Global Courant 2023-05-01 19:04:00
Whether it’s a mental health day or a reduced workload, there are a number of ways employers and employees can manage workplace stress to the benefit of everyone, says a Toronto-based psychologist.
“Mental health is part of our whole health,” registered psychologist Natasha Williams told CTV’s Your Morning on Monday, “and often we focus so much on our physical health that we tend to deny mental health.”
Referring to a 2012 poll by Ipsos, the Mental Health Commission of Canada says as much as 70 percent of Canadian workers are concerned about the psychological health and safety of their workplace, while 14 percent believe their workplace is not healthy or safe at all.
Williams says our mental health, especially issues like anxiety and depression, can lead to reduced productivity and absenteeism. So says the federal government 30 percent of disability claims relate to mental health problems and illness.
If Mental health week launches in Canada, Williams shared some ways employers in particular can help improve the mental health of their workplaces.
REDUCE STIGMA
Williams says employers should make sure the workplace is safe enough for employees to report any concerns and seek help if they need it.
“Because the stigma is often, ‘I feel like I’m going to get a negative reaction if I disclose that I have a mental health problem,'” she said.
“So if I don’t feel psychologically safe, there’s no point in being able to say, ‘You know what, I have a mental health problem, I need help.'”
EDUCATION
Learning more about the signs and symptoms of mental illness and where to get help can help address some of the misinformation about what mental health looks like, says Williams.
Consistently bringing someone in to talk about mental health and educate the workplace will keep that conversation going, too, so nothing is “swept under the rug,” she added.
“The more you’re able to be open and have that conversation, the less stigma you’ll have and the more comfortable you’ll feel talking about… whatever it is you’re struggling with,” she said.
IDENTIFY STRESSORS
Stress at work can exacerbate pre-existing mental health problems, but Williams says many people don’t feel comfortable disclosing those stressors.
“Employers can really look at things like how do we look at taking mental health days? How do we reduce workload? How can we sometimes have a few days off where I can say, ‘Okay, you know what, I’m don’t feel so good, can I take this day off or shorten my work week and still be productive?” she said.
“It’s about being able to conduct those dialogues in a safe and comfortable way, so that the employer and the employee have a win-win situation.”
Watch the full interview with Natasha Williams at the top of the article.
