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KEY MESSAGING FOR THE PUBLIC LAUNCH OF THE NATIONAL STANDARD FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH AND SAFETY IN THE WORKPLACE WORKPLACE MENTAL HEALTH
The Public Health Case for Action •
Adults spend more waking hours in the workplace than anywhere else 1 – this includes people living with, mental health problems and illnesses.
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Healthy work lives play an essential part in maintaining positive mental health.2
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The workplace plays a key role in public health initiatives aimed at promoting mental health and preventing mental illness.
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The health or harm created in workplaces spills over into the well being of families, communities and society at large. 3
The Economic Case for Action •
One Canadian in five will experience a mental illness in a given year. In 2011, 40% of Canadians experiencing mental illness were between the ages of 20-39.4
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Mental health problems and illnesses are a leading cause of disability in Canada, estimated to account for nearly 30% of disability claims and 70% of the total costs. 5,6
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10% and 25% of mental disability costs currently directly born by many employers could be avoided.
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The longer someone is away from work due to illness, the less chance there is of a successful return to the workplace (6 months off – 50%, 9 months – 10%).
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If unaddressed, the impact of mental health problems on lost productivity (due to absenteeism, presenteeism and turnover) will cost Canadian businesses $198B over the next 30 years. 7
WHAT IS THE STANDARD?
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The National Standard of Canada is titled Psychological Health and Safety in the
Workplace – Prevention, promotion and guidance to staged implementation.
Mental Health Commission of Canada. (2012). Changing Directions, Changing Lives: The Mental Health Strategy for Canada. Calgary, AB: Author. Mental Health Commission of Canada. (2012). op. cit. Mental Health Commission of Canada. (2012). op. cit. 4 Smetanin, P., Stiff, D., Briante, C., Adair, C., Ahmad, S., & Khan, M. (2011) The list and economic impact of major mental illnesses in Canada: 2011 to 2041. RiskAnalytica, on behalf of the Mental Health Commission of Canada. 5 Sairanen, S., Matzanke, D., & Smeall, D. (2011) The Business Case: Collaborating to help employees maintain their mental well-being. Healthcare Papers.11, 78-84. 6 Towers, Watson. (2012) Pathway to Health and Productivity. 200/2012 Staying @ Work Survey report. North America. 7 Smetanin, P. et. al. (2011) op. cit 2 3
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The Standard is voluntary. It is not a legal framework or regulation.
The Standard is about mental illness prevention and mental health promotion in the workplace. It is intended to help prevent harm to all people in the workplace, whether or not they have had a lived experience with mental illness.
. The Standard offers organizations a structure and process for changing how mental health and mental illness are approached in the workplace
The voluntary Standard is a tool to guide organizations in improving workplace psychological health and safety and can be used differently by different businesses and organizations depending on their needs. Some businesses may use the Standard to create policies and processes for promoting good mental health, while others may use it to inform training programs.
The Standard offers organizations a starting point. Not all issues related to employee mental health can be addressed by meeting the Standard alone.
Strong organizational leadership from all workplace stakeholders and a comprehensive approach to organizational change will also be required.
The Standard is aligned with existing standards and tools and is applicable to any organization.
The Standard includes informative annexes to help users develop approach to implementation and integration.
WHY IS A NATIONAL STANDARD NEEDED?
Creating a systematic and sustainable approach for psychological health and safety, similar in spirit to how physical health and safety is managed, is becoming a business imperative. The business case is clear: o
A work environment that promotes good mental health is socially responsible, cost effective, and helps attract and keep good employees.
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It is also an important risk management strategy as employers are increasingly held legally responsible for maintaining psychological health and safety in the workplace and increasingly subject to civil suits for employee harassment, bullying or chronic overwork
Changing Directions-Changing Lives: the Mental Health Strategy for Canada recommends the wide adoption of psychological health and safety standards in
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Canadian workplaces. Tracking uptake of the Standard is a key measure of progress in promoting workplace mental health.
WHO IS INVOLVED IN DEVELOPING THE STANDARD?
The Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) provided leadership and championed the development of the National Standard on Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace.
The project was funded in part by the Government of Canada (through Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, Health Canada, and the Public Health Agency of Canada), through a financial contribution from the Great-West Life Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace, and Bell Canada.
The Standard was developed collaboratively by the Bureau de Normalisation du Québec (BNQ) and Canadian Standards Association Group (CSA), with input from a Technical Committee of volunteers with significant experience and expertise in this subject matter. The membership of the Technical Committee was balanced and included volunteers from the following sectors: o Employers o Organized Labour o Service Providers o Government/Regulatory Authorities/Insurance o Workplace mental health specialists.
HOW CAN ORGANIZATIONS START USING THE STANDARD?
Download and become familiar with the content of the Standard and its annexes.
Designate a champion in the your organization’s leadership team who will take responsibility for moving forward with activities to implement the Standard.
Get your organization’s senior leadership on board and develop a policy statement around workplace psychological health and safety.
Undertake a planning process to identify your organization’s gaps. Involve employees at every stage. Use available tools (such as GM@W, the Standard’s audit tool, existing workplace data) to assess what your organization is currently doing to support psychological health and safety in the workplace and what you can do to improve on that effort.
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Take advantage of other tools for employers that compliment the Standard such as the Mental Health Commission of Canada’s Action Guide for Employers, or Mental Health First Aid.