A Smooth Transition: Supporting workers’ mental health during and after a disability leave
Taking a leave of absence due to disability may be taxing on an employee’s mental health, both while they are out of work and as they strive to get acclimated back into their role. Administering disability leave isn’t just about completing paperwork and awaiting the employee’s return; it can be important that employers put their focus on fostering a safe and supportive environment for colleagues during challenging times in their lives.
A recent webinar provided a closer look into the current state of mental health trends, the disability leave journey, and strategies for facilitating a smooth return-to-work process. Guardian colleagues Dan Whelan, MSW, LCSW, Clinical Consultant for Disability Clinical and Vocational Services; and Kathleen Hotchkiss-Wagner, Sr. Vocational Rehabilitation Consultant, provided valuable guidance on how to help ensure that employees feel emotionally supported when facing disability leave and equipped to succeed in both the workplace and their personal lives.
The current state of mental health among US workers
The current state of mental health has gone from a concern to a crisis. Over 57% of webinar attendees shared that in the past four years, the overall mental health of their organization’s workforce has worsened. Their perception is reflective of what employees are sharing, as self-reported mental health has declined. In 2020, 45% of employees self-reported their mental wellness as “excellent/very good” compared to only 36% in 2024.1 This downward slope may be detrimental to employers, as mental health conditions in the workplace not only negatively impact their employees but also the bottom line, through mental health claim costs and workdays lost due to mental health issues. In fact, mental health-related STD claims have increased by 40% in the past five years.2
The disability claim journey
A mental health disorder involves a clinically significant disturbance in a person's cognition, emotional regulation, or behavior.3 Such conditions are often associated with significant distress in an individual’s social, occupational, or other important activities.4
The most common mental health conditions that may result in disability are major depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, substance use, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These conditions can significantly interfere with an individual’s ability to thrive, both in the workforce and in their personal lives, which may result in them requesting a leave of absence from work.
Once an employee is out of work for six months or more, their likelihood of returning to work drops significantly. With this in mind, it can be important that employers are thoughtful with the steps they take to help guide the employee’s transition from diagnosis to successful return to work.
Improving the return-to-work process
Less than 29% of webinar attendees shared that they feel their organization is “well/very well prepared” to successfully manage the return-to-work process for mental health-related disability claims. Fortunately, Whelan and Hotchkiss-Wagner provided many practical strategies for workforce accommodations, including:
Increased check-ins with manager
Self-care breaks, such as exercise, meditation, and telehealth appointments
Flexible work hours
Work environment modifications, such as remote work or a private workspace
Modified job duties, such as refresh training and slowly increasing responsibilities
Employee involvement in the return-to-work plan is also important to consider. Management may wish to encourage employees to:
Practice stress management and coping strategies prior to returning to work
Set reminders to step away from their workstation throughout the day
Schedule self-care outside of work to promote work-life balance
Set boundaries on their work hours and taking on too many tasks
It’s important to remember that accommodation needs can vary based on an employee's diagnosis, job duties, work environment, or return-to-work plan, so accommodations should be modified based on an employee’s specific situation.
Key takeaways
Employers should strive to make workforce mental health a priority and expand resources for employees. What do the next steps look like? Employers are encouraged to:
Evaluate current disability and mental wellness benefits to identify if they’re effectively addressing workforce health/productivity and where improvement may be needed
Identify ways to help manage mental health-related absences
Reduce incidence and duration of mental health-related disability claims
Improve stay-at-work/return-to-work efforts
Offer access to vocational rehabilitation services and accommodations
Align leadership, corporate culture, and policies to destigmatize the need for mental health support
Improving sources of mental health support for employees experiencing disability leave may be the key to better well-being for both the employee and the organization.
Learn more
Ready to facilitate a smooth transition back to work? Check out the full webinar to explore strategies for supporting workers’ mental health during and after a disability leave in greater depth.