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
At Work article
Injured workers face mental health challenges beyond diagnosable conditions
Workers with a work-related physical injury that takes them off the job can have a wide range of mental health experiences, beyond diagnosable conditions. That’s according to an IWH study which also found that differences in injured workers’ mental health were linked to return-to-work outcomes.
Published: April 9, 2025
At Work article
How employers are improving RTW outcomes for public safety workers with PSTI
Public safety employers face a range of challenges when supporting workers to return to work after experiencing a post-traumatic stress injury. Employers have developed strategies to face these challenges, as outlined in a recent IWH Speaker Series presentation.
Published: March 12, 2025
At Work article
Proving mental illness diagnosis, duration a challenge for income support programs
Learn the five reasons mental illness claims are so challenging for benefit administrators, according to a study of Ontario and Australia's disability benefits programs.
Published: August 2017
IWH Speaker Series
IWH Speaker Series
Designing disability income support policy for mental illness
The features of mental illnesses pose challenges when designing disability income support (DIS) programs, yet there is limited evidence about the process. In this plenary, Dr. Ashley McAllister shares the results of a study in Australia and Ontario, which interviewed policy designers of DIS programs about the challenges related to mental illnesses. She outlines five main challenges and considers the ramifications of ignoring them—including distrust among policy designers of physicians' evidence to support DIS applications.
Published: May 2017
Project report
Project report
Managing depression in the workplace: a systematic review contextualized for Manitoba
This report provides a synthesis of the relevant research-based evidence on managing depression for the adult working population of Manitoba. The synthesis is based on an international search of the literature, and the findings were then contexualized for Manitoba based on an approach developed by the Institute for Work & Health and Memorial University's SafetyNet Centre for Occupational Health and Safety Research.
Published: March 2017
Systematic Review
Systematic Review
Effective workplace-based return-to-work interventions: a systematic review update
This report synthesizes the evidence from a systematic review on the effectiveness of workplace-based return-to-work interventions and updates the Institute's 2004 systematic review on the same subject. This update brings in evidence published since 2004, and expands upon the original systematic review by including work absences due not only to musculoskeletal disorders, but also to mental health and pain-related conditions.
Published: February 2017
Project
Project
Accommodating and Communicating about Episodic Disabilities (ACED): A partnership to deliver workplace resources to sustain employment of people with chronic, episodic conditions
A multi-partner research team led by IWH is seeking to develop evidence-informed resources to facilitate communication and accommodation planning among workers with episodic mental and physical health conditions, supervisors and other workplace parties.
Status: Ongoing
Project
Project
Identifying and implementing current practices in supporting workers with depression
An IWH team drew upon the research evidence—and integrated it with both practitioner expertise and worker and employer preferences—to help identify current practices in managing and implementing depression-related support programs in the workplace.
Status: Completed 2017
IWH in the media
Returning to work after a mental health work injury
Much of what we know about the factors linked with successful return to work is based on musculoskeletal injury claims. When it comes to reintegrating workers after a psychological injury, practitioners still face considerable challenges, according to Institute for Work & Health research.
Published: OOHNA Journal, November 2016
At Work article
Key differences found in return-to-work process for MSD and psychological claims
Research comparing MSD and mental health compensation claims in Australia offers a picture of return-to-work challenges for psychological conditions.
Published: August 2016
IWH in the media
Injured workers more likely to stay depressed if symptoms don't improve after 6 months: study
Poor mental health six months after an injury in the workplace indicates it will persist at the 12-month mark, finds a study by the Institute for Work and Health (IWH).
Published: Canadian Safety Reporter, February 2016
At Work article
Depressive symptoms common in first 12 months after work injury
A follow-up study by the Institute for Work & Health finds depressive symptoms at six months after work-related injury are a signal that poor mental health may persist at 12 months.
Published: February 2016