The mental health and wellbeing of your workforce is critical when it comes to overall health – and productivity at work. 

The Mental Health Index (MHI) surveys 16,000 workers from around the world. Published monthly, the index provides a measure of the current mental health status of employed adults. The increases and decreases in the MHI are intended to predict cost and productivity risks, and help governments and businesses understand how much they should be investing in supporting the mental health of their people. 

Highlights: What do you need to know for January 2023? 

1. Despite two consecutive months of modest improvement, the mental health of working Canadians continues to be significantly strained.

• At 64.8, the mental health of Canadians improved slightly from the prior month

• 32% of Canadians have a high mental health risk, 43% have a moderate mental health risk, and 25% have a low mental health risk

• Anxiety, isolation, and work productivity continue to be the lowest mental health sub-scores • The mental health score of managers is slightly lower than the score of non-managers and the national average

• The Maritimes has the lowest mental health score for the second consecutive month while Manitoba has the highest score, also for the second consecutive month

2. One-third of Canadians avoid being with or interacting with others and this behaviour largely started or worsened since the pandemic.

• The mental health score of respondents who avoid being with or interacting with others is more than 13 points below the national average

• 62% say their avoidance started or worsened since the pandemic began

• 21% of Canadians have difficulty controlling their emotions and the mental health score of this group is nearly 20 points below the national average

• 64% say difficulty controlling their emotions started or worsened since the pandemic began

• Younger respondents (under 40 years of age) are 70% more likely to avoid being with or interacting with others and are more than twice as likely as individuals over 50 years of age to have difficulty controlling their emotions

Click here to download the January report.

Click here to view the press release.

To sign up for monthly communications, including Mental Health Indexes delivered to your inbox, click here. 

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