Promoting Positive Mental Health in the Canadian Working Population: A Qualitative Review of Not Myself Today

Abstract

As concerns about mental health (MH) escalate worldwide, large-scale efforts to decrease the known risks negatively impacting MH are becoming more common. Likewise, the workplace environment is becoming an important setting to promote, educate and support adult mental health. Evidence shows that reducing stigma is beneficial to increasing the likelihood that someone suffering from a mental illness will seek treatment. This study helps bridge the gap in understanding the possible implementation strategies of MH interventions in the workplace and the preferences of adults and organizations engaging in those interventions. Specifically, this study assesses the uptake and fidelity of the workplace MH intervention called Not Myself Today (NMT) from the perspectives of six organizations, their workplace implementers and employees. Through this research, NMT’s goals of reducing stigma pertaining to MH, improving mental health awareness, and nurturing a supportive and safe MH work culture with the aim of changing targeted behaviour patterns (i.e., reducing stigma) are reviewed.

Applying a qualitative approach, evidence was collected from selected NMT participant organizations with a focus on understanding which NMT components they selected, implemented, promoted and what was then retained by participants. This research explored perceptions of the NMT campaign by studying the individual workplaces, possible barriers to engagement, and any normalization of mental health dialogue and resources. Through this study, a further understanding of how to engage, communicate, and promote positive workplace mental health is gained. In addition, tangible and transferable lessons relevant to MH interventions, and general adult interventions emerged