Forbes India – A Roadmap For CEOs To Create An Inclusive Workplace For People With Mental Illness

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Mental illness is one of the most important challenges we face as a collective, and it also points to a substantial opportunity for us to do our best. The pandemic has shown us that mental health conditions can affect everyone. Perhaps this understanding has had a domino effect on our acceptance of mental illness.

Last year, LiveLoveLaugh’s (LLL) Mental health The study (How India Perceives Mental Health – 2021) revealed that 92 percent of people would not only seek treatment for themselves, but also support a person seeking treatment for a mental illness. If this openness to treatment was moving, equally important was the change in public perception of people with mental illness, with 65 percent of respondents believing people with mental illness can find gainful employment and lead stable lives. and healthy, double the 32 percent in 2018. Unfortunately, while awareness of mental health is higher than ever, as is openness to discuss issues related to mental illness, systemic change continues to lag.

This resistance is no more apparent than in workplaces, where even with the promotion of diversity and inclusion, mental health problems they still face prejudice fueled by misinformation and stigma. Companies must address the problem, but who will take responsibility for the solution? There is only one answer.

Organizations are often faceless, intangible entities recognizable only by legal and financial systems. Following the construction model of the Industrial Revolution, regardless of the sector, companies are designed for efficiency, quality and precision. There is limited scope, if any, to acknowledge subjectivity, uncertainty, and individual uniqueness. This situation needs emotional intelligence and a change in mindset and culture, all of which require the support of a company’s leadership.

Companies are shaped by their leaders, so CEOs must take responsibility for ensuring that their employees feel supported and understood, not in spite of their vulnerability to mental health conditions, but because of it. The reality is that organizations, especially in the Indian context, continue to be hierarchical systems that operate with a top-down approach. This emphasizes the CEO’s key role in creating a workplace capable of accommodating and managing mental illness as it would any other unique aspect of an employee’s profile. Here are some steps CEOs can take to provide a safe and secure environment. inclusive workplace for your employees:

1) Lead by example – Much of the vulnerability and authenticity is in leading by example. CEOs are human too, after all, and should take every opportunity to not only accept, but welcome vulnerability and openness. The first step would be for CEOs to be open about their struggles and challenges, if any, showing their humanity rather than hiding behind a veneer of perfection.

2) Offer support in case of crisis – Mental illness can affect anyone, which is why it is essential to have a support system that employees can turn to in times of crisis. Different people may face different challenges depending on their circumstances and stage of life. A comprehensive support system can be invaluable in helping them cope while they find ways to balance work, recovery, and other priorities. Companies should offer support across the organization and educate employees on how they can access services such as financial aid, peer groups, specialized vendors, and any other help they may need.

3) Establish an inclusive performance appraisal system – For action to be meaningful, it must have meaningful consequences. CEOs must develop performance review systems that take into account the specific needs of people with mental illness without hindering their growth. De-stigmatizing mental illness, offering time off for recovery, ensuring these often marginalized groups have a voice, and creating checks and balances to verify the fairness and integrity of assessment processes are some of the ways CEOs can build a fair system. Additionally, diversity and inclusion initiatives must address employee growth and development if they are to be taken seriously and make a real difference.

4) Model empathy and understanding – From a cultural point of view, the most critical change is in mindset and behavior. there has to be a zero tolerance policy for insensitive or discriminatory behavior towards people with mental illness. Additionally, CEOs must have a clear vision of an inclusive organization and do everything in their power to minimize, if not eliminate, toxic behaviors in the workplace. Change will not be instantaneous, but intention and action will support gradual progress.

As leaders responsible for shaping the direction of companies, CEOs wield immense power, and it’s time this authority gave way to a more compassionate, understanding and inclusive way of doing business. Recent years have shown us that we are all connected in suffering and health, and we must act accordingly. We can no longer defend societies, workplaces, or institutions that ignore the needs of their diverse people. That time has passed, and so should the marginalization characterized by discriminatory behavior.

The writer is CEO of LiveLoveLaugh.

The thoughts and opinions shared here are those of the author.