According to the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), half a million Canadians will miss work this week due to a mental health issue or illness and 44 per cent of workers say they have or have experienced a mental health issue or illness.

Last week Methanex in Vancouver celebrated our third annual Mental Health Week, which is dedicated time for education and conversation around mental health to reduce stigma and breakdown barriers in our office. This year 16 employees from various departments volunteered to form a committee to organize events during the week, making it our biggest and best Mental Health Week yet.

Dr. Joti Samra, clinical psychologist and workplace health and wellness expert, kicked off the week with a great talk on how to enhance our psychological wellness and resiliency. She also led a session for Methanex’s people leaders on the critical role of psychologically safe leadership and not only how to recognize when someone is struggling with their mental health, but how to act on it and start the conversation.

With the help of www.notmyselftoday.ca we were able to provide resources and tools for employees to access if they or someone close to them is experiencing issues with mental health. In addition to this we also issued an anonymous survey that helped us understand what barriers employees experience in accessing these mental health resources. As we continue to grow our knowledge and promote an open dialogue around mental health, we will be able to better address and breakdown these barriers.

Later in the week employees went on a Walk for Mental Health and enjoyed the sunshine in downtown Vancouver to highlight how our physical health is intrinsically linked to our mental health.

These were just a few of the many initiatives led by the Mental Health Committee and we are looking forward to continuing these conversations throughout the year and ensuring that we prioritize a psychologically healthy and safe workplace.