ELEMENTS OF A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS
Modelling a Supportive Workplace for Mental Health and Well-being Rachelle Lee
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n February 2022, Rachelle Lee moderated a panel discussion during the BCNA Annual Continuing Education Program on how to best create a supportive workplace for mental health and well-being. The following is a summary of the topics covered and a presentation on best practices for employee assistance programs (EAPs). We can all agree on one thing: It’s been a tough couple of years for employees at every level in an organization. Working from home, not working from home, too much work or job loss, family pressures, ever-changing regulations, drastic changes to workplace routines, and health anxiety—all of those and more have wreaked havoc with our lives and our plans. They’ve also taken an additional toll on those struggling with mental health and with addiction issues, two subjects that were already the most challenging subjects to discuss. Employees were struggling with mental health issues at an unprecedented level before the pandemic. COVID made it worse, particularly if someone had a preexisting mental health challenge.
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According to a 2020 CAMH report on Mental Health in Canada, “The pandemic has both magnified and added to this crisis and highlighted how crucial mental health promotion and care are to our overall wellbeing.” Statistics from the same CAMH report back up these observations. • In the Fall of 2020, 1 in 5 (21%) Canadians age 18 and older screened positive for symptoms of depression, anxiety, or posttraumatic stress disorder. That number rose to 1 in 4 (25%) by the Fall of 2021.
A recent poll found that 50% of Canadians reported worsening mental health since the pandemic began...
• Mental illness is a leading cause of disability in Canada. • A recent poll found that 50% of Canadians reported worsening mental health since the pandemic began, with many feeling worried (44%) and anxious (41%). Burden at All Levels The economic burden of mental illness in Canada is well documented, estimated at $51 billion per year. That includes health care costs, BC Notaries Association
lost productivity, and reductions in health-related quality of life. Calculating the costs is complex because people with a mental illness are twice as likely to have a co-occurring substance use problem compared to the general population. That impacts diagnosis, care, and treatment and adds additional stigma to a topic that’s already not easy for many to talk about. As Craig Fluter explains, an addictions advocate at Westcoast Interventions and one of the panelists at the BCNA Conference, “People report shame and guilt as Craig Fluter key reasons for not seeking help.” The other panel members, Tammy Morin Nakashima and Sylvia Anderson concurred. Tammy Morin Nakashima Anderson is a specialist with HumanaCare, a leading provider of employee and family assistance programs (EAPs); Morin Sylvia Anderson Nakashima is a BC Notary with personal experiences of how the mental health of business colleagues can impact everyone involved. Fortunately, The Society of Notaries Public of BC provides HumanaCare services to its members. Volume 31, Number 1, Spring /Summer 2022
