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Although most of our professional lives are spent in the workplace, mental illness is somehow taboo.
In a piece in the Mercury News, studies have shown that mentally ill workers have the “highest rates of unemployment of all disabled Americans.” Half of American employers are hesitant to hire someone with a past in psychiatric care – or is currently under psychiatric care – for fear that he or she will be a liability to the company.
Because of this stigma, employees do not disclose their health problems to their employers. But they cannot maintain their façade for long. Mood disorders are inevitably detected through body language, lack of productivity and poor work output.
When employees try to find a solution by seeing a therapist, they could also risk getting fired, says Mercury News. This is what happened to 54-year-old woman in Foster City, who was let go because her medical appointments “prevented her from meeting quotas.” A young man named Chris Velarde from San Francisco fully disclosed his mental health problems at his job interview to “be an honest employee” instead of revealing it months into the job. However, his interviewer responded with “We don’t have time for that.”
Despite the majority (58 percent) of employees revealing that “their productivity has been negatively impacted” by anxiety, one in five employers still believe mental illness is something that can be controlled. The survey found many instances of employees being tougher on mentally ill employees.
READ MORE: New Study Finds That Women Are More Likely to Suffer from Anxiety
This isn’t a problem that can be overlooked. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, depression costs employers as much as $44 billion a year in lost workdays. This startling statistic is pushing employers to cosign with initiatives to reduce mental illness stigma.
In a national survey conducted in Canada, 87 percent of employees believe that “a mentally healthy workplace impacts the ability to meet business needs.” In addition, they believe that it can impact loyalty (86 percent) and talent attraction and retention (83 percent).
The company Dupont has recently developed a program called ICU, which encourages employees to reach out to their fellow co-workers if they appear to be in distress. The program recently launched in the United States in 2012 after having incredible success in Europe the year prior. As part of their “Right Direction” initiative, they released a set of documents that educate employers and employees about the signs of depression.
READ MORE: 5 Reasons Why Trading in Your Therapist for a Dog May Be a Smart Move
Melissa Coughlin, corporate HR manager of The Moore Co., worked with someone who was upfront about her depression and suicide attempts and decided she wanted to educate herself on the subject. After attending a Mental Health First Aid class at the National Council for Behavioral Health, Coughlin said that it improved listening skills, ability to empathize with the employees and knowledge of what to say and what not to say.
Regardless of genetic makeup, this a health issue that can happen to anyone. Hardworking, qualified workers can also be people suffering from bipolar disorder or severe anxiety but are too afraid to tell their bosses and quietly suffer the consequences.
Firing employees will not remove mental illness from the workplace. What is needed for our coworkers who are dealing with mental health is proper communication and accommodation. Every employer has to ask the question: Is loss of productivity worth a person’s health, happiness and life?
READ MORE: Why It’s Okay to Admit That You Need Therapy
