How are employers benefitting from wellbeing supports for workers?
A recent survey has found that 80 per cent of Canadian workers were absent from work because their job demands or work environment caused or exacerbated their mental health issues.
But what is it, exactly, about the work experience that’s causing workers’ well-being to worsen?
The CSA Public Policy Centre revealed that compensation (99 per cent) and interpersonal relationships (99 per cent) are the aspects of the employee experience most crucial to Canadian workers, regardless of their organisation’s size or sector.
“Compensation, being the top one, that's not surprising, because right now there's a lot of economic stress….,” says Olga Morawczynski, co-founder and CEO of Heal-3, in talking with Canadian HR Reporter.
“The cost of living has not kept up with wages, so we're seeing that really reflected, and that brings a lot of stress to individuals, and then they bring that into the workforce.”
Financial stress is taking a significant toll on Canadian workers, with nearly a quarter reporting that their financial situation has impacted their productivity at work, according to previous TELUS Health report.
Talking about relationships at work, Morawczynski notes that there is an ongoing “loneliness pandemic”. The workplace is “one of the few places where people can go in and they can connect with other people,” she says.
“They can form friendships and communities. We're seeing less and less community. We're seeing, over the years, less and less people going to institutions like churches and [places] like that. So work is literally one of the few places that brings people together.”
What improves, harms workers’ mental health?
The CSA report — based on an analysis of over 750,000 Glassdoor reviews covering 1,000 organizations across 25 sectors in Canada — notes that the workplace factors that positively or negatively impact workers’ mental health include good pay and toxic culture:
Morawczynski highlights that employers have a lot to gain from providing the necessary mental health supports for employees. And that doesn’t require multimillion-dollar investments. In fact, small and mid-sized organizations often lead the way with practical, tailored solutions.
“It doesn't have to be complicated at all... maybe a small team, or one resource who would lead it,” she says.
The first critical step? Diagnosing the actual stressors. Things like shortened workweek, boosted leave access for workers, health screenings and health coaching go a long way. And some employers have reaped the rewards of these efforts:
As mental health challenges persist across the country, many Canadian workers are not making use of the employer-provided supports available to them, according to a previous Dialogue report.
Recommendations for government
To help improve workers mental health, the CSA Group also has these recommendations for the government:
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Invest in additional research into the business case for organizational-level mental health and well-being programs.
- Offer Canadian tax incentives for businesses investing in mental health and well-being programs that address key psychosocial factors.
- Establish a central hub offering comprehensive workplace mental health resources.
- Broaden legislative protection for mental health at work.
- Provide adequate support and funding for small businesses.
In January, the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) released two resources to help employers cater to the mental health needs of their workers.
