Bell Let’s Talk Day provides an opportunity to promote internal mental-health resources to employees and establish more open communication, says Jessica Reid, the company’s director of workplace practices, disability, mental health and well-being.
For its internal campaign this year, Bell planned a series of activities spanning from Jan. 6 to 22 to help drive awareness and engagement around mental health. The company designed educational activities such as roundtable discussions and podcasts, as well as fun wellness activities to boost engagement and volunteering activities to promote team building.
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“We want to foster open communication, remove stigma and create a supportive and inclusive work environment,” says Reid. “The focus for our campaign is to help drive awareness and engagement around mental health … and to invite employees to take concrete action and get the support they need. We understand everybody has unique needs, so we regularly review and update our mental-health programs to ensure they remain relevant and effective and align with our best practices. . . . It’s a year-round [effort].”
The company recently expanded its psychological care coverage to offer unlimited usage of mental-health services for all eligible employees and their families. “This is something we’re incredibly proud of because we’re one of the few organizations to offer unlimited psychological coverage. We offer free access to telemedicine as well, to help remove barriers to access and reduce wait times for appointments, which we know is a major issue in Canada.”
In addition, Bell is now offering coverage for pharmacogenetic services. This was first launched as a pilot program, but the company has now extended the service to eligible employees at a discounted price and at no cost to employees on short-term or long-term disability leaves.
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“We’re fortunate to have a wealth of mental-health services available for employees and I believe we continue to be a leader in this area,” she adds. “But the challenge lies in navigating [this abundance of resources] and ensuring employees find the resources that best suit their individual needs. Our internal Let’s Talk campaign plays a vital role in addressing this, as we’re helping employees to navigate our support system and raise awareness on the options available.”
Through its employee assistance program provider, Bell is improving access to care and a more streamlined experience for employees, notes Reid, adding the company will also simplify access to its diverse range of services, helping to solve the current navigation challenge.
When it comes to mental health, communication is key because it helps to build awareness, acceptance and dialogue in the workplace, in addition to encouraging employees and employers to take action to support mental health in their communities.
“We encourage employers to . . . participate in the campaign and be part of the change to make sure we’re building a system that meets the needs of those experiencing mental-health concerns. The solution to the challenge isn’t just one thing, like investing more money, it’s really about policies and systemic change to create the health-care system everyone wants, and we all have a role to play.”
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