Employer Advice on Supporting Employee Mental Health in the Workplace

Mental health is a major concern in Canada with 1 in 5 people expected to experience a mental health problem in any given year.

Besides personal suffering, unaddressed employee mental health concerns lead to absenteeism, turnover, and burnout – impacting productivity and your business bottom line.

It is important that you support employees who may be struggling with poor mental health in the workplace.

What should I do if an employee informs me about their mental health issue?

If an employee discloses their mental health issue or illness and requests for accommodation, you are obliged to accommodate that employee to the point of undue hardship. Common adjustments can be allowing flexible working hours and offering reduced or modified job duties.

You must also keep the information strictly confidential unless withholding it puts the employee or others in imminent danger. You must also inform your employee of available mental health support and resources, such as your company’s employee assistance program (EAP).

Under the human rights law, employers must not discriminate against their employees based on any protected ground. Disability is a protected ground and includes mental health issues.

You must not discriminate against an employee because they have a mental health issue or illness. Discriminatory acts include termination, harassment, denial of job opportunities, or promotions.

What is the difference between a mental illness and a mental health concern?

The Canadian Mental Health Association defines mental illness as a “diagnosed disorder of thought, mood, or behaviour that has been present for an extended period of time (is not transient) and causes significant distress to the individual”.

A mental health concern is “a concern held by the individual due to a perceived deficit in mood or thought that is distressing but has not necessarily been present for an extended period”.

To put it simply, it’s the difference between having a diagnosed anxiety disorder and experiencing temporary anxiety due to “situational stress” such as the impact of US tariffs on your business.

It is possible to have good mental health and be productive despite a mental illness if one gets the right professional help and learns to manage the illness well.

How should I approach an employee who may be struggling with poor mental health or a mental illness?

If you notice or suspect that a mental health problem is affecting an employee’s behaviour and work performance, you should reach out to the employee.

Common signs of strain may be:

• Irritability
• Visible stress
• Increased absenteeism, and
• Lower productivity.

We recommend that you:

Talk to your employee

Focus the discussion on the performance or productivity issue. Start with examples of their past good work to put them at ease. Cite specific instances of current poor output or behaviour that is causing concern.

Assure your employee that any information they disclose to you would be confidential. Let your employee know about the possibility of accommodation.

Listen for understanding

This means having a conversation to understand the perspective of the other person. You can do so by showing interest in what they are saying, asking relevant questions, letting them speak and not interrupting.

In case the discussion does lead to the worker disclosing a mental health issue, do not try to diagnose or pry for details or deliver a pep talk. Under privacy law, your employee has a right not to disclose medical information.

Be objective in the manner you document the meeting. Focus on solutions and how you can accommodate them and provide a supportive work environment.

Connect your employee to available mental health resources

Besides charting out a plan to accommodate the employee’s mental health needs in the workplace, you should also remind the employee to access the company’s Employee Assistance Program (if you offer one). Or you could guide them to available community services.

Schedule a future meeting to review their performance

Follow up with the employee to assess the impact of the steps taken on their performance and general well-being.

What other best practices should I follow to create awareness about good mental health at work?

We advise that you:

Educate your staff

There is still a stigma associated with mental health problems due to which employees may hesitate to reach out or seek help.

Make sure you educate your staff on mental health concerns. You could invite a mental health professional to give a talk on the subject. Better still, you could provide mental health training to your staff, especially managers.

The Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) offers free courses to this end. It also runs a Mental Health First Aid program to improve mental health literacy and teach skills to better manage potential mental health problems.

MHCC has also developed a framework called the National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace. It is a voluntary set of guidelines, tools, and resources to help employers promote mental health and prevent psychological harm at work.

Develop a mental health policy for your workplace

A clear and comprehensive policy will guide your employees and your supervisors on the next steps when an employee makes a mental illness disclosure and requests accommodation.

It is important that your supervisors are trained on how to sensitively hold such conversations and manage such requests.

A well-written policy that is included in your employee handbook and shared with your staff will reinforce your company’s commitment to creating a nurturing and inclusive workplace.

Do you need help creating a mental health policy?

Our experts can help you develop company policies as well as with any other HR, health and safety, or employment relations advice you may need. To learn more about how our services can help your business, call a Peninsula expert today at (1) 833 247-3652.