Revealing the costs and consequences of hidden mental illness : … and ways of reducing its impact on the employee and employer

Purpose – This paper aims to describe how performance management may inadvertently expose employees with a hidden mental illness to disciplinary procedures. Design/methodology/approach – It outlines how to manage possible cases of hidden mental illness to ensure HR specialists are providing valuable resources in this area, rather than pursuing a performance-management plan that may be inappropriate and/or ineffectual. Findings – It highlights the importance of putting into place policies to deal with the high numbers of employees who make the conscious choice to keep their mental disorder hidden. Practical implications – It explains that stigma and shame will often cause employees to remain silent about such illnesses, but when the symptoms of hidden mental disorders affect attendance and/or performance, the organization can consider adopting policies to deal with this area rather than ignoring it. Social implications – It reveals that, on average, 20 per cent of employees attend work in any calendar year with a common mental illness. Originality/value – It provides useful guidance on dealing with mental illness, which is often hidden.