With one in five Canadians experiencing a mental health illness in their lifetime, employers need to recognize warning signs in their employees and help them obtain early treatment.
What You Need to Know About Mental Health
A Tool for Managers, published by the Conference Board, provides managers and others with insightful information to help them understand the issues and implement solutions.
"Mental health is a growing concern for Canadian society and the workplace. Too often, mental health problems can lead to absenteeism or workers who are present but not fully productive," said Allison Cowan, Research Associate, Human Research Management Research. "It is important that managers and employers take the time to learn about mental health, remove the stigma that often surrounds it and develop strategies in the workplace that support good mental health and foster healthy work environments."
The Conference Board of Canada developed the Tool with support from IBM Canada Ltd. and the Human Resource Leaders Working Group on Mental Health, a collaboration of 13 leading organizations.
The Tool provides information and advice on four elements that contribute to a healthy workplace:
- preventing mental health problems
- recognizing problems early
- getting employees the help they need
- facilitating an employee's return to work
The Tool is available free of charge from the Conference Board of Canada:
Canadian Mental Health Association
Additional information on mental health in the workplaces is offered by the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Ontario:
