MHM Magazine

Issue 6 | 2021 | MENTALHEALTHMATTERS | 17 MHM reasonable accommodation from the outset. He gives an example of his daughter, who has an anxiety disorder. She chose to sit at the end of her workspace near a door. When her manager moved her to the middle of the room, she explained her condition and was allowed to stay where she was more comfortable. The benefits go both ways. Research shows that when reasonable accommodations are made, the employer gets the most productivity out of the employee. Holness says that it’s essential for the employee to understand themselves and their condition to know what reasonable accommodations apply to them. Often this means seeking the advice of an occupational therapist, psychologist, or GP. “Once you know and understand your condition, you can communicate your needs better to your employer.” The challenge is that often employers aren’t sensitised to mental health conditions, and if they aren’t told what to expect early on the employee may face more complex challenges and stigma in the future. EMPLOYEE’S RIGHTS According to Holness, once the organisation is aware of a person’s status, its first duty is to investigate where the condition is not visible, as in many mental health conditions. The employee may need to provide proof via a doctor’s report or something similar. Once that is settled, the onus is on the employer to consult with the employee and the relevant departments (HR etc) to determine what reasonable accommodations can be made. This is always an ongoing process and can change over time depending on the needs, cost etc. Another critical issue is that of confidentiality. It’s up to the employee as to how private or public they want their status to be. If the employer breaches this condition, then the employee has grounds for discrimination. Likewise, if the company provides irrelevant excuses for why accommodations can’t be made, this is also grounds for discrimination. Often, people are not aware that discrimination is taking place. For example, if after disclosure you are suddenly being excluded from meetings, not being put forward for promotions etc., discrimination could be taking place. Holness stresses that it’s vital for employees to perceive when subtle discrimination is taking place. Of course, proving this is a challenge on its own, but the law is on the employee’s side and has consistently ruled in their favour. Holness also emphasises that open communication between the employee and employers before accusations occur is of vital importance. In an ideal world, we shouldn’t have to rely on the law. Communication is key. TO DISCLOSE OR NOT? According to Professor Grobler, most people are afraid of what others will think of them after disclosing. Some people may have heard about a bad experience someone else had after disclosing their mental health to employers. Perception is everything. This brings us to the idea of sensitisation. Every employer should be implementing sensitisation by discussing and educating employees about mental health and ill-health as a matter of priority. One idea that works well in other places is that of assigning a ‘mental health champion’. This person is the ‘face’ of mental health within an organisation, and by constantly sharing educational information about the topic, becomes someone that others can feel comfortable opening up to. What is important though is for people to understand that a mental health champion does not fulfil the role of a mental health professional but is instead someone who can provide support and resources to the individual making the disclosure. Again, confidentiality is of utmost importance, and the mental health champion is legally obliged not to disclose any information the employee has not permitted. CHALLENGES OF WORKING REMOTELY Holness says that pre-Covid, when wellness programmes were implemented they showed positive results; people could interact with one another, pick up on red flags and provide support and self-help tips to others. However, social distancing and remote working have ended this and created even more distance and alienation. One way to mitigate this is to have allocated ‘check-in’ sessions, sending texts and emails to make sure people are coping, and taking note of unusual behaviour online (arriving late to Zoom meetings, leaving early etc). Another problem with remote working is that the boundaries of a nine to five job have all but vanished. Due to working from home, people are expected to meet unrealistic levels of productivity and efficiency that are just not sustainable. MITIGATING THE CHALLENGES Professor Grobler says one way is for the employer to take note of an employee’s baseline. If you notice a dramatic change, then this serves as a red flag. Check in to see how your employee is doing, ask them if they need reasonable accommodations and support. Human connection is still of vital importance. MITIGATINGTHEEFFECTSOFLONG COVID Professor Grobler says one of the many challenges posed by long Covid, and the one most relevant to mental health, is brain fog, which reportedly affects about 18% of people who contracted the virus. Brain fog due to Covid can last anywhere up to six weeks and longer and can impair a person’s cognitive functions to various degrees. For those hospitalised with the virus, symptoms of PTSD are also common, and many will suffer from episodes of depression. Again sensitisation and education on the employer’s part regarding the effects of these on employees is vital. Reasonable accommodations should be made in the same way they would be if an employee broke a limb or was suffering from an illness. Holness echoes these sentiments and says we’re all still learning about appropriate responses to some of these novel experiences. What’s important to understand is that reasonable accommodation doesn’t only apply to chronic and acute illness and disability but also short- term side effects of something like brain fog. Professor Grobler stresses that sensitisation is something that needs to be embraced from the top- down in an organisation. Research has shown that when the CEO is on board, everyone else follows suit.