One out of five Canadians report declining employer trust since the start of the pandemic

Supported by TELUS Health, LifeWorks’ Mental Health Index™ finds erosion of employer trust leads to worsened mental health among employees

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--LifeWorks, a leading provider of digital and in-person total wellbeing solutions supported by TELUS Health, today released its monthly Mental Health Index™ revealing that one out of five (20 per cent) Canadians believe trust between employees and their employer has decreased compared to before the pandemic. Additionally, those who report a decline also have the lowest mental health score, more than eight points below the national average (56.8).

The Index found that Canadian workers are experiencing increasing strain with an unfavourable mental health score.

• The Mental Health Index™ score for September 2022 is 65.1 points out of one hundred, unchanged from August’s score. This marks three months since improvement.

The mental health of Canadian workers is heavily impacted by how well they trust their employer

• Nearly half (46 per cent) of those who report a decline in trust cite a change in workplace culture as the top reason, followed by perceived changes in the handling of employee wellbeing support (43 per cent) and communication (30 per cent).
• The highest mental health score (67.3) is among those who report no change in trust (71 per cent), followed by those who report improved trust (nine per cent). This group has a mental health score of 65.8, nearly on par with the national average.

Co-worker relationships are contributing to the effort employees put into their work

• One quarter (25 per cent) of respondents indicate that relationships with co-workers most positively impact the effort given to their work.
• Fifteen per cent of respondents indicate their mental health and wellbeing most positively impacts the effort given to their work, and 12 per cent indicate the relationship with their manager has the most positive impact on their work effort.
• Eleven per cent of respondents indicate the level of recognition received most positively impacts the effort given to their work.

Comments from TELUS Health Chief Operating Officer, Michael Dingle
“In business, communication, culture and support for employee wellness are key drivers of trust. Trust is essential to the strength of any relationship, but especially so between employer and employee during times of significant change and stress. Today’s workplace is being tested. This data shows how critically important it is for organizations to be intentional about making employee wellness a priority, and to be mindful of the relationship between culture and employee trust.”

Comments from LifeWorks Global Leader and Senior Vice President, Research and Total Wellbeing, Paula Allen
“Personal mental health and wellbeing and the relationships at work are the top two factors related to the effort put into work. Organizations can influence both with an environment that supports self-care and collaboration. Manager training, healthy team norms and strong mental health and wellbeing services are all tangible actions that enable employees to work at their best potential.”

The full Canadian LifeWorks Mental Health Index™ report can be found here. This month, the report includes additional insights on work preferences, preference between salary increases and better wellbeing support, frequency of working while unwell and more.

LifeWorks is a wholly owned subsidiary of TELUS now operating as part of TELUS Health as a result of its recent acquisition.

About the Mental Health Index™
The monthly survey by LifeWorks was conducted through an online survey in English and French from September 12 to 22, 2022 with 3,000 respondents in Canada. All respondents reside in Canada and were employed within the last six months. The data has been statistically weighted to ensure the regional and gender composition of the sample reflect this population. The Mental Health Index™ is published monthly, beginning April 2020. Benchmark data was collected in 2017, 2018, 2019.

The Mental Health Index™, is based on a response scoring system that then turns individual responses into point values. Higher point values are associated with better mental health and less mental health risk. Scores between 0 to 49 correspond with distress levels, scores between 50 to 79 correspond with strain levels and scores between 80 to 100 correspond with optimal levels of mental health.

About TELUS Health
TELUS Health is a global healthcare company serving people in more than 160 countries delivering both digital innovation and clinical services to improve total physical, mental and financial health and wellness across the full spectrum of primary and preventative care. By leveraging the power of technology to deliver connected solutions and services both in-person and virtually, TELUS Health is improving access to care and revolutionizing the flow of information while facilitating collaboration, efficiency, and productivity for physicians, pharmacists, health authorities, allied healthcare professionals, insurers, employers and people globally, progressing its vision of transforming healthcare and empowering people to live healthier lives.

Our clinical team is composed of renowned and passionate health professionals around the world delivering best-in-class people-centric care to hundreds of thousands of employers, professionals and their families.

For more information, please visit: www.telushealth.com.

ID-CAD, ID-CORP, ID-MH