We need to talk about mental health at work

Stigma is defined as a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality or person. Stigma around mental health can result in discrimination, and prevents millions of people from seeking help for fear of judgment or repercussions.

There’s no easy solution to this problem. You can’t press a button or tick a box to switch off unconscious bias in the workplace. There’s no way to guarantee that an employee who opens up to their manager about suffering from depression won’t be persecuted – whether that’s through denied time off, lack of support, patience or empathy, or even termination.

Mental illness is more common than you think

Did you know that 1 in 5 Canadians will experience some form of mental illness at some point in their lives?

I’m that one in five. Some of you reading this will already know that; others might be surprised. In fact, the most common reaction I get from people when they learn I have post-traumatic stress disorder and generalized anxiety disorder is disbelief. And it’s this disbelief that is one of the greatest barriers to talking about mental health.

Here is just a small selection of reactions I’ve experienced firsthand when talking about my mental illness:

• “But you’re so normal”
• “You don’t have a mental illness, you’re so happy and outgoing”
• “I think you’re overreacting”
• “We all get stressed”
• “You should try to eat healthier”
• “Just go for a run after work, that will make you feel better”
• “I can’t believe you’re cancelling plans, you’re so selfish”

On the flipside, I’ve also discovered that talking about mental illness openly with my family, friends and coworkers has empowered many of them to own their own health and ask questions. For example:

• “What does an anxiety attack feel like? I think I might have them, too.”
• “What can I do to help you when you’re having an anxiety attack?”
• “What medications have you taken? Did they help?”
• “Maybe I should talk to a therapist. How do I find someone to talk to?”

You can talk about mental health at work

I’ve worked in a lot of high-stress environments that have contributed to my anxiety, and at the time, I certainly didn’t feel comfortable raising these issues with my manager or with HR. Of course, I also didn’t have a diagnosis at the time, nor “the tools in my toolbox” (as my therapist would say) to cope with triggers.

When I started working at Manulife, this changed. My manager actually spoke openly with me about mental health and shared some of their personal experiences, and I immediately felt safe to own and share my mental illness. It was truly life-changing to have the confidence that my manager and my company understood that my mental illness was not a disability or a liability.

Manulife employees in Canada now receive a mental health support benefit up to $10,000 per person per year, including family members. This amount represents among the highest mental health benefits offered by Canadian employers.

They also offer a fantastic workplace flexibility program, which means that I can work from home two days per week. While this benefit is more aimed at those who commute or have families, it’s made a world of difference in helping me to manage my mental health because there are often days I find it hard to leave the house or to deal with the social pressures of an open-plan office.  

My final advice: Be supportive and ask questions

The most important thing we can do to tackle stigma, both in and out of the workplace, is to normalize conversations around mental health.

Don't be afraid to ask questions. I'm always happy to chat about how managing stress is different to managing anxiety or to talk about my experiences with medications and therapists. It's not offensive to ask someone questions so that you can better understand and support them. But it can be offensive, belittling and – worst of all – anxiety-inducing to make assumptions.

So go ahead and join the conversation, and help us #EndTheStigma once and for all.