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

A parents walks their two children wearing backpacks towards a shool.
At Work article

Parental job quality linked to children’s mental health, school performance

Children whose parents work low-quality, precarious jobs are more likely to experience mental health problems and perform poorly at school. That’s according to a pair of studies, co-led by the Institute for Work & Health (IWH), that drew on two large-scale Canadian surveys.
Published: September 10, 2025
Journal article
Journal article

Assessing the psychosocial work environment in relation to mental health: a comprehensive approach

Published: Annals of Work Exposures and Health, February 2021
Journal article
Journal article

Online resources supporting workers with chronic episodic disabilities: an environmental scan

Published: International Journal of Workplace Health Management, January 2021
Journal article
Journal article

Age differences in return-to-work following injury: understanding the role of age dimensions across longitudinal follow-up

Published: Journal of Occupational & Environmental Medicine, December 2020
Journal article
Journal article

Reciprocal associations between depression, anxiety and work-related injury

Published: Injury Prevention, December 2020
IWH Speaker Series
IWH Speaker Series

Does it matter what workers’ reasons are for disclosing or not disclosing a disability at work? Why and how?

Deciding whether or not to disclose a disability to others at work is a complex consideration. People with many chronic mental and physical health conditions, often called episodic disabilities, experience times of relative wellness punctuated by intermittent periods of activity limitations. How do they decide whether or not to disclose their health conditions? In this presentation, Dr. Monique Gignac shares findings from her study examining participants' reasons and goals for disclosing—and whether these matter to work support outcomes.
Published: November 2020
IWH Speaker Series
IWH Speaker Series

More than just COVID-19 prevention: Exploring the links between PPE, safe work protocols and workers' mental health

We have heard a lot about the importance of personal protective equipment (PPE) and infection control procedures (ICP) in reducing workplace COVID-19 transmission. A new study, conducted jointly with the Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW), set out to explore their importance in protecting workers' mental health. In this presentation, Dr. Peter Smith shares results from two surveys, one conducted among health-care workers and the other among the broader Canadian workforce. The findings provide important insights into the additional benefits of adequate design and implementation of employer-based infection control practices—beyond reducing COVID-19 transmission.
Published: November 2020