More than half (55%) of employed Canadians think so, according to the latest surveyfrom LifeWorks, the global wellness solutions provider. Let’s look at these results in more detail.
Let’s start with the country’s Mental Health Index, which LifeWorks tracks every month, especially since the pandemic.
The bad news is that the mental health of Canadians has experienced its worst one-month decline since October 2020, and one of the worst since the pandemic began. In January 2022, the overall mental health score was -11.3 compared to the pre-pandemic baseline, a level not seen for eight months and close to the lowest scores seen during the pandemic.
The same trend was observed for secondary scores such as optimism, general psychological health and financial risk. This is true for managers and non-managers and for almost all provinces… with the notable exception of Quebec, which ranks first in the country for mental health (-8).
Spotlight on flexible work arrangements
The study also found that more than half (55%) of employed Canadians say flexible work arrangements are most important to them, compared to one-quarter (24%) who say career advancement is most important.
When asked about the mental health support provided by their employer, one-third (33%) of respondents say that flexibility is the most important thing their employer does to support mental health.
20% say that feeling valued is the most important thing they do, while 17% believe that empathy is the most important factor in promoting mental health.
The pandemic has brought many changes to our lives, causing Canadians to re-evaluate their priorities. Many employees are placing more emphasis on flexible work arrangements – where, when and how they work, than on career advancement, which often includes compensation, promotions and career development. As many organizations return to the office, it is important that employers find innovative ways to support employees in this new environment,” comments Stephen Liptrap, president and CEO of LifeWorks.
Recognition (16%), peer relationships (14%) and salary (5%) are the top factors that drive a sense of belonging at work.
While many Canadians are still feeling the effects of isolation and telecommuting on their mental health, more employers are paying attention to the connection of their workforce to their organization, to their sense of belonging. Our survey shows that there is a strong correlation between levels of belonging and productivity. This becomes especially important when we look at how much mental health benefits from our relationships with colleagues and interactions in general. Nearly 20% of Canadians who work at their place of employment say that their biggest challenge is dealing with difficult people. Increased interpersonal tension is a by-product of long-term stress. This has been particularly challenging for those who work with an audience that is on edge,” adds Paula Allen, global director and senior vice president, Global Research and Wellness at LifeWorks.
Methodology:
The LifeWorks monthly survey was conducted via an online survey in English and French from January 13 to 26, 2022, with 3,000 respondents in Canada. All respondents reside in Canada and were employed within the previous six months. The data was statistically weighted to ensure that the regional and gender composition of the sample is representative of this population. The Mental Health Index has been published monthly since April 2020 and compares the scores to benchmark data collected in 2017, 2018 and 2019.
