“Well, Now They Know”: How Mental Illness Identity Management Strategies Influence Leaders’ Responses

Abstract

The high prevalence of mental illnesses and their significant social and economic impact highlight the need for organizations to provide resources to support employee well-being. Given that leaders are key in connecting employees to such resources, understanding their responses to employees with mental health issues is crucial. Using vignettes and semi-structured interviewing, we explored how 15 leaders responded to employees with mental health issues depending on the identity management (IM) strategies they used. Through an inductive approach, we identified the emotional and cognitive processes behind leaders’ intentions to behave in three scenarios: when an employee shows warning signs of mental health issues, when they disclose their condition, and when they cover it up by using a personal problem as an excuse. Our findings show that a strategy that denotes transparency and active coping is more likely to lead to positive interpersonal outcomes and a higher level of social support. However, unintended stigma can turn this support into a double-edged sword, leading to negative professional outcomes. We further identified leaders’ training needs regarding mental health management in the workplace. We conclude by discussing theoretical and practical implications of our findings.

Keywords: disclosure; diversity; identity management; mental illness; stigma