On this page
Looking for information and guidance on employee health? We collected data trends and ask our experts to explain what you should know in a wide range of special reports and articles.
Working Canadians face a myriad of health issues that affect their ability to perform their jobs effectively, resulting in absenteeism, lost productivity, and increased health care costs.
“Our data demonstrates that on average, about 48 days are lost per employee each year due to health-related absenteeism or presenteeism,” says Ashesh Desai, Head of Group Benefits at Manulife Canada.2
Our data also shows that 40 per cent of people aren’t doing the recommended amount of physical activity and that 46 per cent are experiencing at least one work-related mental health risk factor.2
Employee health is changing
When employees are unhealthy, they can’t bring their best to work. Their physical, mental, and financial struggles are likely costing your organization.
In this special report, our experts share their thoughts on how Manulife can provide data and insights so employers can tailor their benefit and wellness programs to the specific needs of their employees.
What is the future of health? We’re working on it.
Manulife, in collaboration with Communitech, sponsored a Call for Solutions to address some of the biggest challenges facing the country’s health care system. Check out the history behind our current challenges and where we see room for improvement.
We’re presenting insights and advice that you can use to shape your group benefits programs.
A stressed and strained workforce can reveal itself in absences, disability, lower productivity, or the challenge to find and keep the talented workers you need to run your business. Where should employers and insurers focus to better support employee mental health?
The median amount of coverage offered by Canadian employers for mental health services is $750.00, an amount that would likely only cover between 3 and 5 sessions of therapy.3
Most people will need between 8 and 20 sessions per year to get adequate treatment and support for a diagnosis of depression and/or anxiety. For this number of visits, employees would require between $2,000.00 and $4,000.00 worth of coverage per year.4
Does your plan foster mental health recovery?
“Support and therapy for mental health is an ongoing process. Beyond finding the right practitioner, building a successful therapeutic relationship takes time – as does the therapy itself. There can be a significant impact on the success of therapy if it is curtailed or terminated early due to a lack of access or financial resources.”
Dr. Claire Harrigan, Psychiatrist, Cleveland Clinic Canada
Manulife Medical Director
Mental Fitness: Can getting proactive reduce the risk of mental illness?
Short-term disability leaves for mental illness cost $18,000 on average.5 But what if we could help people prevent absences due to mental illness?
An always-on approach to mental health programming
At any given time, in every organization, people are dealing with a range of issues. Some of those people will be grappling with their mental health: depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, addiction, substance abuse and others. Is your plan meeting their needs?
Personalized Medicine: Getting you more for your money
There are many safe and effective medications used to treat mental health conditions but getting on the right medication can be a trial-and-error process.
These prescriptions typically take four to six weeks to start working. The first drug may not be the best fit for a member, and we’ve seen members go 14 months without optimal treatment.6
Manulife’s Personalized Medicine program can help get members on the right mental health medication quicker to help prevent productivity loss and ineffective drug spend.
A roadmap for better mental health prescriptions. A young man’s journey to recovery
“Personalized Medicine literally saved my son’s life and brought him back to us.”
Lynn Oliver
Manulife employee
Share our “Wellness on a budget” article series with your plan members. We can’t control the economy or the rising cost of living, but there are ways to maintain health, wellness, and nutrition during tough economic times.
