Mental health at work: Why UAE employees may choose to stay silent

Dubai: We live in an age when conversations about mental health are increasingly part of everyday workplace culture. Terms such as burnout, anxiety, psychological safety and work-life balance have entered the professional vocabulary, while employers are placing greater emphasis on employee wellbeing.

But amid growing encouragement to speak openly, a more personal question remains - How comfortable are employees with revealing their own mental health struggles at work?

For some, the hesitation is not about shame or an unwillingness to seek help. It is the fear that once a diagnosis becomes known, the way colleagues and managers perceive them could change.

Will they still be trusted with demanding assignments? Could they be overlooked for a promotion? Will an ordinary stressful day suddenly be interpreted as a symptom of their condition?

For others, the explanation is simpler -  their mental health is personal, and they would prefer to keep it that way.

When mental health becomes visible at work

Mental health difficulties do not always remain separate from professional life.

An employee experiencing anxiety may struggle with intense physical symptoms before an important meeting. Someone living with depression may find it difficult to concentrate or get through an ordinary working day. Another employee may repeatedly check their work, fearing that even a minor mistake could have serious consequences.

Such experiences can have different causes and do not, on their own, indicate a particular mental health diagnosis. But they illustrate how personal struggles can sometimes affect everyday working life, even when colleagues are unaware of what someone is experiencing.

That raises a difficult question: If an employee is struggling, how can an employer offer support without expecting them to reveal deeply personal information?

For Katrina Spartalis, Counselling Psychologist and Founder of Bloomfield Counselling & Psychology, the distinction between encouraging openness and expecting disclosure is crucial.

"We have made important progress in encouraging people to talk more openly about mental health. But openness should remain an invitation, not become an expectation. Psychological safety should include the safety to speak, but also the safety not to speak."

Why privacy should not be mistaken for shame

According to Spartalis, employees may have many reasons for keeping their mental health private, and it would be wrong to assume that silence automatically reflects stigma.

"An employee may be very comfortable with the fact that they see a therapist, take medication or have a mental health diagnosis, while still feeling that this information belongs to their private life. We generally accept that people are entitled to boundaries around their physical health, relationships and family circumstances. Mental health deserves the same respect," she said.

However, there can also be genuine concerns about how disclosure might influence professional relationships.

"An employee may wonder whether future stress, absence, disagreement or changes in performance will suddenly be interpreted through the lens of their mental health. They may worry that they will be perceived as less resilient or less capable, even when there is no evidence that their mental health is affecting their ability to do their job."

These concerns are not always about outright discrimination. Sometimes, employees fear more subtle changes in how they are treated.

"Someone may worry that they will be seen as fragile, less resilient or less able to cope with pressure. They may fear being checked on excessively, having ordinary emotions interpreted as symptoms, or being overlooked for a demanding project or leadership opportunity because someone believes they are protecting them."

Even well-intentioned behaviour, she suggested, can become problematic when managers begin making assumptions about an employee's capabilities based on personal health information.

Are workplaces confusing openness with an obligation to share?

The growing emphasis on mental health awareness has undoubtedly helped make conversations about psychological wellbeing more acceptable. But Spartalis cautioned against turning that progress into another workplace expectation.

"There has been an important cultural movement towards openness around mental health, and that has helped reduce stigma. But I think we need to be careful that we do not move from 'you are allowed to talk about your mental health' to 'a psychologically healthy person should talk about their mental health.'"

Not everyone processes difficult experiences in the same way. Some employees find comfort in discussing their struggles with colleagues, while others prefer support from family, friends or mental health professionals.

"Neither approach is inherently healthier. An employee can be receiving therapy, taking medication or managing a diagnosis and still decide that this is not part of the professional identity they want to share at work. Privacy is not necessarily secrecy, and it is not necessarily stigma. Sometimes privacy is simply a boundary."

How should a manager approach an employee who is struggling?

For managers, the challenge is recognising when someone may need support without making assumptions about their health.

Sarah Brooks, Managing Director of Fikrah HR, said that if a manager notices changes in an employee's behaviour, attendance or performance, the conversation should take place privately and begin with neutral observations.

Rather than asking about a possible diagnosis, a manager could say: "I've noticed a change and wanted to check whether you're okay," or "I wanted to check how you are and whether there is anything at work we can do to support you."

"The manager should make clear that the employee controls what personal information they share. If the employee does not wish to discuss the matter, that boundary should be respected; the manager can still explain available support, ask whether any work-related issue needs attention and agree to check in again."

Brooks emphasised that managers are not expected to diagnose employees or act as therapists. Their responsibility is to listen, consider practical workplace adjustments and direct employees towards qualified support where appropriate.

A conversation might focus on whether workloads, deadlines or working arrangements are creating difficulties, and what changes could help the employee work more effectively.

By contrast, questions about psychiatric treatment, medication or a specific mental health diagnosis can be intrusive unless the information is legitimately required through an appropriate occupational-health, safety or formal employment process.

Trust is built through actions, not wellbeing policies

For employees who do choose to disclose a condition, the concern may extend beyond the initial conversation.

Sometimes disclosure happens out of necessity, such as when an employee submits a medical certificate or seeks adjustments to their working arrangements.

Brooks said research continues to identify stigma and concerns about career consequences as barriers to disclosure.

"Employees watch what happens after somebody speaks up: whether information remains confidential, whether managers avoid gossip and assumptions, whether performance is assessed fairly, and whether the individual continues to receive opportunities."

This is why workplace culture cannot be measured simply by the number of wellbeing initiatives, awareness campaigns or mental health workshops an organisation offers.

Spartalis explained that culture is also communicated through everyday behaviour - how managers respond when employees are struggling, how colleagues discuss mental health when the person concerned is absent, and whether personal disclosures are treated respectfully.

"For employers, the goal should not be to encourage everyone to disclose. It should be to create a culture in which an employee who does choose to disclose can reasonably expect confidentiality, dignity and fair treatment."

What protections do UAE employees have?

The issue also has a legal dimension in the UAE.

Federal Law No. 10 of 2023 concerning mental health protects the confidentiality of psychiatric patients' information. It also provides safeguards against restricting employment or terminating employment because of a psychiatric disorder, subject to the conditions set out in the law, including the role of a specialised medical committee and applicable legislation.

Ultimately, experts say a supportive workplace is not one where every employee feels compelled to share their mental health history. It is one where employees can seek support without fearing that their personal circumstances will define their professional capabilities.