Mental health in the workplace. Understanding its importance and the resources available to tackle this complex issue

Transcription

1 Mental health in the workplace Understanding its importance and the resources available to tackle this complex issue 1

2 Introduction and purpose Canadians spend more waking hours at work than anywhere else. The workplace plays a significant role in an individual s life, influencing and shaping overall health and wellness. The importance of physical health and safety in the workplace has largely been accepted and integrated into the organizational culture of the business community. However, work also impacts mental and psychological health and safety. On one hand, the workplace can contribute to and enhance mental health and wellbeing by providing employees with a sense of purpose, allowing them to be productive while reaching their potential. Yet, studies show excessive workplace stress negatively impacts the mental well-being of individual employees. Poor employee mental health negatively affects business costs, the workplace environment, and overall productivity, impacting employers and the broader economy. With employee health and well-being, business success and economic growth at stake, multiple organizations, governments, and employers recognize the need to protect and promote employee mental health and well-being in the workplace. The purpose of this report is twofold. First, it aims to bring awareness to the issue of mental health in the workplace and present the business case for investing in actions to protect and promote workplace mental health. It calls on the business community to take needed action on the issue of mental health protection and promotion in the workplace. Second, the report focuses on exploring solutions and tangible actions that businesses can adopt and implement in their unique organizations. To tackle workplace mental health problems and create work environments that promote mental well-being, businesses and employers need practical and effective solutions. There are numerous resources available to support such efforts which span from individual products to guidelines that tackle different aspects of the complex problem, and vary in comprehensiveness. A workplace mental health resource matrix is also presented to provide a convenient and accessible one-stop list of the various types of resources available to guide and support employers as they pursue workplace mental health solutions. It is a consolidated and representative sample of the types of resources employers can access and implement in the workplace. Additionally, the report highlights key considerations that businesses must account for as they implement mental health solutions. Employers should be aware of success factors while they develop a unique workplace strategy to ensure they are accounted for in their solutions. 2

3 Defining the problem 500,000 Canadians miss work each day because of mental health problems or illness. Protecting and promoting employee mental health in the workplace is an area of increasing concern for businesses. Data demonstrates that the prevalence of mental health concerns in the workplace is increasing along with associated costs. This section of the report will highlight research and data on workplace mental health that illustrate the impact of mental health issues on individual businesses and the economy. The Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) cites a number of statistics that provide a better understanding of the prevalence and extent of workplace mental health concerns. One in five Canadians will experience a mental health problem or illness in any given year. Approximately a quarter of the Canadian working population is currently affected by mental health problems or illnesses. Furthermore, adults in their early and prime working years are among the hardest hit by mental wellness concerns. The MHCC reports that more than 500,000 Canadians miss work each day because of mental health problems or illness. With mental ill-health being so prevalent in the workforce, employers must be informed and prepared to address the issue to prevent direct and indirect losses to the organization and economy. Mental well-being in the workplace can be compromised in many ways including stress-related burnout, exhaustion, anxiety, depression, and addictions. The work environment can trigger and exasperate symptoms of these problems. Although mental health issues manifest differently across individuals, they tend to have significant impacts on the individual s performance at work. Employees suffering from any form of mental illhealth display changes in behaviour such as prolonged periods of arriving late, missing work (absenteeism) or deadlines, repeated accidents at work, feeling tired, presenteeism (coming to work but being less that fully productive), not taking breaks, being socially isolated, showing sustained anger, and/or leaving the workforce altogether. The loss of employees to mental health problems compromises the human capital available to employers and results in organizations being forced to function effectively without the full contributions of talented employees. The University of Toronto Center for Addiction and Mental Health estimates the total cost of diagnosed and undiagnosed mental health problems in Canada is $51 billion per year. The MHCC estimates that the total losses to workplaces across Canada are close to $20 billion a year. Close to 30 percent of short and long-term disability claims in Canada are attributed to mental health problems and illnesses, making it the most common cause of claims. Seventy percent of disability costs are attributed to mental health problems and illnesses. Although these numbers may portray a rather bleak situation, business leaders and employers are in a position to adopt changes and actions that will make significant contributions to improving mental health outcomes within their workplaces and in the communities employees reside in. As a key contributor to mental health and a place where mental health symptoms can play out, employers hold an impactful role in fostering mentally healthy workplaces. 3

4 The Business case for addressing mental health in the workplace The annual productivity impact of mental illness in the workplace is estimated to have caused losses of over $6.4 billion in Motivating organizations to invest in workplace mental health programs requires a conversation about why employers should care about employee mental health and take action to maintain psychologically healthy workplaces. The data on prevalence and cost allude to the types of benefits employers will see by investing in workplace mental health. There is a compelling case for ensuring mental health is protected and promoted in the workplace because it is costeffective and has the potential to boost productivity and reduce various escalating costs, both of which will contribute to increasing businesses bottom lines. First, not only do the symptoms of mental health problems compromise an organization s workforce by limiting performance of impacted employees, but the combined symptoms hinder overall productivity. The MHCC quantified the impact on the economy of reduced productivity associated with mental illness. Using lost workdays and underperformance due to illness, the annual productivity impact of mental illness in the workplace is estimated to have caused losses of over $6.4 billion in This indicates that mentally healthy workplaces will benefit the bottom line of businesses through higher employee commitment and motivation, reduced absenteeism, reduced presenteeism and corresponding increases in productivity. Second, as mentioned previously, the total losses to workplaces across Canada from mental health problems is estimated to be $20 billion a year. The MHCC estimates that between $3 and $11 billion of these costs can be saved if mental problems stemming from employer negligence, recklessness, or intentional acts are prevented. Third, mental health problems and illnesses are rated one of the top three drivers of both short and longterm disability claims by more than 80 percent of Canadian employers. According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, disability claims alone can be responsible for up to 12% of overall payroll costs. These costs can be reduced through preventative and promotional programs in the workplace. It is important employers recognize the opportunity-cost of allowing mental health problems to go unaddressed in the workplace. Adding programs may require upfront investment, but there are long-term organizational and financial benefits that can be achieved. There may still be concerns, however, over whether mental health programs will translate into real reductions in costs. Studies in other jurisdictions demonstrate that there is indeed substantial return on investment (ROI) from mental health solutions of various types. Australia s Mentally Healthy Workplace Alliance s Creating a Mentally Healthy Workplace estimated the ROI for employers investing in a mentally healthy workplace. The key finding is that through successful implementation of an action to create a mentally healthy workplace, organizations received an average positive ROI of 2.3. This means for every dollar spent on successfully implementing an action, there is an average $2.30 in benefits to be gained by the organization. These benefits take the form of improved productivity due to reduced absenteeism, presenteeism and compensation claims. Similar ROI analyses have been conducted in the United Kingdom. The UK National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence estimates improving the management of mental health in the workplace, including prevention, early action to combat stress, and early identification of problems could decrease losses to productivity by as much as 30%. This results in an annual savings of $ in an organization of 1000 employees.

5 Resources The resources available to assist employers in implementing solutions that create psychologically healthy and safe workplaces are vast. To present these various programs, products, guides, and services, a matrix has been designed. These resources can be grouped into three sections. The matrix is divided into these three sections, under which the resources are identified. The first section provides a look at the products, programs, and services available online and inperson through various organizations, including non-profit groups and insurance companies. These resources range from one-time interventions to a collaborative process of developing strategies with an expert. The second section highlights recent reports on best practices and guides from government sources and non-profit organizations. This set of resources does not actually offer specific products or programs, but enables employers to independently develop a strategy to address mental health and seek out additional resources if they choose. Third, the national standards, are a more formalized version of the reports and guides on best practices, and represent a major milestone in how mental health issues in the workplace are addressed. It is important to note that the matrix is not an exhaustive list of all the resources that exist for employers. Rather, the resources in the matrix are presented because they are an accurate representative sample of what employers can utilize to address mental health issues in the workplace. This matrix is designed to allow employers to compare and contrast different resources, as well as become familiar with various types of resources available using a simple matrix. 5

6 Matrix of resources Section 1: Products, programs and services Resource Description Goals Price Addictions and Mental Health Workplace Services Alberta Health Services AlbertaHealthServices.ca Offers treatment services through a network of offices, facilities and funded services. Services include a toll-free helpline, detoxification, outpatient counselling, opioid dependency programs and residential treatment. They have counsellors with specific training in workplace issues. This allows them to meet the needs of employees and supervisors and to respond readily to business community referrals. Provide assistance to employers dealing with a workplace mental health concern or incident that needs to be resolved. Depends on needs of employer and service used. Breathing Room The Canadian Institute of Natural and Integrative Medicine CINIM.org An 8-module online program to build resilience. Uses videos, stories, and simple tools. Interested participants register before accessing the modules. This product is not specifically marketed to employers for the workplace, it is primarily for Mount Royal University; however, employers can offer it to staff. Modules aim to provide ideas, new ways of looking at life, and coping strategies. It is designed to make visitors feel better and cope better with pressures. If offered to employees, it functions as a resource to promote overall mental wellness. There is a cost applied after reaching out for access. E-Course on Stress Management in the workplace Canadian Mental Health Association Calgary Region A brief online module, designed for anyone and everyone in the workplace. Aims to help individuals better recognize stress in themselves and others and provide tangible strategies to effectively address stress in the workplace. Available online for free. Calgary.CMHA.ca Employee and Family Assistance Programs Various insurance companies, including Blue Cross, Shepell-fgi Various insurance providers offer an employee and family assistance program that provides employees and their family members with confidential, professional help to deal with personal problems. Employers should promote the program and encourage early use. Provide accessible and comprehensive resources in the workplace to address mental health concerns. Depends on insurance company. Guarding Minds at Work Great-West Life Center for Mental Health in the Workplace GuardingMindsAtWork.ca Provides a comprehensive set of resources to protect and promote psychological health and safety in the workplace. Resources allow employers to effectively assess and address the 13 psychosocial factors known to have a powerful impact on organizational health, the health of individual employees, and the financial bottom line. GM@W was developed by researchers from the Center for Applied Research in Mental Health and Addiction (CARMHA) on the basis of extensive research. Increase employer access to useful tools and resources and build capacity in employers to design a comprehensive strategy and implement it in the workplace. All materials online, free of charge. Managing Mental Health in the Workplace The Canadian Mental Health Association and ScholarLab - Ontario A three-part online learning series for managers. Includes interactive video, expert instruction throughout the course, and the ability to pause, go back and review, and fast forward. Participants can watch the series as many times they like for three months. Equip managers with the skills, knowledge, and techniques required to effectively deal with mental health concerns while also promoting and protecting mental health to develop a positive work environment. $125 CMHA.ScholarLab.ca Mental Health at Work Framework Excellence Canada NQI.ca Serves as a roadmap for organizations in any sector that are implementing mental health programs. The package includes the licensing agreement, the criteria, implementation guide, and assessment worksheets. There is a recognition component through the Canada Awards for Excellence Program. The framework aims to encourage, support, and implement exemplary mental healthrelated programs in the workplace. $495 (non-member) 6

7 Resource Description Goals Price Mental Work Training Program Morneau Shepell, Bell Canada, and Faculty of Health Sciences at Queen s University ShepellFGI.com The first university certified workplace mental health training program aligned with the National Standard. It is available for all Canadian workplaces through HR firm Morneau Shepell Participants receive a certificate from Queen s University upon completion of the training and exams. Program aims to teach leadership skills in managing performance and promoting a mentally healthy workplace. Pricing is through Morneau Shepell and varies. Mental Health First Aid Mental Health Commission of Canada MentalHealthFirstAid.ca This is a 12 hour training course to teach staff how to identify signs and provide initial help to colleagues facing mental health problems or crises. Aims to teach a first-aid like response to mental health concerns for a broad range of individuals while also reducing the stigma of mental illness by ensuring knowledge of what mental illness is and that people struggling need help. Session in Calgary (Nov 2014) is $300 per person. Mental Health Works The Canadian Mental Health Association MentalHealthWorks.ca A nationally available program that offers a variety of products and services. Suite of products include: online resource called Employer Fundamentals, workshops, products (DVDs, posters), online learning, custom solutions, consulting services, and events. Aims to build capacity within Canadian workplaces to effectively address the many issues related to mental health in the workplace. Focuses on three central areas: organizational culture, occupational psychological health and safety, mental health practices. Charges vary by product (some are available free of charge). Not Myself Today Mental Health Campaign and Toolkit Partners for Mental Health NotMyselfToday.ca An awareness-style campaign providing resources and recognition to support employer commitment to prioritizing employee mental health. The campaign ran April 2- May 9, Toolkit includes a resource guide, six engagement activities, five case studies, posters, wall decals, mood buttons and stickers, conversation starter cards and facts and resource sheets. Aims to engage and educate employees on the issue of mental health in the workplace and reduce stigma. Ranges from $500 to $25,000 according to size. Program Steps The Canadian Mental Health Association Calgary Region Online resource outlines 5 steps needed for an effective mental health program, with links to services and products that can support each step. Aims to develop capacity and knowledge for management designing a mental health program for their workplace. Free Calgary.CMHA.ca Mental Health in the Workplace Sun Life Financial SunLife.ca Sun Life offers a team of experts and resources, products and services to help manage mental health issues in a workplace. Included are various programs and resources. Aims to train front-line managers to recognize mental health issues, help improve mental health literacy and reduce stigma, provide solutions for building healthy workplace culture, and help employees who are frequently absent or on disability back to health and work. Depends on the services utilized. Workplace Strategies for Mental Health Great-West Life Center for Mental Health in the Workplace WorkplaceStrategiesFor MentalHealth.com A website providing free, practical ideas, tools, and resources to help with the prevention, intervention, and management of workplace mental health issues. Includes a series of videos education, tools, and training to help managers and leadership, and guides to aid employees returning to work. Aims to teach all individuals in a work environment (employees, management, leadership) to recognize and manage mental health issues in themselves and others. Also supports managers, supervisors, and leadership in starting the conversation around mental health in the workplace. All materials online, free of charge. 7

8 Section 2: Reports on best practices and guides Resource Description Goals Psychological Health and Safety: An Action Guide for Employers (2012) Mental Health Commission of Canada MentalHealthCommission.ca The guide can be used at any stage of developing a mental health strategy, providing a logical approach to moving forward, and can be used by any organization. The guide is structured to walk employers through the steps of planning and implementing workplace interventions and initiatives to create a comprehensive strategy. The guide articulates a process for integrated change called the P6 Framework. The P6 Framework is a comprehensive implementation model and describes the change process in terms of six components: policy, planning, promotion, prevention, process, and persistence. Under each of these components of the framework, three actions are listed. Aim of the guide is to create a psychologically healthy workplace in a manner that furthers the goals of the organization through an employerdeveloped strategy. Psychologically Healthy Workplaces: Improving Bottom Line Results and Employee Psychological Well-Being (2012) The Vancouver Board of Trade BoardOfTrade.com Building Mentally Healthy Workplaces: Perspectives of Canadian Workers and Front-Line Managers (2011) Conference Board of Canada: Human Resource Management ConferenceBoard.ca The report highlights resources available for member use, including access to resources and practical training through the resource link online and by hosting workshops. After outlining the case for why employers should address mental health issues, the report summarizes issues, obstacles, and approaches to overcome them. Generalized solutions are outlined to address the issues of: stigma and discrimination, education and training, and organizational culture. This report represents the perspective of Canadian workers on their mental well-being in the workplace in It outlines a wide range of issues relevant to mental health in the workplace, highlighting the challenges faced by employees with mental health issues and provides insight on how employers can best support their employees to ensure psychological health and safety. The majority of the chapters in the report present the findings of the survey on employee perspectives and outlines the role of various stakeholders in supporting mental health in the workplace. The report aims to provide workplace leaders with information to approach issues related to mental health and to create and sustain healthy and safe workplaces. This report is likely most useful for employers just learning about the issue, requiring background and exposure to understanding the nuances of the topic and resources. This report plays an educational and informational role for employers seeking to understand the perspectives of employees on mental health issues in the workplace. It builds employer capacity and knowledge to comprehensively deal with mental health issues while incorporating the views of employees. Section 2a: Guides and links for small business Creating healthy workplaces is particularly challenging for small and medium sized businesses. They have a unique dynamic not always captured in guides and resources more broadly available. Although there are few Canadian resources available for small and medium sized business, Australia has taken the lead on ensuring small and medium sized businesses have the capacity to address mental health. Resource Description Goals Small Businesses webpage and online brochure Heads Up (Australia) HeadsUp.org.au The organization provides ten tips specifically designed for small business owners that will contribute to developing a healthy workplace. The tips offered are simple yet effective actions that are cost-effective. The tips provided are suggestions that can be adopted, but action is not limited just to the ten provided. In addition to the tips, the organization provides specific action and resources available to help implement the action effectively. The aim of the webpage is to help small businesses create mentally healthy workplaces. Business in Mind Resource Kit Heads Up (Australia) HeadsUp.org.au An online resource kit for small to medium businesses. The Business in Mind Resource Kit includes a DVD and other materials On the Business in Mind website, there is a sample of the full DVD. The resource kit is available online for employers to access. The toolkit is created specifically to help smaller organizations implement mental health programs. 8

9 Section 3: National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace ( The National Standards ) Resource Description Goals National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace Developed in conjunction with the Mental Health Commission of Canada, Canadian Standards Association (CSA Group) and the Bureau de normalization du Quebec (BNQ). MentalHealthCommission.ca The Standard is a voluntary set of guidelines, tools, and resources. It is comprehensive, applicable to all sectors and sizes of business, yet flexible in how much (or little) is adopted and implemented. It functions as a methodology for employers, specifying requirements for a documented and systematic approach to develop and sustain a psychologically healthy and safe workplace. A crucial component of the Standard is the commitment to a framework that allows for the continuous evaluation and improvement of the psychological health and safety plan. Focuses on capacity building and a guide for employers pursuing the promotion of employee s psychological health and preventing harm due to workplace factors. It will enable employers to lead the development of a mental health strategy with the aid of the documents. Key considerations: Success factors There are a number of considerations that need to be accounted for when implementing mental health solutions in the workplace. Understanding key success factors that lead to greater uptake and long-term maintenance of mental health solutions is one of the most critical components of workplace mental health. The following themes are consistently identified as needing to be addressed for organizations to achieve mentally safe and healthy environments. Addressing stigma first The pervasive stigma surrounding mental health issues is one of the primary obstacles in encouraging employers not only to have conversations around mental health in the workplace, but also implement a strategy to address it. According to Partners for Mental Health, misunderstandings around mental health problems or illness contribute to preconceived notions, misperceptions, and fears. Individuals living with a mental illness may be looked upon differently, passed up for promotion, or not taken seriously in the work environment. Support for mental well-being is not provided to the same extent as Support for physical disability or illness. At the Vancouver Board of Trade s mental health event in 2011, 39% of participants believed stigma is the single biggest barrier to addressing mental ill-health in the workplace. According to the Conference Board of Canada, 46% of Canadians think that mental ill-health is used as an excuse for bad behaviour and 10% believe that people with mental ill-health could snap out of it if they tried. Judgement and fear of discrimination drive people towards silence when it comes to struggles with mental illness. It has been repeated over and over from various sources: tackling the stigma around mental illness is a critical step in creating psychologically healthy and safe work environments. Strategies on mental health in the workplace must first begin with antistigma initiatives, fostering awareness and understanding, and then progress along a continuum towards tools and other resources that further promote and protect mental wellness. Antistigma actions that focus on awareness and understanding are the foundation on which long-term mentally Healthy and safe environments are built. The first step, provided by the report by the Vancouver Board of Trade, is to have open conversations about mental health; simply talking about mental well-being contributes to change by signalling that there is nothing to be ashamed about. As stigma is eroded and employees feel more comfortable with the issue, promotion and protection initiatives are more likely to resonate with employees and be successful. Creating a strategy After identifying the need to commit to mental health issues in the workplace, employers often pursue an ad hoc collection of interventions and initiatives with a lack of follow-up to support these actions and put them in 9

10 context. A key challenge for businesses is the need to develop and adopt coherent mental health strategies as solutions to workplace mental health concerns. Without a comprehensive strategy, it is difficult to sustain, or even initiate, the organizational change required for a workplace to be psychologically healthy and safe. Essentially, the lack of strategy seen by many employers means that there is no plan, and while resources may be tapped into, utilization is not as comprehensive and meaningful as it should be. This only creates a series of initiatives, but fails to take the step further towards change. Effective leadership and management support Organizations looking into addressing mental health and developing a psychologically healthy and safe workplace must have the explicit approval and support of leadership and the executive team. Implementing one or more actions is unlikely to be effective without leadership and management support for improving the culture and mental health of the workplace. This issue is not one that can be effectively addressed from a grassroots approach, but must have direction from the top. While HR departments may be the initiators of addressing mental health, the development of a strategy or initial awareness and communication plans must be done in consultation with leadership if it will be effective. Even if a mental health solution is introduced, but employees sense a lack of executive-led organizational change, the solution will be seen to lack authority. Furthermore, garnering support from leadership will lead to enhanced resources, financing, and commitment to solutions and strategy. Chamber s next steps The Calgary Chamber is committed to bringing awareness to mental health in the workplace. Additionally, as the voice of business in Calgary, the Chamber will act as a source of information and guidance for employers interested in protecting and promoting employee mental health in the work environment. As part of ongoing contribution to research around workplace mental health, the most natural niche for the Chamber to occupy in the dialogue around workplace mental health is to support and develop the business case for implementing mental health solutions. Specifically, the Chamber sees a need to investigate the effectiveness of various individual solutions and resources for mental health in the workplace, including positive impacts on employee mental health and return on investment for businesses. Without a solid business case for developing a psychologically healthy and safe workplace, which includes knowledge of what works and what does not to achieve various business and employee health goals, these solutions will not generate much uptake. The next step for the Chamber some qualitative data in collaboration with employer and business stakeholders. This will ensure that Chamber members will have access to the information, data, and research on effectiveness of solutions that is needed for businesses to adopt change. By engaging the business community on workplace mental health issues and solutions, we can begin to identify where the business case is lacking, what types of data on effectiveness are most salient for businesses when making decisions on implementation, whether there is anecdotal evidence on effectiveness, and how business leaders can contribute to developing information and data on effectiveness and return on investment. 10

11 References Canadian Mental Health Association. (2010). Mental Health for all Fact Sheet. Retrieved from: MHW2012_Everyones_Concern_ENG_Final.pdf Great Place to Work Institute Canada (2011). Mental Health in Canadian Workplaces: Investigating Employer s Best Practices. Human Resources and Skills Development Canada: Labour (Now Employment Services and Development Canada). Retrieved from: mental_health.pdf K. Thorpe and L. Chenier (2011). Building Mentally Health Workplace: Perspectives of Canadian Workers and Front-Line Managers. The Conference Board of Canada. Retrieved from: Heads Up Organization Australia (2014). Creating a Mentally Health Workplace: Small Businesses. Webpage. URL: M. Gilbert and D. Bilsker (2011). Improving Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace: Critical Analysis and Pragmatic Options. Mental Health Commission of Canada and the center for Applied Research in Mental Health and Addiction, Simon Fraser University. Retrieved from: ca/english/system/files/private/document/workforce_integrated_approach_ Framework%20_ENG.pdf M. Gilbert and D. Bilsker (2012). Psychological Health and Safety: An Action Guide for Employers. Mental Health Commission of Canada and the center for Applied Research in Mental Health and Addiction, Simon Fraser University. Retrieved from: Mental Health Commission of Canada (2013). Making the Case for Investing in Mental Health in Canada. Retrieved from: ca/english/system/files/private/document/investing_in_mental_health_final_ Version_ENG.pdf Mental Health Commission of Canada. (2014). Initiatives: Opening Minds. Webpage. URL: Mental Health Commission of Canada (2014). Topic: Workplace. Webpage. URL: National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (UK). (2009). Promoting mental health at work: Business case. Retrieved from: uk/ nicemedia/live/12331/46023/46023.pdf Partners for Mental Health (2014). Webpage. URL: The Health, Wellness, and Well-being Task Force (2012). Psychologically Healthy Workplaces: Improving Bottom Line Results and Employee Psychological Wellbeing. The Vancouver Board of Trade. Retrieved from: com/files/pdf/policy/2012/mental_health_report_feb21-12.pdf The Mentally Healthy Workplace Alliance (2014). Creating a Mentally Health Workplace: Return on Investment Analysis. Australian Government: National Mental Health Commission, BeyondBlue, and PwC. Retrieved from: headsup.org.au/docs/default-source/resources/bl1269-brochure---pwc-roianalysis.pdf?sfvrsn=4 11

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