Half of GTHA labour force has experienced mental health issues, study finds

Half of all people in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area’s labour force have experienced a mental health issue, according to a new research gathered by CivicAction.

That’s an estimate of over 1.5 million people.

According to CivicAction, over the next 10 years, current mental health issues in the GTHA labour force could result in almost $17 billion in lost productivity.

The study found that people suffered from a broad spectrum of mental health issues including anxiety, depression, bipolar and substance use disorder.

“This is one of the defining public health issues of our time, one that is increasingly impacting our personal health and our economic potential as a region,” Sevaun Palvetzian, CEO of CivicAction, said in a release.

“Our mental health touches every part of our lives, including our workplaces, so to change the culture at work will improve the overall quality of life in the GTHA,” she continued.

The study found that there were five contributors impacting mental health – income inequality, job insecurity, racial discrimination, family care demands and housing conditions and affordability.

Sixty per cent of the employees surveyed said that emotional and interpersonal issues were the top source of workplace stress. Of those issues, the culture of the workplace topped the list.

Although many companies provide employees with services to deal with mental health, the survey found that many (71 per cent) were reluctant to use these services because of the stigma surrounding them.

“We’ve seen great movement on the mental health front, but the fear around disclosing is still a real threat, and this fear prevents people from getting help,” Paula Allen, co-chair of the Champions Council, said in a release. “With over 70 per cent of people in a recent national survey saying that workplace stigma is a concern, there’s more to be done.”

The research also found the following statistics:

• 1 in 4 employees with high stress are more likely to report taking a mental health-related absence in the previous two years than approximately 1 in 10 employees with low stress
• 82 per cent of those who report mental health issues say it impacts their work
• 67 per cent of those who report struggling with stress symptoms say it impacts their work
• 1 in 5 employees believe, erroneously, that whether or not someone becomes mentally ill is fully within their control
• 42 per cent of employees say that the top priority is “managers knowing what to do” when an employee shows signs of distress

Click here to read the full report.