Book Review: Mental Health and Wellness in the Workplace

As October is Mental Health Awareness Month, we wanted to showcase to you a recently published book entitled Mental Health and Well Being in the Workplace; A Practical Guide for Employers and Employees by Gill Hasson and Donna Butler. This book does not disappoint and certainly lives up to its title of gaining practical guidance around mental health and well-being.

 Did you know that burnout is highlighted - not as a medical condition, but as an occupational phenomenon, burnout being defined as chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed? Or that more than 40% of employees are neglecting other aspects of their lives because of work, which may increase their vulnerability to mental health problems? Or that 90% of people who called in sick because of stress say that gave a different reason? Or that the more hours you spend at work, the more hours outside of work you are likely to spend thinking or worrying about it; as a person's weekly hours increase, so do their feelings of unhappiness. And my personal favourite - If you don’t have a good workplace where you can produce good work, most people will respond by taking away their discretionary effort.”

 Wow! Listen up business owners, managers, supervisors, crew leaders, and anyone in leadership positions! This is critical and culture-transformative. This does affects your business success. In a given year, 1 in 5 people in Canada will personally experience a mental health challenges or illness; so 1 in 5 in your employee base...among your colleagues...in your leadership team. This hits close to home doesn’t it?

Let’s face it, we spend a lot of time at work. Based on recent studies, the average person spends 3,507 days at work over a lifetime. That’s ⅓ of your life spent at work. So it’s no surprise then, that if your workplace doesn’t allow you to produce good work, your mental well-being and mental health are impacted negatively. The overall essence of this book, as outlined by the Chief Executive of Public Health England, Duncan Selbie, is how to have and create a whole workplace approach and practices that support good mental health and well-being.

 The book kicks off by defining mental health and well-being along with critical signs, symptoms, and emotional, physical, and behavioural responses for common mental health challenges. I was encouraged that well-being was outlined in four dimensions: social, spiritual, physical, and mental, so the authors demonstrate a good balance of appreciating the extreme complexity of this topic, along with easy-to-read paragraphs and clear, concise information.

 So how does a company provide a good workplace so employees can produce good work?  Chapter 2 dives into this question and looks at the impact that work can have on our mental health and well-being. Is work even good for you? Yes AND no! Work provides a sense of purpose, structure, and satisfaction while providing the means to finance daily life. However, the research consistently reflects what we already know: people are suffering at work; they are finding the increasing demands of work pressure unsustainable.

Within the pages of Chapter 2, a good work environment (meaning a balance of benefits to health and well-being) is defined as utilizing six aspects of a person's job including demands, control, support, relationships, role, and change. Essentially, if these characteristics are not well managed, employees will not experience a good level of health and well-being. The research concludes that “unmanageable workloads or demands, unclear job roles and responsibilities, a lack of support, an unhealthy work-life balance, poor relationships with a manager, colleagues or client, or not being consulted or informed about changes at work” can have a negative impact on a person’s wellbeing (p. 37). The practicality of this information is phenomenal!

How do you promote and value wellbeing and mental health in the workplace then? Well, Chapter 3 outlines some great strategies and resources to empower employers to plan ahead for the near and long-term future, on everything to do with promoting good mental health in the workplace. It highlights a variety of practical steps that can be taken intertwined with stories and case studies. Just mind the UK references, regulations, and information embedded. I've included a list of 10 free resources within Canada at the end of this review. 

I love how the book provides resources not just for  employers, but for employees as well. It’s not all up to the organizations and their leaders - individual employees can develop their own well-being and resilience. I just loved psychologist Victor E Frankl’s quote: “Between stimulus and response there is a space; in that space is our power to choose our response”. To a large extent, our well-being and mental health at work is in our control; we each have the ability to deal with most situations, cope with difficulties and challenges, and bounce back (the definition of resilience). Within these pages, you will learn a number of ways to build up your own resilience in the workplace including strategies like assertion, establishing a good work-life balance, taking time off and breaks, knowing your limits, and so much more. Incredibly practical stuff - not always commonly practiced and a good reminder.  

Despite all these efforts, however, we are not invincible. For one reason or another, any of us can experience a mental illness. In Chapter 5 the book outlines how to manage best if you have been or are currently unwell. The book explains the importance of identifying what could trigger a downturn, what you can do to help yourself to be well, and what to do in a crisis.

In the final chapter, Chapter 6, the authors write about how managers can help and support employees with mental health challenges. When in a leadership position, it can seem daunting but no one is expecting you to know all the answers, or to know as much as a mental health professional. But having some knowledge, training and understanding in mental health will help you know when and how far you can help your employees.

Organizations and businesses are recognizing that valued and supported employees are far more likely to deliver the best outcomes for the business. And workplaces that genuinely promote, support, and value wellbeing and good mental health are more likely to reduce absenteeism, improve engagement and retention of employees, increase productivity, and benefit from associated economic gains.

And to quote the Chief Executive of Public Health,Duncan Selbie: “Well-being and good mental health are not only good for the individual and their ability to thrive and enjoy their work, but its also vital for the prosperity and productivity of their organization, a veritable win-win for everyone.” 

In conclusion, to be a successful business owner and organization, you need to be thinking about, strategizing, and learning about mental health within workplaces. According to the World Health Organization, around 450 million people currently struggle with mental illness, making it the leading cause of disability worldwide. Here at home, it affects more than 6.7 million of us. In fact, one in two Canadians have—or have had—a mental illness by the time they reach 40 years of age. Alarming statistics like this only underscore the need for all of us to get involved in one way or another.

And this book is a great start or reminder to becoming more involved and knowledgeable to support your employees, those around you and yourself. A suggested read for sure. The one challenge I found in this book was the amount of resources and references to the UK. To combat that, here are a list of Canadian resources and supports that you can connect with. 

List of Canadian Resources:

• Canadian Mental Health Association
• Wellness Together Canada is a free mental health and substance use website to support people across Canada and Canadians living abroad, with: immediate text support, information and videos on common mental health issues, mental wellness programs you can do on your own and with coaching, monitored communities of support and individual phone, video, and text counselling. Learn more: 1-866-585-0445
• Together All is a free, safe, online peer-to-peer mental health community that is accessible 24/7 to help those experiencing anxiety, depression and other common mental health issues. Commissioned by over 250 organizations globally, Together All is an online service that provides access to millions with anxiety, depression and other common mental health issues through online peer-to-peer support.
• BounceBack Ontario is a free skill-building program managed by the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Ontario. It is designed to help adults and youth 15+ manage low mood, mild to moderate depression and anxiety, stress or worry. Delivered over the phone with a coach and through online videos, you will get access to tools that will support you on your path to mental wellness.
• Crisis Services Canada is a 24/7 national network of distress, crisis and suicide prevention line services. This service is available across Canada via toll-free phone, or text in English. Our toll-free phone service is also available in French. This means anyone in Canada that is thinking about, is or has been affected by suicide, can reach out across a variety of media, and feel supported 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call 1.833.456.4566 Text 45645
• Distress Centres of Greater Toronto offer free, 24/7 support to individuals in crisis and/or experiencing emotional distress. Services are available via hotline, online chat and text. They are Canada’s oldest volunteer delivered crisis, emotional support and suicide prevention + intervention + postvention service agency.
• AbilitiCBT is an internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy (iCBT) program that you can access from any device, any time. It is free to anyone in Ontario or Manitoba. Cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the most effective forms of therapy. It works by helping you understand and change the thoughts, feelings and behaviors that are causing you problems. AbilitiCBT works the same way, but virtually. AbilitiCBT’s user-friendly platform makes it convenient to get help when you need it, where you need it.
• Good2Talk provides confidential support services for post-secondary students in Ontario and Nova Scotia. Students can receive information and referrals about services and supports for mental health, addictions and well-being on and off campus and speak anonymously with a professional counsellor.
• The Ontario Caregiver Organization (OCO) exists to support Ontario’s 3.3 million caregivers; ordinary people who provide physical and emotional support to a family member, partner, friend or neighbour. We support caregivers by being their one point of access to information, so they have what they need to be successful in their role.
• Kids Help Phone is a free, national, 24/7 e-mental health service providing counselling, information and referrals text and phone-based support. Kids Help Phone also provides information on how to access community support services for youth. Call 1-800-668-6868; Text 686868