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Canadian employers are currently facing , putting the responsibility on employers to attract employees to their organizations.

One key way for employers to achieve this is by prioritizing the mental health of their employees. Workplaces that productive employees actively seek out workplaces .

This recognition is well-founded, as employees tend to be more productive when they are not burdened by mental health challenges.

As a teacher of current and future leaders, my experience confirms that employees want workplaces that facilitate well-being. Many of my students have indicated that is a must-have.

Mental health stigma

Mental health is a pressing issue for many. In 2021, . Five million reported needing professional help, and over one-third said they were burned out. Forty percent of workers aged 18 to 24 indicated they were at a "breaking point."

Although many employers are starting to recognize the importance of mental health support in the workplace, , resulting in negative attitudes and discriminatory behaviors.

Leaders by modeling risk and vulnerability. By using , like sharing stories about their personal struggles, leaders can support the mental health of their employees.

There is stigma decreases when leaders disclose their own mental health and substance use problems. This reduction in stigma, in turn, and seek out treatment.

Being mindful of language

Leaders need to be careful about how they go about addressing stigma. Even those with good intentions can unintentionally cause harm. For example, using can be problematic.

Framing resilience as a necessary skill for battling mental illness overlooks the fact that some mental health conditions are disabilities that cannot be toughed out. Assuming that mental toughness is an inextricable part of addressing disability .

Any employee who is suffering from mental health issues that cannot be fixed by resilience may avoid telling their story or seeking support for fear of being seen as weak.

It's important for leaders to be mindful of the language they use to foster mentally safe and supportive working environments.

Workplace flexibility

Evidence-based research about the outcomes of mental health awareness and wellness programs . These programs are well-intended, and that we will have a better idea of what really works once we have more data.

In the meantime, there is something employers can do immediately to prioritize the mental health of their employees: allowing them to choose when and where they work.

Flexibility has in many jobs over the past few years, including in larger organizations like and , as well as small and medium employers like and .

Unfortunately, flexibility can sometimes lead to boardroom debates about how many days in the office employees should work. As a result, what was initially intended as flexibility can inadvertently lead to rigid remote work policies. Workplaces need to be aware of this.

True flexibility, without the need for employees to justify themselves, can help mitigate mental health challenges. By allowing for downtime and encouraging employees to do activities unrelated to their work, .

Challenges can also be minimized by recognizing when employees are most and adjusting work schedules accordingly. The success of a flexible workplace hinges on the ability of leaders to trust their employees and refrain from micromanaging them.

A new way of thinking

According to a recent job insight survey, when employees are forced to choose between , most will choose stability.

But do we need to choose one over the other? Why can't we have both? As many know from the last few years, employees can be productive at different times and in different places when .

Leaders have the valuable opportunity to challenge the typical "either/or" way of thinking and instead using "both/and" thinking. A personal experience of mine exemplifies this.

Once, during a teaching session, a sales executive recounted a story about an employee of hers who asked to work remotely due to mental health challenges. This leader turned down the request, insisting the sales team could not successfully sell remotely.

A debate ensued among the other executives and a suggestion was put forth: Why not have the sales team try selling remotely and see how it goes?

Either/or thinking stops new solutions from emerging. It misses how creative tension—the gap between where a group is and where it wants to go—can help us , like the belief that flexibility and stability are mutually exclusive.

In light of the prevalence of mental health issues, and the importance of fostering inclusive workplaces, leaders who act as agents of change can help reshape conventional notions of leadership and build better workplaces.