LifeWorks has just released its monthly Mental Health Index report. The report reveals that health and wellness benefits and services, as well as flexibility and type of work, are the most important factors Canadian workers consider when choosing an employer.
Mental health index stagnates
Let’s start with a word about the traditional mental health score. In October 2022, it stands at 64.9 points out of 100, slightly lower than in September. It has not shown any improvement in four months.
Specifically, one-third (32%) of Canadians are at high risk for a mental health problem, 45% are at moderate risk and 24% are at low risk for a mental health problem. By comparison, in April 2020, when the Index was launched and around the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, 34% of Canadians were at high risk of a mental health problem.
Canadians were at high risk for a mental health problem, 45% were at moderate risk and 21% were at low risk for a 21% were at low risk for a mental health problem. Not much of a difference.
At the provincial level, there appears to be some convergence: mental health scores improved in Manitoba and Ontario, while they declined in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Quebec, the Maritimes and Newfoundland and Labrador.
What are the factors in choosing an employer?
A new topic discussed in this survey was the most important factors in choosing an employer, in addition to salary or compensation. This is an opportunity for recruiters to get the facts straight, as the labor shortage continues to hit.
More than one-third (34%) of respondents say that the benefits and health and wellness services offered to them are the most important factor in choosing an employer, followed by flexibility for 28%, type of work for 18% and reputation for a positive workplace culture for 14%.
The results clearly demonstrate the importance of health and wellness benefits. We know that health and wellness benefits have a significant impact on the lives of employees, and with this data, we see that they have a significant influence on the choice of a workplace. In addition to direct compensation, Canadians consider their personal needs when exploring employment opportunities. It is important that employers recognize this as a key consideration and take a holistic approach to the benefits they offer their employees. It is more important than ever to prioritize health and wellness to attract and retain talented employees,” said Michael Dingle, Chief Operating Officer, TELUS Health.
Another question on a related topic: What would encourage Canadian employees to work harder at work? The answer: more than two in five (41%) say better pay.
Spotlight on managerial qualities
The study also looked at the characteristics of managers this month. On a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 is “weakly human” and 5 is “strongly human”, 15% of Canadians rate their managers as 1 or 2. The proportion is similar when it comes to the importance given to autonomy (13% of 1 and 2) but is clearly higher when it comes to the charisma of the manager (22%) or his/her participative nature (20%).
We know that managers play an essential role in the productivity of their teams. Their influence is not just through their strategy and organization of work, but also through the support they provide to their teams. When managers lead with empathy, employees feel motivated and able to give their best and brightest. Managers need to express this empathy by caring about the well-being of employees and by being concerned about their work needs. These behaviors will increasingly have a positive impact on employee wellness, engagement and productivity over time,” comments Paula Allen, global director and senior vice president, Global Wellness and Research, LifeWorks.
Methodology:
The LifeWorks monthly survey was conducted online between October 4 and 12, 2022 with 3,000 respondents in Canada, in English and French. All respondents reside in Canada and were employed in the previous six months.
