Employers Connect Workplace Mental Health Summit 2020 Mental Health Presentation By Gina Perigo, Senior Manager, LifeWorks
Mental Health in the Workplace 2
Agenda What is Mental Health Why is Mental Health misunderstood Mental Health in the workplace Cost What does it look like What do you do Wrapping it all up
Have you… Ever broken a bone? 20% of the population will break a bone before age 80. Ever had chickenpox? 95% of the population will have had chickenpox before the age of 18. Ever had a mental illness like depression, anxiety, an addiction, or felt suicidal? 50% of the Canadian population will have experienced a mental illness by the age of 40.
What is Mental Health? Definition: A person’s condition with regard to their psychological and emotional well-being.
6 What is optimal Mental Health? According to Health Canada, being mentally healthy means: The capacity to feel, think and act in ways that enhance one’s ability to enjoy life and deal with challenges: • We feel well • We can cope with stress • We can achieve our personal goals • It’s more than the absence of illness or disease
7 The Mental Health continuum Normal ups Temporary Active and downs Mental Health Mental of life Problems Disorders Optimal Health Impacted Health Impaired Health
Why is Mental Health misunderstood? 8
Random Brain Fact There is actually a specific area of the brain that notes when your tummy is upset and makes the final decision whether to barf or not to barf. This region is known as the: A. Medial striatum B. Pilateral vomitation center C. Pukeus Nonobstructus
“Anatomical Man” by Johan Limbourg, Circa 1410
The Revigator By the Radium Ore Revigator Co. Sold from 1920-1935
Why is it so difficult today? Tests for depression are… complicated Complex interaction of biological, psychological and social factors 2019 study shows evidence that gut microbes influence brain function and mental health Hormones, seasonal changes, genetics Evidence that learned behaviours can result in physical changes in brain structure
What about the workplace?
Quick Brain Fact The tendency for people to place a disproportionately high value on objects that they partially assembled themselves, such as furniture, regardless of the quality of the end result is defined as: A. Phillips effect B. Husbandus efficientus C. Ikea effect
What is the economic cost The cost of mental illnesses in Canada was estimated to be at least $7.9 billion in 1998. An additional $6.3 billion was spent on uninsured mental health services and time off work for depression and distress. In any given week at least half a million currently employed Canadians are unable to work due to a mental health problem, including both disability and casual absence.
What does this look like in your workplace? Difficulty concentrating Difficulty making decisions Challenging relationships Absenteeism/presenteeism Addictions None of the above.
Lazy? What about when people don’t want to come to work, or have lower productivity than their colleagues. Are they lazy? Lazy Being lazy is a normal occasional occurrence. Healthy people can be lazy, it gives us a chance to recharge. Mental Illness Not being lazy – people with depression don’t want to stay in bed all day, they’d prefer to be productive.
Well, that’s fun… Now what? Frustrating? Yes How NOT to fix it Not dealing with the problem Ignoring harassment, bullying etc. Continued stigma
Stigma Cancer (72%) Diabetes (68%) Mental Illness (50%) Socializing (42%) Awareness (81%) Reduced Stigma (57%)
Organizationally Encourage employee Encourage respectful participation and decision behaviour making Allow continuous learning Define employees’ duties Support mental health and responsibilities initiatives Promote work-life balance Talk about it, reduce stigma Manage workload
Individually Focus on basic performance support Identify the issues Identify expectations Discuss gaps Collaborate on resources to support success Don’t diagnose or treat Enable success
Quick Brain Fact Also known as the Walker Effect, this is the sensation of losing balance or dizziness reported by some people when stepping onto an escalator which is not working. It is said that there is a brief, odd sensation of imbalance, despite full awareness that the escalator is not going to move. A. Broken escalator phenomenon B. Balance obscurance C. Ocular disassociation syndrome
In summary Mental health is becoming more and more recognized as an important factor in overall health and in the environmental health of a workplace Advancements are being made every day Stigma is being reduced You can make a difference on all of these fronts!
Thank you
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