Despite their profound impact on workplace productivity and business performance, mental health issues and increasing stress levels are not being addressed by Canadian employers, according to a report.
Watson Wyatt’s 2007 Staying@Work Canada report found that mental health issues are the leading cause of both long- and short-term disability claims(72% and 82%, respectively).
In spite of the prevalence of these claims, just 15% of responding companies conduct mental health risk assessments and less than 20% say that addressing the stigma associated with mental illness is a priority.
“Lost productivity at work due to health-related matters can cost an average Canadian organization up to $10 million each year. And much of that is attributable to mental health and stress,” says Joseph Ricciuti, Watson Wyatt’s Canadian healthcare practice leader. “Unless organizations and society in general start doing a better job addressing the major causes of time away from work, these hidden costs will only get worse.”
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