With the recognition that mental health issues are the leading cause of disability in the Canadian workplace and that the resulting costs to productivity are staggering, much has been written lately about workplace mental health. Recently, the Conference Board of Canada released its report, Building Mentally Healthy Workplaces, and the Mental Health Commission of Canada […]
Employees who take a mental health leave are more likely to experience a recurrence earlier than those who take a physical health leave, according to a study from the Toronto-based Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). The study found that employees who take a physical health leave average nearly four years before experiencing a […]
Today’s workplace is changing and more focus is being put on the psychological health of employees. “We use to primarily use our backs for work and the interest in the healthcare field and employee rights was about injury. Now that we are more of a knowledge based society, the injuries are physiological more often–or as […]
Employers may feel as if they’ve been working to de-stigmatize mental health in their workplace, but a new report from the Conference Board of Canada shows that employees are not feeling more confident about disclosing their issues or that their organization openly discusses mental health issues. Front-line reality The report, titled Building Mentally Healthy Workplaces: […]
Canada’s life and health insurance is giving the Mental Health Commission of Canada and the federal government kudos for the development of a voluntary Canada-wide standard in support of psychological health and safety in the workplace. “The life and health insurance industry is committed to supporting the mental health of Canadian workers, and we’re glad […]
Benefits professionals are often required to focus on financial concerns such as budgets, expenses and return on investment. But mental health is all about the human side of the equation. At the April 27 closing keynote session of this year’s Benefits & Pension Summit, Lt.-Col. Stéphane Grenier described the peer support and mental health education […]
Mental illness accounts for about 30% of disability claims at Western, making it an important issue in the school’s quest to provide a safe and secure environment for the almost 40,000 faculty, support staff and students in its community. This is why the university implemented the mental health first aid (MHFA) training program, which teaches […]
Incidences of chronic disease in Canada are on the rise, as are mental health issues, and both are impacting the workplace in the form of increasing drug costs, absenteeism and lost productivity. But the good news is that employers are starting to realize the importance of making investments to improve workplace mental health, according to […]
Short-term and long-term disability claims show that incidences of depression are increasing in the workplace. But, did you know that approximately 10% of employees will experience a substance abuse disorder and that substance disorders are more common among those with a mental condition? Employers need to be asking themselves, “Why is my employee going on […]
Depression and anxiety tend to affect people during their prime working years. These conditions impact cognitive, interpersonal and motivational skills—all critical elements to being productive at work. And, they are the fastest rising cause of short- and long-term disability. “Workplaces are a high source of stress for most people,” says Joti Samra, clinical psychologist and […]