why employees are hesitant to disclose their mental illness at work

There is no reason that an employee living with a mental illness, who is properly managing their condition, cannot successfully work in whatever field they are otherwise qualified for. However, some employees still remain hesitant to disclose their mental illnesses to their managers because of the fear of being stigmatized due to their differences.

No one should have to withhold critical medical information from someone they are interacting with daily because they fear being discriminated against. Even more importantly, when someone with a mental illness does not disclose their medical information to their manager, it can be extremely difficult for them to get the accommodations they require to do their best work. Legislation protects people with psychiatric illnesses from being fired due to their illness alone. But the rules can be bent. Additionally, if someone believes they were unjustly fired due to their mental illness, going to court with the issue can be expensive and can exacerbate their existing condition.

Under Canada's federal law, Employment Equity Act, an employee cannot be fired from a job because they have disclosed a mental health issue to their manager. However, an employee can legally be fired if it is found that he or she cannot perform “essential functions” of a job as determined by an employer. If a manager is implicitly or explicitly discriminatory toward people with mental illness, they may create stricter standards for these employees.

Once it is known that an employee has a psychiatric disorder, managers are required to make “reasonable accommodations” to the point of "undue hardship" so that the employee can enjoy equal employment opportunities. Typically, these accommodations include allowing time for doctor appointments or group therapies, providing a quieter work environment, or allowing for more frequent breaks.

Accommodations must be provided unless deemed “unreasonable” or to the point of "undue hardship" by the manager. Again, if a someone has implicit or explicit biases toward people with mental illness, they can find holes in the Employment Equity Act and unjustly fire an employee. One example was depicted in a New York Times article, about disclosing mental health issues to your manager. In summary, a woman requested Fridays off from her job due to group therapy sessions held that day. She withheld the true reason for her Friday absences from her manager for months. When she finally disclosed the true reason for her missing Fridays, her manager decided that these accommodations were unreasonable, and the woman was fired.

Therefore since mental illness holds this stigma, sometimes that fear is warranted. The last thing anyone wants is to feel judged and looked down upon every day at work.

One way to support the legislation that is in place serve its purpose is to spread knowledge and enforce acceptance for people with mental illness in corporate settings. Otherwise, the 1 in 5 Canadian's living with mental illness has reason to be afraid to disclose their illness at work.

Turn mental health into a teaching moment at your workplace. The lack of understanding, unjustified judgements and stigma regarding mental illness really comes down to a lack of knowledge. Much of what people know about mental illness comes from either their own personal experiences or what is fed through the media. Therefore if someone has been exposed to mental illness conditions from only one perspective, it distorts and limits their understanding. It is essential that the topic is brought up in a relatable way that is easy for the other to understand. If they are ignorant in regards to the topic, the way that you deliver the subject will frame their perspective. Be ready to provide context and information.

Below is a conversation between myself and my work colleague a few months ago;

My colleague turned from her workspace and gently asked me in a curious tone, "What is anxiety, what does it feel like?"

I was surprised by this question but not the least bit uncomfortable or bothered. I realized that it may have been one of the first times anyone at work directly asked me this, "well" I replied, "have you ever felt a heaviness in your gut, and your heart starts beating really really fast and you start to sweat and you can't control the pace of your breath, or even breathe, and it feels like you are either going to choke, have a heart attack, puke, or faint, maybe all at once if thats even possible. "

"Ah..yes. Actually I did one time, I was on an airplane and I don't know what happened to me, I started to panic. I felt like I couldn't breathe and was very claustrophobic"

"Okay YES...THAT FEELING! Now imagine that feeling happening to you, sometimes without a trigger, while you are not on an airplane. Imagine you're at the office and your just doing your typical work and you get that feeling and exact sensation."

I could sense this was a moment of sudden insight and discovery as her face froze and she looked at me and said, "please whenever you feel that way step away and let me know what you need."

Educate your colleagues on your mental illness(es) and open yourself to learn about other mental illnesses that you don't have personal experience with. Lets make mental illness no longer a taboo in the workplace and foster a welcoming environment in which employees are not hesitant to disclose their illness, should they feel the need to seek support or accommodation.