workplace wellness: missing the forest for the trees

When I first entered the workforce in 2006, the professional world looked remarkably different. Over the past two decades, workplace dynamics have undergone profound transformations, with perhaps no change more significant than the growing recognition of mental health and employee wellbeing.

One of the most striking shifts I've witnessed has been the dramatic evolution of mental health support in professional environments. What was once a taboo subject, rarely discussed in corporate settings, has now become a central focus of organizational strategy and employee care.

Recent data underscores this transformation. Gallup reports indicate that the percentage of North American organizations offering robust mental health benefits has increased from roughly 40–45% in the early 2010s to over 60% today. In Canada, a Conference Board survey found that around 75% of employers now have mental health support programs—up from 50% a decade ago. 

I want to be clear, on the whole, I think this shift has been overwhelmingly positive. Workplaces have played a crucial role in addressing mental health stigma, bringing these critical conversations out of the shadows and helping to address long-standing inappropriate workplace behaviors that negatively impacted employee wellbeing.

Gold star on awareness campaigns and targeted supports.

Yet despite this progress, a fundamental challenge remains. Despite increased awareness and support programs, surveys reveal persistent workplace stress. ,The American Psychological Association and the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety found that 60% and 50% of workers, respectively, still cite excessive workloads as their primary source of stress.

I get it. It was hard not to feel a pervasive sense of irony in having to attend mandatory wellness sessions (training, departmental meetings, Executive Town Halls) when I was up to my eyeballs in work. While these sessions offered valuable information and demonstrated leadership commitment, they often felt disconnected from reality. When work proliferation becomes significant, when individual responsibilities and team mandates expand dramatically, no amount of wellness sessions can fix the underlying problem. The only solution is to lighten the load.

Recent data confirms this growing disconnect. The PwC Global Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey in 2024 revealed that 45% of workers report significantly increased workloads in the past year, with 62% experiencing an accelerated pace of workplace change. Similarly, a 2022 Global Government Forum survey found that 56% of public servants experienced increased work since the pandemic, with 61% anticipating further increases.

The critical insight is clear: without addressing root causes of workplace stress—primarily unmanageable workloads—investments in mental health initiatives risk becoming mere performative gestures.

So what can we do?

While organizational change is crucial, individual action remains vital. Last week I wrote about ruthlessly prioritizing in an "always on" environment, and before that, about breaking free from urgency culture. Workload management requires both systemic and personal solutions, starting with understanding its impact on you.

Here are some questions to assess your situation and potential short-term solutions:

Boundary Setting:

• Is work regularly eating into your personal time?

• Do you feel anxious when not responding to after-hours messages?

• Are you skipping breaks to "catch up" on work?

• Does saying "no" to tasks make you feel guilty or fearful?

If you have answered yes to any of these questions, then you might consider: setting scheduled focus time for concentrated work during your peak energy hours or establishing a firm cutoff time for checking email. 

Stress Management:

• Do your stress relief techniques still work when workload is high?

• Are you finding it harder to focus between tasks?

• Have your usual breaks become "working breaks"?

• Is physical tension building up throughout your day?

If you have answered yes to any of these questions, then you might consider: taking proper lunch breaks away from your desk or scheduling multiple 5-minute deep breathing breaks throughout the day.  

Communication Practices:

• Do you avoid workload discussions due to stress?

• Are you clearly communicating capacity issues?

• Has workload affected your ability to network?

• Do you feel heard when raising workload concerns?

If you have answered yes to any of these questions, then you might consider working with a coach to build communication skills; taking a leadership courses focusing on proactive communication; or finding a mentor to help navigate difficult conversations.

Moving forward, organizations must recognize that true employee wellbeing requires more than workshops and awareness campaigns. It demands a fundamental reimagining of work structures, expectations, and sustainable productivity models. Employees need to feel empowered to communicate when they have reached their limit and feel like they will be met with empathy and action. The journey towards meaningful workplace mental health support continues, and it requires honest dialogue, systemic changes, and a genuine commitment to employee wellbeing that goes beyond surface-level interventions.