CANADA, March 2022 - Capterra's latest survey of 1,100 Canadian employees reveals that mental health support must be a priority in the workplace, and explores workers’ preferences for the tools and methods utilized by employers to support mental health.

75% of participants believe that it’s a priority for their companies to address mental health problems in the workplace. While the majority of employees want to communicate face-to-face to discuss their mental health, some prefer other options such as email, virtual meetings, phone calls, and anonymous employee surveys.

However, the report revealed that only 39% of Canadian SMEs offer mental health services to their employees, such as flexible scheduling and wellness activities. In fact, flexible work hours were cited by 81% of respondents as the most valuable mental health resource provided by employers. Those who had access to workplace support were more inclined to report good mental health at the time of the study, and 93% of these respondents feel satisfied with what they are being offered.

30% of respondents report feeling uncomfortable discussing their mental health in the workplace, and only 18% have spoken to their boss about mental health issues. Despite the low incidence of these discussions, 29% of respondents would choose their manager as the first point of contact if they felt that their mental health was declining. Contrastingly, an equal number would seek tools outside of the workplace, demonstrating the varied approaches employees prefer to take regarding their mental health. The next most favored points of contact at work for respondents were coworkers (26%), followed by HR practitioners (7%) and employee assistance programs (6%).

Tessa Anaya, the analyst for this study, explains: “Canadians have varying comfort levels when it comes to discussing their mental health, so both in-person and virtual channels should be made available for employees to express mental health concerns. Their preferences also vary when it comes to supportive resources such as wellness rebates or schedule flexibility. However, as the most satisfied respondents are the minority of those who were offered at least one mental health resource at work, it seems more important to offer some kind of company-provided support rather than leave employees to find their own external resources.”

About Capterra
Capterra helps organizations around the world find the right software for their needs. Founded in 1999, Capterra's global product footprint, verified user reviews backbone, independent research, and tailored comparison tools, provide more than five million in-market buyers with a confidence-building discovery experience. For more information, visit www.capterra.ca.

Survey Methodology
The criteria for selecting participants are as follows:
● Canadian resident
● Between the ages of 18 and 65
● Employed full- or part-time
● Working in a directorial, managerial, senior, mid-level, or associate-level position
● Working at a company with between 2 and 250 employees
● Has not changed or left jobs between January 2020 and January 2022

Media Contact
Palash Bhattacharjee
Marketing Specialist (Canada)
[email protected]