Job accommodations and workplace mental health-related stigma

What is it about?

This scenario-based study examined whether providing a job accommodation would increase stigmatizing responses towards an employee who was returning to work following a leave of absence for depression or anxiety. The results provided no evidence that the job accommodation described in this study increased stigma. The more important finding was that participants who held stigmatizing attitudes were more likely to find it unfair to work with the returning employee.

Featured Image

Photo by Milad Fakurian on Unsplash

Photo by Milad Fakurian on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Studies examining stigma do not typically consider whether those who hold stigmatizing attitudes also believe that it's unfair to work with colleagues experiencing mental health problems. This is important because perceptions of being treated unfairly is a common source of anger and hostile behavior at work. It is also important to consider whether organizational policies and practices for managing mental ill-health contribute to perceptions of unfair treatment even for employees who do not hold stigmatizing attitudes