You will almost certainly encounter a mental health issue at some time in your life. Recognizing this potential should encourage you to be an advocate for mental health in the workplace, treating co-workers with mental health challenges with the same compassion you would desire in a similar situation.Â
However, stigma and a lack of knowledge about mental health impede progress in many settings. The belief that individuals with mental health disorders cannot contribute meaningfully results in conscious and unconscious prejudice. Together, we must abolish the stigma and its destructive effects. We may have mental health issues, but we can recover. We can flourish both at home and at work, and we can assist each other do this by being allies and partnering to build a friendly workplace for everybody.
To be a mental health ally in the workplace is to assist persons battling mental health difficulties in feeling valued and needed. This may lead to greater employee engagement, productivity, and loyalty. Strengthening and enhancing connections amongst coworkers may also help the employee community as a whole. When we are helped, we are frequently ready to encourage others, establishing a circle of virtue that reinforces itself.Â
The most effective ways to be a mental health ally are to have one-on-one conversations with colleagues who are struggling, to use supportive language, educate yourself and your coworkers about mental health, encourage group participation and create policies that assist employees who require assistance.
Talking One on One
Knowing when and how to connect with a person who may be experiencing mental health difficulties can be challenging. It is difficult to discuss mental illness, especially at work and for those with mental health issues. You don’t want to draw hasty judgements about someone or appear biased. You do not wish to insult a coworker. Additionally, you should observe professional and personal limits. People with severe mental illness may be the most difficult to communicate with since they are frequently the most stigmatized and so highly unwilling to discuss the issue.
Prior to initiating a conversation with a person, it is important to observe and listen for indications of their distress and potential sensitivities. For instance, co-workers with significant and chronic conditions may communicate their sentiments, but not their diagnoses. They may also suffer self-stigma, or the internalization of the stigma, which can exacerbate the effect of unfavourable beliefs held by others. In addition, individuals with mental illness may anticipate stigma or the perception that they will face prejudice, discrimination, and stereotyping. Due to these factors, individuals are frequently more sensitive to stigma and rejection.Â
Consider the following conversational methods and concerns.
Be Prepared
Reflecting on and addressing your own unconscious prejudice around mental health will enable you to be a supportive coworker. You may not intend to contribute to the stigma, yet even unintended stigmatization is harmful. Consider any assumptions or preconceived notions you may have regarding mental health disorders and those who manage them. Then, dispose of them.
Consider revealing your own vulnerabilities or experiences with mental health difficulties with your coworker. If you have had this experience directly or indirectly via prior relationships, using it to initiate a conversation may be quite effective, placing you and the other person on a more equal footing and demonstrating your empathy and understanding.
Being an ally needs tenacity, ingenuity, and patience. Do not become upset or disheartened if your early attempts to soothe a co-worker fail. The purpose of any dialogue should be to encourage your coworker to discuss their difficulties, to offer support by asking if and how you can assist them, and gently remind them of any advantages or services your company or health insurance plan offers.
The ‘Good Time’ To Talk
If you observe a dramatic shift in a coworker’s disposition or conduct, you may wish to begin a dialogue. Observe for signs of diminished focus, missed deadlines, deterioration in job quality, diminished communication, a “worried” look, tardiness, and recurrent unexplained absences.
You may be tempted to disregard this conduct as a private matter or an issue for your boss or HR department to solve. However, if you have a close relationship with the individual, you may be in the ideal position to spot a problem and connect with your colleague by extending a warm and caring hand. Timing is crucial; choose a “good day” when your colleague appears friendly or at ease.
Certain individuals, such as those with high-functioning anxiety, exhibit no outward evidence of a struggle or work-related problems. You cannot always assume that a person is not struggling based just on their look or performance at work. Creating a working culture in which coworkers display understanding and empathy will assist individuals to feel more at ease when reaching out for help or seeking support. HR and management should make tools, such as a mental health handbook, accessible and readily available to all employees.
Be Gentle
The discussion of mental health should be as commonplace as feasible. Simply asking, “How are you feeling today?” or “How was your weekend?” or “How is your project coming along?” might open the door to a conversation on mental health. Obviously, you should adopt an approachable, sincere, and compassionate tone. A relaxed, nonconfrontational style might encourage more open discourse.
Act prepared for your coworker to be defensive or attempt to conceal their difficulties. They may be afraid of stigmatization, which is a topic of office gossip. Therefore, do not push your coworker to speak with you. Instead, gently prod them by letting them know you’re there to listen whenever they choose to speak.
Validate the individual’s performance; they may be experiencing crippling self-doubt. In addition, they may experience impostor syndrome or feel guilty for being a “weak link” or not “keeping up with the team.” Remind them of how they overcame difficult jobs in the past, encouraging them that everything would be well and making them feel valued and important. If their burden is detrimental to their mental health, you may also help them come up with other strategies to minimize it.
Know The Right Approach
Try to reach out in various ways. Beginning with a face-to-face conversation may not be optimal, since individuals with mental health issues may feel embarrassed or humiliated. A phone call or text message may be more successful than an email. Consider whether a location away from the workplace might give more privacy for in-person conversations. Assure the other party that anything you share will remain private and confidential, and be sure to keep your word.
If the person is agreeable, continue the conversation beyond the initial exchange, especially if they have disclosed sensitive information. Many persons with mental illness fear that if others discover their disease, they will be hated, abandoned, or rejected. Therefore, continue to have regular discussions while checking in gently. People are sometimes more eager to discuss stresses than mental health issues, even if the stressor contributed to their difficulties. For example, “How are the children adjusting to school?” is preferable to “Are you still concerned about your children?”
Use A Supportive Language
Always be conscious of what you say and how you say it while conversing with a coworker who is or may be experiencing mental health difficulties. Here are some examples of what to say and what not to say. Everyone has their unique trigger points and sensitivities, so be careful and mindful.
Regardless of the severity, people with mental health issues can succeed in their given profession and be great team members. Allies play a crucial role by providing the necessary understanding and compassion to overcome significant obstacles. The strong hurdles of stigma may be overcome by the collective determination, understanding, and compassion of a community. Mental health programmes may and do assist. Ultimately, what counts most is incorporating our shared humanity into the environment.
