Morneau Shepell's 2019 Employers Connect summit has now concluded following successful events held from January 30 to March 19 in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Halifax, Edmonton, Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec City. At the events, more than 500 attendees learned about the findings from Morneau Shepell's latest research on workplace mental health and gained insights from Canadian employers and Olympians on how organizations can support their employees across physical, mental, social and financial wellness.

In its research, Morneau Shepell found that more than one third of employees report that they are more stressed now from work (35 per cent) and personal issues (36 per cent) than they were five years ago, but workplace approaches to mental health are improving. The survey of Canadian employers and employees found that more than two thirds of employees (67 per cent) and managers (71 per cent) agree that their organization creates an environment that supports mental wellness on the job.

"Normalizing the conversation around mental health has been top-of-mind for organizations for years and our research demonstrated that positive change is imminent. Employees are finding comfort in their organizations' approach to mental health support and feel that their concerns are being recognized and valued," said Paula Allen, vice president, research and integrative solutions. "The insights we discover from this research and the panel sessions we hold each year demonstrate the importance of continued discussion around workplace mental health. We thank all of the organizations and individuals that took part in the events for their contributions and their dedication to inspiring change for better mental health support."

Canadian organizations represented through panellists at Employers Connect included Vancity, Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General, Ontario Power Generation, Dalhousie University, Université Laval (university based in Quebec City, Quebec), The Royal Ottawa Health Care Group, the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat and the Conference Board of Canada. Olympians Brent Hayden, Jillian Saulnier and Marie-Philip Poulin also participated in the events to discuss their personal stories and the importance of supporting mental well-being.