The 2024 theme for World Mental Health Day, ‘Time to Prioritise Mental Health in the Workplace’, is a powerful reminder of the importance of mental wellbeing at work. While the theme highlights a pressing issue, it overlooks two groups: individuals living with a psychosocial disability and unpaid carers who look after a family member or loved ones. Mental health in the workplace isn’t just a challenge for these groups, it’s a barrier that keeps many excluded from the workforce for long periods, or even entirely.
What is psychosocial disability
The term psychosocial disability is used a lot in the mental health and disability sector, but it’s not a term understood much in the community. A psychosocial disability isn’t just about having a mental health diagnosis. A psychosocial disability happens when someone with a mental health condition encounters obstacles in society that prevent them from having the same opportunities as others. Examples include finding or keeping a job, building and maintaining friendships, managing stress and overwhelming emotions, or handling everyday tasks such as attending appointments and keeping up with paperwork, which can pile up and increase mental distress.
Inclusion is everything
Not everyone with a lived or living experience of mental health challenges has a psychosocial disability, but for those who do, societies failure to accommodate and provide supportive and accessible environments can lead to extreme social isolation and exclusion from everyday community activities. This in turn not only impact their employment opportunities, but it can negatively impact on their physical health, housing options and financial independence.
A sense of place in the community is critical to our wellbeing and mental health. For people living with psychosocial disabilities and their carers, inclusion ensures equal access to opportunities, services, and social networks, helping to break down barriers related to stigma, discrimination, and social exclusion.
What about carer inclusion in the workplace
Reflecting back on the theme for this year’s World Mental Health day; another crucial factor in creating a mentally healthy work environment is carer recognition and inclusivity.
Carers are more than the roles they take on. They are people with their own hopes, dreams, and goals. However, many carers juggle multiple tasks, such as attending appointments, handling emergencies, and providing emotional support. This can make it difficult to keep up with work commitments, and in some cases, prevent them from joining the workforce or pursuing further education and career growth. As a result, carers often miss out on the financial and personal benefits of employment or a career, which in turn affects their mental health and wellbeing.
As we mark World Mental Health Day, let’s broaden the conversation. It’s not just about creating mentally healthy workplaces; it’s about ensuring that everyone has the support they need to participate fully in the workforce.
By promoting and prioritising inclusivity, we can empower communities and individuals to realise their hopes and potential, and their right to achieve them.
Wellways has been formally recognised by Carers Australia as a Carer Inclusive Workplace champion. If you want to know what a carer inclusive workplace should look like, read our article:
What it means to be an inclusive workplace for carers
For more information visit CarerInclusive.com