Uncovering the UnseenMental Illness In the Workplace

Today’s objectives…• Overview of mental illness• Early intervention and basic first steps• The legal side of things• Focus on best practices• Meet Joe• Resources

True or False?

500,000 Canadians missed work today due to a mental illness.

$6.6 billion – annual cost of mental illness to BC’s economy.

Employers lose up to 12% of their workforce to employee disability

through lost productivity and sick leave.

Nobody I know…?

1 in 5 of us will have a mental illness in our lifetime.

2 out of 3 do not seek help

Mental Illness. Mental Disability.

A mental disability is a mental illness or a drug or alcohol addiction that limits a person’s activities. A mental disability may be temporary or permanent.

A diagnosed mental illness includes depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder,

but does not include “stress”.

Causes of Mental Illness

• Genetic predisposition• Psychological vulnerability (from

childhood)• Environmental adversity

‣ Work-related stressors‣ Non-work related stressors

Source: Dr. T.L. Myette, BSc(Pharm), MD, MPH, DABPM, 2015

Mental DisabilityOnset

Termination

Personal discomfort

Family and relationships suffer

Health complaints

Work and finance difficulties

Increasing health issues and psychological problems

???

By the time a disorder appears in the workplace, it’s been going on

for a long time

Source: Dr. Neal Berger, 2015

Assumptions we make…

• Has a bad attitude• Is lazy, doesn’t care• Lacks intelligence• Is just a difficult person• Doesn’t want to get along with everyone• Gets “special treatment”• Is private about their personal information

PROBLEM

The Enabling System

Source: Dr. Neal Berger, 2015

The Unhealthy Workplace

Source: Dr. Neal Berger, 2015

Germanwings

What can I do?I’m just the

Manager

Signs, symptoms, and behaviours…

• Look for changes in:‣ Physical health‣ Eating and sleeping patterns‣ Personal appearance‣ Sociability, energy‣ Errors, quality of work, number of accidents‣ Punctuality, absenteeism‣ Response to change in tasks‣ Working more, unable to take a break

Other signs…

• Lack of insight • Defending behaviors • Emotional issues• Minimizing and avoiding• Boundaries, confidentiality• Stigma

Does early awareness matter?

Early identification and treatment =

»Disability time» Treatment time» Severity of symptoms» Illness duration» Adherence to corporate values

Don’t wait for an incident to happen!

How do I start…?

• “I notice…” • “I’m wondering… why you did XXX last

Thursday?” • “I’m concerned…”• “How can I help you?”• “I care about you”

What if they push back?

• Accept their response and indicate:

“I will be there if you change your mind”

• Keep trying with offers of help with genuine care and concern later on, if appropriate

• Your offers of support have a positive impact that you may not see.

• Continue to reach out with care and concern

The best tool you have…

ACCOUNTABILITY

Should I send them home?

• Working contributes significantly to recovery:‣Routine and activity‣Social contact‣Contribution, meaning‣Sense of identity‣Part of the recovery process

Other positive impacts of working

• Confidence and self esteem• Connection to the team

• Feeling safe about making a mistake, not being fired or passed over

• Being able to handle change• Being able to handle workload

Create a respectful workplace

• Step back from assumptions, judgments, and labels

• Show caring behavior and offer support• Don’t gossip or share damaging stories

What if it were you?

The legal side of things…

Human Rights

WorkSafeBC

Psychologically Safe & Healthy Workplacewww.csa.ca/Z1003

Men

tal I

llnes

s

Mental Illness. Mental Disability.

Disabled people are protected from discrimination

in employment.

Discrimination

Discrimination happens in employment when:

1. An employee has a disability

2. The disabled employee experiences adverse treatment

3. The adverse treatment is connected in part or in whole to the disability

Duty to Inquire“An employer has a duty to inquire into whether an employee’s inappropriate behavior is linked to a mental health issue.

Where the employer fails to make such inquiries and proceeds to terminate, or otherwise discipline an employee, it runs the risk of being held in breach of the Human Rights Code and of failing to accommodate the disabled employee”.

Harris and Co.

Duty to Accommodate

• The law says that the employer should reasonably accommodate that individual’s difference provided they can do so, without incurring undue hardship, or without sacrificing a bona fide or good faith requirement of the job.

http://www.bchrcoalition.org/files/faq_DTA.html

Best practices…Engage participants to change behaviorHold employees accountableBe integral and confidentialCreate a respectful work environmentOffer continuing support to the employeeProvide leadership trainingUphold CORE values

And Remember…

Write everything

down!

Meet Joe….

Your turn…

1. What risks could undiagnosed or unidentified mental illnesses pose in our workplace?

2. What steps should we, as employers, take in the management of our workforce to reduce the risk of harm?

3. How do we start?

Be Proactive to…

• Increase employee engagement• Create loyalty and improve morale• Improve productivity• Lower absenteeism• Reduce costs• Minimize risk• Stay safe

Other benefits

to the organization….

Organizational level

Individual level

EAP/EFAP ProgramCritical Incident Response

Routine Health SurveillancePerformance Management

Accommodation

SAW PlanMH First Aid

Self-ManagementStress Management

Corp

orat

e Co

mm

itmen

t

• W

orkp

lace

Hea

lth

• E

mpl

oyee

Hea

lth

Em

ploy

ee H

ealth

Sur

vey

Com

pete

nce

Enga

gem

ent

Wor

k-Li

fe B

alan

ce

Protect

Select

Accommodate(WDP)

RTW Plan

Therapeutic Plan

Recover at Work

Early Intervention Strategy

- Contact with W

orker

- Contact with H

CPs

- Accomm

odation

Retain

Corporate Culture

Employer of Choice

Person-Environment Fit

OrientationPerson-Job Fit

“Biopsychosocial”

Ergonomics

Reintegration

Relapse Prevention

RIW Plan

Rehabilitation Policy

:

Career Support

Social S

upport

Technica

l Support

Detect

Restore

Source: Dr. T.L. Myette, BSc(Pharm), MD, MPH, DABPM, 2015

Educate Yourself!

Resourceshttp://hub.bctransit.com/sst

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May 19th, 9-10amTopic: Due Diligence

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Semone Ferrari, CHRP, MBA

Abilities Management Advisor

250-995-5730semone_ferrari@bctransit.com