Questions about returning to work

Usually the only change to your income is an increase. Any change to your benefit will depend on the work you choose. We work closely with Work and Income and ACC and it’s our job to make sure you have all the information to support you through this process.

It can be quite daunting returning to work when you’ve taken time off to improve your mental health. But you don’t have to apologise or justify being away, any more than you would if you were recovering from an accident or operation.

In the midst of a mental health crisis, people sometimes say or do things they wouldn’t otherwise say or do. If this has happened, then you may feel the need to rebuild relationships. But, very often, your colleagues will just be glad to see you back at work, and you should try to accept that.

People are more likely to have been busy with their own lives and work, rather than preoccupied with why you have been off sick or what led up to it.

The law says you have a right not to be discriminated against in employment on grounds of race, gender, age, religion or belief, sexual orientation or mental health issue.

The law requires employers not to treat employees or applicants with experience of mental illness less favourably than other people.

Employers must make ‘reasonable adjustments’; in other words take reasonable steps to change work environments or arrangements that put a person with mental  health issues  at a substantial disadvantage. The law applies to training, promotion and recruitment, and outlaws victimisation of people bringing complaints.

You can ask for adjustments at the point when you need them, even if you did not volunteer information about your mental health problems earlier. However, if you were asked directly about your health record when you applied for a job, concealing information could be grounds for dismissal.

If you are worried about your mental health, or other people are expressing concerns, you may want to get professional help.

This is not giving in, it’s taking action. If you work for a large organisation, they may have an occupational health service. Someone in the workplace is not only easier to access, but has the advantage of understanding the organisation and being an ally in dealing with your supervisor.

However, if you do not feel secure enough in your job to approach them, or there is no service available, you may want to talk to your GP, a counsellor, or your mental health team. You may need a little time off work; and sickness absence with mental health problems is just as valid as that for any physical health problems.

The things that help promote good mental health are good practice for any employer. Some you may be able to organise for yourself, others might require action, or at least agreement, with your employer.

The key to negotiating with your employer is to think creatively about what will enable you to do your job effectively. Here are some examples:

• using voicemail to take messages (without slowing down the overall response time) if phone calls make you anxious
• a quiet workspace to avoid distractions and aid concentration, or being able to work from home
• changing your supervisor, if another would be more flexible
• restructuring a job or temporarily reallocating some of the duties (for example, ‘frontline’ work)
• using email when face-to-face contact is too stressful
• flexible hours to accommodate therapy, medical appointments, rush-hour pressures or the morning drowsiness associated with some medicines
• on-the-job support, or permission for a support person to come in or to be contacted during work hours
• permission to take time out when distressed: this could just be a few minutes away from your workstation, going out for some air or having a short rest
• a workstation by a window, if you have seasonal affective disorder.

You are the best judge of what is going to be most useful for you. Ask someone involved in your care, or your Workwise employment consultant, to help you think through the possibilities. You can also ask them to provide support when you talk to your employer.

• Keep in touch with colleagues on a social basis.
• Ask to be on the mailing list for any staff bulletins or in-house magazines so that you can keep up with developments in your workplace or industry.
• Drop into work before starting back to say hello to colleagues and re-familiarise yourself.
• Ask if you could have a gradual build-up to full hours (just as you might expect after breaking a leg or a major operation).
• Ask your employer to consider short-term (or even permanent) changes to your job or hours, if you feel this is what you need.