Mental health in the workplace
Workplaces play a dual role in the area of mental health. On the one hand, they can be a stressful environment that contributes to mental health problems among workers. On the other hand, they can play an important part in helping to detect and manage mental health problems when they arise among workers, and in ensuring the healthy recovery and return of workers who are off work due to a mental health issue. IWH research in this area helps paint a clearer picture of the prevalence of mental health problems among workers, the types of labour force and workplace factors that may contribute to poor mental health, and the workplace-based and system prevention efforts that can help improve the mental health of workers and ensure they have the proper supports when needed.
Featured
At Work article
What is the impact of depression on years of employment among working-age adults?
If someone experiences depression, what is the impact on the length of their future working life? It depends on how, and when, someone experiences depression. An IWH study found five trajectories of depression in working adults, each with varied impacts on the length of their working life.
Published: September 20, 2023
At Work article
Police service members face challenges with accommodation, communication and trust when returning to work after an injury
A recent IWH study examined the experiences of sworn and civilian Ontario police service members returning to their jobs after experiencing an injury or illness. It found their RTW challenges revolved around five main themes.
Published: September 18, 2023
IWH in the media
Patients with arthritis, depression more likely to be unemployed
Depression symptoms are associated with unemployment among working-age adults with arthritis, with middle-aged adults most affected. Jason Laday reports on a study published by Dr. Arif Jetha in Arthritis Care & Research.
Published: Healio, September 2020
IWH in the media
Greater focus on episodic disabilities needed: Study
Disability management must adapt and create a new model to reflect the impact of episodic disabilities among employees, writes John Dujay on a study led by Dr. Monique Gignac, scientific co-director and senior scientist at the Institute for Work & Health.
Published: Canadian HR Reporter, August 2020
At Work article
Workplaces face many complex challenges when managing episodic disabilities: study
Employers are recognizing that they need a new model of disability management to support workers with episodic health conditions, according to a new IWH study. These conditions can raise a host of issues for workplaces, including issues of trust, stigma and privacy.
Published: August 2020
IWH in the media
Too many injured workers not seeking mental health supports
Why aren’t people getting the help they need? That’s a question raised by a recent study by the Institute for Work & Health, which found a substantial proportion of workers with compensation claims for a work-related musculoskeletal injury also experience a serious mental condition.
Published: Canadian HR Reporter, July 2020
IWH in the media
Lack of PPE related to healthcare workers’ anxiety, depression: report
Sixty per cent of health-care workers in Canada reported anxiety at levels surpassing an accepted threshold for clinical screening for the condition. This is most prevalent among those whose needs for personal protective equipment have not been met, Jim Wilson reports on a study by Institute for Work & Health and the Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers.
Published: Canadian Occupational Safety, June 2020
IWH in the media
COVID-19: One more reason to take mental health seriously
Many who work in the construction industry have direct experience of how important it is to support and understand mental health. Fortunately, the industry has recognized this problem and is working on solutions, writes Milwaukee consultant Bruce Morton in a column that cites Institute for Work & Health research on levels of depression following a work injury.
Published: The Daily Reporter, April 2020
IWH in the media
Addressing mental health, substance abuse at work requires new approaches: Experts
A panel of professionals offered tips for dealing with mental illness and substance use disorder in the workplace at the recent OGCA Leadership Conference. On the panel, Dr. Nancy Carnide, a scientist with the Institute for Work & Health who is conducting a survey on cannabis in the workplace, said that employers need to look at how the workplace may be contributing to substance use.
Published: Daily Commercial News, March 2020
Research Highlights
Access to mental health treatment among workers with physical injuries
Among workers with a compensation claim for a work-related musculoskeletal injury, 30 per cent also experience a serious mental condition. However, a minority of these workers receive treatment for their mental health conditions, according to an IWH study conducted in Australia.
Published: March 2020
Journal article
Journal article
How does perceived fairness in the workers' compensation claims process affect mental health following a workplace injury?
Published: Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, March 2020
At Work article
Poorer post-injury experiences lead to worse RTW outcomes for psychological claimants
Injured workers on leave due to psychological injuries report poorer experiences and interactions throughout the return-to-work process. According to an IWH study, these experiences are interconnected, leading to longer time off from work.
Published: February 2020