Why ‘Mental Health Awareness’ Falls Short in Toxic Workplaces
Workplace discrimination against individuals with mental health issues persists, even as companies claim to be more open to employing those with such challenges.
In reality, many people with known mental health conditions already hold positions in the workforce. So why do we continue to see significant barriers to acceptance and understanding? The stigma attached to mental health conditions, especially in professional settings, remains deeply ingrained. It’s a contradiction that demands attention, especially given the growing awareness of workplace bullying and abuse – behaviours often linked to underlying mental health problems.
The findings from St Patrick’s Mental Health Services’ recent survey provide a glaring example of this ongoing issue. Despite increased conversations about mental health, 52% of respondents believe that Irish workplaces are not open to employing people with mental health difficulties. Even more troubling is that 47% of those surveyed didn’t know employers are legally obligated to provide accommodations for mental health needs. This indicates a critical gap in both workplace policies and public awareness.
In our podcast series The Bullied Brain, we delved into the neuroscience of bullying with Dr. Jen Fraser, who spent over a decade collaborating with leading neuroscientists. Her research revealed that people who engage in bullying behaviour are often dealing with mental health issues themselves. However, these individuals frequently do not recognise their own behaviour as troubling. The workplace can become a breeding ground for these dynamics, where unchecked mental health challenges manifest as bullying and abuse.
This raises an essential question – How are we still discriminating against those with mental health issues when we witness such a high prevalence of bullying and toxic behaviour within the workforce? Clearly, these toxic individuals are struggling with their own mental health problems, yet they hold positions of power and influence. There is a disconnect between the acknowledgment of mental health as a valid issue and the cultural narrative around what constitutes a “healthy” employee. Instead of addressing these issues, the conversation around mental health often focuses on those already suffering – those who have been bullied or are experiencing anxiety, depression, or burnout due to their toxic work environments.
The survey shows that nearly 40% of respondents don’t believe someone who experiences panic attacks could serve as the head of a large company. This prejudice underscores a broader cultural attitude, mental health problems, especially visible or diagnosed ones, are seen as weaknesses. Yet, individuals who exhibit bullying behaviour, a clear sign of mental health trouble, are not similarly scrutinised. Instead, they are often protected by their positions or influence, leaving victims to shoulder the emotional and psychological burden of an abusive work culture.
People are leaving their jobs every day to protect their mental health, carrying the weight of past trauma into their next employment. And yet, there is still immense reluctance to openly discuss the reasons behind these decisions. Many employees do not feel safe disclosing their mental health struggles to their employers, fearing judgment or repercussions. Stigma prevents transparency, and in doing so, it forces individuals to suffer in silence.
It is crucial that we destigmatise mental health issues in the workplace. Instead of penalising those struggling with anxiety, depression, or PTSD – often due to previous work environments. We need to start holding employers accountable for fostering toxic cultures. As someone who has personally experienced the impact of a hostile work environment, I have no difficulty stating that my own mental health suffered as a result. My self-esteem was eroded, and I was left questioning my own value.
We need to shift the focus and start calling out the real source of these mental health struggles, workplaces that tolerate or even encourage bullying and abuse. Too often, individuals are punished for something beyond their control, such as a panic attack or the lingering trauma of past experiences, while those responsible for toxic cultures face no consequences. But that shame belongs to the perpetrators, not victims of workplace abuse and bullying.
It’s time to hand back the shame to those employers who perpetuate harm. When people leave jobs for the sake of their mental health, it’s not a personal failure. It’s a testament to the failures of the workplace. Recovery from mental health difficulties is possible, as St. Patrick’s CEO Paul Gilligan emphasised, but it requires a supportive and safe environment. Companies need to make space for recovery, rather than contribute to the problem.
If we are serious about mental health, we must start by acknowledging the problem where it begins – in the workplace. Employers need to be better educated about mental health accommodations and more proactive in addressing their own toxic behaviours and the toxic cultures they allow thrive.
As a society, we must confront the stigma that continues to surround mental health in the professional sphere. Only then can we create work environments that truly enhance mental well-being rather than destroy it.
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