challenges and supportive policies to aid in effective transition
back into the workplace.”
Workplace stress has become cyclical – it is a major contributor to
mental health issues, which can subsequently impact workplace pro-ductivity.
In today’s organizations, the survey found that Canadians
reported high levels of concern regarding the impact of their men-tal
health issues on their career and job performance. Close to
three-quarters (70 per cent) of respondents stated that their work expe-rience
impacted their mental health, while a higher number (78 per
cent) reported mental health as the primary reason for missing work.
LEARNING TO COPE
The white paper outlines that despite the prevalence of mental
health issues, employees are confident in their ability to cope with
stressful situations. The majority of survey respondents reported
a neutral (59 per cent) or positive (26 per cent) outlook on mental
health, which closely mirrors the reported coping strategies. More
than half (54 per cent) of respondents indicated they have high/
optimal coping skills. Employees identify the use of positive cop-ing
mechanisms such as seeking professional support, and negative
coping strategies such as drinking alcohol and smoking tobacco.
Without effective coping strategies, employees are at risk of fur-ther
harm to themselves. The white paper explains that suicide
remains a top concern, with more than half (58 per cent) of sur-vey
respondents reporting they had considered taking their lives to
cope with mental illness.
“The effectiveness of a mental health strategy predicts how well
an organization curbs issues in the workplace and supports at-risk
employees,” said Dr. Howatt. “We’re proud to see a trend towards
more Canadian workplaces normalizing mental health in discus-sions,
but we recognize that significant work remains as most
organizations don’t have policies in place. We found that this is
not because organizations aren’t willing to implement policies, but
because they were unsure of where to start.”
SHIFTING THE CONVERSATION
Effective policies to curb mental health issues are embedded across
all stages of employment, from hiring to retirement or turnover.
The white paper explains that organizations should follow two
models: (a) a continual improvement or plan-do-check-act model,
which focuses on continual improvement, adjustment and eval-uation
to positively change work environments and (b) a joint
responsibility model, which puts onus on both the employee and
employer to foster a healthy work environment through aware-ness,
accountability and action.
“Implementing a successful, comprehensive mental health
strategy takes time, but is integral to the overall health of the orga-nization,"
said Louise Bradley, president and chief executive officer,
MHCC. “We’re confident that this white paper will bring to light
some of the challenges that organizations have faced and offer
actions that employers can introduce and begin taking the next
step towards a mentally healthy workplace.”
Understanding mental health, mental illness and their impacts in
the workplace can be downloaded here.
FORTY-THREE PER CENT OF CANADIAN
WORKERS WOULD QUIT THEIR JOB
FOR A BIGGER PAYCHEQUE
Money really does talk, suggests new research from staffing firm
OfficeTeam. More than two in five Canadian workers (43 per
cent) said they’d leave their job for one with better pay. In terms
of gender, 45 per cent of men would resign if offered more money
elsewhere, compared to 39 per cent of women.
Whatever the reason for leaving, employees should have a good
exit plan when parting ways with a company. In a separate sur-vey
of Canadian HR managers, 90 per cent said the way someone
quits affects their future career opportunities.
“Professionals want to be rewarded and recognized for their
efforts at work and will move to find an employer who provides
that satisfaction,” said Koula Vasilopoulos, a district president for
OfficeTeam. “When considering a job change, workers should first
discuss any issues with their current manager, who may be able to
offer things like additional incentives or development opportuni-ties
to help keep talented employees engaged and committed.”
For those deciding to leave, Vasilopoulos stressed the impor-tance
of doing so on good terms. “Departing on a high note helps
maintain a positive professional reputation that will follow you as
you progress in your career.”
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8 ❚ AUGUST 2018 ❚ HR PROFESSIONAL
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