MENTAL HEALTH IN THE WORKPLACE: A HERCULES SLR PRIORITY
Mental health is like a sling. Load a sling beyond capacity, and it breaks. A sling must be maintained to work properly, and mental health in the workplace is similar.
Mental health in the workplace is just as important as physical health in the workplace. Each day, Canadian workers’ pull on coveralls, get in vehicles and drive to their jobs, even though they’re sick, suffer or struggle with mental illness. Often, a sick day isn’t enough to recover, so it’s important to Hercules SLR to provide employee support.
Mental illness affects approximately 20% of the population – that’s 7.5million Canadians. One of the biggest risk factors related to mental illness in the workplace is psychological support. At Hercules SLR, we take measures to reduce risk factors and support our team so both physical & mental wellness is encouraged.
MENTAL HEALTH IN THE WORKPLACE: WHY WE DO IT
Why support mental health in the workplace? If those numbers aren’t enough, people with mental illness are less likely to be employed, and each week nearly 175,000 full-time workers miss work because of mental illness. Says Hercules’ HR Generalist, “Hercules SLR understands the importance of mental health in the workplace and strives to promote a supportive environment for employee’s well-being.”
Mental illness is also more likely to surface in times of stress or uncertainty, which is a common part of many jobs. The cost of physical illness versus mental health is significant, too – financially, it costs almost twice as much to take leave for mental illness over physical illness. Not only does it make financial sense, it’s one of our core values.
“Hercules SLR understands the importance of mental health in the workplace and strives to promote a supportive environment for employee’s well-being.”
MENTAL HEALTH IN THE WORKPLACE: WHAT WE DO & HOW
A well-rounded, healthy life for employees leads to people who can reach their full potential, and workplace support is a crucial part of this. So, we have a Employee and Family Assistance program (EFAP), that’s free and private for employees to access. It’s not always easy to disclose to an employer that you’re struggling – this allows employees to call anytime and receive guidance, tools and advice for a number of issues that relate to mental health. They offer advice and support for legal issues, nutrition, addiction, workplace conflict, financial issues, relationships, depression, anxiety, anger and life transitions.
Physical wellness is linked to mental wellness. Poor mental health can make physical conditions worse, and those with poor physical health are at a bigger risk to develop mental health issues. Hercules’ understands this, so we offer an annual financial incentive for employees to purchase something that supports their health, whether it’s a fitness class, gym membership or even a pair of running shoes that encourages you to get outside.
By giving our employees tools to be more resilient in the face of mental health issues, we improve our overall company culture and give our people an environment where they can thrive. We value mental health, because we value our employees.