Actuality¹⁴⁹

On October 10th, World Mental Health Day took place. Since the beginning of the pandemic, mental health, both at work and in other aspects of life, has taken on a whole new dimension. From remote work to flexible schedules, from constant connectivity to the right to disconnect... mental well-being is a topic that is often seen as taboo but must now be a priority for everyone.

Indeed, the Canadian Community Health Survey conducted by Statistics Canada between 2015 and 2019 shows that even before the pandemic, young people aged 18 to 34 were the group with the highest number of individuals reporting poor or fair mental health in Quebec. Recent surveys suggest that the pandemic has not reversed this trend (Research Report: For Universal Access to Psychotherapy; Force Jeunesse 2022).

For Éliane Racine, the solution lies in universal access to psychotherapy. "What led us to be interested in the subject," she explains, "was the updating of occupational health and safety laws that took place in Quebec during the pandemic. At Force Jeunesse, we wanted to understand the various ways in which people were affected in terms of mental health. We realized that access to psychotherapy is intimately linked to employment status. For example, someone with insurance will have much easier access to psychotherapy than someone who has to pay for this service out of pocket.

Despite these numerous challenges, the pandemic has sparked a welcomed openness in discussing psychological health, which is becoming less and less of a taboo subject. Employers have a duty to listen and to better implement well-being health programs, training, discussion groups, or any other means to enhance mental health in the workplace.

According to Krystel Bourassa, a kinesiologist, there are numerous ideas to improve psychological health at work! Participating in standing meetings, integrating adjustable and ergonomic desks, or doing daily stretching exercises are just a few examples. The goal? Incorporate small active breaks into the daily routine!

Certainly, within the company itself, it is important to create a work environment that encourages open discussions about mental health in order to identify the individual and collective needs of employees, determine how to optimize these findings, and take concrete actions to address them.

As for Éliane, she raises the issue of disparities in mental health services offered within companies, with significant differences depending on the industry and the size of the company. Thus, there are still inequalities based on the workplace in which a person operates, highlighting the need to implement collective solutions to address this gap.

''From what I've observed in my collaborations with psychologists, HR counselors, or experts in the field," says Pier-Luc, "is that among the approaches that are often emphasized, energy management is frequently mentioned." It would be highly advantageous to be attuned to oneself, to our emotions that influence the energy we have in reserve. There is also a great deal of emphasis on the importance of clearing our minds of the distractions that occupy it, allowing us to better focus on our priorities. In short, knowing how to differentiate between what is truly urgent and what can wait until tomorrow.

Collectivement, nous avons encore du chemin à parcourir. La JCCM invite son réseau à discuter des questions de santé mentale avec leurs proches, leurs collègues et leurs employeurs afin d'ouvrir le dialogue et d'aller de l'avant. De notre côté, nous poursuivons nos efforts quant au droit à la déconnexion et aux enjeux entourant la santé psychologique, dont la tenu d'une formation qui se tiendra à l'hiver 2023.