Practical guide to maintaining mental health in the workplace

Navigating the pressures of the modern workplace can be akin to walking a tightrope. Tight deadlines, resource crunches, and ever-shifting priorities — all of these can push an employee’s mental and physical health to the brink, sometimes with disastrous results.

In Belgium alone, a staggering 66.4% of individuals on disability for psychological reasons are grappling with depression or burnout.

This isn’t just a Belgian issue. Across the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), a significant proportion of workers (47.6%) with mental health issues have missed work in the past year.

The question is, how do we support these individuals when they return to the very environment that may have contributed to their struggles?

Workplace reintegration

Employees who take time off work due to mental health issues face significant challenges when returning to their jobs.

Research indicates a high likelihood of experiencing a relapse in mental health conditions, with a majority of these relapses happening within three years of returning to work, and a considerable portion within the first year itself.

Therefore, it’s crucial to recognize that the reintegration process goes beyond simply filling an empty role. It is a complex process that requires a focus on the employee’s well-being, aiming to cultivate their long-term engagement and productivity within the company. 

This involves providing support, understanding, and resources to help the employee successfully readjust to the workplace and maintain their mental health.

Colleagues in the reintegration process

Successful reintegration isn’t just about the relationship between an employee and their employer. It’s also about the often-overlooked dynamic between the returning employee and their colleagues.

For the returning worker to be successfully reintegrated, it’s essential for her or his coworkers to understand the importance of their providing support.

This can be tricky, as reintegration measures, such as part-time work, tailored arrangements, and limited stressful tasks, might be perceived as ‘privileges’ by other team members.

In such cases, clear communication related to employees mental health is paramount. The rationale behind these measures needs to be explained to the team, without compromising medical privacy.

The goal is to foster understanding that these adjustments are not just about one individual, but about the long-term health and productivity of the entire team.

Managing workplace mental health

It’s crucial to manage the team’s expectations of their returning colleague. Uncertainty about what they can and can’t expect can lead to friction, especially when the returning employee and employer strive to adhere to the agreed-upon work limits.

Therefore, it’s crucial for managers to explain the rationale behind the special accommodations made for the returning employee to their colleagues, while being mindful of maintaining the employee’s medical confidentiality. 

This explanation should emphasize that these measures are not special treatment, but rather essential steps to safeguard the long-term health and productivity of the individual. 

By doing so, the entire organization benefits, as a healthy and productive employee contributes to the overall success of the team and company.

This includes being transparent about the returning employee’s capabilities and limitations, and communicating the expected pace of reintegration.

The importance of delegating tasks to the returning employee through their direct supervisor, rather than having them available to everyone, is also stressed.

Sustainable reintegration policy

Many companies still don’t have well-developed and sustainable reintegration policies. They offer several starting points, which ideally form part of a broader, open approach to absenteeism:

• Cultivate a supportive culture: A workplace that values mental health and understands the importance of supporting returning colleagues lays the groundwork for successful reintegration.
  
• Invest in training: Equipping managers and team members with the skills to recognize mental health issues, provide support, and foster an inclusive environment is key.
  
• Encourage open communication: Transparency builds trust and reduces stigma, especially when an employee takes a temporary mental health leave. Regular meetings and feedback sessions during reintegration can help address any concerns.
  
• Embrace flexibility: Policies should be adaptable to the needs of returning employees, such as flexible hours or a gradual increase in workload.
  
• Harness the power of peer support: Colleagues with similar experiences can offer invaluable insights and emotional support.
  

Strategic imperative to employees mental health

Sustainable reintegration is not simply an act of compassion for better mental health. It’s a strategic imperative for employee retention and organizational resilience.

Understanding and implementing effective reintegration strategies will lead to healthier workplaces, lower turnover rates, and ultimately, a more robust and committed workforce.

The responsibility for successful reintegration doesn’t rest solely on the individual or their manager. It’s a collective endeavor that requires a supportive, understanding, and flexible workplace environment.

By prioritizing these elements, companies can ensure their employees not only return to work but truly thrive in their roles.

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