Telling managers about your mental health

IF you want to tell your manager about your mental health problem, it can be hard to know where to start.
To make the process easier, you could try the following suggestions:

•  ARRANGE to talk to your manager privately.
  This could be during a regular catch-up, or by requesting a one-to-one meeting.
  Think about what you’d like to say in advance.
  Write up some notes and bring them with you when you meet your manager;
• CREATE a wellness action plan beforehand. This helps you think about your support needs and what keeps you well at work; and,
•  ASKING for changes at work to help you stay well and work effectively. You might need to change something about your environment or the way you
  work.

You can make some changes on your own.
Others, such as reasonable adjustments, will require action or agreement from your employer.
If you have a diagnosed mental health problem, think about what changes would help the difficulties you experience.
Your employer might refer you to an occupational health adviser for advice on how best to support you.

• Next week’s edition: What are reasonable adjustments?