One of the strongest risk factors for suicide is depression, particularly if it’s untreated or poorly treated. Research on the workplace factors that contribute to poor mental health - in particular for men - was lacking.
Community Savings, with HeadsUpGuys, set out to change that.
In Canada, men
account for
roughly 75% of
suicide deaths.
An estimated
620,000 Canadian
men suffered
from depression.
experienced
thoughts of suicide
or self-injury a few
times a week.
reported behaviours
suggestive of
hazardous drinking
or active alcohol use
disorder.
The report, led by HeadsUpGuys, a program of UBC, in partnership with Community Savings Credit Union, addresses the gap in research on workplace factors that contribute to poor mental health for men. It highlights the urgent need for stronger mental health support in workplaces.
While the report is based on responses from employees who identify as male, the recommended prevention strategies for supporting mental health in the workplace are applicable to all employees.
Special thanks to ILWU Members for study participation.
Read a summary of the research results in the
Executive Summary.
The full Men's Mental Health in the Workplace
report will give you extensive insight into the
research.
Special thanks to ILWU Members for study participation.
Working people have fought long and hard for physical health and safety measures in the workplace. While most employers may now get a passing grade on physical safety, many are failing workers on mental health.
With this report, Community Savings Credit Union set out with HeadsUpGuys to both understand the current state of men’s mental health in Canada and research the contributing workplace factors.
This research uncovers truly alarming findings about the state of men’s mental health in the workplace and calls into action the urgent need for employers to do more to support their employees at work.
This report sets out actionable recommendations and key strategies for workplaces to support workers’ mental health. At Community Savings, we are committed to advocating for meaningful change in workplaces to ensure workers’ mental health is recognized in health and safety programs, just as workers and unions have advocated for physical health and safety at work. It is time for organizations to take responsibility for their employees’ well-being.
One step we are taking - in addition to our ongoing mental health programs - is to rename our ‘sick days’ to ‘health days’. A key theme in the findings of this report is the importance of talking about mental health at work. By re-naming sick days, we are working to re-define and re-frame for our employees what it means to take a day for health - mental or physical. We want mental health to be a part of the conversation.
We firmly believe that in order to create a more equitable and more prosperous BC, we must actively champion and support workers rights. Supporting workers rights by driving change to support mental health in the workplace has never been more important.
Mike Schilling
President & CEO, Community Savings Credit Union
All workers deserve a safe environment for their physical and mental health. The report identifies key actions employers should implement, from integrating mental health self-check tools into regular employee check-ins to training managers and supervisors to identify signs of distress. A full list of strategies is below.
Making fundamental systemic changes to
mitigate risk of negative outcomes occurring.
Make mental health and suicide prevention
Provide mandatory training on workplace
Provide information sessions
Organize company/department-wide social events;
Increasing workers’ influence
Provide flexible work arrangements
Instituting broad practices to identify and
respond to problems early on.
Detect early symptoms for depression
Develop plan of actions
Promote resources like Crisis Services Canada
Approaching employed when individuals become ill.
Direct affected workers
Develop an action plan
At Community Savings, we are renaming our ‘sick days’ to ‘health days’. By re-naming sick days, we are re-defining for our employees what it means to take a day for your health - mental or physical. Every worker deserves to feel safe at work. We call on all employers to put mental health and safety first.
Know Who to Contact in a Crisis
In a crisis situation, call 911
if there is an immediate concern of a worker acting on their thoughts of suicide,
or help the worker reach out to the BC Crisis Centre (1-800-SUICIDE:
1-800-784-2433) for crisis counselling.
