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| May 2008 | français|
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Quiet Crisis Threatens Canadian Workplaces Paramedical
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May 2008 Newsletter A
Quiet Crisis Threatens Canadian Workplaces Mental
health conditions are depleting the human capital of Canadian companies.
This is the conclusion of a comprehensive research review published in 2007 by Wilson Banwell PROACT Human Solutions. The report, entitled The Quiet Crisis: The Business Case for Managing Employee Mental Health, draws from numerous studies on the impact of mental health in the workplace from around the world and synthesizes the key findings. David Penney, Atlantic Region Director for Human Solutions, a major Canadian EAP provider, says that the report was a response to customer requests for factual, research-based recommendations to assist them with decision making and improving the health of their employees and their organizations. “Last year we wanted a concrete report that outlines for employers the most common mental health conditions that afflict large populations, the barriers to proper diagnosis, the treatment options, and what they can do to address this growing source of lost productivity and human suffering in their organizations.” Mental health conditions, in particular depression, bipolar mood disorder, social anxiety and phobias, panic disorder, schizophrenia, and suicide, affect one in five employees. Unfortunately, two-thirds of these employees do not get any treatment, and of the third who do seek help, it most often is from primary care doctors untrained to treat mental health concerns. Employees with undiagnosed or under-treated mental health conditions often struggle valiantly to stay on the job. Despite their best efforts, many of them experience lapses in productivity, unscheduled days absent, physical illnesses, and alcohol and/or drug addiction. Not surprisingly, the report finds that there is overwhelming research evidence of the critical role that mental health plays in the success of businesses of all sizes and all industries. The good news is that there is sufficient evidence to show that employers who take action and implement policies and practices that are supportive of the needs of those with work stress and mental health conditions, will realize significant dollar savings in the areas of reduced overall healthcare costs, reduced disability costs, fewer missed days from work, improvements in productivity, and lower turnover. The report also states that studies show that “well-structured organizational approaches to improving mental and physical health generate effects that are stronger and longer lasting than interventions delivered at the individual level. Worksite-based preventative interventions seek to remove work-related practices and behaviours that contribute to employee stress and mental health conditions.” A research review identified the following list of workplace attributes that contribute to both profitability and to better mental health:
“In developing this report we focused on the value of a psychologically healthy workplace and what it takes to create one. The real significance of this document is that it provides the workplace with actionable steps they can take, regardless of how small or large they are, to address the stigma and discrimination that surrounds mental health concerns, and ensure employees get the right kind of help when they need it.,” Mr. Penney explains. A PDF of the report can be obtained by emailing info@humansolutions.ca
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