Qualitative Examination of Mental Health Disclosure in the Workplace
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Disclosure of mental health concerns in the workplace has been shown to benefit those who disclose, and such benefits can lead to a reduction in societal costs. In Canada, it is estimated that 20% of the population will suffer from a mental health issue leading to social and occupational impairments. These impairments may lead to increased absenteeism and presenteesim (i.e., employees present to work despite illness), which cost Canadian employers approximately $6 billion in lost productivity. It has been posited that disclosure of mental health concerns to employers may help reduce societal costs through workplace accommodations, the discovery of informal or formal supports, and/or a reduction in public and self-stigmas. The purpose of the present study was to document the experiences of those in an employment setting who have disclosed a mental health concern, and those who have been disclosed to. Grounded theory methodology and analysis were used to evaluate open-ended interviews with 25 people leaders and employees of a national organization. This analysis led to the discovery of a conceptual model that explained how eight interconnected codes/factors influenced perceptions of disclosure in the workplace. In turn, these perceptions impacted how the act of mental health disclosure was experienced by the discloser and the disclosed to. For instance, perceptions influenced how disclosure was performed, to whom, when it was disclosed, to how many people, and how it was reacted to. Research findings will be used to develop educational campaigns aimed at improving mental health disclosure within employment settings.