Advance Women in Engineering: Supporting mental health in the workplace

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Ask any Canadian woman—whether native-born or immigrant, marginalized or affluent—and the story is the same: mental health is a struggle. In general, women are more likely than men to suffer from depression and anxiety.

That said, women are more likely than men to seek mental health support in the first place. They know all too well how mental health issues can lead to a toxic workplace and damage productivity and overall corporate culture. Today, they expect their employers to tackle this challenge head on.

Historically, employers historically have not done a great job of addressing these issues. And engineers, in particular, struggle to reach out for mental health support when it’s needed.

Organizations will have to take the lead, not by offering an isolated benefit or two, but by developing and implementing a comprehensive mental health strategy.

Strategy first

You can’t just jump in without a plan. Use outside consultants and experts, if necessary, to clarify the importance of employees’ mental health to the entire organization. Grant the leadership team the power to develop a clear mandate and then share that vision with the human resources (HR) team, managers and supervisors. When leaders can support a plan in a clear, positive way, the message will trickle down. By attaching the messaging to outcomes, the plan can achieve positive results.

Use data

Your organization likely already has a variety of benefits-related data that can inform a mental health strategy. Familiarize yourself with that information to help adopt appropriate language around mental health in the workplace. Your data will reveal trends in the risks your employees are facing and how much those risks are costing the organization. This data can help you determine what kind of support employees need most. Leaders presented with actual aggregate employee data will better understand the challenge.

Meet employees where they are

Many organizations already offer mental health supports, but employees often don’t know they are available or how to access them. If you have developed a tip sheet or a toolkit, share it where employees can find it. Set up a single repository on your intranet and make sure it’s organized and clear.

Invest in leaders

The importance of training leaders cannot be overstated, to help them learn to identify signs of declining mental health and have meaningful conversations with employees. These discussions can be challenging to navigate, but they are important for everyone involved. Managers should also exhibit healthy workplace habits, such as sticking to regular business hours and taking breaks, to show how to balance mental health needs with productivity.

Communicate appropriately

A strategy won’t work if no one knows about it. Share information regularly to help employees assess and identify mental health issues. Be sure your communications have purpose and a clear call to action, with a directive or an offer for support.

Listen to employees

Employees are your organization’s greatest asset. They know what they want and need and, on the other hand, what is a waste of time and/or unhelpful in terms of resources. Reach out to them for input. You don’t have to accept all feedback or ideas, but implementing ideas that don’t resonate with employees can lead to a negative experience. Take time to review their feedback and offer options that will resonate with them, to demonstrate support and attention.

Take care of yourself

No matter your role, understanding your own mental health and how to take care of it will contribute to a safer workplace for others. An organization’s Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) is a great place to begin, as it is designed to help at any point along one’s mental health journey, from prevention to intervention.

Send a strong message

A complete mental health strategy can help address challenges confronting today’s women in engineering. It’s often just a matter of accounting for and putting existing assets into order and sharing the plan with your team, but by taking the challenge seriously, leaders can send a strong, positive message to their entire organization: mental health matters.

Lidia Pawlikowski is the health and performance practice lead for Hub International, a brokerage that provides employee benefits and business and personal insurance products and services. She was one of the keynote speakers for Canadian Consulting Engineer’s 2024 Advance Women in Engineering virtual summit on June 20. For more information, visit www.hubinternational.com.