WELLNESS WEDNESDAY #94: Helping the Next Generation

If anyone thinks the mental health crisis is going to go away soon, they’re wrong. It’s just beginning.

Study after study shows Canadian teenagers are still struggling with the mental health effects of the pandemic, lockdowns and other stress from the past three years. About 20% of people aged 12-25 in one study reported poor or bad mental health. While that’s less than in the peak of the pandemic, it’s still double what was recorded pre-COVID-19.

Many of these young people are joining the workforce, and it will be up to employers and co-workers to keep an eye out for the younger hires.

Making sure they have access to benefits like Employee Assistance Programs, are part of ICBA Wellness and other programs that break down mental health stigma, and creating a culture that prioritizes mental health and well-being for employees are important steps – and likely to be highly sought after by workers with the ability to choose from a number of employers.

These services will also be important for parents in the workforce – after all, it’s very hard to concentrate at work if your child is having troubles at home.

Each week, ICBA’s Jordan Bateman reflects on what we’ve learned as we participate in ICBA’s Workplace Wellness Program. ICBA’s Workplace Wellness Program is helping more than 90 companies and nearly 10,000 construction professionals better understand mental health. This program is free for all ICBA members – check out icba.ca/wellness for details.