How Occupational Therapy Can Help Employers Support Team Mental Health

How Occupational Therapy Can Help Employers Support Team Mental Health

In today’s workplace, mental health is more than a personal issue, it’s an organizational priority. As 70% of individuals off work on disability are off related to stress, burnout, and mental health challenges, employers are recognizing the value of taking proactive steps to support the wellbeing of their teams. Occupational therapy (OT) offers a practical, evidence-based approach to help businesses create healthier, more productive workplaces.

Understanding the Connection Between Work and Mental Health

The workplace can have a major impact on mental health. High workloads and workplace environment were rated as contributing factors to their illness by 80% of employees off work on disability. At the same time, positive work environments, where people feel supported and valued, can foster resilience, motivation, and engagement. Occupational therapists are uniquely trained to understand the interaction between people, their work roles, and their environments. This makes OTs powerful allies for employers looking to improve mental health outcomes and workplace performance.

How Occupational Therapy Supports Employers

Here are several ways an occupational therapist can support your organization:

1. Training and Education for Managers and Teams

Many managers want to help but aren’t sure how. Occupational therapists can provide training to help leaders recognize early signs of mental strain, learn to have supportive conversations with employees, and create psychologically safe spaces for their teams.

It’s important for leaders to recognize the impact their behaviors have on their team and to model psychologically healthy behaviors for their employees.

2. Building Mentally Healthy Workplaces

OTs can assess your workplace and identify factors that contribute to stress or mental fatigue — such as workflow issues, poor ergonomics, or lack of recovery time. They then work with leadership to implement strategies that improve team wellbeing, such as:

  • Removing the stigma around mental health conversations
  • Promoting flexible work arrangements
  • Improving communication and role clarity
  • Enhancing physical and psychological safety
3. Supporting Employees in Distress

When employees are struggling with mental health issues, whether due to workplace stress, trauma, or external factors, OTs can provide individualized support. This might include:

  • Assessing functional impacts of mental health conditions
  • Creating gradual return-to-work plans
  • Recommending accommodations
  • Teaching coping, pacing, and problem-solving strategies
  • Coordinating with healthcare providers and HR teams
4. Promoting Work-Life Balance and Resilience

Through workshops or individual coaching, OTs can help employees and leaders develop skills to manage stress, set healthy boundaries, and use recovery time effectively, leading to improved energy and productivity.

Investing in team mental health isn’t just the right thing to do, it makes business sense. Mentally healthy teams are:

  • More engaged and motivated
  • More productive and creative
  • Less likely to experience absenteeism or turnover

By partnering with an occupational therapist, employers can take a proactive approach that benefits themselves, their people and their bottom line.

Mental health in the workplace is complex, but you don’t have to navigate it alone. Occupational therapists bring a unique, functional perspective that helps bridge the gap between health and productivity. Whether it’s through workplace assessments, individual support, or team training, OT can help you build a workplace where everyone can thrive.

For additional information, please visit https://harboursiderehab.ca/ or reach out to us for personalized assistance.