Web MD: Tips for Managing Bipolar Disorder at Work. This site hosted by WebMD offers a range of tips for managing bipolar disorder at work and practical suggestions on topics such as: job performance, disclosure, work schedules, leaves of absence and the law. http://www.webmd.com/bipolar-disorder/guide/managing-bipolar-disorder-at-work-job-performance-tips
Free monthly webinars on workplace mental health promotion. Includes an archive of past videos on mental health in the workplace. http://www.bdwellness.com/Support-Tools/Resource-By-Area/Work/ctl/Edit/mid/%22http://www.mentalhealthcommission.ca/English/initiatives/11897/workplace-webinar-series%20%22
Guarding Minds @ Work. A workplace guide to psychological health and safety. Discusses 13 psychosocial factors that impact employees’ psychological responses to work and work conditions. http://www.guardingmindsatwork.ca/
Mental Health Works (MHW). Provides workplace mental health workshops for both employers and employees, teaching skills for responding to challenging situations. http://www.mentalhealthworks.ca/
List of articles and blogs with personal stories and practical advice on employment when living with bipolar disorder. Also features current research into bipolar disorder. http://www.bphope.com/relationships/work-jobs/
Mental Health Commission. The Mental Health Commission of Canada aims to improve the mental health system and attitudes towards mental health. Their website provides information and resources related to: caregiving, diversity, housing and homelessness, law, recovery, and more. http://www.mentalhealthcommission.ca/English/issues/workplace
Mental Health in the Workplace – Video Series. This Working Through It video series portrays ten individuals who have experienced mental health related issues while in the workplace. They offer ideas for coping at work, navigating the disability system, and returning to work successfully.
www.workplacestrategiesformentalhealth.com/wti
Workplace Strategies for Mental Health. This is an extensive website rich with tools and resources for employers, addressing everything from implementation of psychological health and safety management systems, its business advantages, union collaboration, to job-specific workplace strategies and solutions. https://www.workplacestrategiesformentalhealth.com/
Mood Disorders Canada – Workplace Health. An online book by the Mood Disorders Society of Canada that looks at: the downside of unaddressed mental illness in the workplace, presenteeism vs. absenteeism, what employers and small organizations can do to support both the individual and the work environment, and how to implement a program of psychological health and safety in the workplace. http://www.mooddisorderscanada.ca/documents/WorkplaceHealth_En.pdf
Conceal or Reveal: A guide to telling employers about a mental health condition. http://www.kcl.ac.uk/ioppn/depts/hspr/research/ciemh/cmh/CMH-Stigma-Measures/CORAL-DA-Oct13-final.pdf
Mood FX. Monitor your mood on your phone or PC. Mood FX is designed for people with unipolar depression, but may also be of use to people living with bipolar disorder. Includes screens for symptoms of depression and anxiety, and for problems with cognition and work functioning. http://www.moodfx.ca
BP Hope. Find Work That Works For You! This blog post was written by an individual who built a career around the realities of bipolar disorder. Many jobs have constraints and demands which may not necessarily fit with the health challenges of bipolar disorder. According to this post, one solution is to define the main parameters of your job; for example, what type of work you do can make a difference to quality of life. http://www.bphope.com/Item.aspx/526/fast-talk-find-work-that-works-for-you
Tse, S.S., & Walsh A.E. How Does Work Work for People with Bipolar Affective Disorder? Their higher than average level of education and qualities like lateral thinking can make people living with bipolar disorder highly valued workers. These qualities become more useful when bipolar disorder symptoms and episodes are well managed. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11823884
Hale, S. Employment Experiences of People with Bipolar Disorder. This thesis research by CREST.BD member (and occupational therapist) Sandra Hale explored the perspectives of people living with bipolar disorder regarding their employment accomplishments and obstacles, and to understand the adaptive strategies they used to manage both BD and employment. https://circle.ubc.ca/bitstream/handle/2429/38196/ubc_2011_fall_hale_sandra.pdf?sequence=1
Michalak, E.E., Yatham, L.N., Maxwell, V., Hale, S., & Lam, R. The Impact of Bipolar Disorder Upon Work Functioning: A Qualitative Analysis. Written for an academic audience, this paper explores the factors that can make or break a career in people with bipolar disorder. The authors found several things that are critical for a person with bipolar disorder to succeed at work: absence of stigma, ability to disclose one’s condition at work, finding meaning through one’s job, and keeping a routine in all aspects of life (at work and at home). http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1399-5618.2007.00436.x/abstract
Brohan, E., Henderson, C., Wheat, K., Malcolm, E., Clement, S., Barley, E., Slade, M., & Thornicroft, G. Systematic Review of Beliefs, Behaviours and Influencing Factors Associated with Disclosure of a Mental Health Problem in the Workplace. Disclosing a mental illness at work usually comes with repercussions of some kind; however, concealing a mental health condition can be a source of stress, too. This paper, for a healthcare provider audience, gives insights into the complex issues around disclosing, or not disclosing, a health condition at work. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-244X/12/11
Borg, M., Veseth, M., Binder, P.E., & Topor, A. The Role of Work in Recovery from Bipolar Disorders. Whether it is paid or not, an occupational activity may have positive effects for somebody living with bipolar disorder. Work in a supportive, stigma-free environment can be very empowering. Yet work can also be overwhelming. This academic paper looks at the helpful and harmful work-related concerns during recovery. http://qsw.sagepub.com/content/12/3/323.abstract
Tse, S., & Yeats, M. What Helps People with Bipolar Affective Disorder Succeed in Employment: A Grounded Theory Approach. For a person living with bipolar disorder, the path to employment depends on multiple factors. This study, for an academic audience, stresses what is important during early recovery times, for example, a sense of determination and the importance of having a fit between a person’s work occupation and his or her individual needs. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12454350
For Employers
Job Accommodation Network. Accommodation and Compliance Series: Employees with Bipolar Disorder. This document is part of a series to help employers determine effective accommodations and comply with Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This document on bipolar disorder provides information about the condition, ADA information, accommodation ideas and resources. http://askjan.org/media/Bipolar.html
Bipolar UK. Employers’ Guide to Bipolar Disorder and Employment. A downloadable PDF form that can help managers in considering the appropriate techniques and practical strategies to support employees living with bipolar disorder. http://www.bipolaruk.org.uk/leaflet-employers-guide-to-bipolar.html