Elmo May Show Employers How To Get To A Better Work Place

Elmo? Yes, Elmo. As in the little, red furry monster of “Elmo’s World” on the PBS show, “Sesame Street.”

Recently, Elmo became Twitter (OK, X) famous. Or more famous than usual.

You see, I read that Elmo asked his X followers: “Elmo is just checking in! How is everybody doing?”

Elmo received thousands of responses detailing reasons for anxiety and depression, pouring out fears, and bemoaning recent layoffs.

Elmo was shook!

So, once these responses reached five figures, Elmo posted this follow-up:

Wow! Elmo is glad he asked!

Elmo learned it is important to ask a friend how they are doing.

What Does Elmo’s Latest X Post Have To Do With Employment?

A lot, actually.

It is important, too, to ask coworkers, direct reports, and other employees how they are doing.

Supervisors, managers, and team leads, talk with your staff and teams about mental health. Check in with employees, those in the workplace and those working from home.

(An employee who is out of sight should not be out of mind.)

Doing so creates a safe space for workers to air their concerns.

Indeed, authentic communication destigmatizes the whole idea of mental health as a “problem,” reframes it as a workplace discussion, and presents an opportunity for creative and even innovative ways for people to work together.

The U.S. Department of Labor seemed to think so too:

Inspiring message, @elmo! Just like you, @USDOL is dedicated to supporting emotional well-being for workers and their families. Here are valuable resources that can make a difference: http://dol.gov/mentalhealth

I could not love this more.

What To Do If An Employee Check-In Implicates The Americans With Disabilities Act?

While employees may not pour out their hearts and souls to their manager, checking in does open the door to the possibility requests a reasonable accommodation for a mental illness.

And it might not. An employer can encourage a real and honest conversation without getting too personal.

Indeed, employers must be mindful to respect an employee’s privacy concerning mental health issues if an employee does not want to talk or disclose a mental illness.

But if the employer learns about an employee’s previously undisclosed mental health issue, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and other state and local laws, impose certain obligations upon employers.

Photo by Jason Moyer on Unsplash

If the employee requests an accommodation in the way that person does their job, the ADA requires an employer to engage in an interactive process with an employee to determine reasonable accommodations that help an employee with a physical or mental health impairment perform the essential functions of the person’s job.

And what is an interactive process?

Why, it’s just a talk.

The point of the interactive process is for the employer to gain an understanding of how a mental disability affects the employee’s ability to do the job and whether an employee requires an accommodation.

And there are so many accommodations available for invisible disabilities!

The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) provides an extensive list of accommodations for employees who suffer with mental health disorders including flexible scheduling, additional time to learn new tasks, time off for counseling, frequent breaks, and backup coverage.

Employers must also document their efforts to assist the employee, including documenting any determination not to provide an accommodation because of an undue burden.

What Employers Want To Know

Ask your employees how they are, and listen to their response.

Like Elmo was, you will be glad you asked!