How do we dare to be open and accepting of others and your own mental health issues? What does it take to feel comfortable with someone at work?
The fear of being judged is very real. The ‘what if’ can often show it self. Am I being looked at differently or treated differently? Do they trust me to do my job properly? Do they think I will be signed off work often?
This is all part of the change of the work and company culture within an organisation. When acceptance starts at the top, the likelihood of acceptance further down is more likely.
So, how can this be done? What does your workplace do at the moment?
According to Mind, if you do decide to tell your employer, think about:
How and when to do it. It can be helpful to have a note from your doctor to help explain your situation.
How much information you want to give. You don’t have to go into personal details, just focus on how your mental health problem impacts on your job.
Whom to share it with. For example, the human resources (HR) department may know your diagnosis, but they don't have to tell your supervisor or colleagues.
There are many people working towards enabling disclosure and openness the same way we talk about other illnesses or disabilities.
How good it would be to have an open discussion about all disabilities and have an understanding and empathy as the norm.
This is what Family Focus UK strives towards. We help companies support their staff to enable an open work culture for acceptance of differences and disabilities. Check out what we offer on: http://www.familyfocusuk.com/mental-health-awareness
