LifeWorks released its monthly Mental Health Index™ report, revealing a negative mental-health score among Canadians for the 15^th consecutive month. The Mental Health Index™ score for June is -10.7 compared to the pre-pandemic benchmark.

In June, the research found that while many organizations have begun developing return-to-workplace strategies, a significant portion of Canadians require clearer communication on office reopening plans. One-quarter (25 per cent) of Canadians are unclear of their employer’s plan for work, while another 12 per cent do not believe that their employer has a plan. These groups also reported the lowest mental health scores (-17.9 and -14.9, respectively) when compared to employees stating their employer’s plan is clear. When reviewing employees’ expectations about the return to workplace:

• More than one-third (38 per cent) expect that their employer will want all employees working in their pre-pandemic environment;
• Seventeen per cent believe that their employer will allow remote work to continue;
• Fourteen per cent expect to work onsite at their office at least part of the time; and
• Only six per cent expect to have the flexibility to choose their work location.