John had been employed in his new role for two months. He felt very comfortable with his new manager and team and was performing well. Initially he was anxious about disclosing his mental health condition, but when he did, he found his work colleagues were very supportive. John and his manager discussed the impact of his mental health condition on his work and what workplace solutions could be put in place to support him. John felt very well at that time and felt that no assistance or workplace solutions were required, apart from management understanding if he was feeling stressed.
John managed his mental health condition well for about twelve months. At that point he experienced an increase in symptoms and his attendance at work was affected. John and his manager discussed the changes in performance. John related that he was dealing with serious non-work related issues and had not been taking his medication. His manager offered counselling through their Employee Assistance Program, encouraged John to take his medication and suggested he register with a local Disability Employment Service provider for some extra support. But John felt confident he could deal with this through his existing support network. Despite the support from his manager and his own best efforts, John eventually ended up being hospitalised.
John’s manager visited him at the hospital, assured John his job was still secure and worked with the organisation’s Human Resources team to help him return to work. With agreement from his doctors, they organised a gradual return to work program which allowed his confidence and stamina to build with time. In addition, John was offered the opportunity to use his leave entitlements flexibly to ensure he wasn’t financially stressed through this period, which he was really happy with.
John and his manager also discussed any work issues which contributed to his anxiety. He mentioned he had concentration issues caused by panic attacks from driving to work in peak hour traffic. They negotiated a more flexible work schedule, with John working from home until peak hour passed. He was given a laptop and remote broadband access, so he could access his email and work-related software “on the road” or at home. They set some targets for his work and John arranged client appointments in a way that reduced the amount of traffic and driving he had to contend with. His laptop and remote broadband worked so well, increasing his productivity, that the manager has since offered the whole team this setup.
John successfully came back to work on his graduated duties plan. He continues to take his medication and see his mental health team on his rostered days off. He and his manager continue to meet regularly, openly discussing any work related issues.
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