Employers can use Bell Let’s Talk Day to normalize talking about mental health and reflect on whether they’re ‘walking the talk,’ says Janet Candido, founder and principal at Candido Consulting Group. “Some employers I work with say, ‘Mental health is important to us,’ but then you might see the executive team rolling their eyes when they […]
A story on mental-health themes and challenges for 2024 was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com this week. Here are the top five human resources, benefits, pension and investment stories of the past week: 1. Expert panel: Employers taking preventative, holistic approach to employee mental health in 2024 2. AI holds uncapped potential for pension plan sponsors’ administration, communications: […]
Workplace wellness and employee mental health are popular topics of discussion and top priorities for organizations across Canada — and that conversation will continue in 2024 as organizations take a more preventative, strategic and holistic approach. Over the past couple of years, employers have been responding to mental-health needs within their workplace as a reaction […]
Many employees try to carry on with work while dealing with stresses in their personal lives — and many wait too long before sharing their difficulties with their colleagues or managers, said Valérie Fernandez, senior advisor for workplace health best practices and strategic support for group insurance at Beneva Inc., during Benefits Canada’s 2023 Mental Health […]
In the face of soaring mental health-related disability leaves and broader challenges with access to mental-health care, integrated disability management programs that include early intervention, accommodations and return-to-work supports can help shorten leave durations. “Having an effective disability management program not only prevents and mitigates the impact of disability leaves on an organization, but it […]
If absenteeism is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to employees’ mental health and well-being, presenteeism is the bulky underwater mass, said William Lindsay, senior disability management advisor at Desjardins Insurance, during Benefits Canada’s 2023 Mental Health Summit. While absenteeism — defined as an employee being repeatedly absent for more than half a day — is […]
Many Canadians are dealing with mental-health challenges that require support beyond what’s available through an employee assistance program — that’s where intensive mental-health treatments could help, said Vahed Lokhand, business development operations and strategy at EHN Canada, during a fireside chat at Benefits Canada’s 2023 Mental Health Summit. “There is no one-size-fits-all approach that can work for […]
For Canadians and people around the world, the current news stream can be particularly bleak. While a brief ceasefire between Israeli forces and Hamas punctuated the conflict in Gaza last week, the war’s wider impact on people’s mental health and psychological safety will likely last far into the future. Meanwhile, Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine […]
The head of a group that represents psychotherapists and counsellors says Ottawa’s plan to lift federal taxes on those services is a good start to addressing barriers to mental-health support, but many people still can’t afford to pay for care that should be publicly funded. Carrie Foster, a couples and family therapist and president of […]
Many plan members are experiencing risk factors related to poor mental, physical and financial well-being, but often don’t know they can turn to their benefits plans for help. Indeed, when Canada Life’s disability claims report asked plan members going on disability whether they sought out counselling through their benefits plans, more than half said they […]