Workplace managers say that they’re informed about mental health issues, but would benefit from training to help employees with mental health problems stay at work or return to work successfully and healthily
The Canadian Standards Association together with the Mental Health Commission of Canada, has released a national standard for psychological health and safety in the workplace, along with guidance for staged implementation.
The national standard defines and sets a higher standard for workplace mental health with a goal of protecting and improving the mental health of Canadian workers. It’s designed for both employers and employees.
44% of Canadian employees report experiencing mental health problems, and an estimated $20.7 billion loss in labour force participation is due to common mental disorders. The standard will offer employers, employees and employee representatives guidance to address these issues in their workplace.
To help move the new national standard from theory to implementation, the British Columbia division of the Canadian Mental Health Association will host a conference on February 27 and 28, 2013 at the Vancouver Convention Centre. The theme of the Bottom Line Conference is “Celebrating a New Era in Workplace Mental Health: Putting National Standards into Practice”. It will bring together business and labour leaders, policy-makers, health professionals, and workers to share practical approaches to improve mental health in Canadian workplaces.
We speak with Julia Kaisla, manager of workplace initiatives at the British Columbia division of the Canadian Mental Health Association.
RELATED | Conference Board of Canada: Mental Health Stigma Still Pervades Canadian Workplaces (June 20, 2011) | Canadian Mental Health Association (BC): CMHA BC Conference to Focus on Newly Released Workplace Psychological Health and Safety Standard (January 16, 2013) |
