Resources for organizations for mental health in the workplace
Every organization is required to develop and implement an action plan to support a culture that integrates psychological health, safety and well-being. Find information to support and guide you in the development and implementation of your action plan.
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 9-1-1 or go to your local emergency department.
If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, call or text 9-8-8. Support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through 9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline.
If you are in distress, please contact your Employee Assistance Program.
Resources
Raising awareness
Departments and agencies are encouraged to use and promote these resources to raise awareness and break down stigma.
-
Federal Speakers’ Forum on Lived Experience
This forum consists of public servant who share lived experiences related to mental health, accessibility, diversity, and inclusion.
-
Mental health awareness campaigns
Consult and promote the following campaigns: Canadian Mental Health Association’s Annual Mental Health Week and Bell Let’s Talk.
-
Mental health brochures
Consult and promote brochures from the Canadian Mental Health Association for information on and support related to mental health.
Building capacity
The following resources support departments with the establishment and implementation of their departmental mental health action plans.
-
Federal public service workplace mental health strategy
The Federal Public Service Workplace Mental Health Strategy is an important first step in the Government’s efforts to build a healthy, respectful, and supportive work environment that strengthens the public service.
The Strategy focuses on three strategic goals: changing culture to be respectful to the mental health of all colleagues, building capacity with tools and resources for employees at all levels, and measuring and reporting on actions.
-
Workplace Mental Health Champion
Choosing a workplace mental health champion is vital as they play an important role in engaging unions and employees at all levels and in raising awareness of the importance of psychological health and safety.
-
The National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace
Departments and agencies can align with the National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace, following guidance in Building Success: A Guide to Establishing and Maintaining a Psychological Health and Safety Management System in the Federal Public Service. This step-by-step implementation guide helps organizations identify and assess workplace hazards related to psychological health and safety of employees. It has been developed to help organizations plan, develop, maintain and refresh their Psychological Health and Safety Management System.
-
The 13 Psychosocial Factors
These videos created by Ottawa Public Health and the Mental Health Commission of Canada help Canadians “have that talk” about mental health in the workplace. The videos provide realistic examples and strategies for each of the 13 factors that are part of a mentally healthy and safe workplace.
Supports and services
Fostering psychological health and safety in the workplace is also about knowing where to turn or where to refer federal public servants for support. See below for various resources.
-
Employee Assistance Program
Find information about the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) which is a voluntary and confidential service to help federal public servants in the core public administration at all levels, as well as their immediate family members, who have concerns that affect their personal well-being or work performance. EAP also offers specialized services to managers and supervisors. Visit Find your organization’s Employee Assistance Program provider for EAP your provider.
-
Financial well-being
Learn more about bringing financial literacy to your workplace and the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada’s free programs, tools and resources available for your employees.
-
Training and learning
The Canada School of Public Service’ Mental Health Learning Series offers effective learning tools and resources for employees at all levels to reduce stigma and support the implementation of the Federal Public Service Workplace Mental Health Strategy.
-
Disability Management
Find information on disability management for employees and managers here: Disability Management: Employee Wellness Resource.
-
Harassment Resolution
Departments and organizations can refer to the Guide on Applying the Harassment Resolution Process to prevent and resolve harassment in the workplace.
Taking the pulse
These tools help measure progress of workplace mental health strategies and action plans.
-
Federal Public Service Workplace Mental Health Dashboard
The Federal Public Service Workplace Mental Health Dashboard (the dashboard) (accessible only on the Government of Canada network) is a statistically validated, evergreen tool for reporting on the psychosocial factors outlined in the National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace. Examples of psychosocial factors include psychological support, organizational culture, and workload management.
The dashboard can help identify psychological health and safety strengths and gaps in the federal public service, individual departments and sub-organizational units, track progress over time, and compare between various populations of public servants.
-
Guarding Minds @ Work
Guarding Minds @ Work provides organizations with proactive, comprehensive ways to assess the psychological health and safety of their specific workplaces, combined with information on appropriate solutions and a method of measuring the effectiveness of those solutions.
Additional resources
- Technical Committee Report to the Steering Committee on Mental Health in the Workplace – April 2016
- Technical Committee Report to the Steering Committee on Mental Health in the Workplace – September 2015
- Assembling the Pieces: An Implementation Guide to the National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace
- Healthy Minds @ Work – Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety
- Canada Life: Workplace Strategies for Mental Health
- Health Partners
- Hope for Wellness Chat
- Collective agreements
- Pension and benefits
- Directive on Employee Assistance Programs
- Policy on Terms and Conditions of Employment
How to reach us
The Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer’s Wellness and Mental Health team: GC Mental Health / Santé Mentale GC.
Page details
- Date modified: