The Challenge

We worked with Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) to develop the first integrated wellness plan to prevent illness and promote healthy workplace practices. Building a mentally healthy workplace not only meets the managers’ legal obligations to protect employee health and safety; it is also the right thing to do and the smart thing to do. 

 

The Work (NxK Difference)

 

We worked closely with representatives from across ESDC in the development and execution of a Mental Health actionable strategy and framework. 

 

• reviewed and analyzed organizational culture data, we asked and listened to employees, managers, executives and union leaders to what they were really saying, dealing with the "elephant in the room”. 

• translated the most critical and persistent gaps as well as the strengths for each workplace health factor into a vision and pragmatic action. 

• established guiding principles with the focus on 3 year goals for taking action to addressing three related to the three strategic pillars of prevention, promotion, and resolution. 

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Nxk designed and implemented hands-on tools and delivered numerous learning programs  for executives and managers from taking care of their own mental health, to building the confidence and skill in having the tough conversation with staff and colleagues about their mental health challenges. We helped our clients go beyond lip service.

 

The Results 

 

Results relating to Workplace well-being and the psychological health of the workplace have improved consistently as measured by the Public Service Employee Surveys.

 

• Since its launch, ESDC experienced positive results from the program with many employees sharing their personal experiences and joining the conversation through vlogs, blogs, articles and testimonials. The stigma of seeking help or discussing. The stigma of seeking help or discussing mental health issues is reduced among managers and employees.

 

• Employees are much more able to identify and recognize their own stress levels and stressors, and know how and where to seek help.

 

• More managers are having the tough conversations with their employees responding  to mental health issues with support and compassion.

 

While it stated  out as an internal priority for the department, ESDC’s Labour Program also used its role as regulator to promote the issue externally, across all federal jurisdiction workplaces. 

 

ESDC’s Framework and Action Plan was also recognized in the Clerk of the Privy Council’s Twenty-Third Annual Report to the Prime Minister as a guide for the development of tools and resources for employees and managers to support good mental health practices in the workplace.