Employers are facing some new
realities — like the tight labor market and the Americans with
Disabilities Act — that make it even more attractive to hold
on to employees. But when staff are going through emotional problems,
employers really don't have much idea about what to do. Our misconceptions
about mental illness are so powerful that everyone gets very nervous
when an employee or co-worker starts acting "strange."
Tolerance, respect, and consideration
go a long way. If you have a valued employee who seems to be having
a hard time emotionally, try imagining that the employee has cancer
instead. If your employee had cancer, you'd expect to sit down with
him and discuss the condition, the treatment, and how it's going
to affect his ability to do his job. You'd do it in a kind and understanding
way, making it clear that you want him to get well and keep working
for you. You'd try to give the employee as many breaks as possible
— flexible hours; extra time off; a reduced work load. You'd
review the benefits package and make sure that your employee understands
how to get the most from his health insurance and any disability
policies you might have. If he's having any difficulties, you might
call your broker and ask for help. Now: treat your employee with
emotional problems with just as much respect and concern as you
would someone with a serious physical illness.
There is one glaring problem
with this approach. Because of the shame and stigma of mental illness,
most of us won't acknowledge a personal problem to our employer,
and most employers are diffident about approaching their staff on
this subject. But when the employee's job performance is affected
— or when you suspect that the working environment is contributing
to the employee's problems — take the initiative. Most people
won't be offended if the boss asks — sincerely, and not as
a veiled threat — if there's anything he can do to help. Most
of us feel that our problems are glaringly obvious to everyone anyway,
and it can be a real relief to start talking about the elephant
in the room.
But please remember that treatment
for mental illness is effective today. Encouraging an employee to
get help is an act of kindness, not an act of discrimination.