06/24/2021

Addressing Mental Health in the Workplace

Advice for both employees and employers

Last month, No.2-ranked women’s tennis player Naomi Osaka drew much attention when she said she wouldn’t participate in press conferences at the French Open because they were bad for her mental health. After organizers fined her and threatened to default her from the event, she withdrew from the tournament to attend to her mental health. Last week, she also withdrew from Wimbledon to take “personal time with friends and family.”

Although Osaka’s situation happened in the professional sports world, it has broader implications for mental health in the workplace. I turned to an expert to find out what the average person should do if, like Osaka, they have mental health concerns that could be affecting their work. Darcy Gruttadaro, J.D., director of the American Psychiatric Association Foundation’s Center for Workplace Mental Health, offered advice for both employees and employers.

How to Make a Request

If you are dealing with mental health issues, Gruttadaro notes that the best start isn’t citing case law on disability, but just talking to your supervisor. “You have legal protections, but you may have the kind of relationship with your manager where you can start a conversation,” she said. “Say: I’m not feeling up to it. I’ve been struggling a bit with stress, strain, depression, anxiety, whatever it is.”

Please select this link to read the complete article from Associations Now.