Professional in Practice: Stigma Management Strategies of Workers With Concealed Mental Health Conditions

Abstract

Mental health in the workplace is an area of growing global attention. In this study, we examine the stigma management strategies of professionals with concealed mental health conditions. We assess data from 26 interviews with professionals in India who have not disclosed their mental health condition at work. Findings reveal three stigma management strategies: compartmentalizing the “personal” to define the professional, securing the self, and selective relationship building with supportive individuals. These findings speak to conversations about inequality, stigma, and mental health in the workplace, and what it means to be an ideal worker in the Global South and beyond.