With some 22,500 workers expected to retire from manufacturing jobs every year through to 2033, a new study suggests those workplaces could improve retention by addressing mental health the same way they've addressed physical safety.
Those figures come from a second study done by the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters which suggests the London to Windsor corridor could be hit especially hard by retirements.
Dialogue, a workplace insurance provider, conducted a study on the impact of mental health in the manufacturing sector and found that while virtual mental healthcare has helped, more needs to be done.
It's difficult, said Doctor Marc Robins, for those workers to access mental healthcare through traditional means because of their shift work. Many have turned to virtual care.
However, Robins said it needs to be okay to talk about mental health in the workplace, and managers need training on how to spot when a worker is struggling.
"Managers need to be trained to be supportive, to be able to recognize that something's not right with a colleague or worker, and be able to ask one or two questions that lead that person to take the next step," he said.
There are a host of reasons why manufacturing workers may be suffering from mental illnesses.
"Shift work, a changing environment where there's increased pressure related to productivity, or just a work environment that's just a little bit different than others, that increases the likelihood that employees struggle with their mental health," said Robins. He also pointed to geopolitical issues as a possible stressor.
All of that impacts productivity and a company's bottom line.
"Days missed at work, and then days where you're at work, and you're not as productive as you should be, because you're tired, you're stressed, and you're at increased risk of an accident," he said.
Robins said mental health struggles across Canada and across all sectors cost the national economy up to $60-billion in lost productivity. He believes investing in the mental well-being of workers will provide employers with a return on investment.
