Psychological Health & Productivity at Work

Introduction

Over 20 per cent of Canadians suffer from a mental illness during their lifetime. The latest statistics on mental health and addiction (CAMH, 2012) confirm this figure.

In addition, only 30 per cent of those who suffer from mental illness get the care they need. And less than 50 per cent of Canadians say they are ready to talk to family/friends or to seek professional help.

Today, maintaining a good work-life balance is becoming increasingly difficult for most of us. According to several surveys, about 50 per cent of Canadians are struggling to meet their work, personal and family obligations (Health Canada, 2008).

Mental Health Costs & Consequences

Given the significant number of people affected by mental illness, it’s not surprising that the financial costs of mental health on society are enormous, and that mental illness is one of the leading causes of work disability (70 per cent are "total disability" costs). All together the costs related to health care and lost productivity at work add up to $51 billion/year (Health Statistics Canada, 2008).

This underlines the importance of being concerned about psychological health at work and of seriously addressing the consequences.

According to our findings at Y2CP, mental health at work can be seen as both a cause and a consequence of a demoralized socio-economic, relational and organizational environment. The impact is seen in several negatives including burnout, mood disorders (anxiety), harassment, and violence. The outcomes are then usually in the form of severe mental illness, depression, maladjusted behaviour, pathological stress related to an individual’s failure to cope, lethargy, job drain, and abandoning responsibilities (when faced with work demands and workload).

Organizational Analysis & Psychological Health

For this reason, we believe the analysis of any organizational environment requires a comprehensive approach to determine the level of the psychological distress and anxiety that may not just require treatment of the most acute symptoms in individuals, but also focuses more on prevention, education and professional support in the form of and individual and organizational interventions.

These efforts should primarily target the achievement of better individual and organizational health, and can take different forms (e.g. implementing practical and effective measures such as clarifying roles and responsibilities, organizational restructuring, establishing goals that promote individual and organizational health, and providing training and coaching to employees/managers).

Certainly, Y2CP’s experience has shown that it’s only when such tools are used, and when business philosophy recognizes that organizational success is closely related to the well-being of employees/managers ("Good Health = Good Business"), can the costs associated with mental illness in the workplace be reduced leading to increased, long-term profitability.

High Performing Organizations

Well-being plays a central role in successful, high performing organizations, as research has shown. Individuals who exhibit high levels of well-being, no matter at what level they may be in the organization (e.g. managers, supervisors or employees), are more productive. Indeed, almost 25 per cent of the variance of productivity is predicted by well-being (and the perceived commitment of the organization to the employee) (Cropanzano & Wright, 1999; Donald et al., 2005). Similarly, in an analysis of nearly 8000 business units in 36 companies, it was revealed that psychological health/well-being/engagement were linked to organizational performance and were predictive of customer satisfaction, productivity, profitability, employee turnover, sickness/absence levels, and other key business outcomes (Harter, Schmidt, & Hayes, 2002).

Y2CP Solutions

To meet the growing mental health problems at work, Y2 Consulting Psychologists Inc. has developed a new mental health at work section of its operations.

We have also developed and/or have expertise in the use of various workplace assessment methodologies and interventions to improve individual and organizational health.

And we offer a number of effective, innovative, affordable and relevant solutions for small, medium and large private and public organizations.