Sandy's advice for employers
Sandy points out that people with mental illness, like people with any number of physical illnesses, have a great deal to offer in the workplace, especially if they're willing to work hard. Both physical and mental illnesses, however, need treatment, and when treated, people with mental illnesses are no different from anyone else. They have the potential to make valuable contributions to any workplace, especially if they have training, education and experience.
It's time to start re-thinking old outdated notions about people with mental illnesses. These days, there are hundreds of high-functioning people working in high stress careers, like journalism, with mental illnesses and mental health issues. They just don't talk about it.
You cannot justify generalizing about people with mental illnesses any more than you can justify generalizing about people with chronic physical illnesses. "We're all different, all individuals," she says.
Sandy challenges employers to educate themselves. Learn from those employees who function well with mental health issues or mental illnesses about how to make workplaces healthier for all employees. Having a healthy workplace can prevent people from developing mental health issues, related to undue stress and pressure.
"Let the employee with mental illness educate you!" she urges.
| "Diversity must include people living with mental illnesses." |
She sees a role for human resources professionals in providing support to both the employer and the employee in situations where performance becomes an issue because of illness. She points to the widespread efforts to increase diversity among employees: "Diversity must include people living with mental illness."
"For those without the kind of support I had from my family and from The Sun, I can't image surviving, let alone thriving with a serious mental illness,: says Sandy. "People with mental illnesses are still viewed through the lens of prejudice, discrimination, bias and stereotyping, with derision and suspicion. Many people still think we are dangerous, when , in fact, there is little validity to that myth, through it's often perpetuated in the media. Society has hurt people with mental illnesses to a far greater degree than people with mental illnesses have ever hurt society."
Company owners and CEOs need to understand that caring about employees is essential to making a corporation profitable. "Corporate courage to address mental illnesses is desperately needed, and in short supply," she says. "It's bad business not to understand and accommodate people living with mental illnesses in the workplace to perform at their potential. In an information-driven economy, our minds do the heavy lifting and need to be serviced and insured just like equipment and machinery."
"Corporations cannot afford to have sick employees and mental illnesses and addictions are the leading causes of absenteeism and lost productivity in today's workplaces. If companies can fix computers and machines, they must ensure that the minds of their employees running those computers and machines are also treated well and safeguarded. It is the employers' responsibility to ensure their employees have healthy, safe working environments. That's the only way businesses can truly function productively and profitably in today's economy."
Sandy Naiman can be reached at sln@sandynaiman.com. To inquire about Sandy's availability as a speaker, please contact Susan McLennan at susan@babbleoncom.com.
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