Working towards mental wellness: a toolkit for employers
Mental health conditions in the workplace are being diagnosed with greater frequency. Disability claims for mental illness is the fastest growing claim type in Canada. The cost of mental illnesses to the Canadian economy is estimated at over $50 billion annually, with $20 billion of that stemming directly from workplace losses. On average, mental health issues cost businesses almost $1,500 per employee, per year.
Nevertheless, instead of being recognized and managed, these problems are too often misjudged or disregarded. For most employers, it is easier to cope with an employee’s physical injury than a mental one.
In Working Towards Mental Wellness: A toolkit for employers, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) seeks to illuminate the distinctive character of mental wellness in the workplace, outline the case for action and provide resources for starting this conversation workplaces across Ontario.
There are countless available resources on mental health, including numerous on mental health in the workplace. For many employers, a recommended first stop is your benefits provider, to ensure you and your employees are getting the most out of your EAP and supplementary lifestyle programs.
Beyond that, the OCC has created this page as a preliminary resource for employers looking to build a mentally healthy workplace.
Below you can find a selection of valuable and relevant websites and tools to help employers assess their business, develop appropriate solutions and discover formal support for their journey.
Where to Start
- Mental Health Commission of Canada: The National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace
Workplace Mental Health
- Mental Health Commission of Canada: Making the Case for Investing in Mental Health in Canada
- Canadian Mental Health Association: Mental Health Works
- Great-West Life Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace: Workplace Strategies for Mental Health
- Manulife: Workplace Solutions for Mental Health
- Morneau Shepell: Workplace Mental Health Priorities 2016
- Joti Samra: The Evolution of Workplace Mental Health in Canada
Evaluate your Workplace
- CivicAction: MindsMatter
- Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers: Measure Workplace Stress App
- Bill Howatt: Cost of Doing Nothing Calculator
Toolkits and Resources
- CMHA – Mental Health in the Workplace: An Accommodation Guide for Workers and Staff
- Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers: Mental Injury Toolkit
- Mental Health Commission of Canada: Mental Health First Aid
- Bill Howatt: Three Steps for Building a Mental Health Framework
- Canadian Human Rights Commission: Policy and Procedures on the Accommodation of Mental Illness
- Bell Let’s Talk: Workplace Mental Health Toolkit
For Small Business
- Great West Life Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace: Strategies for Small Business Owners
- Heads Up! Australia
