Prioritizing Mental Health is Now a Workplace Imperative: How to Support Employee Well-Being Now

Worldwide, it is becoming more apparent that in select regions, people are living longer, fuller lives free from disease. These spots are known as “Blue Zones,” and researchers have found a handful of common elements among them: Aspects of physical health and social well-being integrated into day-to-day life. 

This concept of a Blue Zone can be extrapolated to the workplace, where employees spend much of their lives and rely on their employers to invest in their health and well-being. That has typically been concentrated in occupational health, and while this is clearly still important, employees increasingly want mental health to be a priority. 

Declining mental health not only impacts people’s lives but negatively influences everything in the workplace, from productivity to morale to collaboration. While the waves of COVID-19 have receded, the pandemic’s impact here has not: A 2023 report from Manulife Financial revealed that mental health interfered with more than 70% of Canadian employees’ ability to work over the previous year. It begs the question: how can workplaces function as Blue Zones and allow teams to thrive when it comes to their mental health? The answer is essential to the long-term success of any organization and is a critical component of our shared vision for Purolator.

A Rising Demand for Supporting Employee Mental Health

The health of any business is linked to the health of its workforce. Companies are in a unique position to meet mental health concerns head-on through proactive leaders willing to prioritize the well-being of their most valuable asset, their people. Engaged and motivated employees have a shared sense of purpose, make better decisions, foster a culture of continuous learning, promote creativity, resilience, and innovation—the list goes on. 

Planning and executing a meaningful support program for employees can feel challenging, as it requires an ongoing commitment and continuous touchpoints at all levels, inviting discussion, asking questions, and challenging the status quo. 

But more challenging is managing outcomes where support is not offered, like employee burnout, absenteeism, and turnover—all of which are expensive. A recent survey of 1,000 UK employees found that 86% are more likely to leave a job if it didn’t support their well-being. Beyond the material costs of turnover, poor employee mental health threatens productivity, creativity, innovation and morale. The opportunity to reverse this simply makes good business sense.

Take the results of a three-year study by Quantum Workplace, which found that employees who know their employer prioritizes health and well-being were 38% more engaged, 17% more likely to be there one year later, and 28% more likely to recommend their company to others.

A Well-Being Program as a Blue Zone Blueprint 

Health and safety have been a continuous priority at Purolator throughout our 60-year history. When a pandemic hit and stress levels rose, it was clear that mental health and well-being needed to be a key area of focus. To inform our approach, we polled employees on their needs and also sought external expertise from our Chief Medical Director with Cleveland Clinic Canada. Using their collective insights, we refined and launched Purolator Health, a holistic program focused on employee mental, physical and social well-being.

The fundamental goals of this program were to boost awareness of mental health through education, support employees through early identification and intervention, improve access to care, and empower leaders to build a psychologically safe workplace. 

Initial assessments confirmed that we needed to tackle burnout and improve access to healthcare. We started by enhancing healthcare resources and support for employees at higher risk of physical or mental health issues. 

Our assessments led to many initiatives grounded in best practices and focused on outcomes. These include:  

• Dedicating a team to mental health and wellness programming
• Holding regular chats with medical and subject matter experts so employees can access credible information and learn valuable skills
• Opening a mental health educational online portal
• Hosting weekly wellness sessions focused on employee-driven topics
• Enrolling the leadership team in a Workplace Mental Health Leadership Certificate Program via Queen’s University
• Training managers in the Working Mind Program via the Mental Health Commission of Canada 
• Training individuals to be mental health first aid responders
• Doubling the annual mental health benefit maximum and introducing virtual cognitive behavioural therapy

In only a few years, we’ve seen positive results:  

• Staff use of mental health resources grew 150% from 2020 to 2022
• Disability claims for mental health dropped nearly 20% between 2021 and 2022
• Total injuries have decreased 25% since 2019, which we believe is influenced by greater focus and concentration
  

In fact, 2022 was the safest year on record, with drops in injury frequency, lost time, and motor vehicle collisions.

And in our 2023 employee engagement survey, 96% said that managers support their mental health and wellness. As well, nearly all respondents said they felt well-informed of the healthcare resources available.

It is also worth noting that in 2021 and 2022, when many employers were dealing with what was known as the “Great Resignation”, Purolator’s attrition rate actually fell by 12%. 

Key Steps to Supporting Employee Mental Health

Employee well-being must be entrenched in a company’s goals and culture. Ideally, businesses should prioritize this before they need to, with proactive retention and hiring practices.

Here are several key considerations: 

1. Let employees be part of the process.

These initiatives are for employees – so don’t forget to include their voices too. Surveys are a good place to get a pulse on how employees are feeling. We certainly learned a lot from our Purolator wellness surveys and annual employee engagement surveys. Other methods to garner continuous feedback include “Ask the Chief Medical Director” town halls, anonymized online feedback, and team meetings. Employee resource groups (ERGs) and a collaborative and interdisciplinary program governance team, which connect individuals with shared experiences, can also help co-create mental health solutions. 

And, of course, two-way communication should be embedded in everyday work life. It’s important to open as many avenues of communication as possible to hear about and understand daily work experiences as well as to reach out. When I’ve had the opportunity to visit our terminals and speak to employees one-on-one, I’m always so impressed with the feedback they offer and the insights they share to help build our programs. 

2. Acquire external expertise.

Partnerships with healthcare institutions are an excellent way to bring mental health expertise to an organization. Purolator uses our Chief Medical Director (in collaboration with Cleveland Clinic Canada) in an advisory capacity. Such a role ensures a holistic approach to employee well-being and opens connections to a team of clinical experts who can strategize targeted initiatives to support the health needs and preferences of a diverse workforce.

Partners like this can also help align company strategy, policy, and leadership to best practices in mental health care and wellness. Look for community-level opportunities to set these partnerships in motion: Cleveland Clinic Canada and Trillium Health Partners are among many organizations actively collaborating with businesses.

3. Invest in training and technology.

There is arguably no better way to support staff than through mental health first aid training. By learning such skills, employees can better recognize changes in a colleague’s behaviour and express concern in a careful, non-judgmental manner.

Purolator has set a goal to have a designated mental health first aid (MHFA) responder at our more than 170 locations by the end of 2025. Just as standard first aid training is a necessity, mental health first aid provides immediate support and intervention when someone is in a potential crisis or dealing with a mental health issue.

Apps to support mental wellness are also gaining popularity. They offer simple and practical ways for employees to stay in touch with their own well-being, and for companies to monitor possible burnout and take action before they escalate. 

4. Deepen DEI efforts.

There are many layers when it comes to building diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) into a culture where everyone is celebrated and free to be their authentic selves. This creates a positive atmosphere for mental health and sense of belonging. 

Taking meaningful action helps employees avoid triggers such as feeling isolated and alone. Simply put, DEI and mental health are intertwined in the workplace, and embedding both in training programs and educational modules is a natural fit. One good place to start is by contacting the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion.

5. Ground it with policy.

Move beyond a health and safety policy and embed psychological health and well-being into corporate policy. It is a method for accountability to ensure that a workplace supports a positive attitude toward mental health. One good place to start: the National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace.

Go a step further on employee assistance plans by making them as flexible and customizable as possible. Consider also wellness days, broader psychology benefits, and accessible services such as virtual therapy. Policy-driven decisions can help the workforce stay resilient and motivated to work hard for a company that prioritizes their mental wellness. 

The Path Ahead for Employee Mental Health and Wellness

Of the nine common traits of Blue Zones, several can be influenced by such a workplace. One has to do with living each day with a sense of purpose, another with taking proactive steps to relieve and prevent stress, and a third about finding one’s “right tribe”—nurturing social networks that support healthy behaviours. 

Consider the tips above and the nature of what a Blue Zone may mean to support the health and well-being of your employees. And stay patient, as research shows that a positive return on mental health investments materializes after three or more years, during which time it is important to track metrics to validate your efforts. 

As you implement a program that fits within your business culture, recognize that, as is the case with any strategic plan, you must be willing to evaluate its progress, listen, and pivot as needed along the way. Taking the time to develop a health strategy is the first step in creating a workplace designed for people to live fuller lives. Once you have done this, expect word to get out.