Lewis Health Management Consulting

Supporting people’s mental health at work

We support people’s mental health at work by creating an environment for thriving, eliminating harmful parts of work or providing tools to manage parts of the job we know can create harm, and supporting people who are experiencing problems. This article focuses on supporting people with mental health problems at work but of course, making the work environment better by reducing harmful exposures is also important and the focus of a separate article.

What is the health of your workforce?

Population estimates indicate that at least 15% of people have a mental health disorder1 . 20% of Canadians rate their mental health has “poor” or “fair”22. Half of Canadians with mental health problems do not seek help from a healthcare professional3. In addition, others are experiencing a physical health challenge which may also be affecting their mental health and ability at work. Presenteeism, that is being at work with less than full abilities due to illness, and absenteeism can cause productivity losses of 1.7 and 2 times wages respectively4 . There are excellent research-based guidelines published (NICE NG13, NG146, NG212) to assist workplaces to support people with health problems. Key components of employee support for mental health or physical health problems include:

  • Good relationship with direct manager before and during illness period.
  • Managers asking “as your manager, how can we support you at work” and responding with reasonable job flexibility and accommodation.
  • Return to work or stay at work managers, sometimes known as disability managers and a disability or ability management program.
  • Early and continued contact with employees who are away on leave.
  • Once returning to work regular check ins, even after return to full hours and duties, to ensure the employee has what they need.

Unfortunately, population research shows people who experience mental health problems earn less over their lifespan – researchers believe this is due to a “perfect storm” of lack of employment accommodation spurs further declines in mental health and mental health problems in some situations recur5 . Employment supports are key to preventing further disability and exit from the workforce of valuable talent.

Managers themselves feel strained themselves and desire training to help them respond to mental health in the workplace6. Manager and supervisor training, combined with good workplace strategy, helps fill the gap. Please contact me to learn more about education and consultation that aligns with your business.

Where does equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility fit?

Research is clear that equity-deserving groups experience workplace factors differently. Intersectionality, how various factors impinge in one place, can amplify workplace factors to a harmful threshold. When looking at workplace mental health, under-represented groups’ experience won’t necessarily be seen in surveys or focus groups and organizations must go out of their way to solicit input and ensure those groups are not being harmed. Input from employee resource groups, EDI (equity, diversity, inclusion) committees, and outside stakeholders can help uncover how these groups may experience workplace factors. Groups to consider seeking input from include:

  • LGTBQ2S+
  • Newcomers to Canada
  • Visible minorities
  • Employees with disabilities

Please contact me to learn more about education and consultation that aligns with your business.

  1. Rugulies, R., Aust, B., Greiner, B. A., Arensman, E., Kawakami, N., LaMontagne, A. D., & Madsen, I. E. H. (2023). Work-related causes of mental health conditions and interventions for their improvement in workplaces. The Lancet, 402(10410), 1368–1381. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(23)00869-3 ↩︎
  2. Statistics Canada. Perceived mental health, by gender and other selected sociodemographic characteristics. Published online 2023. doi:10.25318/4510008001-ENG ↩︎
  3. Stephenson E. Mental Disorders and Access to Mental Health Care. Statistics Canada; 2023:15. Accessed June 26, 2024. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/75-006-x/2023001/article/00011-eng.pdf ↩︎
  4. Strömberg, C., Aboagye, E., Hagberg, J., Bergström, G., & Lohela-Karlsson, M. (2017). Estimating the effect and economic impact of absenteeism, presenteeism, and work environment–related problems on reductions in productivity from a managerial perspective. Value in Health, 20(8), 1058–1064. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jval.2017.05.008 ↩︎
  5. Dobson, K. G., Vigod, S. N., Mustard, C., & Smith, P. M. (2021). Major Depressive Episodes and Employment Earnings Trajectories over the Following Decade among Working-aged Canadian Men and Women. Journal of Affective Disorders, 285, 37–46. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2021.02.019 ↩︎
  6. Nielsen K, Yarker J. What can I do for you? Line managers’ behaviors to support return to work for workers with common mental disorders. JMP. Published online October 4, 2022. doi:10.1108/JMP-09-2021-0500 ↩︎