Mental Health in the workplace

A talk I did at the MODX meetup in Leeuwarden

Transcript

1. Mental health in the workplace MODX meetup, Leeuwarden
2. Skoop in short • PHP developer since the days of PHP 3 (over 20 years now) • Open source contributions: phpBB, Zend Framework, Symfony, etc • Usergroups and conferences: phpGG, PHPBenelux, PHPAmersfoort, PHP.FRL • My own company: Ingewikkeld • My own event: WeCamp • I suffer from depressions
3. Disclaimer: This is the first time I do this one
4. Introduction into mental health
5. What is mental health?
6. Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood. -- www.mentalhealth.gov
7. Mental health is defined as a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community. -- www.who.int
8. Mental health statistics • 1 in 5 people struggle with their mental health (MHFA NL, 2016) • 1 in 4 people struggle with their mental health (NAMH, 2013) • 1 in 2 people in tech have sought treatment (Finkler, 2015)
9. Types of mental illness • Generalized anxiety disorder • Depression • Bipolar disorder • Psychosis / Schizophrenia • PTSD • Obsessive compulsive disorder • Borderline personality disorder • Eating disorders • ADHD • Substance abuse disorder • Burnout • Autism spectrum disorders • (and more)
10. How to handle mental illness Photo by-nc 2.0 by Annette Dubois: https://www.flickr.com/photos/73689755@N06/35426175521
12. Get rid of the stigma
13. Get rid of the stigma • Don’t make jokes about mental health • Be careful • Be open
14. In the workplace
15. How do you recognize mental illness?
16. How to recognize mental illness? • Lack of energy • Lack of self-esteem • Quickly irritated • Problems with concentration / focus • Speaking about death • … and so many more
17. How do you handle mental illness of a colleague? With empathy and understanding
18. How to handle mental illness • Create the right environment for everyone • Communication is key • Empathize • Don’t judge
19. Create the right environment for everyone • Make clear agreements on work times, but be flexible • Create an open, welcoming environment • Allow remote work • Listen to feedback • Try to prevent stress • Add structure to the work day / work week • Don’t make “perfect” the norm • Don’t put too much focus on alcohol
20. Communication is key • For managers: make clear agreements on expectations • Talk to each other • Don’t make jokes about: • Mental illness • Sexual preference • Looks • Other personal traits
21. Empathize • Try to understand your colleague • Try to understand their needs • Even if you don’t understand, listen to their feedback
22. Don’t judge • Try to never judge • You don’t know what is going on in another person’s head • Being judged may make it worse
23. How you do handle your own mental illness?
24. https://www.113.nl/
25. Your own mental illness • Communication is key • Structure • Know your boundaries • Find help within the workplace • Find help outside of your workplace • Know your rights
26. Practical Steps
27. Train your people • Each company should have a first aid responder for physical injuries and illnesses • Why not train at least one person in your company as a first aid responder for mental illness and mental crises? • Mental Health First Aid: https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/ • The Netherlands: https://mhfa.nl/
28. Read the books • Guidelines for Mental Wellness in the Workplace • Guidelines for Executives and HR professionals • Guidelines for Employees • https://osmihelp.org/resources
29. More to check out • Nara Kasbergen – Empathy As A Service: https://youtu.be/5nq9aqe6vSw • Open Sourcing Mental Illness Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBF9RcJ2o56UYO3kBqdKlHg
30. This will benefit not just those with mental illness
31. This will benefit everyone in the company
32. Important note
33. Do you recognize yourself? • Talk to me after this talk • Seek professional help
34. Questions?