Symptom of Work Illness

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Mental Illness at Work
A Manager’s Guide to Identifying, Managing
and Preventing Psychological Problems in the
Workplace
Mary-Clare Race and Adrian Furnham
Mary-Clare Race and Adrian Furnham, Mental Illness at Work, published 2014 by
Palgrave Mcmillan. Reproduced with permission of Palgrave Macmillan.
246 pages
[@]
Rating
9 Applicability
8 Innovation
6 Style
8
Focus
Leadership & Management
Strategy
Sales & Marketing
Finance
Human Resources
IT, Production & Logistics
Career & Self-Development
Small Business
Economics & Politics
Industries
Global Business
Concepts & Trends
Take-Aways
• Workers who underperform, torpedo projects, cross legal or moral boundaries, or
approach work so carelessly they get fired may be struggling with mental illness.
• Each year, one-quarter of all individuals will experience some mental health challenges.
• Staff members who struggle with mental health issues often hide them from
management.
• Folks with “workaholism” don’t just work too intensely – they have a work addiction.
• Negative work environments can aggravate mental health issues.
• Narcissism (arrogance) and other emotional issues may propel people to the top of the
corporate ladder, but later cause them to fail.
• Some mental issues, such as “attention-seeking,” can help some workers perform better.
• Encourage your staff to let you know when their work pressures become excessive.
• Value healthy behaviors at work. Have staffers take scheduled breaks and
delegate work.
• Practice what you preach: Leave work on time and don’t call employees late at night.
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2. Mental Illness at Work getAbstract © 2015 2 of 5
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Relevancegetabstract
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What You Will Learn
In this summary, you will learn:r1) How to identify different forms of mental illness when they manifest at
work, 2) How managers can work with employees who struggle with mental issues and 3) What work environments
you can create to promote mental health.
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Review
Staff members who underperform, torpedo projects, undermine office morale, violate legal or moral boundaries, or
approach their work so carelessly that they get fired may be struggling with some form of mental illness. Psychologists
Mary-Clare Race and Adrian Furnham help managers spot challenging mental issues and deal with them effectively.
They demystify many mental health diagnoses and offer useful advice about how to work with and manage employees
who have mental health issues. Race and Furnham do tend to describe people by their mental health condition,
though best practice generally calls for using terms like “people with schizophrenia’ rather than “schizophrenics,” to
highlight the affected people’s humanity, not their condition. However, most of the suggestions here are sound and
practical. getAbstract finds the information thorough and very helpful, particularly for managers who are unfamiliar
with mental illness.
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Summarygetabstract
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“One of the difficulties
of defining mental
health, mental illness
and mental disorder
is the challenge of
drawing a clear
distinction between
normal and abnormal
behavior.”
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“At any one time, one
in six adults will be
experiencing a mental
health condition.”
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“What is Mental Illness?”
What behavior is normal and what is abnormal? People define other folks as normal if
they act like them, but no one is flawless and “normal” can cover a wide range of people.
Often, though, you can identify indications of mental health issues that may call for medical
follow-up. These issues can spring from “biological, psychological and social factors.”
The world in which people live, how they think, what they’ve inherited and various
“neurological factors” can prompt “disordered habits, thoughts or drives.” Strong
connections among thoughts, behaviors and a person’s environment affect how doctors treat
mental illness. A mentally well person who lives in an “unhealthy society” may not fit
that society. The definition of normal changes as society evolves. For example, in the past,
mainstream society considered homosexuality abnormal, but no longer.
Common Mental Illnesses
Frequently occurring mental illnesses you might encounter at work include:
• Schizophrenia – This condition, which occurs in one out of 100 people, prompts
“irrational thinking, delusions and hallucinations.” One-third of schizophrenia sufferers
go into remission. Another third has periods of healthy behavior, and one-third requires
“long-term institutionalization.” Men tend to develop schizophrenia “in late adolescence
or in their early 20s.” Women develop it in their “mid-20s to early-30s.” To detect when
staffers might need to be evaluated, watch for changes in their looks and cleanliness,
work habits and personality. Be aware of detached social interactions.
• Stress – How people see, identify and manage pressure affects the stress they feel at
work. Optimists cope more effectively than pessimists. Workers can experience burnout
if they feel excess pressure and if their supervisors and co-workers don’t communicate
well. Workers who face repetitive, stressful tasks without support also can suffer burnout.
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3. Mental Illness at Work getAbstract © 2015 3 of 5
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“Changes in employee
performance and
behaviors can be
linked to any number
of things, from marital
problems to financial
concerns.”
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“All true workaholics
are intense, energetic,
competitive and driven,
but also have strong
self-doubt.”
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“At least one in 10
of us will suffer from
depression at some
point in our working
lives, so this is an
issue that should
be considered by
all managers and
organizations.”
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“A leader who is
obsessed with fantasies
relating to distrust can
set a very distinctive
tone for the strategy,
structure and culture of
an organization.”
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• Depression – This condition manifests in “persistent sadness, gloominess or low mood,”
negativity and a reduced ability to complete daily tasks. People with depression have
difficulty staying employed. One in 10 people experience depression.
• Anxiety disorders – Anxiety can lead to the fear of going out in public (agoraphobia)
or of being in certain social situations. An anxious person may miss work for illness
more often, respond more negatively to pressure, and have trouble with relationships,
management and coping with work issues.
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) – People with PTSD may experience
“flashbacks, nightmares, body memories and frightening thoughts,” including the sense
that a past trauma is happening again. Listen with care to these employees, particularly
if they express concerns about their responsibilities. Ask how you can help. They may
not want to say they need assistance, but don’t give up. Offer kind but prompt feedback.
They may do best with extra time to complete jobs, so sensitize co-workers to their needs.
“Personality Disorders”
Personality disorders lead people to perceive and understand themselves and the world
wrongly, in ways that are “inflexible and pervasive across a broad range of personal and
social situations.” Common work-related personality disorder types include:
• Paranoid – For these occasionally quarrelsome people, the glass is always half-empty.
They may make great managers since they are “alert, careful, observant and tactical,”
but they may struggle with those who manage them.
• Schizoid – These “detached,” private people may prefer to work alone. They may be self-
isolating and find communication difficult. They are not aware of other people’s feelings.
• Schizotypal – These unconventional folks love to be different, but may find “heavy
workloads” stressful. They are creative, but may not manage employees well.
• Antisocial – These people remain as “mischievous” as “adolescents all their life:
careless, irresponsible, hedonistic.” They are smart, charming and attractive, but not great
at being totally truthful or handling details.
• Borderline – These capricious, high-maintenance and impulsive people have emotional
highs and lows, so managers should handle them with care and reassurance. Experts call
them “excitable” and “mercurial,” but they also can be creative and personable.
• Histrionic – These theatrical “drama queens” yearn to be the focus of attention. They
often work well in marketing and training.
• Narcissistic – Egotistical narcissists are always correct and always see others as wrong.
They are confident and appealing, and may excel in sales.
• Avoidant – These folks struggle with being way too careful about making crucial
decisions. They move slowly and thoughtfully. Don’t turn to them for quick action.
• Dependent – This people are dedicated to their work but may have too much neediness
for attention from other people. They delegate well, but don’t lead well. Managers should
offer assistance and encouragement.
• Passive-aggressive – These “leisurely” people are independent and very alert as to
whether a situation is fair. They can be good workers, but easy to offend, though likelier
to sulk than to express their feelings. They are confident and don’t take feedback well.
• Obsessive-compulsive – These sticklers do a good job and may be very loyal
workaholics. They are careful, but not flexible and may be too meticulous.
“Alcohol and Other Addictions”
People suffer a substance dependency issue – whether drugs or alcohol – when they must
increase the amount they use to achieve the same effect; also when they must take the
substance to relieve manifestations of withdrawal symptoms; cannot reduce use; continue
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4. Mental Illness at Work getAbstract © 2015 4 of 5
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“People like us are
normal, while those
different from us are
not.”
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“Socioeconomic
status, gender and
race...have an impact
on abnormality. Women
are more likely to have
anorexia, bulimia or
anxiety disorders than
men, who...are more
likely to be substance
abusers.”
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“Half of all people
appointed to senior
management conditions
will either plateau
below the level they
were expected to reach,
will cause poor moral
and business results
or, worse, widespread
collapse and in extreme
cases will get sacked or
end up in prison.”
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“The good physician
treats the disease but
the great physician
treats the patient who
has the disease.”
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to abuse the substance even when they know it harms them; and engage less with family
and others.
Close to 15 million full-time workers in the US drink heavily. Their alcohol use can affect
how they do their jobs, cause them to be late or tired, and prompt them to steal or damage
equipment. Alcoholism can lead people to make inappropriate decisions, be less efficient,
lower the morale of their colleagues, negatively interact with others, and create the need
for their company to retrain someone else to take their place. Studies show that “alcohol
treatment pays for itself in reduced health care costs...and increased productivity.” Benefits
begin almost immediately after the individual starts an alcohol treatment program.
“Workaholism”
In the American culture, working intensely is often “lauded, praised, expected and even
demanded.” Workaholics come in five variations:
1. “Dyed-in-the-wool” – These folks have a perfectionist side and hate “incompetence.”
They are both loyal and talented, so companies want to hire them.
2. “Converted” – They act like workaholics in order to earn money or status.
3. “Situational” – Their companies demand a heavy workload.
4. “Pseudo-workaholic” – They aren’t as committed as the dyed-in-the-wool workaholic,
but sometimes appear to be workaholics.
5. “Escapist” – They work because they don’t want to go home or engage with others.
Workaholism springs from childhood. Some parents are workaholic role models, while
others push their children to excel and make them fear rejection if they can’t meet escalating
expectations. Many workaholics love their jobs and don’t need or want a rest; they find
vacation planning takes too much time, and fear losing “complete control of their jobs” if
they go away.
Encourage your employees to have a healthy work-life balance. Be open to different
approaches to the workday, such as flextime and part-time options. Offer healthy break
options, such as classes or exercise opportunities. For your employees to thrive, don’t
encourage them to be more diligent and put in more hours. Instead, set the right example. Go
home at a decent time, urge employees to enjoy leisure activities and don’t send nighttime
emails. Activities outside the office help people be more creative at work.
Help your employees prioritize their tasks during the workday. Workaholics feel compelled
to overextend themselves and undertake too many assignments. Should you offer to lighten
their load by moving some of their obligations onto your plate, they will fill that gap with
additional work. It’s tempting, but don’t “take advantage of their addiction” by sending
extra work their way if other employees can’t cope with it.
Leaders can transmit “paranoid, compulsive or depressive” attitudes throughout a whole
company. Executives who worry obsessively about their competitors communicate their
paranoia to the rest of the staff. Such leaders try to control everything and everyone because
they are incapable of trust. The positive side is that the company is likely to be prepared
for challenges.
Companies with an “obsessive-compulsive” culture are detail oriented. They have overly
explicit rules and processes and don’t welcome change. On the other hand, managers who
follow impulsive hunches and jump on a wide variety of projects can make decisions that
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5. Mental Illness at Work getAbstract © 2015 5 of 5
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“It is a good business
decision to take
mental health at work
seriously...It can be
shown to save the
organization money in
the long run.”
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“This means educating
people at work [about]
signs of mental illness
in their colleagues”
and “having a clear
strategy of what to do
when signs are detected
and how to facilitate a
smooth transition back
to work.”
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“Nothing is normal
because nobody is
perfect.”
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lead their companies into unwanted challenges. These leaders have the freedom to make
independent decisions, but those who report to them don’t. Such a focus can re-energize a
company, but it can lead to instability, confusion and unhappiness.
“Work-Induced Mental Illness”
Men can become depressed if they believe their managers leave them out of decision
making and women may become depressed if their managers treat them disrespectfully.
The risk of employee depression increases by 20% to 80% for those in positions that
management doesn’t support well, that lack job security or that are emotionally stressful.
Some positions may help induce mental illness, including working in a nursing home or
in childcare, food service, social work and health care, administrative support, financial
advising, accounting and sales. Artists, entertainers, writers, teachers are at risk. Positions
with a high “rate of suicide” tend to involve physical labor, such as coal miners and fork-
lift operators.
Companies that encourage employee drinking unknowingly put some workers at risk. Be
alert if workers routinely meet clients for martini lunches or if the staff gathers at a nearby
bar after work. Age, stress, being around others who drink or take drugs, family histories and
pressure to be one of the gang may play a role in promoting workers’ misuse of alcohol. For
companies, giving staffers “alcohol treatment pays for itself in reduced health care costs.”
Exposure to trauma also is a factor in mental health. People in professions in which they
might get hurt or killed, or who observe others being harmed – such as “the military, the
police and security personnel...emergency service workers and undertakers” – encounter
events that can trigger mental health issues, including PTSD.
Coping with Crises
Employees with mental health issues may become emotional when they face stress at work.
They may cry, panic or even want to harm themselves or disconnect from reality. Ask them
to suggest what might resolve the situation. “Avoid confrontation, even if they become
agitated.” Allow them to go somewhere private to settle down. These workers may not
necessarily have a mental illness. They may be stressed for other reasons, such as marital
problems or financial woes.
If your employees appear stressed, ask what the trouble is or if you can help by changing
some work situation. They may function better in a more quiet area, for example. If the
quality of their work has changed, they might be ashamed or afraid, or think they are doing
worse than they are.
Don’t assume that a mental illness will prevent workers from performing. Not everyone
adapts well to change. Let people know you want to stay in touch with how they are doing.
If they need time off, act as you would if they were out with a medical condition. Invite
them to visit informally before they officially come back to work.
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Mary-Clare Race is a psychologist focusing on human behavior. Adrian Furnham is the author of more than 80
books and teaches psychology at University College London.
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