A new partnership aims to increase access to training and resources for Saskatchewan employers to protect the psychological health of their employees.
The partnership was signed between the University of Fredericton (UFred) and Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB).
WCB said it was concerned to see a 75 per cent increase in the number of psychological claims accepted over the last three years. Through WorkSafe Saskatchewan, WCB offers programs and support that help employers and workers in the province.
“At WorkSafe Saskatchewan, we saw a need to provide employers with additional resources to help them create a psychologically healthy work environment for employees,” WCB director of prevention Kevin Mooney said in a press release.
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In addition to the resources, the partnership will also provide online course modules focused on managing stress.
“When we think about resiliency, we often think about the usual factors such as sleep, diet and exercise,” Mooney said.
“The UFred resiliency course addresses these factors and provides other practical self-help tools related to cognitive behavioural therapy, emotional intelligence and positive psychology.”
For UFred, working with the Saskatchewan employers will help to expand the online university’s body of research around psychological health and safety in the workplace.
If you or someone you know is in crisis and needs help, resources are available. In case of an emergency, please call 911 for immediate help. The Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention, Depression Hurts and Kids Help Phone 1-800-668-6868 all offer ways of getting help if you, or someone you know, may be suffering from mental health issues. If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse or is involved in an abusive situation, please visit the Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime for help. They are also reachable toll-free at 1-877-232-2610.