11:00 – 11:30 AM:

Self-management strategies for mental-health care

Self-management refers to the ability of individuals to take an active role in managing their mental health and well-being. In this session, employers will learn how to promote self-management employee strategies, creating a supportive, health-focused workplace environment that can lead to increased productivity and reduced absenteeism for workers with mental-health conditions.

Speakers:

Simon Coulombe, professor, industrial relations, Laval University

Maude Villeneuve, coordinator, relief research chair in mental health, self-management and work, Laval University

This session has been made possible by Beneva.

11:30 AM – 12:00 PM:

The importance of mental-health education for people leaders

People leaders play an important role in supporting the mental well-being of their team members. They play an integral role in supporting employees who may be at risk of a mental disorder and supporting employees returning from disability leave. Educating managers about how to recognize mental-health issues in the workplace is essential. In this session, attendees will learn about the role that people leaders play in supporting employee mental-health, best practices for supporting an employee who may be struggling and how to lead with empathy.

Speaker:

Carmen Bellows, registered psychologist, director of mental health solutions, Sun Life Financial

12:00 – 12:30 PM:

Sleep well, live well and work well: Turning better nights into better days

Sleep is vital to overall health, wellness and employee performance. While insomnia was once thought to be a symptom of psychiatric disorders, the relationship is now recognized to be bi-directional. Chronic insomnia, defined as difficulties falling asleep and/or maintaining sleep for at least three nights per week, for three months or more, can cause significant distress or impairment to daytime functioning. In this fireside chat, attendees will learn about the impact of sleep on mental health and the workplace and hear the personal story of someone with lived experience.

Speaker:

Ken D. Porter, national sustainability director, Mood Disorders Society of Canada

This session has been made possible by Eisai.

12:30 – 12:45 PM:

Break

12:45 – 1:15 PM:

‘Good grief’ and other myths

The idea of ‘good grief’ — like a ‘good death’ — is woven into the fabric of our understanding of loss and grieving, leading many to wonder if they’re grieving the ‘right’ way. This session will explore the meaning and uniqueness of grief, how individuals can look after themselves and others, the role of grief counselling and bereavement group therapy and dispel some of the mythology associated with grieving.

Speaker:

Dr. Deborah McLeod, clinical director, Carepath Inc.

1:15 – 1:45 PM:

The highs and lows of long-term disability

Following a series of pandemic-related fluctuations, long-term disability cases in Canada suddenly began to fall in January 2022, ending the upwards trend of the past 10 years. How can this unexpected drop be explained? Does it mean that Canadians are enjoying better health? Is it a long-term trend or just a passing phase? This session will explore how long-term disability cases have changed over the past decade and consider possible scenarios for the coming years, while also examining some tools to help employers better manage long-term disability.

Speaker:

William Lindsay, senior disability management advisor, disability management and prevention team, Desjardins Insurance

1:45 – 2:15 PM:

Managing and preventing disability: Coping with chronic pain

Musculoskeletal problems are one of the main causes of disability and living with chronic pain has many repercussions on health, particularly sleep and mental health. In this session, Rebecca Smith will present solutions for ensuring an employee’s return to health and work after a disability leave.

Speaker:

Rebecca Smith, director, group life and disability services, Medavie Blue Cross

2:15 – 2:30 PM:

Break

2:30 – 3:00 PM:

What’s next for EAPs and workplace mental-health supports?

In this session, Dr. Warren Shepell and Dr. Suanne Wong will help audience members understand the history of employee assistance programs in Canada and explore the current state of workplace mental-health supports while looking ahead to how EAPs can remain relevant in the next decade.

Speakers:

Dr. Warren Shepell, psychologist, human resources consultant, EHN Canada

Dr. Suanne Wong, senior director, business development strategy, operations, EHN Canada

3:00 – 3:30 PM:

What does effective integration of psychological health and safety look like?

It has been 11 years since the National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace was released and since then, many organizations have been asking, “How do we know that our workplace mental-health programs are working?”

This fireside chat will discuss the challenges of implementing effective workplace mental-health programs, the shift in thinking needed to effectively protect workers from harm and how one employer has supported continual improvement in psychological health and safety for their own workers and others throughout Canada.

Speakers:

Michelle Wilson, vice-president, people and communications, Lundbeck

Liz Horvath, manager, psychological health and safety, Opening Minds-Mental Health Commission of Canada

3:30 – 4:00 PM:

Panel: Does size matter in supporting workplace mental health?

Traditionally, the size of a company has determined the level of investments and resources employers can allocate to their workplace mental-health programs and initiatives, but do these factors really matter? This panel discussion will explore three different mental-health strategies from a large (30,000 employees), medium (850 employees) and small (89 employees) employer to try to bust this myth.

Panellists:

Anna Fisher, director, health and wellness, Flight Centre Travel Group

Kirsten l’Anson, vice-president, people and culture, Community Savings Credit Union

Janet Young, director, well-being, health services and people, Telus Communications Inc.