Is your workplace mental health ready?

It is time to acknowledge mental health issues and embrace them as a unique form of diversity.

Look around your workplace.

Chances are that atleast some of the people you are looking at are deeply depressed, anxious or stressed. They may be masking it, but going by the statistics, our work places seem to be teeming with people facing mental health issues.

Unlike a physical illness that you can freely speak about and take sanctioned days off of work for, a mental health issue is a NO-NO to discuss.

First, the level of awareness about mental conditions is very low.

It is so low, that someone suffering from them may not even know that they are facing them. When I was first told that I may be clinically depressed, I refused to believe that someone like me could ever be ‘depressed’!

Second, the sheer stigma of mental illnesses keeps them in the closet.

’Confessing’ that you are depressed is the equivalent of saying that you have a weak mind and are unfit for long term employment. For people with bipolar it is even more likely that they will be dismissed as  ‘mental’ cases, best avoided by typical corporations.

And finally, even if you share with your boss or HR that you are facing such a challenge, most companies will have no clue what to do about it. It is the kind of diversity they haven’t learned to handle, and perhaps don’t value dealing with the issue..

But PWC has researched to say that every dollar invested in fostering mental health can create a return of $2.3 in terms of saved costs from absenteeism, work errors and compensation claims.

However, the real question is, should you employ people with mental challenges at all? The unsaid answer to that is NO. This ensures that many people continue to suffer these conditions silently and refuse to acknowledge let alone come out with them.

Having said that though, a typical ‘job’ that requires a regular monotonous attendance - a fixed time for coming and going, a regular level of performance and some non-negotiable interaction with peers may not be ideal for those with mental conditions.

But if companies start allowing flexibility, by granting leave when a person is stressed or depressed, by providing in-house counselling and by actively stopping bullying, then we have a chance to create space for these challenges.

Asking whether companies should employ mentally ill people is like asking should you employ someone who is not well?

It depends.

If this person is down with a cold once in a while, they can and they do. Similarly, most mental illnesses are temporary and can be dealt with if one is proactive.

With other types of differently abled people, companies may need to start making modifications.

Just as there are wheel chair access ramps for those who are challenged in mobility, and lift buttons that have braille symbols for visually impaired, what are the ‘acceptable accommodations’ for mental conditions?

Can we allow lesser work hours, work from home, flexi time and jobs that tap into the gifts that a mentally ‘ill’ person may bring in?

A part of the ‘duty’ of the company arises from its social contract with its employees. But another, more beautiful possibility is being able to tap into the gifts of those who look at reality differently. Individuals with bipolar for example can be highly creative, talented and prolific. Similarly those with ADD may be amazing multi-taskers best suited for certain conditions.

An expanded space that includes diverse people creates a resilient ecosystem of diverse voices - all of which ultimately make the company a more robust system. In the short run, this may look like a hit on the bottom line.

But in the long run, it is the right thing to do.

P.S : For those grappling with mental health challenges, give a hearing to this series of podcasts on dealing with Bipolar and other mental health issues