“If we do nothing, we will hit a wall,” worries the president and CEO of Sun Life Quebec. (Photo: Elisa Ventur for Unsplash)
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Employers, if you are not ready to be accommodating when it comes to mental health, your employees will not hesitate to look elsewhere, warned Robert Dumas, President and CEO of Sun Life Quebec during a speech. in front of the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal.
According to figures from a study conducted by the insurer in August 2021, 1 in 10 Canadian workers quit their job because they did not get support from their boss when they were struggling with problems. mental health issues. Among 18-34s, this rate climbs to 2/10.
This proportion is all the more worrying given that 55% of respondents suggested that they suffered from a mental health problem. “We are at the same rate as what we observed at the height of the health crisis in April 2020”, despite the many flexibilities in recent months, warns Robert Dumas in front of the 200 guests gathered at the Hotel. Bonaventure.
More than half of Canadians polled said they were not entitled to any support from their employer to get through this difficult time. And the worst part is that it seems that this number is on the rise!
This is why it is essential to integrate the protection of mental health in your reflection which will accompany your return to the office, insists Robert Dumas, because such a change will bring its share of concerns, and could be a considerable source of stress for your workers. How do you get there? There is no way forward.
“It’s specific to each organization[…] from the start you need leaders who are convinced that it is important, and to establish a dialogue to find out what is working or not with their employees ”, slips the CEO in an interview with Deals.
As an insurer, Sun Life has a front-row seat in observing the consequences of this “tsunami of mental health”. Not only is it the leading cause of long-term disability in the country, accounting for 35% of cases, it is the fastest growing one. “If we do nothing, we will hit a wall,” he worries.
In addition to the many assistance programs and other social benefits, SMEs can however use a few levers to prevent, in part, this wave from sweeping through their organization:
1. You need to know the state of mind of your colleagues, including through repetitive and detailed surveys, to monitor the evolution of the morale of your troops.
2. Train managers to recognize, identify an employee who suffers from a mental health problem.
3. Open dialogue, and encourage communication. Invite your managers to talk about their mental health challenges with their teammates, to de-stigmatize, and de-dramatize the discussion.
If SMEs have less financial means than large companies, they nevertheless have the advantage of being closer to the members of their team, which allows them to react more quickly to help their employees. “You have to develop this ease, not to start with the solution, but with the symptoms and the problems,” suggests Robert Dumas.
Management must invest
What will ensure the success of your approach to ensuring the well-being of your employees is “committed leadership” that is invested in this change. Robert Dumas recommends that you examine your own behavior, your speech, and lead by example. He recalls that studies have shown that a leader who freely discusses his experiences and emotions with his colleagues creates a more resilient and efficient team.
“We still believe that expressing our emotions as a leader is a sign of weakness. It’s the opposite, thinks the CEO. Share your vulnerabilities, it opens the discussion with others who may have the same problem. ” This is the spark that might encourage your employees to seek help.
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