Talking about mental health at work can be tricky, especially when you’re just starting out in your career. To break the stigma around having these conversations at work, try out these six strategies.
- Understand what you’re disclosing. Take some time to figure out if you’re facing a mental health challenge (a short-term struggle, often resulting from external stimuli) or a mental health disorder (long-lasting symptoms that have been diagnosed by a mental health expert).
- Next, figure out why you want to disclose your challenge or disorder at work. Are you sharing information to build trust with your manager and team? Do you have specific requests that you would like your employer to meet?
- Before you talk to your manager, know that you’re entitled to certain legal rights in your city, country, and organization. Read about the current laws on disability protection and mental health in your country of work, as well as at your organization.
- When you set up a one-on-one with your manager, be prepared to share what your challenge or disorder means and doesn’t mean for you. Clarify your struggles and needs, and be open to answering questions, but know that you should only disclose what you are comfortable with. If a question crosses a line, you don’t have to answer it.
- Be clear about what you need from your manager. Are you merely informing them? Do you need specific work accommodations?
- Ensure that you give your manager regular feedback on what’s working and what’s not. Acknowledge their small gestures, and reinforce behaviors that are helpful to you.
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When I started my first job, I worried about disclosing my struggle with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) to my boss. I was almost certain that she wouldn’t understand. Once she knew, I told myself, she’d assume I was unreliable and uncommitted. I imagined she’d deem me unworthy of a promotion, or worse, be entirely dismissive.
