Research-Backed Ways to Support Employees with Chronic Mental Illness

"[My workplace] knows what to do if you first have a crisis: They have somebody to refer you to and they have a program. But ongoing, they really don't know what to do with you."

"Emily Rosado-Solomon is an assistant professor of organizational behavior at Babson College. Her research focuses on mental health challenges and interpersonal connections in the workplace."

"Sherry M. B. Thatcher is the Regal Entertainment Distinguished Professor of Management at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She is a consulting editor of the Sherry M.B. Thatcher Journal of Management and previously served as the editor in chief of the Academy of Management Review."

Employees with chronic mental illness often receive crisis-oriented resources such as referrals and formal programs but lack sustained, day-to-day support. Ongoing needs include individualized accommodations, flexible scheduling, consistent manager understanding, peer support, and integration of mental health into workplace policies. Short-term crisis responses leave employees feeling unsupported and can undermine long-term functioning, productivity, and retention. Effective workplace approaches combine continuous access to mental-health resources, manager training to recognize and respond to chronic conditions, anti-stigma efforts, and structural adjustments that normalize accommodation as part of routine operations. Measurement and evaluation of support programs ensure responsiveness to employee needs and organizational effectiveness.

Read at Harvard Business Review