Mar 29

Mar 29 Mental Health in the Workplace (yes, again)

Promoting positive mental health in the workplace continues to be a primary concern for employers globally. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic we have seen a sharp rise in workplace stress, employee burnout, and health-risks due to the increased demands of personal and professional domains with the rapid transition to remote and hybrid environments.

Statistics on the impact of COVID-19 on mental health show:

81% of employees reported that the pandemic negatively impacted their mental health (CAMH)
Nearly one-quarter of Canadians have considered leaving their current job. The most reported reason for considering leaving is increased mental stress and strain at work (53%). (Alberta Blue Cross)
500,000 Canadians, in any given week, are unable to work due to mental health issues (CAMH)
The total cost of disability for employers is estimated to be 12-19% of payroll costs

Given these statistics, what can organizations do to ensure they’re providing the appropriate support for mental health in the workplace?

What is Mental Health in the Workplace?

Mental health at work is defined as the way in which the work environment and conditions impact an employee’s overall wellbeing. It covers a broad range of issues such as stress levels, conflict management, workplace discrimination or harassment and work-life balance.

Workplaces play a vital role in maintaining positive mental health. In fact, studies have shown that a supportive work environment that promotes mental health can expect to see increased levels of employee engagement, morale, satisfaction, retention and recruitment, and productivity. Conversely, a work environment that does not prioritize employee mental health can expect to see higher rates of absenteeism, medical leaves, workplace injuries and can pose a risk to mental health.

Psychosocial risks in the workplace

Risks to mental health within the workplace, also called psychosocial risks, can include several areas such as:

conflicting home/work demands
excessive workloads or work pace, understaffing
long, unsocial or inflexible hours
unsafe or poor physical working conditions
organizational culture that enables negative behaviours
limited support from colleagues and/or managers
violence, harassment or bullying
unclear job role
job insecurity, inadequate pay, or poor investment in career development

Employers should consider assessing these areas to ensure they develop a plan to address and mitigate some of these risks.

Some Important Considerations

Assess Your Level of Support for Mental Health in the Workplace

Employers should start by assessing the level of support they have for mental health in the workplace. Consider asking the following questions:

Do employees feel comfortable talking about their mental health without fear of discrimination or retribution?
Are your employee mental health initiatives being cultivated, supported, and practiced by all high-level leaders and managers? Is there consistency across the organization on how to approach employee mental health?
Do you provide employees with access to mental health resources, such as an Employee Family Assistance Program (EFAP)?
Do you have a designated representative, employee or group who is properly trained on handling mental health concerns?
Does your health benefits package include coverage for mental health services?

Create a Culture of Openness About Workplace Pressures and Mental Health

Allow mental health to be an acceptable topic of conversation - Remind everyone how important it is to reach out if they are struggling. Let them know you will make the time to talk, they are not alone, and you are there to support their mental health.
Consider introducing Mental Health Wellness Days as a way of bringing awareness to mental health and the organizational supports offered to employees.
Consider investing in mental health training - Take the time to educate managers on the signs and symptoms of poor mental health and know how to respond appropriately.
Ensure managers are holding regular check-ins and/or 1:1 meeting with all employees - This will help you recognize changes in each team member’s usual mood, behaviour, and performance.

Review All Workplace Policies/Procedures and Ensure They Align with Your Mental Health Initiatives

Do your current policies and procedures promote positive mental health in the workplace?

Review your Flex time, Vacation Time, Sick Time, Right to Disconnect, Remote and/Hybrid policies and procedures – Do they actively promote a culture of work-life balance?
Review your workplace accommodation and return from leave of absence procedures?
- Does your accommodation process promote collaboration? Do you encourage employee participation and consider their level of comfort with the tasks/duties assigned?
- Do you offer ongoing support that is integrated into day-today-activities?
- Do you complete regular check-ins with employees to talk about their work, and how they are doing in general?
Look at your current workload distribution across the organization – Are there increased workloads and pressures due to staff shortages and/or insufficient resources that could be addressed?

Monitor Employee Mental Health Through Surveys

One of the best ways to gage the overall mental health of your workforce is to conduct an employee survey. This will help an organization understand how different facets of their business may be impacting mental health at work and inevitably hold themselves accountable for what is working well and what isn’t, and tailor their support accordingly.

Employee surveys can help gather direct feedback in areas such as:

Awareness of mental health resources
Organization’s support of mental health
Managerial support of mental health

It is important to note, sharing high-level survey results and improvement efforts with employees are critical to maintaining employee confidence in leadership, and showing commitment as an organization to employee input.

Key Takeaways

Promoting positive mental health in the workplace has become a primary concern for employers globally. Employers can ensure they are promoting mental health in the workplace by: