A new study out of the Simon Fraser University is challenging a commonly held misconception -- that there’s little organizations can do to encourage employees to disclose mental health concerns.
World Health Organization data shows 15% of adults have a mental health concern, while other surveys have found 65% of employees believe mental health concerns interfere with their job.
Yet many organizations, even those with mental health supports and programs, see disclosure as a personal decision they have no influence over.
“That’s just not what we saw in the data,” says Zhanna Lyubykh, assistant professor at Beedie School of Business and lead author of the study published in Human Resource Management. “Organizations can do a lot to help employees disclose. Much of it comes down to employee perceptions of how disclosure is going to be handled, which is absolutely within an organization’s control.”
The study found people were 55% more likely to disclose mental health concerns to their employer, when they perceived their organization as supportive.
Beyond feeling they won’t be discriminated against or stigmatized, Lyubykh says a supportive workplace means people feel truly supported and that they’ll benefit from accessing organizational supports and programs.