To think that allowances should be made for mental health conditions and neurodiversity in the workplace?

[FromTheSoul]

I have complex mental health problems and am ND. These things are known about at my place of work but I don't think allowances or considerations are made in the same way they would for a physical illness perhaps. Even though many mental health conditions can also present physically.

I feel like when you say to someone that you suffer with anxiety, SOME people will not take it seriously or will be dismissive. At my workplace I've told a couple of trusted people how bad my mental health can be. For example, recently it's been very bad. I've lost weight, had to increase my meds, seen a private psychiatrist. I have a mix of health anxiety, ocd, ptsd, pnd and a history of panic attacks. As well as that I'm neurodiverse. These things have been clinically assessed which my medical notes will show. So it's not just anxiety at a lower level, mine can be severe.

Up until the last couple of years, post having my children, I've masked these problems at work but it's become harder to do that. I feel that I can do my job, I want to do my job but every so often, I might need allowances to be made. But does this mean I have to let everyone know? I don't really feel comfortable with that. As it is, I have about 5 people at work that know. I also don't want management thinking I'm not up to doing my job because I can do it.

I don't want to say what the type of workplace this is as it could be outing. But the pressure is on in the type of work.

But I just wonder if mental health and ND was better known about (still!... in 2023) and considered in the workplace generally, then things would be different.

I have OCD, diagnosed in 2017 and have had a spell of needing to be signed off to sort it out. It's a chronic condition that flares, and my workplace know about it and are supportive - time off for psychiatric appointments and counselling, in addition to guiding me through getting sick/fit notes and reallocating work.

IME allowances are made in the workplace for mental health conditions, as I'm pretty sure there are discrimination laws around this. Why are you asking?

What kind of allowances do you want to be made?

They are and can be made but first it starts with a discussion with HR and occupational health larger employers are generally better at this sort of set up

Mental health conditions can be classed as disabilities and allowances can and are made in many settings. It’s also true though that there can be some jobs that, with all the allowances in the world, still aren’t suitable for a particular individual.

In my workplace we have occupational health who would assess you and advise what adjustment or support you should receive. I am a manager and have at least two people with poor mental health in my team. I appreciate that they let me know as it can affect their work and one has a lot of time off. I treat mental illness as I would any physical illness.

It depends what sort of allowances you want and what type of workplace you have.

Customer facing? Hospitality? Office based work? Phones?

Its a how long is a piece of string question really.

The issues that some employers face is that EVERYONE says they need allowances/adjustments and then you end up with staff not willing/able to do half their job.

As others have said, it somewhat depends on the specifics. In the end, a job needs doing by x time in X way. If the allowances made significantly impact those goals or colleagues workloads, I can see why that would be difficult for an employer to manage. "Reasonable adjustments" are already in place as a legal requirement, but what counts as reasonable is a grey area.

Totally depends on the type of allowances.

Workplace adjustments can by made but you would need to go through your manager and HR. It dependents what adjustments you want and how it will impact your job for if they’ll be approved, some disabilities are just not compatible with some job roles.

And whether they impinge on others.

For example we had someone working for us who wanted to be able to sit outside with someone with him whenever he was overwhelmed. This wasn't fair on the staff as none of them were trained counsellors and although they were kind and helpful no-one wanted a caring role at work.

Reasonable adjustments should be made but it’s not as simple of being more aware in general and putting them in place. They are very much on an individual basis as they will vary so much. You would need to speak to HR or your manager to request the specific adjustments you require.

Have you been referred to occupational health? That's what needs done in my workplace- I can agree an extra break as a manager, but for anything wider I need input and assessment from them. It's the same in most places I've worked.

For reasonable adjustments to be made you will need to discuss with management and HR in order for them to be put in place

At my workplace I've told a couple of trusted people how bad my mental health can be.

Who are the people?

Are you talking to a manager about need or a colleague about difficulty?

Reasonable adjustment should apply, but unless you are asking the right person, they won't know.

What kind of allowances? What kind of job?

I have had to deal with line managing someone with 'mental health problems' (depressed alcoholic) - all of his colleagues had to pick up his work, he harassed female members of staff and behaved in dangerous and inappropriate ways but HR would do nothing because 'discrimination' and because he was still taking the salary they wouldn't replace him with someone else. It was appalling. People with complex mental health problems unable to do their job should not be in work.

I get it. I have anxiety. I am married to someone with chronic health problems but either you can manage your anxiety and mental health in a way you can do your job (and having a regular job, responsibility, routine and salary is very good for mental health) or you cannot and are unfit for work.

I think one of the issues is a lot of people claim mental health issues and it's hard to differentiate people who do actually need support and people who are just taking the piss and using it as a get out clause for lazy behaviours.

Under Equality law accommodations do need to be made. Your management senior should be able to support you with individualised assessment of what you need at work. It's part of Health, Safety & Wellbeing at work law. Just as if you used a wheelchair you would be accommodated in an area that was accessible for you. The responses of colleagues is their business unless it's bullying or discriminatory or upsetting in some way. It's your responsibility to make management & HR aware of what you need.

Surely it depends on the allowances.

I had lots of adjustments from work. Unfortunately my mental health got so bad l had to leave. They can only do so much.

If you enshrine that allowances for mental health issues must be catered for in the workplace, you cannot pick and choose which work places have to be understanding about this. What about teaching or nursing? Should teachers or nurses be allowed to leave the classroom or ward if they feel overwhelmed? I know at my school a teacher could never leave a class unattended even to nip to the loo.
It is not fair to pass a law that says some employers should make allowances but not others. It would break laws about equality for all and equal treatment.

You can absolutely request reasonable adjustments to support you with work, your employer is legally required to offer reasonable support if you have a long term mental health illness or are neurodiverse as this is classed as a disability.

An example of a reasonable adjustment would be an office worker wearing noise cancelling headphones occasionally to cope with office noise and continue working, as long as this wasn’t a safety issue.

To do this though you need to be open with your manager/HR.

The issue here is that you are not aware of what measures HR have in place.
This is either because it wasn't discussed when you started the job or you haven't read the guidelines/rules or talked to HR.
Also I would have expected at least one of the health care professionals to have discussed how you might manage your conditions in the work place.

What allowances do you want? I’d talk to your union and then talk to HR. At some point your manager will have to know.

There’s going to be a limit to what can be done, but they can’t help you if you don’t tell them.

Are you able to have the allowance without it affecting other staff and they are paying to work and not sitting around doing nothing while others pick up the slack?

What do you want? And how is it achievable?

Reasonable adjustments can and should be made via HR and occupational health. But it’s not unreasonable for the employer to want the job to be done.