Workplace Mental Health Toolkit
In support of the StressAssess* online survey tool, Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW) has developed this toolkit to help employers and workers address issues related to workplace mental health.
There is no single receipt for change. Every worker and workplace is different.
Workers and managers are the experts in their respective workplace.
Change must be designed by the people in the workplace to fit that workplace.
32%
feel they are unappreciated in their current work situation.
61%
are worried about their current job status and the job market.
28%
feel uncomfortable at work due to offensive behaviours.
78%
find it very difficult to handle both work and family life
*taken from the results of the 2019 EKOS survey of over 4000 Canadian workers.
FACTORS and RESOURCES
In order to assist workers and workplace with improving their current situation, OHCOW has assembled resources to help address the key issues identified as risk factors from it's StressAssess survey tool.
JOB DEMANDS
Do you or your workers constantly feel that you don't have enough time or that you have to work at a high pace just to get your work finished? Does your job require doing work that involves emotional issues?
WORK ORGANIZATION
Do you or your workers have any influence over the amount of work and how best to accomplish it? Are you/they able to learn new things and show initiative? Do you/they feel that the work being done is important or meaningful?
WORK RELATIONSHIPS
Do you have the information you need to do your job to the best of your ability? Do you know what is expected of you and have clearly outlined objectives? Do you have to deal with contradictory demands? Are you appreciated and treated fairly by your employer and your colleagues?
WORK VALUES
Do you or your workers value/trust information from management? Does management trust it's workers? Are conflicts resolved quickly and fairly? I work distributed fairly?
JOB/EMPLOYMENT
Are you constantly worried about job security? Are you worried about changes to your job including workload and tasks? Are you satisfied with your work situation? Is your time/energy away from work affected by the demands of your job?
OFFENSIVE BEHAVIOURS
Do you have to deal with undesired sexual attention, threats of violence or bullying on the job? Are there discriminatory issues in your workplace? Do you have to deal with vicarious offensive behaviours?
WORKPLACE CULTURE / CLIMATE
What are the workplace attitudes towards accident investigation. Do they look for root cause or to lay blame? Does your workplace have a violence and harassment policy and if so, is it effective? What is the tolerance of behaviours harmful to mental health? Rating of psychological health and safety?
WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT
Is your work environment uncomfortable? Are the physical factors such as air quality, noise and lighting poor? Do you have ergonomic issues? Are there hazardous exposures or activities such as dangerous chemicals, radiation, driving or working alone?
HEALTH SYMPTOMS
Do you suffer from stress or burnout? Do you have trouble sleeping, focusing or concentrating?
*The StressAssess survey is based on the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ) and has been adapted to address concerns within the Canadian workplace.
