This article was previously published by Mindset Mental Health Strategy and is reprinted with permission.
Eight million Canadians reported a disability in 2022, and 39% said it was related to mental health (Statistics Canada, 2024). That’s a significant chunk of the workforce (3.12 million people!) dealing with invisible barriers that can get in the way of doing their best work, and which may need to be communicated in order to be understood.
As many of you probably know firsthand, conversations about workplace accommodations are not always easy. Employees may be hesitant to discuss their needs, for fear of being judged or stigmatized (or even fired, as discussed in this video). Meanwhile, managers are often dealing with pressures from multiple sources – wanting to express care for the employee while also holding them accountable to their work, managing team impressions and functions, and maintaining their own work-life balance… So it’s no wonder that even though both parties share the same goal of being and working, these scenarios can feel tense.
In this insight article, we unpack what managers can do to be more proactive and make the whole process of mental health accommodation better for everyone involved.
Let’s start by challenging some common unhelpful beliefs and reviewing key accommodation rights and obligations.
Common misconceptions about mental health accommodations
Misconception #1: Workers requesting accommodation don’t want to work hard or want special treatment
If an employee with a visual impairment requested a braille reader to do their job, would you question their work ethic or think they were asking for special treatment?
People with a mental health disability simply want to be able to do their job like everyone else. They aren’t broken, there is nothing wrong with them – they simply may be dealing with additional barriers. Your job is to help them overcome those barrier(s) to do their best work.
People are often driven to ask for accommodation because they want to be productive and know the right solution could make a huge difference. When someone comes to you, you should generally assume they’re taking a proactive approach to improve their situation, not taking advantage of you or their employer.
Misconception #2: Employers/managers have to identify solutions all on their own
Often we’ll hear managers share that they feel unsure about what solutions to offer, as they’re not mental health experts. This is a common and natural response – after all, managers are often looked to for answers in other areas of work… Why not this one?
However, managers don’t have to identify solutions alone, and – actually – the accommodation process at its core should be a collaborative effort – primarily between a worker and manager. While an employee brings expertise in their own experience, a manager can be a valuable sounding board and partner to identify solutions – particularly because they know a) the ins and outs of the job and b) which solutions may be easy or feasible to implement right away.
Accommodation is a two-way street, one which employees are legally obligated to participate in.
If at any point either party is struggling to come up with solutions, don’t hesitate to ask for permission to loop in other professionals who may help! These could include HR team members, medical professionals, legal professionals, or union representatives, among others.
Misconception #3: Engaging in a conversation about mental health accommodations means you’re “prying” or asking for a medical history or formal diagnosis
Health is something personal to each of us, and our comfort levels in talking about it will vary from person to person. Some folks will be open books and others would prefer to keep their health information to themselves.
As an employer/manager, there are certainly boundaries here. It’s very rarely acceptable to ask an employee for their diagnosis, specific non-work related causes of the symptoms or the events leading up to the requested accommodation and you should never talk to their doctor without their permission. Most of the time, employers aren’t entitled to the specifics of an employee’s disability or diagnosis – only how it affects their work and need for accommodations. Asking inappropriate questions will make for an extremely uncomfortable interaction (at best) and may even end up in a grievance, human rights complaint, or other legal action (at worst).
To avoid a sense of “prying”, instead focus the conversation on exploring what barriers exist in doing their best work, and how to overcome those barriers.
As part of the exploration, you can ask the employee for verified medical confirmation of the need for accommodation or more information about how their job may be impacted by their disability, or a medical professional’s sign-off to ensure that accommodations will support the employee’s success and safety. This is a common part of many organizations’ accommodation processes.
To do this well, be clear about what you’re asking the medical professional to provide feedback on. Consider providing them with a form or template explaining the employee’s job or position so they understand the job requirements and work environment, and requesting they identify the expected duration of the condition, which tasks will be manageable and safe given the work context, which will be unmanageable, impose barriers or introduce a safety risk, and any solutions or modifications to try out to overcome those barriers.
Misconception #4: You can create a mental health accommodation process and it will work for every situation
An accommodation process or policy can be thought of as a map for what to do and where to go. As you can imagine, a bad map with confusing markers can cause more harm than good (this episode of The Office comes to mind). Proactively get professional help from a lawyer or consultant to create or update your policies.
Further, every accommodation process will take you somewhere entirely different. Treat each situation individually and maintain a flexible mindset. Don’t assume people with the same barriers always require the same solutions—you’ll risk creating friction and frustration.
Misconception #5: Accommodations are onerous and costly
Most accommodations cost little to nothing, and involve very little effort to implement. For example, an accommodation may include modifying duties, providing flexible work hours or purchasing relatively inexpensive new equipment (e.g. noise-cancelling headphones, ergonomic equipment).
But there is a line when it comes to accommodation provisions. Employers are not required to provide accommodations that cause them undue hardship – i.e., if the accommodation is unreasonably costly,, unsafe for anyone in the work environment, or not feasible for the employer (e.g. creating an entirely new or unnecessary position). That said, before claiming undue hardship, all possible accommodations must be explored and exhausted. Employers may benefit from seeking outside advice from a lawyer or consultant to review what’s been done so far and brainstorm additional options.
For many organizations, undue hardship is claimed too quickly, as if it’s being confused with “inconvenience”. Claiming undue hardship is a last resort – not an off-the-bat option.
Misconception #6: If I allow something for one person I’ll have to allow it for everyone
Some managers worry that if they adjust the way work is done for one person, they’ll have to do so for others.
By being clear on accommodation processes with their teams, managers can get ahead of managing the expectations of their teams – this includes explaining who is entitled to an accommodation and what the process looks like.
On the other hand – we might challenge you on this resistance. Adaptations for persons with disabilities have actually led to some amazing inventions that benefit everyone… If an accommodation is easy to implement and doesn’t cause undue hardship and makes everyone’s job easier, why not simply make it part of the way work is done for the whole team?
Misconception #7: You have to provide the perfect accommodation
Imagine an employee shares that, due to a mental health-related disability, they have difficulty focusing with others around, and they request to have their workstation moved to a spacious corner office. While this could be the perfect accommodation, it may not be exactly feasible (maybe that corner office is used as the staff room, or, you know, doesn’t exist). Instead of aiming for perfect, aim for successful. In this case, a successful accommodation could easily be using a pair of noise-cancelling headphones and setting up a room divider.
When accommodation processes go smoothly, it’s good for the worker, less stress on the manager, and can also help the employer retain and attract great staff. It’s a win-win-win.
Tips for navigating mental health accommodation conversations
Choose collaboration over assumption
So often, managers want to be fixers and they jump straight into solution mode, but this can be problematic.
Never assume you know what’s best for someone, even if you’ve read a few articles or know someone else with the same diagnosis. If the person feels like they are not being heard or are being stereotyped, they may shut down or become defensive, and – ultimately – delay receiving the support they need.
This conversation doesn’t have to be so serious, and you don’t have to have all the answers—that’s what brainstorming is for. The best thing you can do to support someone is to listen and help them consider all the possible solutions that could work.
Lead the conversation by asking thoughtful questions (What do you need? How can I help? How can we make this work?), but let them be the expert on their abilities and barriers. Avoid saying “no” to their ideas right away (even if they seem out there) and instead take on a spirit of experimentation. Speaking of which…
Embrace experimentation
Many folks who are seeking accommodation may be doing so because their health status has changed or caused new barriers in their work. They may struggle to know which exact solutions are going to help. Expect the mental health accommodation process to be ongoing and involve some trial and error. Don’t be afraid to explore different options.
If your collaborative brainstorming session identifies five ideas, try the ones that are easiest to implement first, and if concerns arise, explore them. Work your way through the ideas and loop in others as needed.
Don’t worry about finding something that will last forever because the person’s needs may change. If you hit a wall, acknowledge it (This isn’t working anymore. What else can we try?).
Focus on the solution, not the disability
It’s easy for managers and people-leaders to get hung up on the wrong things. Focusing overly on what an employee can or cannot do isn’t helpful, and neither is trying to overhaul the barrier they are dealing with. Both approaches can overcomplicate things.
Make things more straightforward by focusing on the solution.
Start by asking these three questions:
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What gets in the way of getting your tasks done?
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What’s worked for you in the past?
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What do you think will work for you this time?
These questions also work well as reflection prompts to help anyone – including managers and leaders – prepare to request accommodation. Just because a manager is often involved in providing accommodations, doesn’t mean they can’t request them for themselves…(but you knew that already, right?)
If someone can articulate these answers, and maybe even explain why the solution worked for them, it can help everyone get on the same page and get closer to a successful accommodation.
Proactive strategies for smooth mental health accommodations
There are many things managers can do proactively – before you even need to support a mental health accommodation – to help ensure accommodation processes go smoothly.
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Reflect on your own personal biases when it comes to mental health disability
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Learn about the accommodation policies or processes in place at your work
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Educate your team about the accommodation process available to them
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Sanction disrespectful workplace behaviours
We hear most concern around that last one – as it can involve addressing gossip or disrespectful behaviour. If the idea of this makes you want to break into a cold sweat, lean into that discomfort and use this script as a jumping-off point to talk to your team:
“There may be times when someone on our team will require accommodation. Their work practices might look different. None of us are entitled to know why a coworker is receiving accommodation, but all of us ARE required to speak respectfully about each other at work.”
Ableism or unhelpful commentary will only persist if you allow it to. It’s never too late to course correct or establish a respectful, inclusive workplace culture.
The bottom line
When it comes to mental health accommodations, fearing failure or avoiding open conversations will only hold you back. Successful accommodations start with building an understanding with the employee that you’re in this together, and that you’re committed to the collaboration and experimentation needed to find solutions.
Authors:
Anna McGregor, O.T. Reg. (MB), Associate Consultant, Mindset Strategy
Allison Kilgour, J.D., B.A., Associate, Taylor McCaffrey LLP
Mitchell Jeffrey, O.T. Reg. (MB), Occupational Therapist, Public Sector