Australia (Commonwealth Rehabilitation Service) may also be able to help through its 'Jobs in Jeopardy' program. Understanding the law: You should also be aware of relevant legal rights and responsibilities - for example, the Disability Discrimination Act, which makes it unlawful to treat and employee less favourably because of a disability, and occupational health and safety legislation. How can I apply these tips to everyday situations? The following scenario describes how these tips can be used to work effectively with someone affected by mental illness. Read this, than think about how you would deal with the scenario yourself. Helping Jake: You are the manager of a supermarket. Jake has worked on the checkout for three years, and he has told you that he had a period of depression before that. He is well-liked and efficient, but has not turned up for work on several occasions recently. He has also started looking untidy and has stopped engaging with customers. What do you do? Understand: Make a time with Jake to discuss work performance and mention your concerns about absenteeism, appearance and lack of concentration. Ask if there is any reason for this. If not, remind him of what he has told you about his depression. Ask if he thinks this may be an issue again, and if it is worth discussing how he currently feels with his doctor. Support: If depression is the cause of the change in Jake's behaviour, ask whether he would benefit from some time off, and discuss his entitlements to sick and holiday leave, as well as any work modifications that would help. Adjust other empoyees' shifts so that there is no resentment of Jake 'creating work' for them. Act: Discuss with Jake whether more flexible rostering would help, working fewer hours until he feels well enough to work full-time again. Check whether Jake wants other employees to know he has depression and respect his wishes. Talk frankly to Jake about the need to dress tidily and engage with customers. If talking to customers is difficult, discuss moving him temporarily to another, less stressful area of the workplace. Employers in the Southern Highlands may wish to give consideration to having their employees supported to access the Mental Health First Aid Training Program. For on-site training opportunities groups of 15-20 staff can be trained in each group. This is a 12-hour approved course provided only by qualified and accredited Trainers. Details about the course and contact with local Trainers is available on the MHFA website: www.mhfa.com.au There are 2 accredited Trainers attached to the Bowral Mental Health Service.
This post is an excerpt of the Guide produced by SANE Australia - a national charity helping people affected by mental illness. SANE Australia produces a wide range of Guides and other useful publications on mental illness - for consumers, carers, health professionals,students and the general community. For details, see the SANE website www.sane.org or call (03)9682 5933.