PART
ONE
MANAGING WORK AND PEOPLE
It's about how you manage your people and organize your work – something we all have
to do every day. The key is that we do this with mindfulness and carefulness. Everyone
has a responsibility in contributing to a healthy and safe workplace, both physically and
psychologically. This includes front-line workers, managers, supervisors, senior leadership
and joint health and safety committees.
What are the dangers of neglecting mental health at work?
Workplace mental health, the facts:
According to the Canadian Association for Mental Health (CAMH), approximately
500,000 employed Canadians are off work due to mental health problems.
5
The Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) predicts that by 2020, mental
illness will be one of the leading causes of disability – with 30% of disability claims
and 70% of disability costs being attributed to mental illness.
6
This is measurable when you consider the overwhelming impact mental health has on
workplace productivity. If an employee is suffering internally, and not necessarily visibly, poor
mental health often goes unchecked and unregulated. Not only does this diminish individual
productivity, but it also impacts your team as a whole. After all, you're only as strong as your
weakest link.
CONSIDER THIS
Safeguarding employee mental
health isn't just the right thing
to do – it's essentially ensuring
your organization will not only
survive the future of work but
flourish in it.
5
Dewa, Chau, and Dermer (2010). Examining the comparative incidence and costs of physical and mental health-related disabilities in an
employed population. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 52: 758-62. Number of disability cases calculated using Statistics
Canada employment data, retrieved from http://www40.statcan.ca/l01/cst01/labor21a-eng.htm.
6
Mental Health Commission of Canada. (2013). Making the Case for Investing in Mental Health in Canada
https://www.mentalhealthcommission.ca/English/node/5020
Workplace Safety & Prevention Services
|
Workplace Mental Health
WSPS.CA
6
