Busting our misconceptions of OCD - Understanding OCD in the workplace
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Busting our misconceptions of OCD – Understanding OCD in the workplace

Nozomi Tolworthy, Inclusion and Diversity Consultant at Inclusive Employers, examines what OCD is, how it can present as a challenge in the workplace and what employers and managers can do to support employees and colleagues in the workplace.

Read on to learn more.

We may have come across the term ‘OCD’ as a synonym for someone who is very organised and tidy, a ‘quirky perfectionist’, or someone that really enjoys routine and order. However, language around OCD is often misunderstood and reinforces negative and inaccurate stereotypes. These ideas are perpetuated by poor media representation as well as continued harmful microaggressions.

OCD has been previously portrayed inaccurately and oftentimes funny like in Monk (USA Network, 2002-2009) and As Good As It Gets (1998). There has been very little on-screen depiction of the reality of OCD – unwanted and intrusive thoughts that can be fixated on any topic at all, not just cleaning.

What is OCD?

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a common non-visible mental health condition, affecting 1-3% of the population in the UK (NICE) and is characterised by obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours.

The condition has long been trivialised as someone who washes their hands a lot, or in association with potentially hurtful stereotypes such as being called a ‘neat freak’. Trigger related to cleanliness and symptoms related to washing make up only a small part of the range of OCD triggers and symptoms. OCD can present in many different ways, not just hand washing, but the two main elements are obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviour.

Obsessive thoughts are unwelcome thoughts, images, or emotions that repeatedly appear in the individual’s mind, these thoughts can often cause feelings of unease, disgust, and anxiety.

Compulsive behaviours are the repetitive behaviours or mental acts that an individual engages in to provide temporary relief from the unpleasant feelings associated with obsessive thoughts.

Is OCD a protected characteristic?

A mental health condition, such as OCD, is considered a disability by UK law under the Equality Act 2010 if it has a “long-term effect on your normal day-to-day activity”. Your condition is ‘long term’ if it lasts, or is likely to last 12 months.

‘Normal day-to-day activity’ is defined as “something you do regularly in a normal day. This includes things like using a computer, working set times or interacting with people”.

What is it like living with OCD?  

Everyone has anxieties and may have experienced minor obsessions (worrying about leaving the gas on when you leave your home), and even compulsions (avoiding walking under ladders), but these don’t usually interfere with your normal day-to-day life in a significant way.

Someone with OCD is likely to have these obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviour create a bigger impact on how you go about your daily life. MIND UK details how this impact might look. For instance, repeating compulsions can take up a lot of time, and you might avoid certain situations that trigger your OCD. This can mean that you’re not able to go to work, see family and friends, eat out or even go outside. Obsessive thoughts can make it hard to concentrate and leave you feeling exhausted.

Only 1 in 4 people disclose an anxiety disorder to their employer, with 39% saying they worry that their employer will think it is an excuse to get out of work (Made of Millions).

At work, it can sometimes take a person longer to complete asks if they’re having difficulty concentrating due to intrusive thoughts. Also, a person may avoid certain tasks or people if they can trigger negative thoughts. There may also be a persistent worry about how co-workers perceive them or their behaviours. An individual with OCD may feel a need to adapt masking behaviour (hiding your authentic self to gain greater social acceptance) if they don’t feel comfortable speaking about their OCD or struggle with mental health in the workplace.

How to deal with OCD at work?

Due to the negative stigma and fear of discrimination, many people won’t disclose a mental health condition like OCD in the workplace. For various other reasons, not everyone will be comfortable disclosing OCD at work, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be an inclusive organisation. The more you show how you value employees with different mental health conditions, the more this will encourage disclosure.

It’s also key to ensure there are reasonable adjustments in place for OCD in the workplace.

Talking more widely about disability and mental health can improve understanding across the organisation. You can raise awareness through internal communications, team discussions, and training to break down negative stereotypes.

You can never force anyone to disclose any information about themselves they don’t feel comfortable disclosing, but you can offer a safe and supportive environment where people feel okay sharing information with you to help you understand more. As with any experiences involving neurodiversity, it’s important you don’t make assumptions, but ask questions in a sensitive way. Open-ended questions in safe spaces for conversations can allow an individual to open up about their experiences. Questions such as: “What’s your preferred way of working?” “What allows you to work at your best?” “What changes can I make to be a better colleague?”

How can Inclusive Employers support you?

We have consultants who have expertise in this field who can provide training and awareness-raising at your organisation.

If you’re a member, get in touch with your account manager, explore how we can support you directly, and look at The Inclusive Employers Inclusion Passport.

Register to attend our OCD Awareness in the Workplace webinar.

If you’re not yet a member, here are some more blog pieces that would be useful:

Further Resources: