Back

6 Mental Health Resources to Keep Employees Happy and Healthy

By: Benefits by Design | Wednesday May 3, 2017

Updated : Thursday March 16, 2023

Full bookshelf | Mental Health Resources | Benefits by Design

Happy, healthy employees are more productive, engaged in their work, and are more likely to report higher job satisfaction than unhappy ones.

Employers looking to keep employees this way should consider making some of these mental health resources available to employees!

#1. Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

An Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides employees with help and support during some of the most difficult times in their lives through professional counselling and the sharing of resources. Some potential uses for an EAP include:

Marital problems and advice
Elder or childcare concerns
Financial or legal issues
Stress management
And much, much more!

Poor mental health as a significant cost to your business and an EAP is one of the most proven and effective methods of managing employee mental health.

#2. Carrot Rewards App

Carrot Rewards is a free app, rewarding healthy lifestyle choices with points towards reward programs like Aeroplan and Scene (Cineplex).

Developed in partnership with the Public Health Agency of Canada, the app quizzes you on things like mental health, stress management, and nutrition. Users complete the quizzes to earn loyalty points for the program of their choice. For those looking to earn more points, it also syncs with some fitness wearables such as a Fitbit. So people getting their steps in earn points at the same time.

This is doubly effective as staying active is a proven method of managing mental health and staying healthy overall.

#3. Arete Human Resources (HR) Inc. Podcasts

Arete Human Resources (HR) Inc. is a provider of Employee Assistance Programs (EAP)s with a monthly podcast called, “Head Forward”.

In each episode, they explore issues that affect mental health and wellbeing alongside industry experts, including a couple BBD employees! These podcasts offer some great insight and are easily access via your smart phone or computer through iTunes, Google Play, or Stitcher.

#4. Green Shield Canada (GSC)’s Change4Life Portal

Plan members with Green Shield Canada (GSC) benefits have access to the Change4Life portal, which offers information and tips to identify challenges with mental health.

By completing the health assessment, plan members get a whole picture picture of their health and suggestions on any areas they can improve on.

Your Green Shield Canada plan member portal also includes information and tips to help identify challenges people are having with their mental health through the Change4Life program. By completing the health assessment, people get a whole picture view of their health and suggestions on any areas they can improve on! Available to BBD plan members with Green Shield Canada Extended Health Care (EHC) and/or Dental Insurance.

#5. Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA)

The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) provides additional resources and information on a variety of important mental health topics, as well as facilitates programs and workshops.

One of the most influential things they do is a workplace mental health campaign, called Not Myself Today, focused on reducing stigma about mental health in the workplace and getting people comfortable with the idea of talking about mental health.

#6. Not Myself Today

The Not Myself Today campaign brings high visibility to mental health in the workplace. Using the tools provided, you’ll be able to increase people’s confidence to speak up or engage with someone they see who might be struggling. From posters to modules — when you consider 1 in 5 Canadians will be faced with a mental health challenge each year, helping even one person know where to turn or how to help makes a difference.

Showing mental health support in the workplace is easy with these resources. As we cross paths with more mental health resources, we’ll continue to add them to this article.