Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Reasonable adjustmentsDepressionMental health conditionsLatest NewsMental health

Naomi Osaka quitting French Open highlights role in tackling mental health risks

by Ashleigh Webber 2 Jun 2021
by Ashleigh Webber 2 Jun 2021

The news that tennis player Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from the French Open in order to protect her mental health has raised questions about how employers can support staff who are required to complete tasks that affect their wellbeing.

The four-time Grand Slam champion was threatened with expulsion from the tournament and fined following her decision not to speak with the press, which she said causes her “huge waves of anxiety”.

She later withdrew from the tournament, stating that it would be the best thing for her wellbeing.

The furore over her decision, and the response of the tournament organisers, has raised questions about what organisations should do if an employee is expected to carry out tasks that put their mental health at risk, said Neha Thethi, head of employment at Lime Solicitors.

“Osaka has suffered from depression since 2018 which was exacerbated by the pressure of engaging with the media,” she said.

“Speaking from experience, I have seen people ask for reasonable adjustments, which in any job can be difficult. Some employers still push back against the need to accommodate people who suffer with their mental health. Osaka’s positive example has hopefully opened up crucial dialogue about mental health relating to athletes.”

Thethi said that being mentally healthy is vital for everyone, “regardless of whether you are a four-time Grand Slam champion or someone who sits in front of the computer screen all day”.

Mental health and wellbeing

Wellbeing: breaking through buzzwords and finding effective strategies

Number of people with symptoms of depression doubles

Mental health worsens for newly reliant on financial support

Centre for Mental Health chief executive Sarah Hughes said small adjustments and changes can often be made to employees’ work to help avoid mental health risks.

“Sadly, it appears that has not happened in this case. But we must ensure that we learn from it. All workplaces can do better at responding when people say they are having difficulty. Professional sport should be in the lead, showing the way, not lagging behind,” said Hughes.

“We applaud Naomi Osaka for speaking out, and we welcome the debate that we hope this will engender. But we call on those in positions of power, privilege and influence to use their platforms to bring empathy, compassion and understanding, to fight rather than foment prejudice, and to help us all move forward.”

In a statement, the Grand Slams (the Australian Open, Roland-Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open) said they had jointly written to Osaka to check on her wellbeing and offer support, underline their commitment to all athletes’ wellbeing and suggest dialogue on the issues.

The statement said: “The mental health of players competing in our tournaments and on the Tours is of the utmost importance to the Grand Slams.

“We individually and collectively have significant resources dedicated to player wellbeing. In order to continue to improve however, we need engagement from the players to understand their perspective and find ways to improve their experiences. Every year we seek to deliver better experiences to our fans, our players and our people, and we have a long and successful track record in achievement on this count.”

Ashleigh Webber
Ashleigh Webber

Ashleigh is editor at OHW+ and HR and wellbeing editor at Personnel Today. Ashleigh's areas of interest include employee health and wellbeing, equality and inclusion and skills development. She has hosted many webinars for Personnel Today, on topics including employee retention, financial wellbeing and menopause support. Prior to joining Personnel Today in 2018, she covered the road transport sector for Commercial Motor and Motor Transport magazines, touching on some of the employment and wellbeing issues experienced by those in road haulage.

previous post
Mandatory Covid-19 vaccinations ‘reasonable’ says EHRC
next post
Navigating occupational health in the ‘next normal’

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

You may also like

Call for better workplace ventilation as Covid cases...

1 Jul 2022

Employment law changes for 2022 and beyond: update...

1 Jul 2022

BT workers vote for strike action over pay

1 Jul 2022

Chief financial officers now more involved in HR

1 Jul 2022

NHS to push expansion of health checks in...

1 Jul 2022

Business leaders urged to prioritise wellbeing as we...

1 Jul 2022

Top 10 HR questions June 2022: Former employees

1 Jul 2022

Pay all care workers a £10.50 hourly minimum...

30 Jun 2022

Royal Mail managers vote to strike over restructure

30 Jun 2022

Give wellbeing a board seat: Prof Sir Cary...

30 Jun 2022

  • NSPCC revamps its learning strategy with child wellbeing at its heart PROMOTED | The NSPCC’s mission is to prevent abuse and neglect...Read more
  • Diversity versus inclusion: Why the difference matters PROMOTED | It’s possible for an environment to be diverse, but not inclusive...Read more
  • Five steps for organisations across the globe to become more skills-driven PROMOTED | The shift in the world of work has been felt across the globe...Read more
  • The future of workforce development PROMOTED | Northumbria University and partners share insight...Read more

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2022

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2022 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today