Mental illness is something that was not always discussed openly, but it’s become increasingly acceptable to address such issues in recent years. Yet, many companies still struggle to accommodate mental illness in the workplace.
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Most employers know what to do when an employee requests an accommodation for a broken leg, but when employees want to discuss mental illnesses, many in HR are suddenly at a loss.
HR professionals are often unsure of what language to use, how to approach the subject or what can appropriately be done, says Rachel Shaw, principal consultant and president of Shaw HR Consulting.
Challenges
Shaw notes that because accommodating mental illness in the workplace is foreign territory for many employers, there are two common yet opposing challenges they face.
The first challenge is knowing what triggers an obligation to provide some kind of accommodation. Unlike bodily injuries or illnesses, many people aren’t aware of what might signal a mental illness in an employee.
The second is misuse of mental health accommodations. How does one know whether an employee is truly suffering from a mental health issue as opposed to faking one in order to get out of work or find cover for behavior or actions that would otherwise be grounds for discipline?
Growing Issue Demands Attention
Mental health is an increasingly significant issue within the broader healthcare industry. According to a study by the National Center for Biotechnology Information, the cumulative cost of mental health disorders between the years 2011 and 2030 is projected to reach $16.3 trillion worldwide.
That’s on par with the costs associated with cardiovascular disease and greater than those for cancer, chronic respiratory disease, and diabetes over that same period.
Mental health awareness has grown considerably over the last several decades. That’s good news for those suffering from mental health disorders. But it also poses some challenges for employers and HR departments unfamiliar with how to handle such concerns in the workplace. In a follow-up post, we’ll discuss identifying what can trigger accommodation requirements, as well as some tips and tricks to navigate the often unfamiliar process of accommodation.