How to come out at work with a mental health problem

There’s no doubt we like to think of ourselves as a progressive nation, a land brimming with forward thinkers that has done much to bring conversations surrounding mental health to the forefront. Recent statistics however paint a very different reality.

According to a survey from the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), mental health is still being deemed a “taboo” subject in the workplace. Reports published to mark Mental Health Awareness Week have included such research to reveal that workers would rather stay quiet than talk to their managers about their problems.

One participant of the survey said: “I have been diagnosed with anxiety and depression but never admitted to it at work for fear of being stigmatised.”

The research has prompted many, like Duncan Spencer, Head of Advice and Practice at IOSH, to comment on the “deeply worrying” nature of the findings and the need for employers to create more open lines of communication.

With the current trends, it seems we are falling prey to outdated thinking reminiscent of the peculiar advice given by Ruby Wax in 2015. “When people say, ‘Should you tell them at work?’, I say: ‘Are you crazy?’ You have to lie. If you have someone who is physically ill, they can’t fire you. They can’t fire you for mental health problems but they’ll say it’s for another reason. Just say you have emphysema,” commented the comedian and author, who holds an OBE for her services to mental health.

For 30-year-old Emily Garnett from London, however, coming out with her mental health issues at work was the best decision she made.

It was personal circumstances that led to Emily being diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) and severe depression shortly after being promoted to Safety, Health and Environmental Manager at Morgan Sindall Construction, where she has worked for 6 years.

“It was obviously really scary for me because, having recently been promoted,” she says, “I was concerned that if I spoke about [my mental health] in the workplace they might associate that with my promotion and think I couldn't deal with the increased responsibility. Naturally everyone has that feeling: ‘what is everyone going to think’.”

Despite the mental challenges of weighing up whether coming out with mental health troubles would jeopardise her position, Emily says “it’s actually been the most positive thing I've ever done. The benefits on your own wellbeing and recovery far outweigh the doubts.”

And the benefits have not only impacted Emily’s health, but also her conduct at work. “GAD can be debilitating, it makes you highly stressed at the slightest situation because you’re so concerned about things going wrong,” she states. “Now I can thoroughly enjoy doing my job and put 100 per cent of my mind into the job as opposed to putting 50 per cent of it into the job and 50 per cent into what can go wrong. I can be so much more productive, creative and focused.”

Emily’s experience was made all the more positive because it was her company that had created the safe environment for her to come forward. Her manager at the time, for example, had just undertaken mental health first aid training (something Emily thinks all managers should partake in) and was therefore acutely aware of how to offer support. Morgan Sindall Construction was also “raising the bar around mental ill health in the workplace and they were encouraging people to speak about it,” which gave Emily the confidence to tell her truth.

Help then, came in the form of constant support from her employer. This meant “keeping in regular contact but not to the point that I felt pressured whilst I was at home, and allowing me to come up with my own return to work plan as opposed to them dictating what I needed to do.

“As an example it was: ‘when you’re ready we will then discuss what adjustments, if any, need to be made to facilitate you coming back, so it doesn't feel awkward or embarrassing’, it was a very well dealt with process,” Emily points out.

Emily’s story is an encouraging example of how coming out at work with mental health problems can have positive effects not only for your personal life, but professional too. And if you ever find yourself unable to come forward, here are the things to remember when confronting mental ill health at work:

• Be prepared

First of all, understand where you are with your mental health and how it’s affecting you personally and professionally. This can be done by seeking advice from your GP, a trained counsellor or a cognitive behavioural therapist, who can help identify what’s really going on, the possible triggers, and how to best manage it. With this information you can build a list of things you want to explain and discuss, and in turn your boss is more likely to understand and help you implement practical solutions.

• Plan for progress

Think about why you’re disclosing this information in the first place and gauge a sense of what it is you want from the conversation. If it’s the chaos of your commute that’s heightening stress levels, maybe working from home or having flexible start and finish times is your goal. Similarly, if you feel out of your depth or unsupported in your role, requesting a mentor at work or more regular catch-ups with your line manager may be the answer.

• Know your rights

Most workplaces now have formal mental health policies in place to support you. Emma Mamo, Head of Workplace Wellbeing at Mind says, “under the Equality Act 2010, employers have a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments to any employee with a disability, which can include a mental health problem.

“Adjustments might include things like more regular catch ups with managers, change to roles and responsibilities, change of workspace, working hours, or more regular breaks. Employers should see this more as a legal obligation though and create an environment where staff feel able to talk openly about stress and poor mental health at work.”

• Decide on the best person to speak to

There are no set rules on who to speak to about mental health at work, but options could range from your manager to HR.

Emma points out, “if your manager doesn’t create the space for you to be able to talk about wellbeing, it can be more difficult to start this dialogue. It depends on the relationship you have with your manager, but if you have a good relationship and trust them, you could meet them one to one to discuss what’s going on. Having someone from HR present will make the meeting more formal, and normally wouldn’t be necessary in the first instance. But if you didn’t get anywhere with the first meeting then it might be a sensible next step.”

• Maintain your privacy

Remember this is your experience and you don’t have to disclose every single aspect of it. Your family history and therapy sessions can stay private for example and in most cases nobody should ask you to provide physical ‘proof’ or evidence of a mental illness. Confidentiality is almost always a given, but for peace of mind you can also ask your manager to refrain from talking to other members of staff about your condition.