Promoting mental health at work: Supports for employees and employers

Knowing workplace rights and having access to supports is key for both employees and employers in promoting positive mental health at work.

In Ireland, one in four people have had a colleague disclose a mental health difficulty to them. At the same time, nearly half of people were not aware that the law in Ireland obliges employers to provide reasonable accommodations to meet the needs of staff experiencing mental health difficulties.

These findings from our 2024 Annual Attitudes to Mental Health and Stigma Survey suggest that, while many working people may be experiencing mental health difficulties, a high number of people are not aware of their rights or what’s available to support their mental health in the workplace.

Ahead of World Mental Health Day 2024, which focuses on the theme of workplace mental health, our team here at St Patrick’s Mental Health Services (SPMHS) shares information and resources to support employees and employers to create and enjoy workplace cultures free from mental health stigma and discrimination.

Understanding workplace rights

Employees in organisations across Ireland are protected under the Employment Equality Acts. These laws protect staff from discrimination, which means treating someone differently or less favourably than others, because of who they are. There are nine grounds, or areas, in which the law bans discrimination. Disability is one of these grounds, and mental health difficulties are included under this ground. This means that people with mental health difficulties have the right to be protected from discrimination or stigma in the workplace.

As part of this, under law, employers in Ireland must provide reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities, including mental health difficulties. Reasonable accommodations are appropriate, practical changes or steps an employer must make so that people with disabilities have equal opportunities to take part in employment. They can include changes like time off to attend mental healthcare appointments, access at times to a private space for rest, or practical changes to a workspace to support physical or sensory needs.

Employers do not have to put accommodations or measures in place if they would result in a “disproportionate burden” to the organisation. There are a number of things considered to identify if a measure would be a disproportionate burden to an organisation, including financial costs, other costs (such as staff time), and the size and resources of the particular organisation. There are also different grants and public funding available to employers which could help with putting measures in place. Together, this means that many accommodations are possible and many measures can be put in place by employers without a disproportion burden.

More information on grants and supports around reasonable accommodations and workplace supports for people with disabilities can be found through the Work and Access Scheme.

Employees do not have to tell their employers if they are experiencing a mental health difficulty: this is very much a personal decision. However, if a staff member would like reasonable accommodations in place, they would need to let their workplace know the information needed to understand and follow through on the supports needed. This doesn’t mean having to share their full medical history or other diagnoses that aren’t relevant to their workplace needs.

You can find out more about employee rights in the workplace when it comes to mental health in our #NoStigma at Work video and our Mental Health and Work information booklet.

We are also a partner of Mental Health Reform, which has released a new Mental Health in the Workplace guide to help people with mental health difficulties to understand and access their rights in the workplace. The guide was informed by and produced in partnership with people who have lived experience of mental health difficulties.

Going back to work after a mental health difficulty

42% of our survey respondents in 2024 would not be okay explaining to their boss that they needed time off for a mental health difficulty. This is a sign that there is still stigma around mental health in the workplace, and that people may worry about negative reactions from their colleagues, managers or employers. However, getting the care and support needed for a mental health difficulty is really important, and it’s crucial that employers and workplaces support staff when they need that time off, but also when they come back to work after it.

When an employee has been off work for a mental health difficulty, some steps they can take when they are ready to return to the workplace include:

• speaking with their doctor and manager to put a support plan in place
• asking to return to work slowly or in phases
• thinking about whether there are any reasonable accommodations that may help them in work
• adjusting their routine in the days beforehand to get used again to the sleeping and waking times needed.

In turn, employers have a vital role to play in achieving workplaces free from stigma, which includes supporting employees who need time off or are returning to work after a mental health difficulty. Being aware of obligations under law is essential. The World Health Organisation also recommends that employers have specific policies or plans in place for protecting and promoting mental health at work, and these should be integrated into occupational health and safety systems.

Our #NoStigma at Work webinar aims to inform people experiencing mental health difficulties and employers of the support that they might require on their return to the workplace. This includes the supports employers in Ireland are obliged to provide to employees and the rights of people experiencing or recovering from mental health difficulties.

More information is also available in our article on returning to work after a mental health difficulty.

Dealing with work stress and burnout

Many people in workplaces today are experiencing high levels of stress and burnout. This can be due to various pressures at work, such as expectations around performance, long hours, increased tasks and demands, and competitive environments. Different stressors and factors outside of work – such as in home life or social life – can also impact on how a person is feeling and performing at work.

Knowing the signs of workplace stress and burnout is the first step in being able to do something about them.

Employees can learn more about the signs of workplace stress here, and find out ways they can both support themselves through self-care and seek external support, including from employers, to help manage and reduce work-related stress.

Both employers and employees can learn more about burnout here, along with steps that both can take to identify the signs of burnout early, to deal with burnout when it arises, and to improve workplace wellbeing to better prevent against burnout in the first place.

Supporting self-care

Self-care is important in managing stress and recovering from mental health difficulties.

For employees, there are lots of self-care practices which can be followed in the workplace to help prevent stress and to maintain wellness in mental health recovery. These include:

• remembering to take breaks
• sticking to agreed working hours and avoiding overworking
• chatting and building connections with colleagues
• building time for movement and fresh air into the workday
• celebrating the small successes in work
• using supports available, such as employee assistance programmes or staff wellbeing initiatives.

Employers can support these practices by creating a positive workplace culture, understanding staff needs, sharing helpful resources, and providing individual supports, like employee assistance strategies, stress management programmes, or staff wellbeing activities.

Some resources which may help in promoting and practicing self-care at work include our free mindfulness workshop and our guided relaxation exercises.

Listen to the mindfulness exercises here

• Mindfulness of the breath
• Body scan
• Leaves on a stream
• Dropping the anchor
• Notice five things
• Being mindful.

Watch the mindfulness workshop here

Embedding a positive workplace culture

Every one of us has the right to work without experiencing mental health stigma and discrimination. Work without mental health stigma means:

• Our workplaces are inclusive and supportive environments
• We all have equal opportunities for employment and progressing at work
• We can access supports in the workplace if we need them
• We can let others know if we are struggling
• We don’t delay in looking after our mental health.

Each of us also has a role to play in making this stigma-free workplace a reality, whether we are an employee or an employer.

For more information on workplace rights and available supports in Ireland that can help in building a positive workplace, please see:

• Citizen’s Information Service
• Employers for Change
• Intreo
• Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission
• Workplace Relations Commission.

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Notes

Quoted statistics are taken from the 2024 Annual Attitudes to Mental Health and Stigma Survey, conducted by Amárach Research on behalf of SPMHS in summer 2024. This covered a nationally representative sample of approximately 1,000 adults.