Colleague support: Positive work relationships are good for mental health

As people focus on their daily work demands, they sometimes forget companies are environments where professional and social bonds have a strong influence on employee experiences and workplace culture. This session will teach employers the importance of positive colleague relationships on workplace health and wellness. By building a strong, supportive and health-focused culture, organizations can also leverage and protect their most valuable asset: their human capital.

Speaker:

Valérie Fernandez, senior advisor, workplace health best practices and strategic support, group insurance, Beneva

Working together for women’s mental health

Women have a 1.7-times higher prevalence of depression, with the many reasons including societal and physiological factors. This is reflected in long-term disability claims. More than 40% of women’s LTD claims are for mental-health disorders, compared to 30% of men. This session will dive into the stigma around women’s health and the gender health gap, the impact of various mental-health disorders and what employers can do to support women in their workplaces.

Speaker:

Dr. Sam Mikail, director, mental health solutions, group claims, Sun Life

Mental-health disability claims management: A forward-thinking approach

When it comes to employee mental health and well-being, the goal for employers is to foster a compassionate culture that provides individuals with access to a broad range of services and supports. This session will offer a focused approach to mental-health disability claims management underlined by trust and sustainability. By connecting employees to the right level of care at the right time, there is opportunity to enhance well-being, reduce administrative burden and deliver personalized care so people can recover quickly and return to work safely.

Speaker:

Olivier Pagé, director, group disability management operations, Medavie Blue Cross

In the shadows of mental health: Absenteeism and presenteeism

While presenteeism costs three times as much as absenteeism, managers still don’t know much about it. It’s hard to quantify and data is hard to come by. A recent study sponsored by Desjardins Insurance shows a new perspective on this phenomenon and provides new insights into the complex relationship between absenteeism, presenteeism and mental health. This session will enable participants to produce concrete solutions to prevent employee’s mental health from impacting their work performance.

Speaker:

William Lindsay, senior disability management advisor, Desjardins Insurance

Break

Intensive treatments in benefits plans 

It’s a well-known fact that one in five Canadians experience a mental-health or addiction problem each year, with an increasing proportion of disability claims and sick days attributed to those concerns. With new barriers becoming a factor in access to care, some organizations have begun changing the landscape of benefits coverage for mental health and substance use. In this fireside chat, attendees will learn about a benefits provider that offers comprehensive benefits plans for Indigenous groups, ensuring that communities in need have access to quality treatment services.

Speakers:

Vahed Lokhand, business development operations, strategy, EHN Canada

Karen Vince, vice-president, CINUP/Johnston Group

Mental illness at work: It’s time to talk science and technology

In terms of prevalence, depression dominates mental-health disability claims, with anxiety and stress-related disorder claims on the rise. However, in Canada, misdiagnosis rates for psychiatric disorders in primary care range from 66% to 98%. Many Canadians don’t have access to psychiatric care, much less high-quality care based in science and personalized for their unique needs. Lack of access to appropriate care is impacting organizations, which are taking on an increasingly critical role in supporting their employees’ mental health. This session will explain how science, delivered through technology, will improve access and outcomes for people living with a mental illness.

Speaker:

Dr. Diane McIntosh, psychiatrist, author, educator, mental-health advocate, founder and chief medical officer, RAPIDS Health

How First West Credit Union is ensuring its employees are living well

What’s behind the success of First West Credit Union’s Live Well program, which supports its employees’ physical and mental health? In this session, attendees will learn how analysis, strategy and creativity came together to create a program that expands employee health and well-being. It will also share an overview of tangible measures that can inspire and inform programs similar to First West’s Live Well.

Speakers:

Liz Bailey-Connor, chief people and culture officer, First West Credit Union

Kabir Bhagaria, manager, employee health and safety, First West Credit Union