Young Workers' Responses to Mental Ill-Health in the Workplace

Young adults between the ages of 18 and 25 have the highest prevalence of mental ill-health in North America, which typically coincides with their career launches (National Institute of Mental Health, 2023; Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2023). Mental ill-health represents a state of severe functional impairment in everyday life, where an individual may qualify for a clinical diagnosis and their ability to work may be impacted (Kelloway et al., 2023; Keyes, 2002). The purpose of this research was to explore how young workers, at the beginning of their careers, describe their experiences with mental ill-health at work, how they respond to those challenges, and what that means for their work. Fifteen participants who self-identified as having mental ill-health in the workplace, either post-graduation or approaching graduation, were interviewed using a semi- structured protocol. Using reflexive thematic analysis, I identified four key themes. Most participants' mental ill-health tipping point stemmed from internal, external, and work-related factors. Participants had diverse decision-making processes for responding to mental ill-health at work, with most choosing to stay despite their mental health challenges. Notably, all participants — whether they stayed, quit, or took a leave of absence —reported mental health improvements attributed to learning to transition into the workforce, mitigate harmful workplace stressors, and cultivate realistic workplace expectations.