New resources available to tackle mental health stigma in the workplace

With just over one in five people experiencing discrimination at work due to a mental health difficulty, new resources have been launched to support people with mental health in the workplace 

Following a recent survey which revealed that 22% of people have experienced discrimination at work due to a mental health difficulty, St Patrick’s Mental Health Services has launched a new suite of resources as part of its #NoStigma campaign to explore how to support people with mental health difficulties in the workplace.

It also aims to highlight the rights of employees who are experiencing mental ill health and the role of their employers.

Launched in 2020, the #NoStigma campaign aims to reframe mental health stigma and discrimination by showing the positive effect on life when they are not experienced. The campaign explores how it serves us all collectively when we can live free from mental health stigma in the home, the community and in the workplace.

The resources, launched as the latest iteration of the #NoStigma campaign, include a short video that explains what people’s rights are in relation to their mental health and the workplace; a blog that explores how we can achieve a life without stigma in the workplace; and an information resource booklet that focuses on everything from mental health and rights in the workplace and returning to work after a mental health difficulty, to supports for employees and the role of the employer. The information booklet includes contributions from employee and employer support organisations including the National Learning Network, Employability South Dublin and Employers for Change/Open Doors Initiative.

In addition to the suite of resources being launched, a #NoStigma in the workplace webinar will be held on Thursday, 23 March and will include speakers with lived experiences of mental health difficulties and representatives from EmployAbility, the Open Doors Initiative and the Rehab Group.

The launch of the resources comes following findings from St Patrick’s Mental Health Services’ Annual Attitudes to Mental Health and Stigma Survey in 2022, which revealed that:

·       55% of people are not aware that people with mental health difficulties have the right to reasonable accommodations in the workplace. Reasonable accommodations include access to support for time off and a change in work responsibilities.

·       There has been a decrease in the number of people who would be okay explaining to their boss that they needed time off due to a mental health difficulty. In 2019, 61% of people cited that they would be okay asking for time off for a mental health difficulty, while this figure stood at 56% in 2022.

Speaking about his experience of mental health and work, Gary Kiernan, Chair of St Patrick’s Mental Health Services’ Service Users and Supports Council, said: "After experiencing depression for a number of years, I began to realise that I had self-stigmatising attitudes towards my own mental health which were acting as a barrier to me seeking the supports I required both in my personal life and in the workplace. It was only when I accepted my own mental health did I become more aware of the effects of stigma and how it can act as a barrier.

"We talk a lot about mental health, but we need to ensure that these conversations translate to tangible actions to tackle stigma. By having open and honest conversations about our mental health, particularly being honest about the supports we require, whether that’s in the home, workplace or the community, we can break down the stigma and begin on the road to recovery. Our working lives make up a huge part of our daily lives and being supported and accommodated for in the workplace makes a significant difference to our experiences of mental health and our attitudes towards it.

"The launch of these resources from St Patrick’s Mental Health Services as part of their #NoStigma campaign is a much welcomed and important step towards creating more inclusive and accepting working environments," Mr Kiernan said. 

St Patrick’s Mental Health Services say much progress has been made in recent years to improve how mental health is understood and approached in the workplace, however, there is still work to be done in raising awareness of what people’s rights are when it comes to their mental health and work and what supports they are entitled to.

The focus of the #NoStigma campaign this year is to empower people with knowledge about their rights and entitlements, and to demonstrate what a workplace without mental health stigma looks like; workplaces without stigma are inclusive and supportive environments where those experiencing mental health difficulties have access to equal opportunities for employment and progressing at work, as well as having access to available supports in the workplace if required.

While findings from the Attitudes to Mental Health and Stigma Survey demonstrate the need for increased awareness about workers’ rights in relation to mental health and the need to continue to challenge stigma, results also revealed that positive attitudes to mental health in the workplace are improving in some instances:

·       There has been a 12% increase in the number of people who would tell a colleague if they were experiencing a mental health difficulty

·       66% of people believe that someone who experiences panic attacks could work as head of a large company

·       43% of people have had positive experiences of disclosing mental health difficulties at work

·       46% of people believe that workplaces in Ireland are open to employing people with mental health difficulties.

Speaking about the importance of promoting a life without stigma in the workplace, Paul Gilligan, Chief Executive at St Patrick’s Mental Health Services, said: "Research has shown that work can play a significant role in the life of a person experiencing mental health difficulties – it fosters a sense of pride and self-esteem, provides a helpful sense of routine and offers a sense of personal meaning, which can enhance a person’s recovery journey.

"The stigma surrounding mental health difficulties at work has been recognised by the World Health Organisation as a barrier to disclosure at work and to the implementation, and uptake, of support at work for people experiencing mental health difficulties.

"The launch of resources from St Patrick’s Mental Health Services is an opportunity to increase knowledge and awareness among workers about their rights and entitlements so that they feel comfortable and empowered to seek any supports they might require for their mental health, without fear of discrimination. It is our hope that this suite of resources will also serve as a helpful guide for employers so that they can be better equipped to respond appropriately, and in the most supportive manner possible, to the mental health needs of their employees," Mr Gilligan said.

Visit www.nostigma.ie to learn more about the campaign, read shared experiences from members of the public, and to help to build support for a society free from mental health stigma and discrimination.