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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To refuse to complete this form?

64 replies

Rae34 · 22/11/2020 00:54

My workplace requested we complete a mental health survey the day before the deadline of submission. They said we would be doing a mental health training session (not optional) and we had to send this form to the person running the session but that our company would not know who said what.

However looking at the form it is very specific. Wants me to rate my current mental health and goes into more detail and asks what I think of my specific employer in several questions, mentioning them by name throughout the form.

AIBU to not want to complete this at all?

OP posts:
Original poster
Rae34 · 22/11/2020 01:51

@MyMajesty totally agree with you. The irony is I forgot to do it on time due to stress over getting my priority work done.

I would think a week in advance would be more reasonable. If I dont fill it in it isn't like they can ask specific people why they havent if it is to be anonymous can they?

OP posts:
MrsBrunch · 22/11/2020 01:52

I would decline on the basis that it's not anonymous.

Scattyhattie · 22/11/2020 02:01

Send via a free email account that's less traceable? How will they know who didn't reply.
I hope the course itself turns out to be useful, probably better that its for all rather than made voluntary as those that may need it most likely wouldn't attend it. Clearly management need the course to realise its a good idea to check how their staff are every once in a while during a pandemic.

DoubleDessertPlease · 22/11/2020 02:05

our company would not know who said what.

If they don’t know who sent what then I’d not bother tbh, it’s creepy wanting to know that level of detail about your MH anyway. But it’s not anonymous if you have to send it in via your work email (I’d still refuse, or simply lie).

grassisjeweled · 22/11/2020 02:10

Just tell them what they want to hear

goldielockdown2 · 22/11/2020 02:24

No I wouldn't submit it.

TalkingToMyselfAndFeelingOld · 22/11/2020 03:46

@FredtheFerret

I'd politely decline. It's intrusive and unprofessional.
I agree. Horrible.
TalkingToMyselfAndFeelingOld · 22/11/2020 03:48

@Rae34

If has irked me a bit that it hasnt been made optional. I am busy enough without having to attend this as well.
I have MH.issues. I am all for awareness and training on this topic but the way they going about this seems weird and intrusive.
Wiredforsound · 22/11/2020 04:21

I’d just fill it in saying I was fine and everything was great. I hate all this personal reflective stuff if it needs to be shared. Companies have a right to your work, not your thoughts and feelings. That said, I wouldn’t want to antagonise anyone at the moment, with the job market being what it is. Spend 15 minutes on it, Max.

PhilCornwall1 · 22/11/2020 05:31

We had this during the last lockdown. It wasn't for any training, but sold as wanting to "ensure the business was doing everything they could for people, now we are working from home.". I'm a home worker when not on client sites, so nothing was different for me.

It was sold as anonymous, but I got reminder emails from my line manager, saying I hadn't completed it. I ignored them. His last reminder email also went unanswered and I never heard another thing.

If I have a problem with work, they'll be the first to know, anything I'm feeling outside of work is none of their business.

Ignore it, they can't enforce it.

wibdib · 22/11/2020 05:38

Would your system be set up so that you can also look into the document info to see who created the document and who has edited it?

I’ve been out of working in an office for a while but do remember that it was one of those things that people occasionally got tripped up by... particularly in this sort of situation!

PhilCornwall1 · 22/11/2020 06:00

I’ve been out of working in an office for a while but do remember that it was one of those things that people occasionally got tripped up by... particularly in this sort of situation!

They always have ours as "anonymous" online forms on the intranet. They are about as anonymous as wearing a name badge around your neck. There are multiple ways that they can know who submitted the form.

The amount of crap our HR dept (or whatever they are called this week) are trying to collect at the moment, labelled as "Health and Wellbeing" is amazing, but not surprising. They know about me all they legally need to know and that's it.

willowmelangell · 22/11/2020 07:06

Create a new email? [email protected]

flaviaritt · 22/11/2020 07:11

I would ask them for a justification for them collecting this information.

SimplyRadishing · 22/11/2020 07:15

@FlouncerInDenial

Just lie.

Everyone else will

This in spades.
Birdsong111 · 22/11/2020 07:17

I would either refuse to complete the form or lie. I made the mistake of confessing to a manager once about anxiety (which in hindsight she had been contributing to). Her whole demeanour changed towards me from the moment I told her and she made it her mission to remove me from her team. I will never make that mistake again.

Baileyscheesecake · 22/11/2020 07:22

If the company doing the training says they won’t feedback who said what then your email address won’t be linked with your replies when it is fed back to your employer. If you can I would answer prefer not to say to most of the questions or do what your friend has said and be very vague and non committal. On the course sit back and try not to engage. They can’t force you to say things you don’t want to.

TheBlueStocking · 22/11/2020 07:25

@Birdsong111

I would either refuse to complete the form or lie. I made the mistake of confessing to a manager once about anxiety (which in hindsight she had been contributing to). Her whole demeanour changed towards me from the moment I told her and she made it her mission to remove me from her team. I will never make that mistake again.
I agree. Just lie. There shouldn't be stigma about anxiety and depression. But there is.
TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 22/11/2020 07:32

If it is sent via an 'anonymous' email account...unless everybody does this, by deduction the company may be able to narrow down who has sent it.

You would have to be mad Grin to complete it - perhaps that's the idea!

Gregariousfox · 22/11/2020 07:40

I'd totally lie too. It's the best case scenario for you. If it is dodgy and your info is going back to management, then you can seem to be a team player by completing it and being happy with things. Sorry but I don't think most organisations are that caring that they really want to support their employees. And the way they went about this sends out alarm bells.

FippertyGibbett · 22/11/2020 07:42

Just lie.

BananaFlavouredPancakes · 22/11/2020 07:52

Yeah I think a days notice is hardly enough.

If it were anonymous I could see the value in it for staff feedback (our job does that for employee retention and benefits purposes) but if you have to actually email it back then that's a nonsense..

Tell them they need to rethink how they've went about this process.

81Byerley · 22/11/2020 07:57

I would just return it with a note saying "Any details pertaining to my health are confidential, between me and my doctor, therefore I am not willing to fill in this form. I will attend the session as it is not optional."

Cailleach · 22/11/2020 08:05

It'll just be used to decide who to get rid of in any upcoming redundancies. Very few people are naive enough to fall for this "we really care about our employees" crap.

Do what everybody else will do - fill it out but lie like hell.

2GinOrNot2Gin · 22/11/2020 08:12

I'm in charge of staff mental health at my workplace and we have asked staff to complete mental health surveys. You can't be forced to do it, it is optional of course. However in our company it's used to try and support staff and has been introduced quicker than planned due to covid. Companies need to be actively promoting the mental health of their employees asking you to complete a survey is an easy way to see if you need support etc.

If there are issues and people don't give feedback then the companies can't do anything to improve it.
However as I said it should be completely up to you whether or not you engage in that process but your company will ask as then it's your choice to not engage and so therefore they have ticked the box that says they've tried to be proactive in supporting your mental health rather than waiting until your mental health is compromised.

It's difficult because some companies will want to support their staff and some will just be ticking boxes. Also it can make you feel very vulnerable if you open up about any issues you have it would require a lot of trust in your employer that you would receive support and not judgement and that's the issue most people have.

It's also hard to pitch things like this in a way that suits all. Some people will shout their issues from the rooftops and not care who knows, some wouldn't dream of telling anyone at work.