Let’s seize the moment to address mental health in parliamentary workplaces

Parliamentarians and Hill staff are speaking out about mental health on the Hill more loudly and more frequently than ever before. They’re talking about burnout, stress, and anxiety. And about how long hours, pressure to meet expectations, and consuming never-ending aggressive and negative social media content all contribute to a difficult work environment. Parliamentarians and Hill staff aren’t alone. The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) has spoken with organizations across the country who all tell us their staff are struggling with burnout. Workplaces across the country are training their staff with the skills to host safe and supportive conversations and equip them with the tools to take care of themselves. One of the most important things to understand is that it’s not up to employees to fix their workplaces. We are products of our environments, and we all need workplaces that support us with the conditions we need to be effective and productive. CMHA is working with organizations on new and creative ways to support the mental health and wellness of their staff, and to create psychologically healthy and safe settings. Every day in Canada, workplaces are evolving by prioritizing the evaluation of their workforce, implementing policy changes and adding in additional programs, training and services that directly support employee mental health. More and more organizations are using the National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace as a guide to help navigate these challenges, assess psychosocial risk factors and make changes to policies, and train their employees and leaders. Aside from it being the right thing to do, there is a business case, legal case, and health case for investing in employee mental health. As outlined by the standard, we need to be engaging with our colleagues with civility and respect, practicing good work-life balance, and contributing to a culture that puts psychological health and safety at the front of our minds. We all know that taking care of our mental health is so much more than going to the spa. There are many different ways we can take care of ourselves, including building mental and emotional awareness, taking paid time off, asking for help when we need it, and practicing good work-life boundaries by making time for ourselves, disconnecting at the end of the workday, and scheduling in time for regular breaks throughout the day. Finding time for self-care can be easier said than done, which is why it is important to recognize the signs of stress and develop a plan to take action and routinely set aside time to address them. Ignoring the effects of stress can lead to other mental health or physical health problems. Know that there are free mental health resources, like the Government of Canada’s Wellness Together portal, CMHA’s BounceBack program, and other community-based mental health programs and services if we’re feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or anxious. Sharing our experiences dealing with workplace stress as a leader, honestly and with empathy, can go a long way towards building trust and connection. We can address risk of burnout by ensuring employees have sustainable and realistic workloads, have autonomy over how they work, are being properly rewarded for their efforts, are treated fairly, and have the all the necessary skills and tools they need to get their jobs done. We also need to create workplaces that are supportive, transparent, and inclusive. We all have a role to play in destigmatizing mental health and building mentally healthy workplaces and communities. For those of us in leadership positions, it is important to know that we set the tone in the workplace and it is our responsibility to take steps to make people feel safe. Parliamentarians and Hill staff play a critical role driving the change we all want to see in mental health—from addressing long wait times and care gaps in rural and remote locations to unaffordable mental health services and substance use and addictions treatment programs. Rather than building on a system that responds to crisis, we need to rethink our mental health system so that it can promote mental wellness and prevent mental illnesses from taking hold in the first place. Resources like the all-party mental health caucus’ Mental Health Handbook for Parliamentarians and Staff and the Canadian Mental Health Association’s CMHA Mental Health Handbook for MPs provide tools for Parliamentarians and Hill staff to help take care of their mental health. Whether it is working with insurance providers to increase mental health supports in employee plans, speaking up in the House of Commons about mental health, or drafting legislation aimed at fixing our mental health system, being a champion for mental health begins with taking care of ourselves. Katharine Coons is a national workplace mental health specialist with the Canadian Mental Health Association. The Hill Times

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Let’s seize the moment to address mental health in parliamentary workplaces

Rather than building on a system that responds to crisis, we need to rethink our mental health system so that it can promote mental wellness and prevent mental illnesses from taking hold in the first place.

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