How to Talk about Suicide Prevention in the Workplace
Trigger Warning: This article contains sensitive information and discussions around suicide prevention. If you or someone you know is struggling, please call 1-833-456-4566.
Mental health conversations in the workplace have continued to grow stronger every year, but one topic of conversation that is hard to have is regarding suicide prevention. We understand that it’s a topic that can trigger some and be hard for others to bring up and discuss openly.
But, we believe in order to save lives, we need to share our feelings, talk about our struggles and be there for others in our lives who may be suffering.
In this article, we will discuss suicide prevention and how to discuss it in a workplace.
Why should we talk about it?
Every day about 11 Canadians die from suicide. That equals more than 4,000 preventable deaths every single year. Among young adults, ages 15-34, it’s the second leading cause of death. For men, suicide rates are three times higher compared to women.
We understand that suicide is a sensitive topic to breach, but we know that talking about it can save lives. We’ve seen how the pandemic has affected our lives in so many different ways and this includes mental health as well.
How should we discuss it as employers?
As an employer, there are many different ways to ensure that employees feel safe discussing their mental health with you. Here are some ideas:
- Proclaim suicide prevention and mental health a priority.
You could make suicide prevention training available to people in your workplace, offer mental health anti-stigma workshops, create a mental health strategy that includes suicide prevention and promote emergency resources like crisis lines, employee benefits, counselling, etc.
- Respond swiftly if an employee has died of suicide or someone’s family member has.
If there has been an employee who has died of suicide, it’s important that you respond swifty to this. The same thing goes for if an employee has lost a friend or family to suicide. You can communicate with care and compassion, connect affected employees to relevant information, resources and support. And, protect the privacy of the deceased and their loved one.
- Identify workplace factors and social settings that can affect mental health.
Just because some of your team members are extroverts, doesn’t mean that everyone on the team is. When creating workplace events, ensure that everyone will be comfortable in the environment. Harassment, bulling and stigmatizing language should never be accepted. These things increase the risk of suicide at work.
Additionally, it’s important as an employer to be aware that financial concerns and risks of job loss and other causes of stress can result in thoughts of suicide. When people feel safe and secure in their jobs, they feel happier. If possible, ensure that employees know that their job is safe.
How should we discuss it as an employee?
As an employee, there are a couple of ways you can discuss suicide prevention in the workplace. There are also a couple fo things to ensure that you’re doing to prevent the risk of suicide to happen to you or someone else in your office.
- Prioritize your mental health.
If you prioritize your mental health, you will ensure that you’re aware of your body and thoughts. This will help you know if you’re struggling and what you should do. You can also lead by example. If others in the workplace see that you’re prioritizing your mental health, they will be encouraged to do the same thing.
Here are some indicators to be aware of:
- Chronic fatigue
- Digestive problems
- Heaviness
- Hopelessness
- Despair
- Lack of motivation
- Feeling disconnected
Online tools like the Mental Health Continuum Self-Check and Check Up from the Neck Up can help.
- Be prepared to open a conversation
Ask your co-workers how they are feeling. Try to listen without judgment and encourage others to seek help if they seem like they need it. If a coworker has experienced a loss in their life, check in regularly to see how they’re feeling and if they need anything. But, remember that you have your own limits as well while providing support. You cannot lose yourself in the support role.
Resources to share with your team.
Now that you know how to discuss suicide prevention in the workplace, it’s important to note these resources. They would be good to email out to your employees, have them on boards in the office and for your own reference.
- The Government of Canada’s comprehensive suicide prevention resource site is a great resource. Here you can find warning signs, where to get help, and tips for supporting others in crisis.
- If you have employees that speak french, the Association québécoise de prévention du suicide has information on prevention plus 24/7 phone support in French.
- The Centre for Suicide Prevention runs the Buddy Up campaign that specifically addresses men and suicide. You can access their men and suicide toolkit by clicking the link.
Reach out to Navy & Sage for more information.
At Navy & Sage, we understand just how important it is to discuss mental health with employees. As a benefits company, we are able to ensure that you have the best options for employees when it comes to mental health coverage. We can discuss with you the options and decide on which options work best.
If you’re looking for more information when it comes to suicide prevention in the workplace, please reach out to us and we’d be happy to share additional resources.
