I’ve dealt with mental health issues since I was a preteen. I was finally diagnosed with chronic depression at age 14. By that time, I was suicidal (having already had a couple attempts), and my anxiety was so bad that my body was in (what felt like) constant fight or flight mode. Later on in my teens, I found out I also suffered from moderate anxiety. Having that final piece of the puzzle fall into place was as much as a relief as it felt like a curse.

Relief that I now had the full picture as to what was “wrong” with me.

“Cursed” because I knew this would be a lifelong struggle.

I put those two words in quotation marks for a reason. Dealing with mental health issues is not a curse. And if you’re reading this and struggling (diagnosed or not), there is nothing “wrong” with you. Your brain just works differently and, yes, sometimes the simplest task might feel like an enormous undertaking.

Here’s the thing, though. It doesn’t always need to feel that way.

Of course, now over a decade later, I can say it gets better because I have years of therapy and prescribed medication under my belt. I also have a fantastic support system. But for years, I didn’t have either of those things (and the support system really only came to be about three years ago). Unfortunately, for many people with mental health issues, feeling as though they have nothing and no one to help them cope is still very much a reality.

I know what some of you may be thinking, and yes, some things are definitely under our control, but you know what isn’t always (despite what people may think)? Our immediate environment.

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I left home when I realized that environment wasn’t conducive to my healing. But what I didn’t account for was the following 10+ years where I’d have to deal with abusive, problematic, and/or hostile workplaces… whether I wanted to or not. For many, ‘Don’t like it? Just leave!’ isn’t an option - especially when you have rent to pay, no one to help you pay it, and very little money to pay it with. On top of that, I can say from experience that some of the most insidious workplaces have the surprising ability to lull you into a false sense of faux-security. One where you think that you somehow risk much more by leaving (i.e. career progression, network, money) than what you do by staying (self-esteem, peace of mind, mental health). And when you’re already in an environment where your self-worth is hanging on by a thread, would you go up to management and make it known that you’re even more “vulnerable” than your peers (so to speak)? Probably not.

In a society where the majority of us spend about 50% of our waking hours at work on any given day, I felt it important to write a post, directed at employers, on how to be an ally when it comes to mental health in the workplace - because like it or not, this is a professional issue as much as it is a personal one. And people who struggle with their mental health shouldn’t have to walk through the world feeling as though they have a scarlet MI (Mentally Ill) stitched onto their chests.

The truth is…

There's no shortage of people who struggle with mental health issues in one way or another. According to the Mood Disorders Society of Canada (MDSC), one in five Canadians experience a mental health problem or illness each year - that equates to 500,000 employees unable to work every week due to mental health problems or illnesses!

Morneau Shepell reports that the most common mental health conditions reported by Canadian workers are:

depression;
dysthymia (also known as chronic depression);
bipolar disorder;
social anxiety disorder;
panic disorder, and;
agoraphobia.

So, chances are, even small to medium sized businesses are likely to have at least one employee struggling with mental health issues. I say this, not to start a Mental Illness Witch Hunt, but rather to shed light on the fact that no workplace is immune. There is no excuse to not aspire to do better and cultivate a culture of allyship rather than one that is toxic and inattentive to what your employees are potentially going through outside of work.

Why it matters in the workplace

The MDSC also reports that, “Mental and behavioural health issues are the principal causes of short-term and long-term disability leaves reported by organizations in Canada.”

Additionally, a study by Morneau Shepell on Mental Health and the Workplace done in 2017 found that,

“The primary cause of [respondents’] mental health problem or illness, was workplace stress (34%), with depression and anxiety being reported as the top two issues. These two issues made up a total of 69% of all reported mental health problems, with 37% attributed to depression, and 32% to anxiety.”

Those same respondents reported that they were highly concerned about the potential impact their mental health problem or illness may have on their career, work experience, and/or job performance. In fact, 72% them reported that they believed their mental health problem already had or would negatively impact their careers.

72%! That’s a huge number but I’m not surprised. While I was initially diagnosed as a preteen, I didn’t feel comfortable telling anyone at work until I was essentially forced to by my therapist about 4 years ago (she wanted me to take two weeks off due to work-related stress). The workplace was so toxic, I was sure I would get fired - something I couldn’t afford at the time. I sobbed as I handed my manager the therapist’s note.

Even then, I didn’t bring my mental illnesses up again of my own accord until years later. That was only because I finally felt comfortable with the fact that I wouldn’t face any type of retribution from my managers or my peers - over ten years after entering the workforce.

Recognize the symptoms

By this point, you may be wondering, as an employer, what you can really do to help. For one thing, you can’t outright ask employees if they’re struggling with mental health issues… can you?

HR Manager, and bestest friend, Steph Little states,

“Stigma is still a huge reason employers don't address mental health in the workplace. But another dirty little secret is a fear that it's a legal minefield. Sure, there are some considerations, but don't let that stop your company from doing the right thing by your employees. On the flip side, not addressing it can also get you into hot water. If you're nervous, get advice from an HR and/or legal professional.”

In my opinion, this step actually has more to do with fostering an open, friendly, and honest culture. From my experience, people who feel stigmatized are far less likely to ever disclose their struggles to their employer - the key word here being “stigmatized.” If you’ve built an inclusive culture however, your employees are more likely to feel as though there is help, should they ever need it (even if they still choose not to disclose).

I’m obviously very open about my personal struggle and, when talking to others who struggled as well, I was 100% more likely to recommend they speak to their direct boss (if need be) if I personally felt like the company would Do The Right Thing (TM).

This is also an opportunity for employers to get introspective. Morneau Shepell’s study suggests that employers could do a lot to curb risk by developing or maturing their current approach to supporting employee mental health.

Specifically,

“Organizations should implement and evaluate the effectiveness of initiatives such as campaigns to reduce the stigma related to mental illness, mental health policies, the adoption of a mental health strategy such as the National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace. This includes evolving accommodations policies and reviewing current attendance policies to ensure the flexibility needed to support mental health.”

As it stands, when this survey was taken, 66% of respondents reported their employers did not have any policies or programs to reduce stigma, 75% reported that, to their knowledge, their workplace did not have an overall workplace mental health strategy, and 90% reported there were no attendance policies that addressed mental health (e.g., effective disability management and safe return-to-work programs).

Ultimately, mental health is not one-size-fits all and you may never recognize the symptoms in any one individual. But the best you can do is give them the tools, encouragement, and support they need to cope - without hesitation or judgement.

How to help, not hinder

I’ve worked with many employers who felt like as long as they offered Employee and Family Assistance Programs (EFAP), their job was done. They’d often mention it at the end of their benefits spiel almost as an after-thought. Here’s the thing though - while 71% of respondents of the Morneau Shepell survey reported their organization offered EFAP, only 20% of respondents reported actually using the service.

Why? It goes back to culture and lack of education and support. I never bothered to use the service for the longest time because it was never explained to me in a way that made it feel like a viable option. When I finally did take advantage of my company’s EFAP, I felt that it lacked the personal touch I needed at the time (all they offered was online counselling). Whether my benefits included psychiatric appointments or counselling services - I had no idea, and obviously was not jumping at the chance to ask and potentially “out” myself.

Of course, now that I’m much older, I’m much more comfortable asking or doing the work to find the information myself, but again, this is something that many people take for granted. There is a concept known as Executive Dysfunction that sometimes makes the simplest tasks (even ones of self-care) impossible to execute for the person suffering. This goes beyond procrastinating on your To Do list. It’s unfortunate, and most definitely irrational at times, but it makes small tasks that much more insurmountable for those dealing with mental health issues. The best thing you can do as an employer is be mindful of this.

To do so, you need to shift how you think about mental health and what your role is in terms of support. Your job is not just to be reactive - because the truth of the matter is, you're likely passing over some people who really need the support but will never ask for it - but proactive. At the end of the day, this is another set of tools you can add to your employees’ toolkit to help them flourish. And it doesn’t just benefit those with a history of mental illness - everyone has a bad day. The overall company attitude regarding this stuff comes from the top down. So, if as an employer, you’re seen as supportive, chances are you’ll foster an overall culture of support as well. One where employees will feel as though they can safely ask for help - and if not directly from you, than someone on your team.

One last thing I’d like to point out regarding Morneau Shepell’s study is how it highlights key considerations to help employers actively address mental health in the workplace, such as:

Practice sustained, visible leadership. Buy-in from senior leadership is about being fully engaged, this includes role-modelling, supporting mental health as a priority and active participation in initiatives.
If you can’t observe it, define it or measure it; you are guessing. Start by capturing a baseline of where you are [in your journey towards supporting employees with mental health issues] today. This can help focus actions and understand the areas that can foster the greatest impact.
Embed vs. Silo. Incorporate your mental health strategy into your organization’s overall human resource strategy. For optimal impact it is beneficial to focus on the whole individual or total health (i.e., physical, mental, workplace, and life health).
Create a caring culture. Employees need to feel safe at work and develop a trusting relationship with their employer. Creating a caring mental health culture begins by encouraging open conversations about mental health, reducing stigma, and educating employees and leaders about mental health.
Support the employee-manager relationship. Training managers to understand and support employees with mental health problems and illnesses is both advantageous and proactive.
Include mental health in your everyday conversations. Normalize mental health throughout your workforce. Supporting people to share their experiences can help break stigma and prevent negative attitudes and behaviours from flourishing.
Adopt best practices. Use the National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace – the first of its kind in the world. It is a set of voluntary guidelines, tools and resources intended to guide organizations in promoting mental health and preventing psychological harm at work and can help your organization.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, keeping your employees feeling happy and supported just makes good business sense. When I finally found a workplace that supported my needs, I gave it my all, 100% of the time. On the days where I couldn’t, I didn’t beat myself up (too much) about whether or not they saw me as a bad or "useless" employee. Treating your employees like humans capable of making their own decisions is amazing. Treating them like humans you actually care about is even better.

After all, wouldn’t you want a loved one struggling to have the best chance of making it through a tough time?

-D.

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Resources:

https://mdsc.ca/workplace/

https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/health-safety/mental-health.html

https://www.morneaushepell.com/permafiles/91412/understanding-mental-health-mental-illness-and-their-impacts-workplace.pdf

https://www.mhfa.ca/

https://www.mentalhealthcommission.ca/English/what-we-do/workplace/national-standard

We Need to Talk About Mental Health and the Workplace

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