Challenge 1: Adapting to an ever-changing workplace
Many workplaces have been reshaped in a very short period of time. While the pandemic may have been the catalyst to reimagine how we work, many changes – such as hybrid and remote work – appear to be here to stay. At the same time, businesses are coming to understand the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace. As they examine aspects of the work environment that may be impacting mental health and wellness, they’re also paying more attention to the ways in which equity-deserving groups need to be included in the design of mental health and wellness initiatives.
Redesigning work to build resilience
Organizations have shifted quickly to hybrid work arrangements, but even prior to the pandemic, many had already expressed an interest in redesigning work to better support employee mental health. These primary interventions are intended to improve employees’ ability to cope with stress and include remote (at-home) work, hybrid environments and flexible hours.9
The good news is that this redesign allows for recovery and can help build resilience.10 These types of work arrangements can reduce burnout and strain, and increase job satisfaction.11 They can also increase flexibility and improve work/life balance while offering positive financial outcomes to organizations.12 But, it’s important that organizations provide social support alongside and ensure job autonomy to help employees adjust to these new ways of living and working.13
This is all the more important when you consider that the two biggest drivers of employee resignation since March 2020 are workload issues and work/life imbalance, as reported by the employers surveyed. That, coupled with the labour shortage, shows that it’s more important than ever for employers to build flexibility into their work arrangements.
"The glaring issue we're faced with right now is burnout and workload management."
– Interviewee
Hybrid and flexible work arrangements require a sophisticated approach to workload management and can have unintended negative consequences if they aren’t carefully implemented, designed and managed.
* Provided employees have adequate resources such as social supports and job autonomy
The difficulty is that while many organizations have adopted these types of flexible work arrangements, fewer have developed or implemented mental health strategies designed for these new ways of working. Only 16% of organizations surveyed have policies around email or meeting blackouts 💡 (meeting-free days, no after-hours emails, etc.), and just 33% have adapted their benefits plans to reflect the needs of employees working remotely.
8 ways to adapt work arrangements and benefits to remote work
- More flexibility in terms of hours or days worked
- Social events (book clubs, informal meetings, trivia games, online contests, etc.)
- Mental health and wellness initiatives adapted to reflect the new work arrangements
- Remote work training for employees
- Ergonomic office equipment for use at home
- Training for supervisors on how to manage remote employees
- Additional resources to help employees adapt to remote work (extra training, access to a helpline, peer support network, etc.)
- Work-from-home stipends for home office equipment (standing desk, ergonomic chair, extra monitors, etc.)
A focus on equity-deserving groups
As organizations deal with a changing workplace landscape, they are also becoming attuned to the importance of embracing equity-deserving groups with their employee mental health and wellness initiatives. Workforce diversity and mental health aren’t often examined through a single lens, but the two are strongly interconnected.
A sense of belonging is fundamental to inclusion and has been shown to be a protective factor in managing stress. Organizations surveyed affirmed the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace and ranked “providing culturally appropriate wellness initiatives” as one of their top motivations for making changes to their health and wellness initiatives.
That said, 85% don’t offer customized health initiatives or plans specific to equity-deserving groups, and 1 in 5 have never thought about it, which suggests that customizing benefits to better serve equity‑deserving groups is still a relatively new idea.
of organizations surveyed don’t offer customized health initiatives or plans specific to equity-deserving groups
of organizations surveyed have never thought about customized health initiatives or plans specific to equity-deserving groups
Only 7.5% of organizations surveyed offer customized health initiatives or plans specific to equity-deserving groups, while for nearly half (46.3%), it isn’t even on the radar.
(Figure 1)
Figure 1
For organizations that do adapt their initiatives to reflect different needs, the groups that are most often targeted for additional support are people with disabilities, women, and those with ailing loved ones.
Depending on an organization’s unique demographic makeup, there may be an incentive to focus on other groups, such as Indigenous peoples, visible minorities, LGBTQ+ communities, neurodivergent people or recent immigrants. Every workforce is different, so it’s imperative for organizations to take a closer look at their unique needs.
(Figure 2)
Figure 2
"There is a need to create an inclusive space, especially if someone comes from an underrepresented group and there is a stigma attached to mental health. If they already don’t feel included in the workplace, they won’t feel safe. Leaders are recognizing the need to create these safe spaces where people can bring their whole self to work."
– An employer (interviewee)
Research has identified individual barriers to mental health support, such as cultural and gender norms, as well as institutional barriers, such as a lack of diversity among providers.18 Additionally, organizations face their own challenges when it comes to customizing benefits and wellness options for equity-deserving groups, mostly due to their size, the cost of the programs, and not knowing where to start.
However, listening to employees is key to overcome the barriers mentioned above and to build initiatives that have a real value. Incorporating employee feedback into well-designed, easy-to-access wellness programs that are tailored to specific employee needs will have the greatest impact.19
5 tips for integrating DEI into initiatives and group benefits
To build inclusion and equity in the workplace through a mental health strategy, the report made a number of recommendations that organizations can follow:
- Learn about the diverse needs and cultural values of employees from equity-deserving groups, such as new immigrants and Indigenous peoples.
- Engage equity-deserving groups in the conversations about mental health and consider making changes if their needs aren’t being met. For example, focus groups could be held with LGBTQ+ employees.
- Create culturally appropriate policies, initiatives, and communication practices that reflect who the employees are and what they need.
- Evaluate accommodation policies and programs to ensure that support for individuals reflects their particular physical/cognitive abilities.
- Examine return-to-work programs to allow for more individualized approaches.
To build a truly inclusive and equitable workplace, it’s incumbent upon leaders to make sure the work environment is a respectful and supportive one where all employees feel safe. This will help create a positive experience for members of equity-deserving groups and will also improve productivity, performance, and employee mental health and retention.
"The more welcome people feel at work and the more they feel appreciated, the greater their sense of belonging and wellbeing. Organizations that invest in and place a value on a diverse workforce are helping to create a psychologically safe and healthy work environment for everyone."
– Martin Binette, Deputy Director General and COO of Relief, a non-profit organization that supports people living with mental health issues.
9 Kröll, Doebler, and Nüesch, “Meta‑Analytic Evidence of the Effectiveness of Stress Management at Work.”
10 Wahab and Tatoglu, “Chasing Productivity Demands, Worker Well‑Being, and Firm Performance.”
11 Charalampous and others, “Systematically Reviewing Remote E‑Workers’ Well‑Being at Work.”
12 Duxbury and Halinski, Remote, Office, or Hybrid?
13 Charalampous and others, “Systematically Reviewing Remote E‑Workers’ Well‑Being at Work.”
14 Johnson and Mabry, “Remote Work Video Meetings.”
15 Johnson and Mabry, “Remote Work Video Meetings.”
16 Johnson and Mabry, “Remote Work Video Meetings.”
17 Franken and others, “Forced Flexibility and Remote Working.”
18 Mental Health Commission of Canada and Canadian Psychological Association, Extended Mental Health Benefits in Canadian Workplaces.
19 Paterson, “Wellness Programs Increase Employee Engagement.”