New report by Dialogue unveils how Canadian employees are struggling at work, with 62% of missed work days attributed to mental health conditions, and significant ROI opportunities for organizations
MONTREAL, Nov. 29, 2023 /CNW/ – The consequences of mental health concerns have undoubtedly taken a toll on the lives of Canadians over the past few years. Despite best efforts from employers, there remains a disconnect between how Canadian employees feel their employer supports their mental health and wellbeing.
According to a new report published by Dialogue Health Technologies Inc., Canada’s leading health and wellness virtual healthcare platform, 62% of missed work days are taken by employees to address their mental health. The Dialogue difference that demonstrates ROI highlights that when it comes to support in the workplace, more than half (58%) of employees surveyed believe their managers are not prepared to support their mental health needs, with 1 in 3 admitting to feeling their employer’s mental health support is insufficient and the same amount unaware of the resources they have access to. To compound things further, the adoption of remote work has prompted 36% of those working remotely to report that it has had a negative impact on their mental health.
The adoption of virtual care in the workplace mitigates these concerns. In fact, a 2023 survey conducted by Dialogue revealed that a majority of Canadians (81%) believe virtual care enables them to take a more proactive approach to their mental health. Employers need to recognize the positive impact access to virtual care has in maintaining a productive workforce long term, as well as its return on investment. In fact, for every 1000 employees, annual savings are nearly $200k in absenteeism costs, and over $218k in presenteeism costs as a result of earlier access to Dialogue’s mental health services. In addition, members report over 4 hours gained back for every virtual care appointment completed on the Dialogue platform.
“Many working Canadians face a slew of challenges when seeking mental health support, including financial barriers, lack of access to a primary care provider, or simply being unaware of the resources at their disposal,” said Dr. Marc Robin, Medical Director, Dialogue. “Anxiety and depression have become 25% more prevalent in the last few years. Organizations invest in virtual care services like Dialogue’s to offer easy, centralized access to the right resources, which helps employees be engaged and aware of the benefits available to them to manage their mental health. Reaching them early on is very impactful on their journey towards remission.”
Through collaborative care models like Dialogue’s which brings together different practitioners such as therapists and doctors, employers can mitigate worsening mental health symptoms. Based on a standardized mental health assessments completed on Dialogue, members saw a 40-50% improvement in anxiety and depression symptoms, with a 40% decrease within the first month alone (30 days of treatment). It’s clear that employees with better access to virtual health services see a significant impact on the reduction of their anxiety and depression.
Dialogue is Canada’s premier virtual healthcare and wellness platform, providing affordable, on-demand access to quality care. Through its team of health professionals, it serves employers and organizations who have an interest in the health and well-being of their employees, members and their families. Dialogue’s Integrated Health Platform™ is a one-stop healthcare hub that centralizes all programs in a single, user-friendly application, providing access to services 24 hours per day, 365 days per year from the convenience of a smartphone, computer or tablet. Dialogue is the first virtual care provider to receive the Accreditation Canada Primer award, a third-party validation of safety and high-level quality of care. In October 2023, Sun Life acquired Dialogue, which now operates as a standalone entity as part of Sun Life Canada. For more information, please visit the Company’s website at www.dialogue.co.