Five Mental Health Facts Employers Should Know

Overcome mental health biases to provide a healthy workplace

In the last few years, awareness of the importance of mental health has greatly increased. Through our work with the Milwaukee County Business Advisory Council, we have spoken with many employers who want to support their employees and build more inclusive hiring practices. The first step in creating a more inclusive and supportive environment for workers facing mental health challenges is acknowledging how common mental health challenges are. Employers must then overcome biases they might hold about employee performance and the accommodations an employer can provide to create a healthy workspace. Getting the facts about these 5 myths is a great place to start.

Myth: Mental health conditions don’t affect my company. 

Fact: Mental health conditions can affect anyone. According to Mental Health America, 1 in 5 adults has a diagnosable mental health disorder. 

Myth: People with a mental health condition tend to be second-rate workers.

Fact: Research has shown that there is no difference between the productivity of workers with and without mental health conditions. Employers report that employees with mental health conditions generally have better than average attendance and punctuality records. Employers also report that their motivation, work quality, and job tenure is as good as – or better than – that of other employees.

Myth: People with a mental health condition cannot tolerate stress on the job. 

Fact: The causes of work-related stress and a person’s response to stress vary among all people. For example, some people find an unstructured work schedule very stressful, while others feel stressed when they work in a strict environment. Some people find being alone very stressful, while others are only able to focus on their work when they are in a quiet place with nobody else around. For all workers, productivity is highest when there is a close match between the employee’s needs and their working conditions.

Myth: It’s difficult for managers to help employees with mental health challenges.

Fact: Managers who are able to recognize signs of distress can help support employees struggling with mental health issues. You might want to consider using the Work Limitations Questionnaire created by the Center for Health Solutions of the Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy Studies at Tufts Medical Center to measure how health and stress levels might be impacting an employee’s work.

Myth: Accommodations for employees with disabilities are expensive.

Fact: 58% of accommodations for employees with disabilities are free. Other accommodations typically cost less than $500. Simple items such as tennis balls, headlamps, and even curtains can all be used as a reasonable accommodation in the workplace. 

Looking for more ways to support your employees? Check out our Mental Health Toolkit for valuable information and resources that can help you achieve a supportive environment for employees with mental health challenges.