Benefits Canada Interview: Employers can use Bell Let’s Talk Day to normalize mental-health discussions, taking leave

This article was originally published in Benefits Canada – written by Sadie Janes.

Employers can use Bell Let’s Talk Day to normalize talking about mental health and reflect on whether they’re ‘walking the talk,’ says Janet Candido, founder and principal at Candido Consulting Group.

“Some employers I work with say, ‘Mental health is important to us,’ but then you might see the executive team rolling their eyes when they hear someone’s taking a mental-health break. That doesn’t add up, so [everyone at the company] needs to take mental health seriously.”

The executive team can set an example by taking a mental-health day off when they need it, so they’re demonstrating to employees that it’s okay to focus on their mental health.

She notes there’s a generational gap when it comes to mental health and acceptance in the workplace. “You have the older generation that still sees it as a badge of honour to come into the office when you’re very ill. But the younger generation has normalized mental health to the degree they’re not afraid to tell you they need a break or they’re taking mental-health days. A company that’s looking to attract and retain younger workers has to pay attention to the things that are important to them.”

According to a 2023 survey by EY, more than half (55 per cent) of Canadian employees said they previously left a job because the company didn’t value their well-being, a percentage that increased to 65 per cent among generation Z employees. Nearly two-fifths (38 per cent) of employees felt their personal needs and well-being weren’t being prioritized at work and 31 per cent said their company doesn’t focus on fostering a sense of belonging.

For Bell Let’s Talk Day, employers can also focus on manager training because it’s a crucial part of the puzzle, says Candido. “I think many managers feel stuck in the middle with an employer that still sees mental health as an excuse and employees who are demanding their mental health be acknowledged. So they need proper training on how to talk to employees, how to help them access the resources they need and how to advocate for them with the senior leadership team.”

Beyond this, she notes employers can provide more access to mental-health resources and be flexible with offering employees the appropriate time off to take care of their mental health.

Benefits Canada Interview: Employers can use ‘Blue Monday’ to reset workplace mental-health strategies

This article was originally published in Benefits Canada.

The third Monday in January, also known as ‘Blue Monday,’ is considered to be the saddest day of the year, as people contend with frigid weather and higher-than-normal credit cards bills from the holiday season.

Employers can use this occasion to check in with employees and plan their mental-health strategies for the year, says Janet Candido, principal and founder of Candido Consulting Group Inc., adding it’s a great time to remind staff of the well-being support tools available to them, such as employee assistance programs.

Employers can also host lunch-and-learn sessions on stress management and coping with anxiety or financial pressures, she says. And for employers with retirement savings or pension plans, their providers will often send a financial expert, at no additional cost, to speak to employees.

The Alberta School Employee Benefit Plan is one employer taking this opportunity to remind employees about its EAP and the resources available through the platform. Blue Monday is also a good time to remind employees that their benefits maximums reset in January, says Anna MacDonald, human resources director at the ASEBP.

The organization constantly aims to normalize taking mental-health days and ingraining the practice within the company’s culture. The process requires leadership training, she says, noting it’s imperative that leaders are able to have those conversations with their team members, especially as employees contend with rising inflation and other financial stressors.

The ASEPB is also focusing on providing its management team with training in diversity, equity and inclusion. “We know that inclusive workplaces create wellness for employees,” says MacDonald. “It goes back to that concept of creating a safe space for people to be open with their leaders.”

Indeed, the organization is hosting its holiday party in February to appeal to all employees, in recognition that not everyone celebrates Christmas. It also introduced a floating holiday that employees can use to observe days of personal significance or religious holidays, plus another day to volunteer at an organization of their choosing. “There are . . . little things you can do to feed into wellness for employees,” says MacDonald, noting these small steps meant a lot to employees.

When employers focus on mental health and well-being in the workplace, it tells staff their company is a safe place where they can talk openly about their issues and get the supports they need, says Candido, noting employees are less likely to leave their employer when they feel supported and respected.

Although Blue Monday is a great starting point for employers to assess the well-being of their workers, it isn’t an overnight process, she cautions. “This is the beginning of an intervention that normalizes mental health in the workplace and employers will start to see the impact of their steps moving forward.”

Similarly, MacDonald says employers have a year-round responsibility to support employee mental health. “I think that really starts with creating a culture [around a] psychologically healthy workplace, . . . especially around leadership.”

The Globe and Mail Interview: Employers increasing salaries as talent shortage and inflation persist

Read the full interview in The Globe and Mail.

Employers across the country are increasing wages and projecting future salary bumps into their budgets amid inflationary pressure and a continuing talent shortage that shows little sign of easing in the near future.

Janet Candido, a long-time human resources professional who runs a consulting business in Toronto that advises employers on HR issues, told The Globe and Mail she is increasingly encountering employees who are demanding wage increases that match inflation. “I had to deal with an employee, who works in financial services, who wants an 8-per-cent salary increase, after getting a 5-per-cent salary increase last year. The employer told her, ‘Look, we can’t do that, but we can give you more time off.’ But I am fully expecting the employee to start looking for other jobs,” Ms. Candido said.

One way employers are navigating the demand for higher salaries is to offer better benefits and higher bonuses, Ms. Candido said. “I’m seeing HR professionals getting more creative with compensation packages. They are expanding health spending accounts, or improving mental-health benefits.”