Support the mental health of millennials in the workplace Marie-Hélène Pelletier MBA, PhD, RPsych Assistant Vice-President, Workplace Mental Health Sun Life Financial Group Benefits are offered by Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada, a member of the Sun Life Financial group of companies.
Source: Sun Life Bright Paper Harness the potential of Generation Y: Their growing influence and unique group benefit needs May 2011.
Agenda Who are millennials? Millennials, their mental health & their workplace Taking action employer approaches
Boomerang generation Generation we
As a cohort, who are millennials? General age range: 15 to 35 Independent Money conscious Information revolution High expectations Socially liberated and socially connected
Emerging adulthood Source: Arnett, J.J., Zukauskiene, R, & Sugimura, K. ( 2014). The new life stage of emerging adulthood at ages 18-29 years; implications for mental health. Lancet Psychiatry 1:569-576. Identity exploration Instability Self-focus Feeling in-between Possibilities and optimism Anxiety and Depression Social media for support Low social support Believe should be more adult Difficult times are harder
Mental health issues in emerging adulthood Highest prevalence of mental health disorders among young adults Substance use Anxiety Mood disorders 22% 22.3% Source: Kessler, Chiu, Demler, Merikangras, Walters, 2005 22%
Dr. Stan Kutcher Sun Life Financial Chair in Adolescent Mental Health Professor of psychiatry Dalhousie University Source: Various publications by Dr. Stan Kutcher
Why are Millennials like this? Childhood of optimism and high expectations Cultures change Generations reflect those changes
The impact of mental health 1 in 5 Canadians will experience a mental health or addiction issue this year Source: Smetanin et al (2011). The life and economic impact of major mental illnesses in Canada: 2011-2014 At least 500,000 Canadians are unable to work in any given week due to mental health problems. Calculated from data in Dewa, Chau, and Dermer (2010), and Statistics Canada employment data. Cancer and Musculoskeletal claims average age 54 years Mental health average age 51 years Young people aged 15-24 are more likely to experience a mental illness and or substance abuse disorder than any other group Source: Statistics Canada (2013). Canadian Community Health Survey Mental Health Source: Sun Life Long Term Disability Block of Business,
Stress and mental health of millennials
Source: Goldman Sachs reduces intern day to 17 hours after death of Bank of America Corp. intern http://www.salon.com/2015/06/18/goldman_sachs_reduces_intern_day_to_17_hours_after_death_of_bank_of_america_corp_intern/ retrieved July 6, 2015.
Guiding principles for developing transition services Responsive Recovery oriented Youth-engaging and peer-driven Informed by research, education, and training Developmentally appropriate and family-connected An International Focus on Youth in Transition: Development and Evaluation of a Mental Health Transition Service Model (Cappelli et al., 2012) From MHCC: http://www.mentalhealthcommission.ca/english/system/files/private/document/mhcc_emergingadults_execsummary_feb2015_eng.pdf
Changes in management styles Work-life balance Listened to Rewards A fun work environment Frequent constructive feedback Career counseling and development Source: Espinoza C., Ukleja, M., & Rusch, C. Managing the millennials: Discover the core competencies for managing today`s workforce. New Jersey: Wiley, 2010.
Training Psychosocial skills Physical and psychological wellness Organizational awareness Peer Support Financial literacy Online support
*used with permission from Telus CASE STUDY Telus Programs Supporting Healthy Minds Active Living Work Styles Ethics Respectful Workplace Policy Resource Groups Diversity 18 TELUS Public
*used with permission from Telus CASE STUDY Flexibility in Telus Benefits We create flexibility in our benefits offering across all the different generations Work Styles gives our team members the flexibility to work when and where they are most effective Life Balance Account recognizes the importance of individual choice in trying to achieve work/life balance Choices in Extended Health and Dental Credits can be used to buy Personal Wellbeing Days or used for the Health Spending Account 19 TELUS Public
Actions to consider - summary Leverage partners Wellness programs with Millennials in mind Flexible, personalized, nontraditional and creative benefits Ask for feedback and respond Train and support managers in better understanding Millennials, their characteristics, their expectations
Mental Health Minute
Mental Health Minute Research suggests that understanding how and why we feel physical pain can also help ease symptoms. According to one study, how much time did it take for patients with fibromyalgia to show a change in their pain levels after taking a course on pain physiology? a) 1 week b) 3 weeks c) 1 month d) 3 months Source: Pain Physiology Education Improves Health Status and Endogenous Pain Inhibition in Fibromyalgia A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial (Van Oosterwijck et al., 2013). Clinical Journal of Pain. 29(10). p.873-882.
Bibliography 1. Young adults in conflict: Confident but struggling, networked but disconnected. McLeigh, Jill D.; Boberiene, Liepa V. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, Vol 84(6), Nov 2014, 624-632.http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/h0099864 2. Why millennials will save us all. Stein, Joel. Sanburn, Josh. Time. 5/20/2013, Vol. 181 Issue 19, p26. 8p. 3. June 2010 Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey 4. The Sanofi Canada Healthcare Survey 2015 5. Young adults in conflict: Confident but struggling, networked but disconnected. McLeigh, Jill D.; Boberiene, Liepa V. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, Vol 84(6), Nov 2014, 624-632.http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/h0099864 6. Goldman Sachs reduces intern day to 17 hours after death of Bank of America Corp. intern http://www.salon.com/2015/06/18/goldman_sachs_reduces_intern_day_to_17_hours_after_death_of_bank_of_ame rica_corp_intern/ retrieved July 6, 2015. 7. Healthy Brains at Work: The Situation for Younger Workers The Conference Board of Canada. http://www.conferenceboard.ca/commentaries/healthcare/default/15-04- 24/healthy_brains_at_work_the_situation_for_younger_workers.aspx retrieved July 6, 2015.
In Summary Ask a millennial what is important for them Link what a millennial cares about to what they do Put activities and benefits in place that speak to millennials Continue the conversation @drmhpelletier sunlife.ca/mentalhealth linkedin.com/in/drmhpelletier