Coping with Mental Health
in the Workplace

Mental health issues can feel overwhelming, isolating and often confusing. There are many factors that can affect your mental health, many of which can be hard to detect, as mental health extends beyond physical wellbeing. Over time, perpetual, negative mental health conditions can cause normal activities, such as tasks at work, to become daunting and overwhelming.

Many people suffer with mental health issues in silence. Approximately, 30 percent of short and long-term disability claims in Canada are attributed to mental health problems and illnesses. * There is a crucial need to address and improve the lives of those living with mental health conditions in the workplace.

Afraid that speaking up about mental health issues may show inadequacy or weakness, many people avoid being open about the state of their mental health – especially at work. To break this stigma, many of Canada’s leading companies are embracing new ways to promote a resilient, mentally healthy organization.

How Paladin is Creating a Mentally Healthy Workplace

Paladin is dedicated to creating a healthy workplace our people can thrive in. As the leading healthcare security provider, we realize that Security Officers can be vulnerable to negative health issues due to their experiences responding to incidents and emergencies in the field. Security personnel can be exposed to traumatic situations, which inevitably can take a toll on the state of their mental health.

To promote a healthy workplace and decrease stigma, Paladin has many services, tools, and programs that support our mental health initiatives.  These programs are supported by our People and Culture team, National Quality Standards & Support (NQSS), and Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) teams. Below is an overview of some of the resources that Paladin provides:

Mental Health First Aid Training (MHFA):
Recently, two of our OHS Coordinators completed certification for MHFA. This training enables Paladin to increase awareness about mental health, decreasing stigma at our company and beyond, and improve engagement among our employees that lead to better overall mental health for everyone at the organization.

OHS Program Manual:
Available to all employees through our ERC, this manual provides clear guidance on Bullying and Harassment in the workplace, employees’ rights surrounding workplace hazards, and other useful information.

Safety Meetings:
We provide comprehensive risk evaluation, near miss tracking, and monthly crew talks on issues affecting our Officers. Checking in with our Officers on a regular basis helps to create an open dialogue about health concerns (both mental and physical) and reduce the stigma around safety and mental health.

Recover at Work Programs:
We understand that getting injured at work has an impact on mental health. To support our employees returning to work after an injury (work related or not), we provide tailored recover at work programs through our OHS team.

In addition to these resources, eligible Paladin employees have access to a free and confidential Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP). This is a professional, confidential, and proactive third-party service that offers 24/7 support to our employees with a wide range of personal, family, and work-related concerns. The EFAP program is recommended as a resource for our Security Officers in the event of a traumatic incident or if a stressful situation comes up at work.

Additional support is also offered through Paladin’s open-door policy. We encourage our employees to discuss anything with their supervisors or executive leadership team. Our issue escalation policy includes the involvement of our People and Culture Team on all staff conflicts to ensure a neutral and fair resolution process that is conductive to a mentally healthy workplace.

The Benefits of a Mentally Healthy Workplace

Paladin realizes that our employees are integral to our organization. Having resources available to raise awareness and aid with mental health is crucial to the success and well-being of our staff and are contributing factors to promoting a positive workplace.

Paladin has realized the many benefits of having a mentally healthy workplace. Some of our most substantial benefits can be measured with the following:

• Low employee turnover rate
• Positive employee feedback (though internal employee engagement surveys)
• High ratings on Glassdoor and Indeed
• Recognition for our efforts, including being awarded Most Admired Corporate Culture and one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies

Finding a healthy work/life balance will always be a work in progress for most of us, however we are confident that the tools, resources, and support readily available will empower our employees to heal, but most importantly feel embraced and supported in the workplace. Mental health conditions are not to be taken lightly and we are proud of the work our teams are doing to help end the stigma.

 

Resources:
*www.mentalhealthcommission.ca

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