Managing your mental health in the workplace

If you have a mental illness, there is no legal obligation on you to disclose this to your manager.

Your mental illness may not be affecting your job performance or the way you do your job, therefore it may not be relevant for your manager to know.

If your mental illness is affecting your work performance or that your work environment is in some way contributing to or worsening your illness, it may be helpful to speak to your manager about your concerns about how your work is being affected. By doing this, your manager will be able to assist you by delivering appropriate and timely support. 

Working together

You and your manager can work together to:

• identify any adjustments that need to be put in place
• revisit your work load, look at reducing time pressures, and clarify your responsibilities
• look at the possibility of flexible working arrangements, such as part-time work or job-sharing
• decide if relevant to disclose your illness to other employees and how to do this
• discuss using your sick leave entitlements

Management plan

It may benefit to write out a management plan that will:

• help you to remain at work or
• return to work in a safe and sustainable way if you need to take time off work.

Regardless of whether you disclose your mental illness to your manager or not, it is important to seek help from your family doctor or other health provider, who can arrange for suitable treatment if needed.

Free and confidential counselling is also available through the Adviser to Staff or the Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

Email: weg@anu.edu.au