The costs associated with mental-health stress and psychosocial risks are extremely high — in Canada, they amount to about $50 billion in direct costs and $500 billion in indirect costs, according to Maude Villeneuve (pictured right), coordinator and relief research chair in mental health, self-management and work at Laval University, during a session at Benefits Canada’s Mental Health Summit.

The good news is the National Safety Council and NORC Innovation Centre estimated in 2021 that every $1 invested in mental-health support provides a $4 return. Furthermore, Villeneuve emphasized that the return on investment increases over time. “The more you do it, the more you stick to it, the bigger your investment is, the longer the commitment to mental health, the greater the gain directly and indirectly.”

Read: How 5 employers are designing mental-health benefits that cater to a diverse workforce

That said, Villeneuve and co-presenter Valerie Fernandez (pictured left), organizational health senior advisor at Beneva, both emphasized that proactively protecting psychological health at work should be seen as a shared responsibility between the employee, manager and employer — just as is the case when protecting physical health at work.

“We need [employees] to engage because each individual has an impact on the work environment . . . and [their engagement] will have a positive impact on the psychosocial risks,” said Fernandez.

Employers have a duty to strive to provide a workplace free of psychosocial risks, prevent psychological harassment, ensure physical and psychological health and safety, they said, and intervene in cases of domestic, family and sexual violence. And individuals have a duty to protect their own and others’ health and safety, avoid working when their condition poses a risk and participate in identifying and eliminating risks.

Read: 69% of Canadian workers experiencing symptoms related to burnout: survey

“Promoting self-management is not shirking responsibility,” said Villeneuve. “It’s empowering everyone. It’s making sure that no one burns out.”

An important step towards minimizing psychosocial risks involves improving mental-health literacy through training for everyone within an organization, said Fernandez, noting Beneva has developed a range of educational resources, including examples of how organizations, managers and employees can contribute to a psychologically safer environment and a self-management prevention kit.

Another key to success is balancing rapid action with sustainable solutions, she added. “Sometimes, we don’t necessarily want to go forward with the mental-health program because we see it as a mountain, [but] small steps have a positive impact on the psychological health of your workers and eventually on the financial health of your organization.”

Read more coverage of the 2025 Mental Health Summit.