The challenge of finding a job when there is a mental health problem

Having a job is about forging a new path, always with clear and realistic goals for improvement. Effort, commitment, and enthusiasm are key, although the reality around us presents the toughest challenge and ultimately determines the pace at which we achieve those goals.

Ignorance and misinformation contribute to the stigmatization of people with mental health conditions in society. Finding a job is always a challenge; each person is different, with their own background, experiences, skills, and opinions. But finding a job for someone with mental health problems is even more difficult today. Companies are very reluctant to keep people with these conditions on the payroll, even if they are capable and qualified to continue performing the tasks for which they were hired.

For me, the key elements in a socio-labor integration process are active listening, empathy, always knowing where the limits are and thus avoiding confusing relationships, perseverance and the ability to adapt.

In our case, we work in three phases: onboarding, orientation and on-site training, and evaluation and reporting. During onboarding , the integration support specialist maintains continuous telephone contact with the prospective employee and the professionals involved in the process. Once the employee arrives at the company and we know they will fill one of the vacancies, we involve them in the entire process. Communication with the relevant personnel from the various referral services is essential throughout the process to keep us informed of any changes that may affect the employee's emotional well-being. These changes may require more direct and effective intervention to manage them and ensure all parties are aware. The employee is always an active participant and fully aware of their situation.

During the on-the-job orientation and training phase , the professionals in charge are the job placement support technician and the production technician. The orientation and training process begins from the employee's arrival at the company until the completion of the program. To learn production procedures, on-the-job training must be coordinated with individual and group mentoring sessions held throughout the day. This facilitates the acquisition of transferable skills applicable to any area of life, as well as the technical and professional skills specific to the job. This phase comprises an estimated period of 6 to 18 months, which we consider sufficient time for employees to acquire the necessary skills to enter the mainstream job market.

Finally, in the ongoing evaluation and reporting phase , the worker receives feedback from the on-site professionals and the support technician. This feedback allows workers to understand their involvement and participation throughout the entire process and, therefore, to truly value the actions taken. The Individual Work Plan, as its name suggests, is a work plan that involves coordination among all professionals involved in each process and continuous evaluation of all objectives set by both the worker and the support technician during the integration process.

Personally, I believe that professional success is about being part of a community in whatever way that can be understood. For some, professional success means securing a contract, whether permanent or temporary, while for others, it's about having the ability and opportunity to expand their social network, to see how their peers interact, to meet other people, and to experience other realities (limited environments influence our perception of success). But I see both approaches as professional success.