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In the fast-paced world of modern careers, the intersection of mental health and professional life is an ongoing conversation. The discussion of mental illness in the workplace, however, is not as common.
Recently, I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Michelle Precourt for her podcast Mindful Mondays. Michelle is Founder and Principal Consultant at Mindful HR Services. In our discussion, Michelle who herself has lived experience of mental illness, offered her perspective about the challenges and importance of transparency and communication with regards to mental illness in the workplace.
Opening Up to Vulnerability
As an HR expert when employees are transparent about their struggles that openness Michelle says, “is helpful for me to understand how to best support (them)”. She’s grateful because she knows for that disclosure to happen means, in her words “there's a level of trust, there's a level of psychological safety” that has been established which is key.
The baseline expectation may be a simple medical note saying ‘off due to illness’, but their act of vulnerability, often shrouded in shame and fear, can foster stronger connections and more effective support in the workplace.
The Struggle with Silence
Michelle knows from personal experience the difficultly of disclosing at work. She left a corporate job to start her HR consulting business. “When I left that job, I was dealing with some mental health issues, but I didn't know what at the time and I didn't know how to say it. All I said was that I was sick,” explains Michelle. Much of that silence was driven by feelings of shame, and that she “was letting people down”.
It's a common and understandable decision not to disclose to an employer, even when struggling. Perhaps especially when struggling. Shame, fear of judgment and the risk of repercussions keep people quiet. It highlights the long-standing stigma and misunderstandings surrounding mental illness, despite decades of awareness campaigns.
Yes, we are talking about mental health now. But conversations about mental illness are exponentially more difficult and riskier.
Since we rarely have frank discussions about mental illness. We don’t have a shared language and therefore no experience or practice expressing our mental health needs to a supervisor or an HR department. Michelle admits she didn’t know how to do it and she points out “I’m in HR.” Not only does it make it difficult for staff, but without that common vernacular employers struggle to approach their staff and teams.
Moving from Staying Silent to Safely Speaking Up.
How can you move from staying silent to safely speaking up? If you're struggling with mental illness, what can make it easier to navigate the complex intersection of mental health and work?
- Find a psychologically safe person in your workplace. This is a person who consistently creates a safe space for open dialogue, who has demonstrated empathy and is trustworthy. Ideally someone senior to you, who you've built rapport with already and has the power to advocate for changes you may need.
- Be proactive in your communication with that person. It’s a lot to expect when you’re trying to manage a mental illness at work, but your transparency and proactive communication can be empowering for both you and your employer.
I worked at a small marketing company at one point. Despite the workplace not being inherently psychologically safe, my supervisor was. She became my ‘safe haven’ for lack of a better phrase. I could go to her and talk honestly about where I was and what I needed. She didn’t ‘coddle’ me when I shared what I was going through. She was empathetic and non-judgmental, yet at the same time, she was clear about her boundaries and expectations. My openness helped us design accommodations that worked for both of us. Her approach fostered a healthier workplace culture in general and encouraged others to be frank about their experiences and needs.
Michelle agrees that a certain level of vulnerability helps HR or an employer to understand why an accommodation is essential. She acknowledges there are two sides when looking at accommodations. “There is the empathetic side, there's the supportive side, there's psychological safety. There's also requirements of the job that have to get done.”
The conversation around mental health continues to evolve and the discussion of mental illness is beginning. Openness and communication can pave the way for a healthier and more compassionate work environment for everyone.
© Victoria Maxwell
