Sensitivity

mental health problems at some point in their lifetime, it’s time for managers to treat the issue sensitively and respectfully.

“The Specsavers case threw up the issue of how much knowledge managers have of employees’ wellbeing and disabilities due to depression.”

His advice to managers would be to make sincere inquiries about an employee’s health, get medical evidence as soon as they can and show sensitivity and respect when dealing with mental health issues.

“Phrases such as ‘pull yourself together’ and ‘sort yourself out’ should never be used,” he added.

“Saying things like ‘I’m concerned, can we talk about this?’ and ‘How can we improve things?’ are much more appropriate.

“In other words, it’s not the employees who should ‘pull themselves together’ but the managers.”

For further advice or information on employment law or other legal issues, visit www.millerhendry.co.uk