Mental Health in the Workplace – Information and Tools for HR Professionals

18
May 2023
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A man in a suit is shaking hands with another man in a white shirt.

Author: CPHR Alberta Calgary Chapter Committee

According to the Mental Health Commission of Canada, one in four Canadians, in any given week, cannot work due to mental health problems or illnesses. Besides reduced productivity, mental health issues can also lead to increased absenteeism, higher healthcare costs, decreased job satisfaction, and impaired workplace relationships, causing substantial losses for individuals and organizations. To help- HR professionals get to the bottom of this human energy crisis and provide practical tips to create more awareness around mental health in your organizations, the Calgary Chapter Committee interviewed the owner of Abridge Consulting and workplace mental health expert  Tara Adams  and CEO of Headversity and Psychiatrist  Dr. Ryan Todd.

First, let’s look at common stressors that can impact our mental health.  Dr. Todd shared that some of the top stressors according to the American Psychological Association are health, finances, family, and work, the “four big buckets” as he put it. He pointed out that major shifts in any of those buckets will impact people’s mental health. Specific to the workplace, Tara identified a few primary stressors such as workload, lack of clarity, changes in the workplace, and relationships with colleagues or supervisors, with workload being the most common.  Dr. Todd and Tara both emphasized the impact of change on people’s mental health. Identifying the common stressors in the workplace help direct our efforts.

How do we approach the topic of mental health at work? What can we as HR professionals do to reduce the stigma around it? Talking about mental health, we need to be mindful of our language. Tara stressed that language matters and can significantly impact individuals with mental health concerns. She advocates the use of “people-first language,” for example, using words like “I live with depression” instead of saying “I’m depressed.” Also, avoid trivializing words such as "crazy" or "psycho” and using mental illnesses as adjectives. She also underscores the importance of being mindful of our body language and tone of voice when communicating with people.

Dr. Todd believes in leading a conversation with care and empathy. A lot of us are afraid to have these conversations and ask ourselves “Am I going to get sued?”, “What if I bring something up and I don’t know how to handle it?”, and “I don’t have the training, so how do I possibly do this?” He suggested if we see someone struggling, try to point out in a nonjudgmental way things we have noticed.

"When we lead the conversation with the most amount of care and empathy, genuinely trying to help that person, there is nothing but good that can come from that conversation – Dr. Ryan Todd”

Both Dr. Todd and Tara believe that HR professionals play a crucial role in advocating and creating awareness around mental health in the workplace.

Here are four suggestions on how we can best lean into this role:

  1. Understand our role in supporting employees with mental health distress. At the same time, we need to know our boundaries and understand that we are not clinicians. 
  2. Educate ourselves on how to have mental health conversations and how to upskill our employees in core mental health skills like energy management and resilience.
  3. Be role models by acknowledging we are human too with good and bad days. Take care of our own mental health as we can’t serve others from an empty cup.
  4. It is essential to be fluent in both internal and external resources which can help employees with mental health concerns. 

“HR professionals should know their roles and create boundaries and make the HR team a key stakeholder group for receiving training and tools. – Tara Adams” 

There are a variety of tools we can use to assess the mental health of the people in our organization. Dr. Todd believes in scalable data tools and urges us to employ more ways to measure preventative mental health and provide people access to tools as well as the best content that is evidence-based. Tara's recommends three mental health assessment tools:

  1. Using data from surveys, vendors, tools, and consultants. 
  2. Collecting anecdotal evidence from employees and leaders and comparing the data trends with the conversations we have. 
  3. Using storytelling as a powerful tool to assess the mental health of employees, where we can collect success stories and learn from not-so-successful stories. 

Tara and Dr. Todd believe in adopting a proactive approach to mental health in the workplace, which involves shifting resources towards prevention, allowing for earlier intervention, and creating a strong business case. It also means integrating workplace mental health into onboarding and leadership development strategies to remove any existing stigma. By doing so, training for specific departments or teams only will not be required, which may benefit more employees. An example of a proactive approach to Dr. Todds is prioritizing leaders in training relating to mental health. Dr. Todd has witnessed a lot of success in training leadership first and having the rest of the organization follow with scalable training.   

HR professionals also have a role to play in coaching managers on managing their teams' mental health. Tara suggested four simple ways in which managers can support their teams during Mental Health Week:

  1. Give the team time to invest in their mental health, such as offering time off, encouraging mindfulness, or providing other mental health support options. 
  2. Make time to learn about workplace mental health resources and policies. 
  3. Connect one-on-one with team members to understand their mental health concerns and offer support. 
  4. Remind team members about Employee Family Assistant Programs (EFAP). 

To conclude, we extend our deep appreciation to Tara and Ryan for sharing their strong belief in advocating for a comprehensive workplace mental health strategy and resources as well as practical guidance to address the challenge of mental health in the workplace. For more information, please connect directly with either  Tara Adams  or  Dr. Ryan Todd


The views and opinions expressed in this blog post belong solely to the original author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of CPHR Alberta.

The views and opinions expressed in this blog post belong solely to the original author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of CPHR Alberta.



Leadership Opportunity: Chief Executive Officer for CPHR Canada

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Original post by CPHR Canada, March 31, 2026

The Quiet Work of Becoming a Leader

By Jessica Jaithoo • April 13, 2026
Author: Kanwaljit Chaudhry , 2026 Editorial Committee Member Leadership rarely begins the way we expect it to. It doesn’t arrive with a title, a promotion, or a formal announcement. More often, it begins quietly, in moments that don’t look like leadership at all. A conversation where someone turns to you for direction. A meeting where the discussion stalls and you step in to move it forward. A situation where something feels off, and you choose to address it instead of walking away. These moments are easy to overlook. They don’t come with recognition or validation. Yet they are often where the real work of becoming a leader begins. It Starts Before You Feel Ready Many people assume they need to feel confident before they lead. In reality, leadership often shows up before confidence does. You may not have the answers. You may not feel fully prepared. You may even question whether it is your place to step forward. And yet, something in the situation asks you to. This is where leadership begins, not in certainty, but in response. The quiet decision to engage, to take responsibility, to move something forward. You Learn by Doing (and Re-doing) In the early stages, it’s common to try on different ways of leading. You might imitate someone you admire. You might try to sound more decisive than you feel. You might hold back when speaking up feels uncomfortable. Some approaches will work. Others won’t. That’s not failure; that’s formation. Over time, you begin to notice patterns: When do people respond to you? When do conversations open up or shut down? What feels natural, and what feels forced? This is how your way of leading starts to take shape not through theory, but through experience. The Moments That Stay With You There are certain experiences that leave a mark. A difficult conversation you didn’t handle the way you hoped. A decision you made under pressure. A moment where someone trusted you and you rose to meet it. These are the moments you replay later. Not because they were perfect, but because they mattered. They shape your instincts. They clarify your values. They quietly influence how you show up the next time. This is the deeper work of leadership. The kind that happens after the moment has passed. Learning to See What Others Don’t Yet See As you grow, leadership begins to shift. It’s no longer just about responding well in the moment. It becomes about noticing what might be coming next. You begin to ask: What risks are we not talking about? Where might this situation go if we don’t address it? What does the team need before the pressure builds? This is a subtle but important transition from reacting to anticipating. And it often develops quietly, through experience rather than instruction. Letting Go of What No Longer Works One of the less visible parts of leadership is learning to let go. Letting go of the need to have all the answers. Letting go of habits that once worked but no longer serve you. Letting go of the version of leadership you thought you needed to become. This isn’t easy work. It requires honesty, humility, and a willingness to change. But it’s often where the most meaningful growth happens. The Role of Reflection Leadership doesn’t grow from experience alone; it grows from reflection. Taking time to pause and ask: What happened there? What did I learn? What would I do differently next time? These moments of reflection don’t need to be formal. Sometimes they happen in conversation. Sometimes they happen quietly, at the end of the day. But they matter. Because they turn experience into insight and insight into growth. Becoming, Not Arriving There is a point many professionals are waiting for the moment when they will feel like a leader. For most, that moment never arrives in the way they expect. Because leadership is not a destination. It is an ongoing process of becoming. It is shaped in small, often unseen moments: when you choose to step forward when you learn from what didn’t go as planned when you adjust your approach when you stay open to learning The quiet work of becoming a leader is not always visible to others. But over time, it becomes visible in how you think, how you act, and how others experience your presence. And that is what leadership truly looks like. “Leadership is not built in the moments where everything goes right. It is built in the moments where you pause, reflect, and choose to grow.”

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By Jessica Jaithoo • March 16, 2026
Author: Rheya Patel, 2026 Social Media Committee Member As days become longer and the weather warms up, the first day of spring brings a sense of renewal and new beginnings. A time that feels more energizing and people are more motivated to reset their routines, look for new opportunities and clear away old habits. While spring is commonly associated with “spring cleaning” in the home, perhaps the same principal can be applies to the workplace. For organizations and HR groups, spring can be the perfect opportunity to encourage employees to reflect and construct new meaningful goals and “clean” out the “clutter” of goals that no longer help them grow or have already been achieved. Why is Spring the Perfect Time for Goal Setting? With the rush of returning to work after the holidays and resuming normal life, spring gives a perfect moment to pause and reflect. Employees can check on their progress, realign priorities and continue the year with renewed motivation. For HR teams, encouraging this reflection can re-engage employees and increase motivation. In turn, employees are more likely to be focused and productive while creating a space for meaningful conversations about growth, development, and career progression. How Can We Encourage Goal Reflection? Believe it or not, HR plays a crucial role in goal setting whether it is realized or not. Creating an open work environment where employees feel supported and encouraged with professional development is key in reflection and goal setting. Below are several ways organizations can use the season of renewal to inspire growth and goal setting. Encourage Reflection What accomplishments have employees made that they are proud of? What challenges have they faced? Asking these kind of questions and having one-on-one check-ins with employees can help support employees to openly discuss their goals and aspirations, and potentially create new goals. Promote Professional Development and Growth The arrival of spring can also create the chance to introduce new learning opportunities. Having a fresh mindset combined with training, workshops, mentorship initiatives, or skill-building programs, employees can feel more motivated and supported in pursuing growth.  This helps employees expand their skillsets and strengthen the organization as a whole. Foster Collaboration and New Ideas Tying back to renewed energy, organizations can encourage teams to collaborate and share new ideas. Brainstorming sessions, innovation workshops, or team goal-setting can foster inspiration and connectivity, Having an open space for discussions can help teams align goals with organizational priorities to promote innovation and productivity. Celebrate Progress Recognizing progress along the way is essential. Celebrating achievements and acknowledging progress have a significant impact on employee morale. Employee recognition programs, team shoutouts, or words of appreciation can go a long way to remind employees how valuable their efforts and contributions are and continue to motivate them to strive towards their goals. Final Thoughts The arrival of spring represents renewal, growth, and new possibilities. For HR professionals, it’s also the opportunity to encourage employees to pause, reflect, and move through the rest of the year with renewed purpose. Encouraging goal setting, promoting professional development, fostering collaboration, and celebrating progress, can tie the season of newness to inspire meaningful growth. The new season reminds us that progress doesn’t need to start January 1st. Sometimes, a change in perspective, and a little springtime inspiration, can be the step towards pursuing new goals and growth with confidence.
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