Empowering people with mental illness in workplace settings

Mental illness stigma impedes the professional lives of people with mental illness by complicating the working routines of those who are employed, contributing to contract termination and preventing re-employment. Therefore, stigmatizing attitudes among employers and colleagues have been recognized as important aspects to improve employment as well as workplace participation of people with mental illness. However, in addition to such public stigma, self-stigma among employees with mental illness can introduce additional distress contributing to both presenteeism and absenteeism from work. This leads to financial difficulties, reduced well-being and increased psychological distress among employees with mental illness (3) as well as to economic loss for employers.