TELUS Mental Health Index reveals workplace collaboration is positively linked to employee mental health

TORONTO – TELUS Health today released its monthly Mental Health Index which revealed that workers who collaborate with others have a better mental health score than those who work exclusively independently. The Index also showed more than one in four managers reported that they have experienced team conflict in the past year, however this month the mental health of workers in Canada has plateaued to early-pandemic levels.

While workers in Canada continue to experience strained mental health, the overall Mental Health Index score remained at 64.6 for the second consecutive month.

Collaboration supports improved mental health in the workplace

• Nearly two in five (38 per cent) workers surveyed have jobs that require them to collaborate with others all the time; this group has the highest mental health score (66.3), three points higher than workers who do not need to collaborate with others (63.3).

• One in seven (13 per cent) workers surveyed do not need to collaborate with co-workers.

• Almost three-quarters (73 per cent) of workers describe a positive experience collaborating with co-workers; this group has the highest mental health score (68.0), nearly 22 points higher than workers reporting a negative experience (46.4) and more than three points higher than the national average (64.6).

Workers report feeling unsupported compared to start of the pandemic

• One in five workers reported that they do not feel as supported by their employers compared to early in the pandemic, with respect to mental health.

• The mental health scores of workers who do not feel as supported as they did early in the pandemic is nearly 16 points below workers who feel supported and 10 points below the national average.

• Nearly four in five (77 per cent) workers report the level of mental health and wellbeing support has remained the same. Nearly one in ten (8 per cent) report the level of mental health and wellbeing support has decreased.

• Eighteen per cent of workers never felt supported. This group has a mental health score 14 points below the national average.

Comments from TELUS Health Chief Growth Officer, Juggy Sihota
“The last few years have shown us how vital it is to take care of our mental health and employers now have a critical role to play in providing more support for their workforce. While many organizations have been making impactful strides towards improved employee wellbeing since the pandemic, the numbers show there is still work to be done. Investing in employee total health means listening to your people and their unique needs to appropriately fuel universal access to mental, physical and financial support which will ensure a strong, healthy culture that’s highly productive and contributes to the business’ overall success.”

Comments from TELUS Health Global Leader, Research & Client Insights, Paula Allen
“Our data shows a concerning level of workplace conflict. We know from our Mental Health Index that workers are more sensitive to stress and on edge. Positive relationships are an essential buffer for stress. This underscores the need for employers to foster a culture that encourages connection and social support. We know that co-worker relationships are closely linked to employee wellbeing and productivity. Investing in programs and services will also support people in dealing personally with their stress and managing it in a way that builds rather than harms relationships.”

The full Canadian Mental Health Index report can be found here. This report includes additional insights on workplace challenges, employees’ goals reaching, safety and more.

About the Mental Health Index
The survey by TELUS Health was conducted through an online survey in English and French from May 1 to 8, 2023 with 3,000 respondents in Canada. All respondents reside in Canada and were employed within the last six months. The data has been statistically weighted to ensure the regional and gender composition of the sample reflects this population.

The Mental Health Index is based on a response scoring system that then turns individual responses into point values. Higher point values are associated with better mental health and less mental health risk. Scores between 0 to 49 correspond with distress levels, scores between 50 to 79 correspond with strain levels and scores between 80 to 100 correspond with optimal levels of mental health.

About TELUS Health
TELUS Health is a global health care leader serving people in more than 160 countries delivering both digital innovation and clinical services to improve total physical, mental and financial health and wellness across the full spectrum of primary and preventive care. By leveraging the power of technology to deliver connected solutions and services both in-person and virtually, TELUS Health is improving access to care and revolutionizing the flow of information while facilitating collaboration, efficiency, and productivity for physicians, pharmacists, health authorities, allied health care professionals, insurers, employers and people globally, progressing its vision of transforming health care and empowering people to live healthier lives.

Our clinical team is composed of renowned and passionate health professionals around the world delivering best-in-class people-centric care to hundreds of thousands of employers, professionals and their families.

For more information, please visit: www.telushealth.com.

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Media contact:
Marielle Hossack
TELUS Media Relations
[email protected]

ID-CAD, ID-CORP, ID-MH