Amid the ongoing tariff dispute between Canada and the U.S., employers can support employee mental health by reminding them of available mental-health benefits and being transparent in their communication, says Kim Siddall, national vice-president of client strategy at People Corporation.
She notes the impact of the trade war on employee mental health is two-fold, encompassing both the potential for financial and employment losses as well as general anxiety stemming from delays and reductions of tariffs, retaliatory measures by Canada and threats of annexation by U.S. President Donald Trump.
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Indeed, two-fifths (40 per cent) of Canadians say they’re concerned about losing their job amid the ongoing tariff spat, according to a new survey by The Leger.
The survey, which polled roughly 1,500 Canadians earlier this month, found more than half of Ontarians are concerned over job losses, while just a quarter of Atlantic Canadians shared these concerns.
“The uncertainty is weighing on people and on businesses as well. There’s a lot of battening down the hatches right now and [some employers] are likely re-crafting their budget and hiring projections. There’s also the financial wellness, financial wellness side, in terms of what’s happening with the markets and [how that impacts] their retirement, depending on where they are in their career. . . . The sustained anxiety isn’t good for anyone.”
For employers, tools like employee assistance programs can help support employee mental health in the near term, she says, noting financial counselling can also help assuage employees’ fears over the impact to their retirement savings.
It’s also important for employers to use thoughtful and transparent language in their communication to employees during a stressful time, she says.
“This is going to be a really challenging [time] for employers, because we just don’t know what’s going to happen or how long this is going to go on. [Employers] should let what employees know what they’re doing as an organization to shore things up and help everybody weather what this looks like. They need to remove as much uncertainty as they can and be consistent about how they’re communicating as well — this is not a one-and-done sort of scenario.”
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