Canadian workers might not all be happy, but they’re happy to talk about it
Why It Matters
Prioritizing mental health creates healthier employees and stronger businesses.
New data reveals a sharp increase in the importance Canadian workers place on work-life balance.
A survey conducted by Peninsula, a global company offering human resources and health and safety support, found the focus on work-life balance in Canada had increased by 30 per cent over the previous 12-month period.
Nearly 80,000 organizations in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Ireland and the U.K. responded to the survey conducted in May of this year.
Australia saw a 41 per cent increase in the same metric, while the U.K. actually saw a decrease of 10 per cent, possibly due to “rising work pressures and … unrealistic employer expectations.”
The survey also analyzed conversations around mental health in the workplace and found an overall increase of 31 per cent when it came to employees openly discussing mental health concerns.
Canadian employees exceeded that average, with 59 per cent of employers reporting that workers are speaking more about mental health and mental health concerns now than in the past.
This “indicates an increase in employers creating a safe space and providing the required resources for staff to discuss mental health in the workplace,” according to the study’s findings.
According to Peninsula data, Canadian and Australian employers are more likely to offer their employees mental health days and options for personal leave.
Most employers in the UK, Ireland and Australia do not offer mental health days and told surveyors they don’t plan to introduce them in the next 12 months.
Only 17 per cent of employers in the UK and Ireland offer paid time off for mental health concerns.
“Canadian employers are miles ahead when it comes to workplace mental health, including work-balance, providing more support measures, and giving time off to staff,” according to the Peninsula report.
ADP Canada’s National Work Happiness Score found a slight increase in happiness among Canadian employees this June, with the index rising 0.1 points to 6.7 out of 10.
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