A new study from Simon Fraser University reveals that workplace culture plays a pivotal role in encouraging employees to disclose mental health concerns, highlighting the importance of organizational support.
A recent study by Simon Fraser University has debunked the commonly held belief that organizations have little influence over whether employees disclose mental health concerns. The research emphasizes that workplace culture, not just formal policies, plays a significant role in encouraging employees to come forward about their mental health challenges.
According to the World Health Organization, approximately 15% of adults face mental health issues, and various surveys highlight that 65% of employees believe these concerns impact their job performance.
Yet, many organizations still view disclosure as a personal decision outside their control.
“That’s just not what we saw in the data,” lead author Zhanna Lyubykh, an assistant professor at SFU’s Beedie School of Business, said in a news release. “Organizations can do a lot to help employees disclose. Much of it comes down to employee perceptions of how disclosure is going to be handled, which is absolutely within an organization’s control.”
The study, published in Human Resource Management, revealed that employees were 55% more likely to disclose mental health concerns if they perceived their organization as supportive.
Beyond the fear of discrimination or stigmatization, a supportive workplace environment implies that employees feel genuinely assisted and see tangible benefits from utilizing organizational support programs.
Lyubykh stressed the critical role of social supports — the subtle environmental cues that influence employees’ perception about disclosing mental health concerns.
“People notice things and log them, sometimes consciously and sometimes not,” Lyubykh added.
She emphasized that actions within the workplace, such as the treatment of employees who have disclosed mental health issues and the accessibility of support programs, significantly impact disclosure rates.
The research comprised two survey-based studies.
The first analyzed the gap between employees’ willingness to disclose mental health issues and actual disclosure rates, identifying key influencing factors.
The second investigated the link between organizational support for mental health and various outcomes, such as absenteeism.
The findings indicated that low disclosure rates and negative employee perceptions correlated with higher absenteeism, increased anxiety and decreased productivity. Conversely, a supportive workplace resulted in numerous benefits across the board.
“Competent people don’t want to stay in an unsupportive or toxic environment. Now you have the attrition of high performers on top of other costly problems,” added Lyubykh. “If an organization cares about the bottom line, they should really care about the environment they’re creating, because that’s going to be their competitive advantage.”
Lyubykh urges organizations to adapt existing workplace surveys to include questions about employees’ comfort levels in discussing mental health.
“That will give organizations a solid benchmark, help them track perceptions over time,” she added. “Organizations have the responsibility and power to change things. And change starts at the leadership level.”
Source: Simon Fraser University