Mental Health in the Workplace - The Atlassian Way

TYLER SMITH | WORKPLACE PRODUCTIVITY ANALYST | ATLASSIAN | @TIJOFORHIRE

Hi, I’m Tyler, and I have mental health issues.

INTRODUCING…

25%people in the world who have, are, or will suffer from

mental health issues, according to WHO.

2 billion

500Atlassians

13/20American families

Agenda

My Story

The Atlassian Way

My Team within Atlassian

What can you learn?

Advocate? Advocate.

How can you help?

My Diagnoses

Bipolar Disorder Causes mood changes in a cyclic nature, sometimes for months at a time.

Anxiety Disorder Causes excessive worry about almost everything, can also lead to panic attacks.

SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) Causes heavier drops in mood during winter months.

My Diagnoses

Bipolar Disorder Causes mood changes in a cyclic nature, sometimes for months at a time.

Anxiety Disorder Causes excessive worry about almost everything, can also lead to panic attacks.

SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) Causes heavier drops in mood during winter months.

My Diagnoses

Bipolar Disorder Causes mood changes in a cyclic nature, sometimes for months at a time.

Anxiety Disorder Causes excessive worry about almost everything, can also lead to panic attacks.

SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) Causes heavier drops in mood during winter months.

My Diagnoses

Bipolar Disorder Causes mood changes in a cyclic nature, sometimes for months at a time.

Anxiety Disorder Causes excessive worry about almost everything, can also lead to panic attacks.

SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) Causes heavier drops in mood during winter months.

TWO DAYS IN THE LIFE

Wake up feeling great! No struggle to get out of bed.

Easy to motivate myself. Talking to everyone in the

office.

Easy to hold conversation. No/

Low anxiety.

Creative, motivated, energetic.

Struggle to sleep, 3-4 hours sleep is

not unusual.

Morning Office Life Evening Night

TWO DAYS IN THE LIFE

Struggle to wake up. Tough to

motivate myself out of bed.

Not wanting to talk to people.

Easily frustrated.

Pushing people away. Not holding conversation well.

No motivation, lack of creativity.

Sleep a lot. 10-12 hours is not uncommon.

Morning Office Life Evening Night

Agenda

My Story

The Atlassian Way

My Team within Atlassian

What can you learn?

Advocate? Advocate.

How can you help?

Working for Atlassian. It changed my life.

Let’s talk.

Learning Nothing is too difficult for us

to tackle.

So what is the Atlassian Way?

Support Validation and continuous

presences.

Platform Atlassian gave me the

platform to raise my voice on.

Learning Nothing is too difficult for us

to tackle.

So what is the Atlassian Way?

Support Validation and continuous

presences.

Platform Atlassian gave me the

platform to raise my voice on.

Learning Nothing is too difficult for us

to tackle.

So what is the Atlassian Way?

Support Validation and continuous

presences.

Platform Atlassian gave me the

platform to raise my voice on.

Agenda

My Story

The Atlassian Way

My Team within Atlassian

What can you learn?

Advocate? Advocate.

How can you help?

PLAY, AS A TEAM

We’re all one team in Atlassian, but there’s three for me.

Creating my own pseudo teams in the

office.

I’m alone in Amsterdam. My team are worldwide.

WORKPLACE TECH AMSTERDAM OFFICE

Being anti-social Not wanting to talk to people when a big part of my job is talking to people.

Not GSD Not everything gets done in the normal timeframes - especially if I have a lot on.

Passing things on I can’t always take everything on that people need me to do - I rely on my teammates.

Agenda

My Story

The Atlassian Way

My Team within Atlassian

What can you learn?

How can you help someone?

How can you help?

Low stress A fast paced

company doesn’t have to mean high

stress.

Time off Mental Health is just

as important as physical health!

No pressure! You’ll be used for support if you’re

needed.

Go public Everyone needs an advocate. Support someone to do it.

Be more Atlassian!

Low stress A fast paced

company doesn’t have to mean high

stress.

Time off Mental Health is just

as important as physical health!

No pressure! You’ll be used for support if you’re

needed.

Go public Everyone needs an advocate. Support someone to do it.

Be more Atlassian!

Agenda

My Story

The Atlassian Way

My Team within Atlassian

What can you learn?

Advocate? Advocate.

How can you help?

I suffer too. What can I do?

Write Writing can be cathartic and therapeutic - and help organise your thoughts.

Stand up If you’re comfortable - be the change you seek, and stand up to talk about it.

Disclose Make sure the people you work with know what you go through ahead of time.

Inform Let the people who know about your situation - even just a courtesy - in more real time.

Agenda

My Story

The Atlassian Way

My Team within Atlassian

What can you learn?

Advocate? Advocate.

How can you help?

Time & Space Someone suffering needs time to figure things out and the space to do so. Don’t pressure them. Just be there if they need it.

Understanding Do your research. If the person is comfortable talking to you, ask them to explain, rather than jumping to a conclusion “because Google said so”.

Don’t advise There is no fix all. Every situation is unique. Every mind is unique. Psychologists spend an awfully long time studying.

What can I do to help a sufferer?

Time & Space Someone suffering needs time to figure things out and the space to do so. Don’t pressure them. Just be there if they need it.

Understanding Do your research. If the person is comfortable talking to you, ask them to explain, rather than jumping to a conclusion “because Google said so”.

Don’t advise There is no fix all. Every situation is unique. Every mind is unique. Psychologists spend an awfully long time studying.

What can I do to help a sufferer?

Time & Space Someone suffering needs time to figure things out and the space to do so. Don’t pressure them. Just be there if they need it.

Understanding Do your research. If the person is comfortable talking to you, ask them to explain, rather than jumping to a conclusion “because Google said so”.

Don’t advise There is no fix all. Every situation is unique. Every mind is unique. Psychologists spend an awfully long time studying.

What can I do to help a sufferer?

FINAL THOUGHTS

I’d like to leave you with some final thoughts…

Thank you!

TYLER SMITH | WORKPLACE PRODUCTIVITY ANALYST | ATLASSIAN | @TIJOFORHIRE