Managing and supporting employees with mental ill health

There is a range of support available for employers dealing with promoting equality and mental health issues in Northern Ireland.

Equality Commission

The Equality Commission provides detailed guidance for employers and service providers on issues such as hiring new staff, redundancy, managing absence and flexible working.

In addition, through the Equality Commission's employer training programme, employers can attend training seminars and information sessions on a wide range of equality issues including promoting disability equality in the workplace, managing bullying and harassment and recruiting fairly.

Mental health organisations

There are also a number of mental health organisations in Northern Ireland that can provide advice and help businesses to put reasonable adjustments in place.

These include:

• Action Mental Health
• Disability Action
• MindWise
• Mental Health Foundation
• Inspire
• Aware

Search for other mental health organisations in Northern Ireland.

Government support programmes

The Health and Work Support Branch, which is part of the Department for Communities, provides specialist support programmes to help employers recruit and retain disabled workers.

This support includes Workable (NI), Access to Work (NI) and Condition Management Programme.

Read more on support if you employ someone who is disabled.

Mental health in the workplace webinar

The Labour Relations Agency (LRA) mental health in the workplace webinar will help raise your awareness of mental health, develop your understanding of key issues around mental health and equip you with ways in which you can better manage mental health in the workplace.