Did you know one in four Canadians experience a mental health illness or a mental health issue? To help raise awareness May 1 to 7 has been declared mental health week in Canada.

Certainly, awareness of those living with mental issues is critically important, among other things it helps reduce the associated stigma that so many experience. However, we need to get beyond awareness, and just talking about mental health. It’s also a time to act.

In our workplaces workers also need action for more than a week or even the month set aside in the U.S., workers need and deserve action every day.

At Workers Health & Safety Centre (WHSC) we are focused on prevention, helping workplaces address the working conditions that cause mental injuries through quality training. Training workers on coping mechanisms, employers on necessary accommodations, or worker representatives on mental health first aid is not enough. We need to create healthy work from the start. WHSC Workplace Mental Health Training programs provide the necessary training to meet legal obligations and support creating psychologically safe and healthy workplaces.

For May and June, we’re offering 60 per cent off all our Workplace Mental Health Training programs. To access this reduced rate, you need only enter our discount code EB2023 when completing your purchase. This discount can be used for an unlimited number of training seats.

Register today! Visit our dedicated registration page.
https://www.whsc.on.ca/Training/Training-Registration/Workplace-Mental-Health-Training

The case for prevention

Research and worker experiences tell us greater attention must be paid to workplace factors affecting worker mental health – factors from reasonable job demands/job control to worker engagement, physical security, and respect.

Statistics Canada reports more than 60 per cent of those experiencing stress state work-related issues as the main problem. In any given week, as many as 500,000 Canadians will miss work because of mental illness. Affected workers are suffering irritability, anxiety, depression and other mental injuries. Research also suggests stress is a significant contributing factor to health impacts ranging from the common cold and musculoskeletal disorders to heart disease and cancer. In fact, stress is currently listed as a high-priority exposure for review by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). For businesses, mental illness is estimated to cost the Canadian economy in excess of $50 billion dollars annually. Mental illnesses account for approximately 30 per cent of short and long-term disability claims. In fact, they are the fastest growing disability claim in Canada.

The pandemic served to heighten this problem. In recent news one study found that Ontario educators suffered anxiety from a lack of COVID safety protocols in the classroom and teaching online created even more stress. Two studies conducted by the Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers revealed widespread mental health harms among health care workers and other front line workers during the height of the pandemic. In March governments announced funding for a new Ontario health facility dedicated to treating first responders and medical workers for post-traumatic stress injuries. And just last year a survey conducted by LifeWorks showed that the psychological health of Canadian workers was at its lowest point in the previous two years.

It’s time to make mental health a greater priority, the missing piece – proper training. Let’s shift the workplace dynamic and create change.

Prevention starts here

Register for any one of our four workplace mental health training courses.

• Critical Incident and Post Traumatic Stress
• Stress in the Workplace
• Psychosocial Hazards and Workplace Mental Health
• Workplace Violence and Harassment.

WHSC training aims to support workers, their representatives, supervisors and employers in pursuit of creating mentally healthy workplaces. WHSC programs are offered in-person, online and always instructor led. We can also work with you to deliver training at a time and location that works for your workplace. Don’t delay, your workforce deserves the best.

REGISTER TODAY!
Don’t forget your discount code EB2023.

Need more information?
Additional training: Check out all WHSC programs
Contact a WHSC training services representative in your area
Email: contactus@whsc.on.ca
Visit: whsc.on.ca
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