Mental Illness Conversations in the Workplace: Breaking the Silence and Being Supportive to Help Employees Open Up
OVERVIEW Have You Ever… • Felt at a loss for words, awkward or afraid to speak to someone about a mental health issue? • Wondered how stress or the blues was different from a mental illness diagnosis? • Felt that there was more that you could do to support those in your company or family who were experiencing a mental health issue? "Fear breeds isolation. Caring leads to connection!” One in five will experience a mental illness at some point in their lives. That means that every person is likely to have a family member, friend or co-worker that will struggle with a mental illness. Most people feel that they are lacking in meaningful tools to offer any assistance. WHY SHOULD YOU ATTEND Silence about mental illness is costly and many who need help often suffer in silence. Would employees in your workplace feel uncomfortable speaking to their manager, union representative or a colleague if they experienced a mental health issue? Over half of respondents feared that ...