When Things Go Wrong

Session 6
 Stage One : Can Employee with disability perform their work? If yes, end of
enquiry, if No, the next three stages follow

Incapacity -
The process Stage Two: To what extent can the Employee perform their work? Medical or
factual enquiry might be required

Stage Three: To what extent can the Employee’s work be adapted to

accommodate the disability. If not possible can the employee’s duties be adapted?
Alternatives short of dismissal must be considered. Take into account “nature of
the job, period of absence, seriousness of injuries/illness and possibility of
securing a temporary replacement”

Stage Four: if adaptation is not possible, the Employer must enquire if suitable
work is available

Standard Bank of South Africa v CCMA 2

Incapacity -
The
What is the extent that should be shown with ‘reasonable accommodation’?

challenges
What do we do with poor performers who offers mental health problems
when confronted – whether during PIP or hearings?

What do we do about persistent absenteeism when we know someone has a

mental illness?
Dealing with Emotions at Work
Sit in pairs:
Person 1 (Manager)
• You feel like you have bent over backwards for your employee with a mental health
condition. Your senior manager is saying the work must be done and you must simply deal
with your staff member. You have talked, referred, adapted the job. But nothing. Some days
you don’t even know what behaviour you will get next from the employee.
• You must again discuss work performance…

Person 2 (Employee)
• Choose any triggering behaviour from the previous slide
• Put on your red carpet Oscar-winning performance
• And challenge, demand and/or refuse to your heart’s content

Then swop
Trigger My emotion Why? Strategy

Victim mentality Disgust I like people who are Create a buddy system
independent. so that I am not always
the ‘go-to’ person

Blaming

Worry/nervousness

Manipulation
Managing negative emotions
“I should know how to do this”
More than 20% of managers have never managed these skills
“I must be a bad leader as there is always conflict, drama, issues – I don’t seem to get to departmental targets”
30-40% of a manager’s daily activities are devoted to dealing with some form of interpersonal conflict
“It’s my job to fix the emotions in the team”
It’s your job to model the behaviour and set the ‘group mood’
“As long as everyone is happy, all is well”
Pervasive happiness is a myth; teams require conflict to grow
“I am responsible for my staff’s mental health”
First your own mental health, before others. Focus on psychological safety.
“If I don’t react now, it will just get worse”
Respond, don’t react
“They should know me by now…”
They know you by your tone, emails and not just prepared meetings
How do we manage ourselves?
 5 things you can see

4 things you can hear

Consciously
work through 3 things you can feel
your 5 senses
by naming
2 things you can smell

1 thing you can taste

 Referral Manager ID skills Prevention & Promotion
Professional counselling Manager referral skills _wellness & mental health
Compassion Assessments Mental Health 1st Aid education
Trauma Accommodation
counselling Re-integration

DEATH.BREAKDOWN.BURNOUT.DISTRESS. COPING THRIVING

What else will help us to help

UCT’s Approach to
you manage mental illness in
-Organisational Design – manage o/load
Developing a
Organisational Culture - Engaging/
“Human
Positive –centric healthy
environment/Reduce stigma
Mental Illness
the workplace? ecosystem”
Leaving exercise

Write down 2 things

you want to change
in your work and/or home life
based on what you learnt.

E.g. As a line manager, I will seek support when

times seem rough.
 Use the
Manage referral
Don’t delay, Get advice and
productivity options
watch refer yourself
stigma AND if necessary
compassion

Get solid
recommendations
and follow
Incapacity,
through
rather than
misconduct

If not succeeding use

HR or get mediation
Thank you for your time and commitment

Any other questions?

Have your expectations been met?

We value your feedback.