Mental health in the workplace

Mental health is often thought of as the presence or absence of a mental health condition such as depression or an anxiety disorder. However, the complete mental health model suggests that mental health is also comprised of one’s level of emotional, psychological and social wellbeing. How does this holistic way of framing mental health help us understand the return-to-work experiences of injured workers? In this presentation, Dr. Kathleen Dobson shares results from a recent study examining various mental health profiles among a group of physically injured workers in Ontario. She discusses why it is important to define “mental health” in occupational research, how this framework helps highlight the diverse mental health experiences that injured workers have and how these experiences may impact their return to work.

Published: January 2025

Published: Applied Ergonomics, January 2025

Workers with chronic or episodic health conditions may face the decision of whether to disclose their health information at work. But many find this decision challenging and stressful. A worker may need supports due to their condition but may worry that sharing health information could impact their reputation or job security. A new IWH tool, called DCIDE, was developed to help workers make these hard decisions.

Published: December 2024

Published: SSM - Population Health, December 2024

Workers with chronic and episodic physical and mental health conditions often struggle when deciding whether to seek support from their workplace. In making decisions, they weigh risks like the loss of privacy or reputation if they disclose their needs, versus concerns about job difficulties and work performance if they don’t receive support. 
In this presentation, Dr. Monique Gignac focuses on the challenges inherent in the decision-making process. She also describes a new decision-support tool called DCIDE that aims to help workers navigate the complexity of disclosure decisions. Developed as part of a large research partnership with input from researchers, people with lived experiences, and health charities, DCIDE is an online, interactive tool that guides users through disclosure decisions and links them with additional resources to support their disclosure and privacy preferences.  

Published: November 2024

The Ontario Workplace Safety & Insurance Board (WSIB) contracted with Trillium Health / Insight Health Solutions to establish a mental health assessment and treatment specialty program to meet the needs of public safety personnel (PSP) with an accepted compensation claim arising from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). To assess the specific benefits of the First Responder Mental Health Treatment (FRMHT) program, the Institute for Work & Health (IWH) and the Institute for Better Health conducted a mixed-methods formative evaluation of the program with four components. This report summarizes findings from the fourth component, led by IWH. It was focused on interviews with representatives of public safety employer representatives who supported return-to work (RTW) among PSP with PTSD.

Published: November 2024

Published: Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, November 2024

Young adults who live with both a rheumatic disease and depression have lower productivity than those who have only one or neither condition. That’s according to a new IWH study. Findings from this small study also suggest that having a supportive working environment can buffer the lost productivity issues.

Published: October 2024

Published: Occupational and Environmental Medicine, October 2024

Published: Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, July 2024