As almost two-thirds (62 per cent) of Canadian employees say emotional, mental and physical fatigue is the top issue affecting them, 37 per cent feel unsafe to talk about mental health at work, according to a new survey by Sun Life.
Among the top reasons was a lack of trust in their employer (55 per cent), embarrassment (50 per cent) and fear of discrimination (40 per cent). A small percentage of respondents said they’ve left (11 per cent) or are considering leaving (10 per cent) their job due to a lack of employer mental-health support. In addition, 22 per cent said their chief executive officer or manager had talked about mental health in the last 12 months.
Read: Health benefits claims paid out to support mental health rose 24% in 2020: CLHIA
“Companies across the country are considering their future of work plans, but Canadians have said — loud and clear — it’s the future of our workforce we must consider,” said Jacques Goulet, president of Sun Life Canada, in a press release. “After 18 months of this pandemic, we continue to be in a mental-health crisis, yet employees are still not getting the support they need at work.
“I’ll continue to re-convene my CEO and C-suite forum annually to keep tension on this crisis. If there was ever a time for Canadian leaders to renew their organization’s vision and approach to employee mental health, it’s now.”
Read: Employers prioritizing mental health, permanent hybrid work 1.5 years into pandemic