We had the honour of interviewing Paula Allen, the global leader for research and total well-being and a Senior Vice-President at LifeWorks, who shared her valuable thoughts on the LifeWorks Mental Health IndexTM, strategies to be implemented to build trust between employees and their employer, potential solutions to the rising stress and poor mental health scores among Canadian employees, the primary causes of a lack of trust between employees and their employers, and her specific advice for organizations to assist them in making employee wellness a priority and recognizing the connection between culture and employee trust.
Paula Allen is the Global Leader, Research and Total Wellbeing and a Senior Vice-President at LifeWorks. In this role she manages the research agenda for LifeWorks, which includes primary research, exploratory data science, research collaborations and meta-analyses. Given her focus on industry leading research, Paula also leads LifeWorks’s thought leadership and is co-chair of the organization’s product and innovation strategy.
Paula is focused on the current and emerging issues that impact health and productivity and related costs. Her scope includes all areas of wellbeing – social, physical, financial and mental.
How has your journey been as a global leader and senior vice president of research and total well-being at LifeWorks, also a sought-after speaker, and a well-recognized expert in many streams?
My journey started with direct clinical service and subsequently with supporting workers the return to health and work of people on disability leave. That gave me a clear view of the “end of the parade” and insight into the several pivotal preceding points that might have changed the course. That position fueled my passion to leverage those pivot points more positively in a systemic manner. To do that, data is essential, hence my path toward research and the practical application of that research.
What are your thoughts on the LifeWorks Mental Health IndexTM, which says that the erosion of employer trust has a negative impact on the mental health of employees?
We had been seeing several anecdotal indicators that trust was being eroded
Trust in relationships that are significant in your life – family, friends and work. Trust enables social support and sense of connection and belonging, which are essential to wellbeing
As Canadians believe trust between employees and their employer has decreased compared to before the pandemic, what are the strategies to be implemented in order to address this issue?
One of the drivers of trust it caring about the wellbeing of the other
In the beginning of the pandemic, there was a lot of workplace communication and support that demonstrated this caring. Though the concern may not have declined, the focus on wellbeing in the eyes of employees has often declined and this has an impact on trust. Increasing the focus, support and training managers are together very effective
What, in your opinion, are the potential solutions to the rising stress and poor mental health scores among Canadian employees?
We need to understand that several factors have been increasing the level of mental health risk for some time, but the pandemic intensified the risk factors and has reset our collective mental health
We know that people who work for employers who invest mental health are doing better based on our data – this includes offering a range of mental health support, training managers on workplace mental health and repeated, clear and destigmatizing communication about mental health and the services available
What are the primary causes of a lack of trust between employees and their employers? How do we overcome these obstacles?
In the beginning of the pandemic, there was a lot of workplace communication and support that demonstrated this caring. Though the concern may not have declined, the focus on wellbeing in the eyes of employees has often declined and this has an impact on trust. Increasing the focus, support and training managers are together very effective. The primary conversation should not be just about returning to the office alone.
What specific recommendations do you have for organizations that will assist them in making employee wellness a priority and recognizing the connection between culture and employee trust?
You can not improve what you do not measure – organizations can self-assess what they are doing regarding working mental health with the LifeWorks Workplace Strategy Index for Mental Health (on the LifeWorks Website and at WSI-MH.com
According to LifeWorks research (with similar recommended published by the US Surgeon General) employers should focus on 5 things
- Psychological safety
- A sense of connection, community and belonging
- Personal control and flexibility with respect to work
- Recognition
- Practical and accessible support for work and health
These require a focus on culture, which is supported by tangible actions, resources and manager training.
