One In Three Aussies Fear Discussing Mental Health At Work

If you worry about sharing details of your private life with work colleagues, you’re not alone with over one in three people afraid of discussing mental health at work.

New research has found more than half of Australian workers hide some aspects of themselves in their professional life and almost three quarters don’t feel comfortable expressing their vulnerabilities at work.

Thirty-five percent of respondents said they hold back expressing their mental health and wellness, with nearly 74 per cent saying it is a career limiter.

The survey also found one in five Australians hold back from expressing their sexual orientation in the workplace, with two in five believing their organisations could be doing more to create a “belonging” environment.

On the flip side, nearly half of respondents said being themselves at work has positive impact on productivity.

When asked why they hold back elements of themselves in the workplace, over half (57 percent) of the professionals surveyed said they wanted to avoid conflict, while more than a third (35 percent) said they were concerned about how others would react or perceive them.

The research findings have been released to coincide with the launch of #BringYourWholeSelf — a new campaign developed by LinkedIn to encourage Australians to be more open about their values, aspirations and opinions in their professional life.

LinkedIn Australia and New Zealand head of Brand Communications Shiva Kumar is hopeful the campaign would encourage workers to speak their mind.

“Embracing your vulnerabilities at work is becoming increasingly important because not only does it help build trust with your colleagues, it also enables you to establish an authentic connection with your network,” he told Mumbrella.

Creative director at Edelman Australia Jamil Bhatti, the agency behind the campaign, said: “Despite coming a long way in breaking down the stigmas associated with ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, mental health and wellness, LinkedIn’s research proves there is still a great deal more that all Australian professionals could be doing."