How healthy is your workplace when it comes to mental health? It’s one of the top reasons for disability claims, absenteeism and lost productivity. It affects one in five Canadians, mostly in their prime working years, and has a major impact on workplaces and the bottom line. Mental illness is something businesses cannot afford to ignore.

A psychologically healthy work environment supports employee engagement, worker health and well-being, recruitment and retention, productivity, effective risk management and corporate social responsibility. 20 per cent of Canadians deal with mental health problems at some point in their lives. Reducing stigma in the workplace and ensuring there are policies to support them and their co-workers is critical.

Mental health is a significant issue that requires the attention of organizations. People who experience mental health issues face incredible challenges in the workplace. Many are misunderstood, shunned and underutilized. Bringing mental health into the open in offices, plants and other work sites is necessary to change both attitudes and company policies. Now is the time to address Workplace Mental Health. The following is a compilation of interviews and  expert commentary from CTV’s Let’s Talk Day.