Navigating the Decision to Disclose Mental Illness in the Workplace: The Role of Leader Motivating Language and Perceived Organizational Support

Abstract

ABSTRACT Mental health disclosure in the workplace has drawn much attention as it comes with multiple benefits such as reducing financial burden, facilitating relationships, and counteracting related stress. Drawing on insights from the disclosure decision-making model, motivating language theory, and organizational support theory, the study presents a model that pictures the underlying mechanisms of the disclosure decision-making process. The findings from a survey of 416 participants suggested that the direction-giving and empathic language strategy can lead to employees’ perceived organizational support. Such perception can help them reduce anticipated negative outcomes when considering disclosure and increase their disclosure efficacy, which in turn increases their disclosure intention.