Transcript How We are Making the Mental Health Strategy Real

Centring Diversity for Workplace
Equity Conference
Sarika Gundu
National Director, Workplace Mental Health Program
July 10th , 2014
1
Presentation Overview
1. CMHA
2. Workplace Stats
3. National Standard on Psychological Health and
Safety
4. Accommodation
5. Resources and Tools
2
Canadian Mental Health Association
(CMHA)
Our Vision: Mentally healthy people in a healthy society.
Our Mission: As the nation-wide leader and champion for mental health,
CMHA facilitates access to the resources people require to maintain and
improve mental health and community integration, build resilience, and
support recovery from mental illness.
 Founded in 1918 and is one of Canada’s oldest not-forprofit organizations
 We have more than 10,000 staff and volunteers in over
120 communities across Canada
 CMHA provides vital services and support to well over
half a million Canadians every year
3
The Stats
The time for action is NOW!
In any given year, one in five people in Canada experiences a mental
health problem or illness, with a cost to the economy of well in excess of
$50 billion.(1)
Mental health problems and illnesses typically account for approximately
30 per cent of short- and long-term disability claims.(2)(3)
Mental health problems and illnesses are rated one of the top three
drivers of both short- and long-term disability claims by more than 80 per
cent of Canadian employers.(4)
In 2010, mental health conditions were responsible for 47 per cent of all
approved disability claims in the federal civil service, almost double the
percentage of twenty years earlier.(5)
4
National Standard of Canada for
Psychological Health and Safety in the
Workplace (the Standard)
National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace
(the Standard) Championed by the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC),
and developed by the Canadian Standards Association (CSA Group) and the Bureau
de normalisation du Québec (BNQ), the Standard is a voluntary set of guidelines,
tools and resources focused on promoting employees’ psychological health and
preventing psychological harm due to workplace factors.
5
Have you read the Standard?
6
The Standard
Simply Good Business
Mental health in the workplace is an issue that impacts all workplaces and can
no longer be ignored. Keeping the workforce healthy and productive is simply
smart business and good for the bottom line.
Adopting the Standard Can Help Your Organization With:
Productivity
Financial performance
Risk management
Organizational recruitment
Employee retention
“It’s time to start thinking about mental wellbeing in the same way as we
consider physical wellbeing, and the Standard offers the framework needed to
help make this happen in the workplace.”
– Louise Bradley, President & CEO, MHCC
7
The Standard
Simply Good Business
Mental health in the workplace is an issue that impacts all workplaces and can
no longer be ignored. Keeping the workforce healthy and productive is simply
smart business and good for the bottom line.
Adopting the Standard Can Help Your Organization With:
Productivity
Financial performance
Risk management
Organizational recruitment
Employee retention
“It’s time to start thinking about mental wellbeing in the same way as we
consider physical wellbeing, and the Standard offers the framework needed to
help make this happen in the workplace.”
– Louise Bradley, President & CEO, MHCC
8
Improving Mental Health in the
workplace relies on 3 pillars of
success:
1) Leadership commitment can be obtained through educating and training leaders
about the importance of workplace mental health and about the current mental
health landscape of the federal government. This information will provide a strong
understanding as to why implementing the Standard is critical, valuable and the right
thing to do in any and every workplace.
2) Employee Engagement and Collaboration: Implementing the Standard involves a
commitment from everyone in the workplace. Engaging and collaborating with
employees can provide valuable insight and feedback about the workplace that can
better strengthen the implementation outcome.
3) Effective and continuous communication will help manage expectations about
the Standard. It can also prevent and clarify any confusion or assumptions that may
be associated with the Standard.
9
The P6 Framework
Policy
• organizational commitment
Planning
• determine health indicators
Promotion
• positive psychological health
Prevention
• psychological characteristics of
work tasks
Process
Persistence
• evaluation of implementation and
results
• continuous improvement
10
13 Psychosocial factors that create a
psychologically safe workplace.
•
Balance
•
Psychological Support
•
Civility and respect
•
•
Psychological
Competency
Engagement
•
Psychological Protection
•
•
Growth and
Development
•
Protection of Physical
Safety
Involvement and
Influence
•
Recognition and Reward
•
Leadership
•
Workload Management
•
Organizational Culture
Useful
Tools/Resources
•
•
•
•
MHCC
Workplace Strategies
for Mental Health
Guarding Minds at
Work
CMHA – Mental
Health Works
11
Accommodation
The severity of mental illnesses can vary from person to person. Two people can be
diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder but may require different accommodations. It is
important to discuss how you as a manager can best support them. Remember
you’re their manager not their health care professional.
Create a psychologically safe and healthy workplace: Equip employees with the
tools and resources to support themselves and their co-workers.
Build Trust: If an employee has shared with you that they have a mental illness be
sure they can trust you with such information. With stigma very prevalent in the
workplace, it is very important that your employee feels comfortable about
revealing such information.
Communicate: Ask them about what they need from you to be successful in their
role and discuss what you need from them to be successful in their role. Work
together on a solution that will support the employee to meet their assigned
duties. Ask how their illness and symptoms might impact their work. This
information is helpful when creating an effective accommodation plan. Be sure to
stay calm and relaxed when communicating with your employee.
12
Accommodation
Keep in mind that accommodations may change over time and there is not a onesize- fits- all solution. Be sure to touch base regularly with your employee to
understand how the accommodations are working out for them.
Helpful questions can sound like this:
“Help me understand your condition”
“What is the impact of your condition on your work”
Employees with bipolar disorder, Lupus, MS and any other illness that experience
episodic symptoms may require certain accommodations in the workplace to
better manage their condition and work. Below are some common yet effective
accommodations to consider.
 Flexible work hours
 Adjustable workloads
 Work from home option
 Job sharing options
13
Resources and Tools
Resources and Tools
Website
Mental Health Works
www.mentalhealthworks.ca
Working Through It
www.workplacestrategiesformentalhealth.com
Workplace Strategies for Mental
Health
www.gwlcentreformentalhealth.com
Mental Health Commission of
Canada
www.mentalhealthcommission.ca
Guarding Minds at Work
www.guardingmindsatwork.ca
CMHA Bottom Line Conference
www.bottomlineconference.ca
14
Consider this….
15
References
(1)
Sairanen, S., Matzanke, D., & Smeall, D. (2011). The business case: Collaborating
to help employees maintain their mental well-being. Healthcare Papers, 11, 78–84.
(2)
Sairanen, S., Matzanke, D., & Smeall, D. (2011). The business case: Collaborating
to help employees maintain their mental well-being. Healthcare Papers, 11, 78–84.
(3) Towers,
Watson. (2012). Pqthway to health and productivity. 2011/2012
Staying@Work survey report. North America. Retrieved
from http://www.towerswatson.com/assets/pdf/6031/Towers-Watson-Staying-atWork-Report.pdf.
(4) Butler,
Don, (2011, June 28). “PS disability claims soaring.” Ottawa Citizen.
(5) Smetanin,
P., Stiff, D., Briante, C., Adair, C., Ahmad, S., & Khan, M. (2011). The life
and economic impact of major mental illnesses in Canada: 2011 to
2041. RiskAnalytica, on behalf of the Mental Health Commission of Canada.
16
Thank You!
17