Knowing what to do to support an employee who is struggling with a potential mental health challenge can be hard. When we don’t know what to say or when we worry that we might say or do the wrong thing, it can be quite daunting to take action or even try to help.

In Canada, employers have a “duty to inquire”,¹ which means that if you think that an employee is experiencing a mental health challenge and it is impacting them in the workplace, you must ask.

But aside from the legal imperatives, there is a human obligation. Employers who create opportunities for learning and conversation about mental health will help to foster an environment where all social identity or diversity groups will feel welcome.

So, where do we start? Here are some suggestions.

Upskill Managers (and Yourself)

Managers play a significant role in overall employee wellbeing.

Research by Catalyst shows that 45% of employee experiences of inclusion are attributed to their managers' inclusive leadership behaviour.²

It’s important to bear in mind that as a manager or small business owner, you don’t have to know everything there is to know about mental illness. However, you should know a few things, not only for your own overall mental health and wellbeing, but also so you can recognize potential signs of mental illness among your employees.

Normalize Talking About Mental Health, Wellbeing and EDI

Talking about mental health topics can be uncomfortable. But when we talk about these things on a regular basis, we build our awareness and develop our capacity to talk about difficult issues. When we normalize these topics, we also begin to remove stigma and shame. Stigma prevents 40% of people with depression or anxiety from seeking treatment.³ It also leads to prejudice against people with a mental illness.

Here are some ways to begin normalizing these conversations:

• Add a standing agenda item to every team meeting or huddle at the beginning of a shift to share a mental health tip.
• Host regular lunch-and-learns on a variety of mental health and intersectionality topics. Invite speakers with lived experience and sign up for free webinars offered by mental health organizations and other subject matter experts.
• Check in with your employees to see how they are managing workloads and stress. Talk to them in a human-to-human way, not as part of a performance-related conversation.
• Model healthy behaviours and tell your employees why you are doing them (e.g. taking your lunch break and reminding your employees that they need to take their breaks too).

Establish a Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Team

Mental and psychological injury is just as important as physical injury. Depending on the size of your organization, you could have one or two mental health first aid attendants or a team at different locations. Training can be provided through the Mental Health Commission of Canada.⁴ In the MHFA course, you will gain a solid understanding of the five basic actions summed up in the acronym ALGEE:

• Assess the risk of suicide and/or harm.
• Listen non-judgmentally.
• Give reassurance.
• Encourage professional support.
• Encourage other supports.

ALGEE is the framework for having a confident conversation about mental health with family, friends, colleagues and strangers.

Create a Mental Health Employee Resource Group⁵

For larger organizations, an employee resource group (ERG) is an opportunity for likeminded employees to come together to identify and raise issues to leadership, to act as allies for those experiencing mental health challenges in the workplace, to support colleagues and to learn more about mental health and mental illness.

Start a Conversation That Matters

This might be the most important tip of all: talk to an employee who you sense could be experiencing a mental health challenge.

Here’s how to set the tone and start the conversation:⁶

• Find a quiet, private place to have the conversation.
• Say: “I notice you don’t quite seem yourself lately. Would you like to talk?”
• Let the person take as much time as they need.
• Take the person seriously and listen without judgment; their feelings are very real.
• Keep your word: don’t make promises you can’t keep or don’t intend to keep.
• Tell the person that they are important and that you care about them.

What to Do If Someone Is at Risk of Suicide

The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)⁷ suggests taking the following steps:

• Take the person to the nearest hospital emergency department if you can do so safely.
• If they refuse to go to the hospital or if you're unsure whether this is the right thing to do, get help from a health care provider as quickly as possible.
• If they are attempting or about to attempt suicide and you are not at risk, do not leave them alone and call 911.
• Keep yourself safe.