• Develop policies and practices for workplace harassment,
violence and bullying. Review your current policies and
procedures and consider how they might be positively or
negatively contributing to issues of violence and harassment.
• Provide education and training to ensure managers
and employees know how to recognize hazards such as
harassment, bullying and psychologically unhealthy work
conditions and provide practical ways for co-workers
to recognize and talk about mental health issues in
general. Equip managers with the skills and knowledge
to identify and respond to issues before they escalate.
• Educate all health and safety committee members about
the importance of mental health in the workplace
• Ask the worker representative(s) on the health and
safety committee to raise general workplace mental
health issues that affect their workforce and not any
individual’s particular situation. Ensure that individual
privacy and confidentiality be respected.
More information from CCOHS
• Healthy Minds at Work, portal
• Mental Health: Awareness, free e-course
• Mental Health: Psychologically Healthy Workplaces, e-course
Additional information about mental health at work can be
found on the CCOHS website, www.ccohs.ca.
• Develop substance abuse policies (i.e., use of
illicit drugs at work, alcohol consumption at
work, etc.) and inform employees of them
FEATURE
The challenges faced in the workplace by employees with
mental health issues are many and the impacts are far reach-ing.
However, employers must play a key role in supporting the
mental health of their employees and in creating a healthy work-place,
which ultimately improves the health of both employee
and the organization.
The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety
(CCOHS) is Canada’s national resource for the advancement
of workplace health and safety. CCOHS promotes the total
well-being – physical, psychosocial and mental health – of working
Canadians by providing information, training, education and
management systems and solutions that support health and
safety programs and the prevention of injury and illness.
saskheavy.ca | Quarter 2 2016 | Think BIG 41
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