Page Contents

How Might Psychiatric or Mental Health Conditions Affect Work Performance?

Psychiatric or mental health conditions may interfere with an individual’s ability to function at work, or they may have no effect at all. If  psychiatric or mental health condition is affecting someone’s ability to do things, such as concentrating or communicating effectively, they’re probably aware of it. Then again, the individual may not have made the connection between their disability and their problems functioning.

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), an employer only needs to provide accommodations for limitations that can be directly connected to a disability or the work limitations related to the condition. Employees seeking accommodations should be prepared to document the types of functional limitations caused by their disability to show their need for accommodations, as they and the professionals working with them are in the best position to describe their specific functional limitations that are specific to them.

This page provides some examples of limitations that someone with a psychiatric or mental health disability might experience in the workplace, as well as some potential accommodations. For more comprehensive resources, we recommend the following resources:

    Functional Limitations in a Work Environment

    While some accommodations needed by those with physical disabilities can be easy to see (a taller desk to fit a wheelchair, large print materials for a visual impairment) functional limitations for those with psychiatric or mental health conditions are not always immediately obvious to either the individual or their employer. They are also varied and unique; not all individuals with the same conditions will experience the same functional limitations, and there are too many potential functional limitations to list here.

    The following is a list of some of the activities that people with psychiatric conditions may have trouble doing:

    Sustaining concentration – restlessness, shortened attention span, easily distracted, trouble remembering verbal directions

    • Example: An employee/student may have trouble focusing on one task for extended periods.
    • Possible solutions: Break large projects into smaller tasks, allow brief but more frequent breaks to stretch, walk around, get fresh air, assign tasks one at a time, refer student to a tutor to help with study skills and information retention.

    Maintaining stamina – having energy to work or be on campus for a full day, combating drowsiness due to medications

    • Example: An employee may not be able to work a full 8-hour day.
    • Possible solutions: Part-time hours; remote work with flexible scheduling; rest breaks in middle of day; job sharing.

    Handling time pressures and multiple tasks – managing assignments & meeting deadlines, prioritizing tasks

    • Example: An employee/student may not know how to decide which tasks should be done first, or be able to complete tasks by the due date.
    • Possible solutions: Break larger projects down into manageable tasks, meet regularly to help the employee to prioritize tasks or to estimate time to complete project.

    Responding to negative feedback – understanding and interpreting criticism, knowing what to do to improve, initiating changes because of low self esteem

    • Example: An employee may not seem to understand the feedback given, or becomes upset when criticism is delivered.
    • Possible solutions: Arrange a meeting with the job coach and employee to facilitate feedback, use a feedback loop (ask employee’s perspective of performance, describe both strengths and weaknesses, suggest specific ways to improve), give employee the chance to read written feedback privately, and then discuss.

    Responding to change – coping with unexpected changes in work, such as changes in the rules, job duties, supervisors or coworkers

    • Example: An employee may take longer to learn new routines, or feel stressed when new supervisors or coworkers start work.
    • Possible solutions: Prepare employee for changes that will be happening, explain new rules or duties, make a special effort to introduce new staff to employee and orient new supervisors to employee’s needs.

    Screening out environmental stimuli – an inability to block out sounds, sights, or odors which interfere with focusing on tasks

    • Example: an employee may not be able to work next to a noisy printer or in a high traffic area.
    • Possible solutions: Move printer away from work area, allow employee to wear headphones playing soft music, install high partitions around desk.

    Some research findings on types of functional limitations

    One study conducted by the Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation on Reasonable Workplace Accommodations for people with psychiatric conditions found that the most common functional limitations for employees who were receiving supported employment services included:

    • Interacting with others – interviewing for the job, describing strengths and weaknesses, clarifying instructions, asking for help, starting conversations with coworkers
    • Learning the job – remembering the routine, following instructions, learning new tasks
    • Maintaining work stamina/pace – working 3 hours without breaks, standing for long periods, taking scheduled breaks, completing tasks in allotted times, managing time
    • Managing symptoms/tolerating stress – relaxing, recognizing stressors, managing negative feelings, managing internal distractions

    These functional limitations were accommodated in a variety of ways. Supported employment service providers were often very helpful to employers in identifying the limitations and suggesting effective accommodations.

    Why do I need to know about functional limitations? 

    The ADA states that employers only need to provide accommodations to the known mental or physical limitations of someone with a disability that can be attributed to that disability. Employers are not required to accommodate limitations due to other characteristics, such as poor literacy skills (that are not due to learning disabilities), low educational levels or lack of credentials. They can ask the employee or a professional to document the types of functional limitations due to the disability that lead to the need for accommodations for that person.

    Mental Health/Psychiatric Disability Accommodations on the Job

    The following are examples of types of accommodations that may be helpful to a person with a psychiatric or mental health condition. Each work situation must be considered on an individual basis to determine the best accommodation that does not pose undue hardship on the employer. In addition, accommodations cannot be imposed on an employee but must be requested and agreed to.

    • Restructure job tasks – reassign work tasks to better suit the person’s skills and abilities; divide larger assignments into smaller tasks
    • Adjust work schedules – provide time off for medical or psychiatric appointments, adjust starting time because of morning drowsiness due to medications
    • Flexible leave – enable use of sick leave for mental health reasons, extend leave without pay due to hospitalization
    • Provide written documentation – use e-mail to deliver daily instructions
    • Modify work sites – install wall partitions around workstation to minimize distractions, or provide quiet workspace
    • Provide accommodations in transportation or parking – assign parking space closer to building to manage symptoms relate to anxiety
    • Provide human assistance –provide job coach, mentor, or work buddies for guidance and support

    Additional accommodations that may be helpful:

    • Using a Job coach assistance in hiring
      • help to arrange the interview
      • help in completing job applications
      • help before or during an interview
    • Using a Job coach for support on the job
      • enable on site support or training in job tasks
    • Provide flexible scheduling
      • allow changes in the start or end of the workday hours
      • provide flexible part-time hours
      • allow more frequent breaks
      • permit sick leave for mental health reasons
    • Changes in supervision
      • provide extra supervision hours
      • involve a job coach in supervision meetings
      • modify the way feedback and instructions are given
    • Changes in training
      • allow extra time to learn job tasks
      • provide more assistance in orientation to job and tasks

    The US Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy provides information about maximizing productivity and accommodating individuals with psychiatric conditions in the workplace. While not all employees need accommodations, individualized accommodations in consultation with the employee are the most beneficial.

    Find those materials here.

    • Workbook
      Self-Directed Skill Lessons: Skills for Working with Supervisors/Teachers

      Workbook designed to assist a person in developing their own skills. Skill modules include Assessing Task Performance; Reporting Progress; Sharing Self-Evaluations; Requesting Feedback; Responding to Feedback; Recognizing Support Needs; Disclosing Disability; and Evaluating Accommodations.

      Learn More
    • Workbook
      Self-Directed Skill Lessons: Skills for Working Together

      Workbook designed to assist a person in developing their own skills. Skill modules include Scheduling Activities; Coordinating Schedules; Dividing Work Responsibilities; Requesting Assistance; Offering Assistance; Volunteering for Tasks; Giving Feedback; and Respecting Others’ Space.

      Learn More
    • Workbook
      Self-Directed Skill Lessons: Skills for Difficult Situations

      Workbook designed to assist a person in developing their own skills. Skill modules include Paraphrasing; Recognizing Conflict Situations; Evaluating Frustration Level; Disagreeing; Negotiating; Refusing Requests; Apologizing; and Forgiving.

      Learn More
    • Podcast Video
      Mental Health Problems that Interfere with Work

      With guest Joe Marrone AMAs are not presentations but rather hour-long interactive question & answer webinars with an expert in employment. Regardless of whether you are a person living with a mental health condition, a family member, an administrator of a service, a provider, or a researcher, people from anywhere get answers to their questions. […]

      Learn More
    • Podcast
      Coping with Mental Health Problems that Interfere with Work

      Dr. Kim Mueser address questions about mental health conditions interfering with work in this informal Q&A-style webinar from 2015.

      Learn More

    Related Resources