A NEW study by mental illness support organisation SANE Australia has found that most Australians with a mental illness receive little support at work, and more than half those surveyed did not believe their manager had an understanding of mental illness and its impact in the workplace.
While more than 60 per cent of respondents reported that their mental illness had not been a barrier to them finding a job, the majority said that no support had been provided to them once they were in work.
Ninety-five per cent of respondents said employers and managers needed education on mental illness, and training on how to manage its effects in the workplace.
‘With one in five Australians experiencing some form of mental illness every year, we are talking about a significant number of people who face difficulties in the workplace,” SANE Australia’s executive director Barbara Hocking said.
SANE Australia said the survey paints a concerning and unsatisfactory picture of Australian workplaces.
Ms Hocking said a lack of flexibility in the workplace meant businesses were losing experienced employees and had to spend time and money investing in new people.
The report tabled information from 520 individuals and revealed that two thirds of respondents had disclosed their illness to their employer or manager.
