Mental health in the workplace
Workplaces play a dual role in the area of mental health. On the one hand, they can be a stressful environment that contributes to mental health problems among workers. On the other hand, they can play an important part in helping to detect and manage mental health problems when they arise among workers, and in ensuring the healthy recovery and return of workers who are off work due to a mental health issue. IWH research in this area helps paint a clearer picture of the prevalence of mental health problems among workers, the types of labour force and workplace factors that may contribute to poor mental health, and the workplace-based and system prevention efforts that can help improve the mental health of workers and ensure they have the proper supports when needed.
Featured
Research Highlights
Rises in opioid harms highest in machining, construction, sales
A new study has found that opioid harm rates have increased among injured workers over the last two decades. The study also breaks the trends down by occupation.
Published: October 14, 2026
At Work article
Implementing PTSI programs a challenge for first responder organizations
First responder organizations are developing programs to support members with work-related post-traumatic stress injuries (PTSI). But implementation can be a challenge. An IWH study, conducted in Alberta, examined implementation barriers and facilitators and resulted in a practical resource.
Published: July 14, 2026
Research Highlights
Rises in opioid harms highest in machining, construction, sales
A new study has found that opioid harm rates have increased among injured workers over the last two decades. The study breaks the trends down by occupation, and high-hazard roles saw the biggest increases. However, some typically low-hazard occupations, like clerical and sales jobs, also saw large increases in harms.
Published: October 2026
Journal article
Journal article
Presumptive coverage policies and workers' compensation of post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health conditions: a retrospective time-series study in Canada 2001-2019
Published: American Journal of Industrial Medicine, September 2026
Journal article
Journal article
ECHO PSP: an education platform for healthcare providers supporting public safety personnel
Published: Journal of Community Safety and Well-Being, September 2026
Journal article
Journal article
Trends in opioid-related poisonings and mental and behavioral disorders from 2006 to 2022 among a large cohort of injured workers in Ontario, Canada
Published: American Journal of Industrial Medicine, September 2026
IWH in the media
IWH in the media
Mental health programs alone won’t fix psychological injury among public safety workers
Published: Queen's Gazette, Queen's University, August 2026
Journal article
Journal article
Adoption of app-based peer support by Canadian health care providers: mixed methods organizational implementation study
Published: JMIR Mhealth and Uhealth, August 2026
IWH in the media
Mental health programs alone won’t fix psychological injury among public safety workers
Published: The Conversation Canada, July 2026
At Work article
New resource aims to help first responder organizations deliver PTSI support
A new evidence-based resource has been developed to provide practical guidance to first responder organizations that are looking to deliver programs to support their workers and to reduce work disability related to PTSI. The resource provides considerations along the various stages of planning, delivering and maintaining such a program.
Published: July 2026
At Work article
Implementing PTSI programs a challenge for first responder organizations
First responder organizations are developing programs to support members with work-related post-traumatic stress injuries (PTSI). But implementation of such programs can be a challenge. An IWH study, conducted in Alberta, examined the implementation barriers and facilitators, as part of an effort to produce a practical implementation resource.
Published: July 2026
IWH Speaker Series
IWH Speaker Series
Parental employment quality and the mental health of children
Socioeconomic status is a powerful predictor of child health and development. A key factor shaping household socioeconomic status is the quality of parental employment. As the labour market in Canada has shifted towards more precarious forms of work, a growing share of parents are having to rely on casual, insecure, and low-wage jobs to make ends meet. The declining quality of parental employment has significant but underappreciated implications for children and their families. In this talk, Dr. Faraz Vahid Shahidi will present findings from research examining parental employment quality as a social determinant of children’s mental health and development in Canada. By drawing attention to an upstream driver of early-life socioeconomic disadvantage, this research can help inform policies and programmes aimed at promoting child health and health equity.
Published: June 2026