"Flexibility and Trust" Were Needed for Employees with Chronic Mental Health Issues, Where "Manager's Discretion" Prevails Over the System

"Mental health issues are something to be overcome with 'willpower'"—this atmosphere still lingers in many workplaces. However, in reality, there are many people who work while dealing with chronic depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, and the like, with symptoms coming in waves. So, what is the "most effective support" that workplaces can provide to help them continue to perform well at work?

The answer provided by researchers in the United States (professors of business administration) was surprisingly simple. What is needed is "flexibility" and "trust." Being able to adjust work hours and workload, and not only being "allowed" to take actions for symptom management but also being assumed to be "committed to work," directly connects to continued employment and performance. This study, introduced by Phys.org, concludes as such. Phys.org

How the study collected "voices of the individuals"

The key point here is that the study dealt with a large amount of "narratives" in addition to surveys. Researchers analyzed

• 171 anonymous blog posts

• 781 Reddit posts

• interviews with 59 people working in various industries
  . The subjects were people working while dealing with chronic mental health issues (e.g., major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder). The Reddit posts were limited to "spontaneous narratives" before mid-March 2020 to avoid overlap with the drastic changes in work styles due to COVID-19. Phys.org

The interviews were conducted between 2020 and 2021, covering a wide range of professions including lawyers, professors, musicians, food service workers, engineers, and bus drivers. This means the study is not overly focused on people with specific work styles. Phys.org

Conclusion: "Consideration" is not "special treatment" but "returning discretion"

The study emphasizes that the core of support lies not in "special welfare" but in the **daily management of work operations**. There are days when symptoms are severe and days when they are mild. There are times when adjustments to medication or counseling are necessary. Allowing employees to fine-tune their pace according to these fluctuations—this is "flexibility." And treating these adjustments as self-management for achieving results, rather than as an "excuse to slack off,"—this is "trust." Phys.org

What is important here is that flexibility is not "pampering." The study indicates that the more trust and flexibility there are, the more individuals can attend to their well-being, ultimately enhancing their ability to perform their jobs. Phys.org

Reactions on social media (typical patterns seen in the blogs/Reddit posts analyzed in the study)

The interesting aspect of this study is that it reveals patterns of friction occurring in workplaces from the experiences accumulated in "social media-like spaces" such as blogs and Reddit. Based on the descriptions in the article, it can be inferred that the posts generally exhibited the following "biases in reactions." Phys.org

• "Short withdrawals" can be a lifeline
  Stepping away from the desk during work, taking a short walk, calming down in a quiet place, sometimes shedding tears in a place away from others—these "brief withdrawals" are cited as specific examples in the study. In the context of social media narratives, it tends to be framed as "workplaces where you can't withdraw are doomed" or "being treated as slacking off is the hardest." Phys.org

• Some recover by "deeply immersing" themselves
  Conversely, some people stabilize by deeply engaging in work or gaining energy through conversations with colleagues, moving in a direction of "strengthening involvement." The study treats this as an engagement strategy (the counterpart to withdrawal). On social media, it is characterized by contrasting experiences such as "isolation worsened when working from home" or "just talking to someone helps me recover." Phys.org

• Frustration over the lack of a "universal solution"
  The study names this as **"personalized disengagement and engagement strategies."** In essence, effective self-care varies from person to person. In the context of social media, it is an area where dissatisfaction such as "general mental health techniques don't work for me" or "don't just say 'exercise and sleep'" tends to emerge. Phys.org

• "Lack of understanding from others" causes secondary harm
  For people with mood disorders or anxiety disorders, stress is amplified not only by the symptoms themselves but also by workplace prejudice and misunderstanding. The article clearly points out the "risk of stigma from colleagues." On social media, narratives such as "being treated as lazy," "lowered evaluations," and "it was safer not to say anything" tend to emerge. Phys.org

"Having an EAP is not enough"—the pitfalls of measures

In recent years, companies have introduced EAPs (Employee Assistance Programs), mental wellness apps, and awareness initiatives. While these can be helpful for short-term or transient issues, the article delves deeper, stating that "overall, they are not sufficient." The research findings introduced indicate that even widely implemented EAPs in large companies cannot be said to systematically aid in achieving the goals of individuals, with examples of reduced absenteeism but not reduced job stress, and even increased turnover intentions being mentioned. Phys.org

What can be seen here is the issue that when support leans too much towards "system menus," it does not align with the "freedom to adjust" that individuals need in their daily lives. Even if connected to an EAP, whether the immediate supervisor can say "you can leave early today" or "let's take it easy in the morning"—ultimately, that becomes the bottleneck. The study's conclusion (flexibility and trust) precisely addresses this mismatch. Phys.org

Why is this now a "management issue"?

Mental health is not only an individual issue but also directly linked to organizational productivity. The WHO introduces an estimate that approximately 12 billion workdays are lost annually due to depression and anxiety alone, costing about 1 trillion US dollars. World Health Organization

In the United States, it is estimated that **23.1% (2022 estimate)** of adults experienced "Any Mental Illness" in the past year, making it not an uncommon issue. National Institute of Mental Health

Furthermore, the answer to "what should workplaces provide to be effective" is gradually aligning. The 2025 report by Mind Share Partners shows that work-life balance and flexibility are among the top things employees feel are "helpful." mindsharepartners

The assertion of the Phys.org article (flexibility and trust) aligns with this trend. Phys.org

So what should workplaces do?—Five "operational" prescriptions

To translate the study's suggestions into actionable steps in the field, here are five recommendations.

1. Focus on "results" rather than "time": Allow for mid-day breaks, staggered hours, and variable workloads, and reinforce trust through visible results and progress. Phys.org

2. Institutionalize "small withdrawals": Create pathways for short walks, rest, and cooldowns (ease of taking breaks, quiet spaces, etc.). Phys.org

3. Support the treatment/adjustment period (right after diagnosis): Flexibility is most effective during periods with frequent treatment exploration and appointment adjustments. Phys.org

4. Make "zero stigma" less of a goal and more of a reality: Instead of forcing disclosure, create systems where bias is less likely to affect evaluations and placements (evaluation criteria, interview guides). Phys.org

5. EAP/apps are the "entry point," the main focus is "manager discretion": Don't just line up initiatives; provide authority and learning opportunities for field managers to make adjustments. Phys.org

In conclusion: The best support is to "trust and delegate"

What this Phys.org article highlights is the reality that mental health support does not end with a "catalog of welfare benefits." What individuals with chronic mental health issues need is not a grand system name but the operation that says "you can adjust" in the daily field. And the trust that views these adjustments as "strategies to face work."