A lot is being said about mental health.  Everywhere you look there is dialogue about work-life balance, the costs of depression and mental illness to society, and Employers are beginning to take note and take action. “A large proportion of working Canadians have unmet mental health care needs that prevent them from performing to their utmost and our report shows this has serious consequences for the Canadian economy,” said Louis Thériault, vice-president of public policy for the Conference Board, which…

It's hard to believe that the first week of December is nearly done! Where does the time go? This month, we will be keeping things a light and relaxed on our blog, and taking bit of a breather from "employee benefits-info" blog posts. Stressed about the holidays?  This time of year, while wonderful, magical and beautiful, tends to be the most stressful time of year for many people.  From decorating, commitments for holiday parties, shopping, and family dinners, it can feel a little…

Picture yourself as a supervisor/manager. You have an employee with a problem. Not just an ordinary problem, like what to buy a spouse for her birthday. But something big…. like depression, or alcoholism.  And it's starting to affect your employee’s work and productivity. And not only does it affect that particular employee, it also affects all those working with him. What do you do? Let your employees know you care about their mental wellness! First, you should consider implementing an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for…

An employee’s personal issues definitely reduce their engagement and success on the job. This is called “presenteeism”. How can a small employer identify and tackle personal issues which affect employee performance? Some employees may grapple with personal issues like the following: Alcoholism or drug abuse in the immediate family…. or maybe an employee himself Worrying about the state of their teenage children. Does it affect their marriage? Do they use work time to deal with their issues? Health issues which cause…