Workplace Mental Health Resources

Mental illnesses cost the Canadian economy an estimated $50 billion annually and on average cost businesses almost $1,500 per employee per year; there is a strong business case for implementing a mental health strategy in the workplace.

Below are two resources supplied by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce and Canadian Chamber of Commerce to support businesses looking to improve their own workplace mental health policy.

Working Towards Mental Wellness

The Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) released the Working Towards Mental Wellness  toolkit in July 2017   This resource seeks to assist employers in adopting mental health strategies for their workplace. In it, the OCC outlines the benefits of a healthy workplace, helps define what a healthy workplace looks like, and lays out steps for businesses to take meaningful action in addressing mental wellness in the workplace.

Download toolkit.

More resources to help employers build their own mental health strategies can be found at www.occ.ca/mentalhealth.

Mentally Healthy Workplaces

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce is committed to promoting positive mental health in the workplace and is in the process of adopting the National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace. They are also encouraging chambers and boards of trade across Canada to champion mentally healthy workplaces and encourage their member businesses to adopt the Standard.

A mentally healthy workplace can:

• Foster a positive culture
• Promote employee’s mental well-being
• Prevent harm to employee mental health
• Support people with mental health problems and illnesses
• Reduce stigma and discrimination

Adopting the Standard can help organizations with:

• Productivity
• Financial performance
• Risk management
• Organizational recruitment
• Employee retention