Mental Health in the Workplace
Mental health claims are the fastest growing category of disability in the workplace, soon to rival the costs of cardiovascular disease. Depression, anxiety and burnout are the three most common sources of mental distress leading to these claims.
Mental health problems account for about half of employee absences due to illness each year in Canada. That’s 35 million days lost annually. Perhaps one of the most alarming statistics point to a staggering $31 billion lost in productivity each year due to mental illness in Canada.
What remains promising, however, is that today’s business leaders, occupational health and safety and human resource professionals and policy makers sit in an unprecedented position to affect workplace culture so that health and safety trends like these do not increasingly and unmanageably continue.
On Friday, May 6, 2011, Alberta Health Services hosted a Minding the Workplace symposium, featuring three renowned speakers who shared their innovation, creativity and working knowledge in the area of workplace mental health. Click on the links below to watch their live presentations:
- Dr. Graham Lowe, The Graham Lowe Group Inc. and Professor Emeritus, University of Alberta.
- Dr. Joti Samra, R.Psych. Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University / Organizational & Media Consultant
- Dr. Martin Shain S.J.D. Principal, Neighbour at Work Centre and Assistant Professor, School of Public Health, University of Toronto
On Wednesday, February 22, 2012, Alberta Health Services hosted a second Minding the Workplace symposium with the theme of “Support for Leaders”, featuring three fabulous speakers who shared their knowledge in the areas of emotional intelligence, self-care for leaders, and accommodation and return to work.
- Dr. Joti Samra, R.Psych. Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University / Organizational & Media Consultant
