For many, going back to work or starting work for the first time when presented with a mental health diagnosis can be extremely daunting. I remember my parents nudging me to look for work while I was clinically depressed. In hindsight I’m glad they did, I had no purpose. Once I did get a job it gave me a sense of purpose. It was one of the pillars of my recovery. My mother always said that work is more than just a job. It is meaning, it is friendships and the challenges that work brings can fuel our growth.
I’ve worked in a few different industries over the years but something has always brought me back to the field of mental health. Each job has taught me something different about my character. Receiving a diagnosis of bipolar put a halt to things as I grappled with the highs and lows of a serious mental illness. Whilst I didn’t work full time throughout this period I dabbled casually in hospitality, retail, and peer support work. I found that stimulating challenging tasks and the humour from my work colleagues kept me going when my moods had other ideas.
Working in construction, I developed physical strength which I never thought I had and have never laughed so hard with salt of the earth characters. Retail and hospitality taught me the benefits of customer service, resilience, and remaining kind in demanding stressful environments. And, you cannot work in the mental health field without a learnt sense of compassion and empathy.
If anything the pandemic has taught us about work, it’s how crucial work/life balance is for our mental health. Employers as well as employees equally need this balance. Many people with mental health diagnoses in the workplace just want to be treated equally, not given special consideration. We all need equitable work/life balance to thrive.
There are however, certain things employers can do to ensure their employees are getting satisfaction from their work:
1. Checking in – more than “are you okay?” Checking in is having a ‘conversation’ and taking an interest in the person. Ask them about their life outside of work.
2. Actively listen – reading body language and tone of voice without interruption. It sounds simple but good active listening takes practice and it can be very rewarding.
3. Create a plan with the employee if they are finding work difficult. Usually the struggle is temporary and the person will overcome eventually. Taking the time to sit down to work through a plan laying out the tasks, priorities of those tasks, and most importantly how much time the person feels they need to complete the tasks. If this timeframe is not possible, reach a compromise, but letting the person have ‘choice and control’ initially over their workload is a good step forward. I always found coming to a mutual understanding with my boss encouraging knowing we were on the same page.
If someone’s mental health is impacted at work by personal or work pressures, try and take time with that person to understand what’s going on. Offer to buy them a coffee, or better yet go for a walk to the café. It may seem basic, but this is the premise of peer support. Sometimes employers and seniors can forget how much influence they have over their employees. Meeting your employees at the same level can make a world of difference for them, and continuously let employees know how much they matter to the workforce.
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