home page icon to indicate this link goes to the index page (linked currently hovered by mouse)Home Mental health in the workplace Understanding mental health Making the case

  1. Tools to help you make your case

Prevention Managing absences and returning to work Take me to My mental health Français
Click to return to top of page.
Take me to My mental health Français
Workplace Solutions for Mental Health
  1. Active tab:home page icon to indicate this link goes to the index page (linked currently hovered by mouse)home page icon to indicate this link goes to the index page
  2. Active tab:Mental health in the workplace
  3. Active tab:Understanding mental health
  4. Active tab:Making the case
  5. Active tab:Prevention
  6. Active tab:Managing absences and returning to work
young man having headache
  1. 3 green people iconsMental health in the workplace
  2. Making the Case

Making the Case

Making the case for mental health

Did you know?

  • In any given year, one in five people in Canada experience a mental health problem or illness.1
  • More than 80 per cent of Canadian employers rate mental health problems and illness to be one of the top three drivers for both short-term and long-term disability claims.2
  • People in their early and prime working years are among the hardest hit by mental health problems and illnesses.2
  • More than 500,000 Canadians won’t go to work each week because of mental illness.3
  • More than 30 per cent of disability claims and 70 per cent of disability costs are attributed to mental illness.4
  • The associated costs for Canadian companies can equate to nearly 14 per cent of their net annual profits and up to $16 billion annually.5

The increasing prevalence of mental illness in Canada may challenge the workplace in many ways. If left unmanaged, employers may experience higher costs associated with mental health.

Improving the management of mental health in the workplace and creating a psychologically safe and healthy work environment may benefit your organization in the following ways:

  • Improved health and wellbeing, productivity, morale and employee satisfaction, staff retention, staff co-operation, creativity, loyalty to company and recruitment.
  • Reduced medical leave, staff turnover (and therefore lower recruitment and training costs), workplace injuries and accidents, work time lost, health costs, absenteeism and presenteeism (inability to concentrate at work and to achieve work outcomes).
  1. 1Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC)Making the Case for Investing in Mental Health in Canada. Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC)
  2. 2Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC)
  3. 3Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC)
  4. 4http://www.benefitscanada.com/benefits/health-wellness/looking-at-mental-health-in-the-workplace-52238
  5. 5Mental health and substance use at work: Perspectives from research and implications for leaders. 2002. Scientific Advisory Committee to the Global Business and Economic Roundtable on Addiction and Mental Health.

Manulife Financial is not responsible for the availability or content of external websites.