In response to growing awareness and incidences of anxiety, Ontario-based Symcor Inc. is hosting a webinar this month to help employees recognize and manage the condition.
“Based on surveys and reports, we can see anxiety is a very common condition,” says Rachel Wong, the company’s vice-president of total rewards and human resources technology. “[This webinar] will help employees recognize anxiety and build confidence.”
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One in seven people globally live with a mental disorder and, among these conditions, anxiety disorders and depressive disorders account for 359 million and 332 million cases, respectively, according to a new report by the World Health Organization ahead of World Mental Health Day.
In addition to regular webinars that cover mental-health topics, Symcor’s benefits plan supports employee mental wellness through several offerings.
In 2024, the company launched an interactive platform that supports personalized wellness journeys, gamified challenges and access to mental-health resources. Employees received a $100 incentive for registering, resulting in strong early adoption.
Symcor is also encouraging employees to recognize the link between physical and mental well-being through regular step challenges that reward participants who reach 10,000 daily steps with prize draws throughout the year.
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Employee feedback is key in developing mental-health supports and resources, says Wong, noting every fall, the company polls employees on different mental-health topics and ideas that they’d like to see addressed. “We also draw from articles on mental-health topics to learn about people’s everyday mental-health concerns.”
In 2023, Symcor separated mental-health coverage from its paramedical coverage and expanded the list of covered practitioners beyond psychologists. Since then, there has been a notable shift in the use of mental-health practitioners among employees, says Wong.
“There’s been a decline in psychologist claims and a significant increase in psychotherapy claims. For reference, psychologist sessions average $250 each, while psychotherapy sessions average $150. This shift allows employees and their dependants to make their mental-health coverage dollars go further, enabling more sessions.”
The company’s mental-health program has seen tangible results, she says, noting since 2023, long-term disability claims related to mental health have decreased from 15 per cent to eight per cent. “This indicates that employees are seeking support at earlier stages, preventing more severe conditions that could lead to long-term disability.”
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