Reasonable Adjustments

Were you aware that under the Equality Act 2010, poor mental health can actually be considered a disability? If the condition has a ‘substantial adverse effect on the life of an employee’ or hinders their ability to do their job, legally it is considered a disability. As an employer, you have a duty of care and have a responsibility to make reasonable adjustments that any employees may need to reduce the disadvantages faced by their disability, and to help employees to stay in work while recovering from or managing their condition. Some examples might include:

1. Making changes to working hours and patterns, physical environment or working arrangements.

   This might be allowing for flexible shift patterns that prevent burnout, enabling employees to work from somewhere they’re more comfortable in like their own home, or even something simple like ensuring your team are actually taking their breaks and encouraging them to go outside during them.

2. Finding a different way of doing something, such as presenting information in a different format.

   While zoom meetings and phone calls are generally the preferred way to communicate with your team, for some individuals these things can cause severe anxiety. While it’s important to regularly touch base with your employees, consider whether or not it could be an email instead or scheduling meetings in advance with a brief of what the call will be about so they have time to prepare for it.

3. Reviewing the roles and responsibilities of an employee who is struggling

   It may be that the level of responsibility and number of tasks given to an employee is causing or exacerbating an existing mental health condition. You may help by monitoring their deadlines and ensuring they aren’t becoming over-encumbered with tasks or reviewing their responsibilities and removing the more stressful aspects from their role (such as customer interaction or leading a project). In some cases, it may be necessary to move the employee in question to a different role or department altogether.

4. Managerial support

   You may find that regular check ins with employees who struggle with mental illnesses is beneficial, but you can also put the power in their hands too with a wellness action plan. This will allow the both of you to strategise the approaches you’ll take to maintain mental health levels and uncover what kind of support is needed. By devising a wellness action plan with the employee, it will benefit all parties involved because the employee will feel supported by the company, while you will know the signs of poor mental health in them and how to prevent or support them through crisis.

5. Policy changes

   By offering paid time off for employees to attend medical appointments, this will encourage them to actually seek the help they need. While it may become harder for employees to take time off for mental health related issues, you can help any employees who are off due to mental health by instating a gradual return to work to build up to their original hours.

It’s important to note that before carrying out all of these changes, you must have an initial conversation with your staff about what will actually benefit them. You won’t know what they need until they tell you themselves.

Do you think your policies need updating for the modern mental health-centric era? Contact us today.