Lived Experience Forum

[SunnyDaisy]

It is also important to consider how much you disclose.  Do you want to tell your employer the name of your illness or do you want to let them know that you are having mental health issues and consulting someone outside of the workplace?

You can let your employer know that you may be feeling unwell because you are taking medication and it's a side effect.  Or you could just say "I'm really nausious at the moment and won't be able to do the taste testings for a couple of weeks."

[Eagle]

@SunnyDaisy would you recommend having this conversation with HR in the room too?

[SunnyDaisy]

If you disclose, you are giving your employer highly personal information. Unless otherwise indicated by  you, or required by law, that information must be treated with confidentiality. An employer is only able to breach this confidentiality if there is serious or imminent threat to the health and safety of the you, another person in the workplace or the general public.

An employee might not disclose a mental illness even when it is evident they are not coping in the workplace. If an employee is having difficulty performing the key requirements for the job and a manager is concerned it may be because of a mental illness, they can ask if there are any workplace adjustments that could assist the employee in performing their job.

Has anyone ever had workplace adjustments made at work to support them?

[Former-Member]

Yes, it is tricky knowing how much to disclose and once you've said it its out there! Im in the situation now that I need to provide a clearance to go back, and I feel that my organisations stance is i shouldnt come back until im 100%... just like if i'd broken a leg.. dont come back until the bones healed. but its not quite like that!

[RisingStar]

Oh I would never disclose mental health issues in a workplace.......  It's great as a concept, but no way.  I'd be concerned that it would tarnish my professional image.  It's my opinion that LOTS of people have mental health issues of varying degrees and not everyone addresses them.  I'd be concerned that I was disclosing to a person with a limited understanding of mental health.  When a person has a broken leg - it's clear.  No-one disputes that, but mental health is unseen.

I must say - I certainly would feel more comfortable disclosing within the community services sector - than say, finance.  Within the community services sector there is already an understanding.  I'm not sure the same would apply within, say finance.

I appreciate this forum and the subject being addressed.

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@SunnyDaisy wrote:

What do you need to consider before disclosing about mental illness at work?

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[SunnyDaisy]

Really good question, Eagle.

It is a personal choice.

If you are comfortable speaking directly with your manager, you can have a chat between the two of you.

Your manager cannot disclose to HR about your specific issues using information that identifies you unless you are advised of this first.  Example:  "I'd like to get HR's input on this Eagle.  Would you like to come with me to HR or can I let HR know your situation and give them your name?"

However, you can ask HR to join you in the initial chat.  If you want to discuss workplace adjustments at this frist chat and you're not confident that your manager will know how to handle that part of the discussion, then you may wish to involve HR. 

Involving HR may make the first chat (where you disclose) a more 'formal' process, which is fine.   There may be a calendar meeting invite, questions about the reason for the meeting etc.

[NikNik]

It's so interesting that @Former-Member and @RisingStar both used the specific example of a 'broken leg' 🙂 @Eagle noted that when they disclosed about a death in the family (which would of course would impact our mental health) they had great support, but were treated a bit differently when they disclosed they had depression.

So it's quite obvious the those around us are more understanding when they can see the physical issue or relate to the situation.

Education is so key!

[Rosie]

I manage my illness, but I do not disclose at work. I think that's a part of my management of it. I am only on a contract and desperate to stay employed.

[SunnyDaisy]

Rising Star, it's such an interesting comment you made.  I'd like to offer another side of that too:

Sometimes, the Community Sector is the least equipped to deal with issues as they arise internally.  I'm not referring to SANE by this comment - we have a very supportive workplace.  Sometimes when organisations are focussed on "looking after others" they forget to look after their own in the same way.

We also have a SANE speaker who is in Finance and he has disclosed to his employer.  He talks about the difficulties that Finance Managers have "looking up from their spreadsheets to have a human conversation", however, his disclosure to colleagues has opened up a whole new conversation at work. 

[RisingStar]

I'm now actually wondering why a program like Mindful Employer isn't government funded?........ In my perfect world, mental health issues would be as commonly discussed as the cafe's with the best coffee. I do believe mental health has come a long way and there is more to go.

Good job - Mindful Employer. I feel really good that your program exists.