Pressure for Psychologically Healthy Workplaces

Increasingly employers are understanding the value of engagement and retention. They also understand the risk and cost of disability, absence and presenteeism — being at work and not fully productive. Many, however, do not fully appreciate how profoundly workplace mental health impacts each of these issues. In addition, there is often a challenge of defining the priority areas of focus to support workplace mental health, and even of understanding what a mentally healthy workplace looks like.

A national survey by Morneau Shepell tells a compelling story about the current state of mental health in Canadian workplaces. The purpose of the study was to provide data to employers regarding the current priority issues in workplace mental health, from the perspective of employees, physicians and other employers.

This research validates the importance and impact of psychological health and safety in the workplace, and emphasizes the need for more focused efforts on specific areas of stigma.