Mental Health and Wellness

Mental health and wellness is at the forefront of conversation more and more these days, so it's important to look at the ways in which it is affecting your employees. 

Did you know that one in five Canadians experience at least one type of mental health issue in their life? Furthermore, an estimated 500,000 Canadians call in sick to work each week due to a mental illness.

So how does this affect your company? The rise in mental health issues can lead to increased long-term illness claims, the cost of sick time, and workers' compensation claims. Additionally, it leads to a loss of productivity within your employees and lost opportunity due to downtown.

A recent study shows that most mental health issues, like anxiety and depression, stem from workplace stress, which challenges employers to create a manageable workplace that doesn't cause unnecessary amounts of stress and allows for a work-life balance. This study yielded results showing that 68% of employees could perform their job to the best of their abilities for less than 70% of the day due to a mental illness. 

To help benefit employees to cope better with mental illness and workplace stress, try implementing some of these practices: 

  1. Introduce flex days or flex time into your employees' schedules. Allowing them guilt-free time to tend to their personal lives will let them focus on work when they are there. 
  2. Introduce a team atmosphere where your employees understand each others' positions. Having team members to rely on is an important part of managing workplace stress, especially if an employee needs to take time off. 
  3. Try hosting company lunches to improve workplace culture. Creating trust within your employer/employee relationship will lead to a positive work environment. 

Looking for more tips? Check out the study this blog was based upon