Employee mental health, once a silent and often overlooked issue, has now become an urgent workplace concern. In Canada, the rate of depression and anxiety has doubled since the COVID-19 pandemic .
Authors
- Ehsan Etezad
PhD Candidate in Applied Organizational Psychology, Saint Mary’s University
- John Fiset
Associate Professor, Management, Saint Mary’s University
The Mental Health Commission of Canada reports that one in five adults experiences mental illness , but stigma remains a significant barrier, with 60 per cent of those affected choosing not to seek help .
These mental health challenges directly translate to workforce challenges: 7.5 per cent of employees have taken time off because of stress or mental health concerns , leading to an average loss of 2.4 work days per employee .
With 77 per cent of employees acknowledging that work-related stress adversely affects their physical health , the demand for innovative wellness solutions has never been greater.
Traditional mental health support is falling short
For decades, employers have relied on employee assistance programs to address the mental health needs of their employees.
These programs typically refer individuals to short-term counselling, which can be effective for immediate concerns. However, their overall impact remains limited, with usage rates hovering around five per cent across industries .
Traditional counselling is also expensive, with waitlists that can stretch for weeks , and may require employees to take time off during work hours, which many avoid due to fear of stigma or judgment.
Stigma associated with seeking traditional counselling has left many mental health challenges unaddressed until they escalate to burnout, presenteeism, absenteeism, turnover or mental health disability leave .
As the gap between what employees need and what is available to them widens, businesses are recognizing that conventional methods are no longer providing the accessible and responsive care that today's workforce demands.
Single-session digital interventions
Many mental health interventions have demonstrated remarkable success with just a single, well-designed session . This offers intriguing evidence and sets the stage for an innovative advancement in mental-health care . The research has shown that, when carefully crafted, single-session interventions may serve as an efficient and scalable alternative to multi-week commitments, especially when access to therapy is limited.
Self-guided single-session digital interventions (SSDIs) are carefully crafted, evidence-based programs designed to require only one focused interaction with a digital platform.
Unlike the traditional one-size-fits-all model, SSDIs are personalized and can adapt content based on individual responses and needs.
For instance, an employee struggling with insomnia might receive cognitive-behavioral techniques specifically aimed at improving sleep, while a manager experiencing burnout could access modules for building resilience and managing work stress.
The strength of SSDIs lies in their accessibility, adaptability, immediacy, affordability, scalability and confidentiality . They offer practical strategies without the prolonged wait times of traditional therapy.
A growing body of research supports the effectiveness of single-session digital interventions as effective tools for initiating meaningful change.
Research into single-session digital interventions is still in its early stages, but the available evidence suggests they can be both effective and highly scalable. This is particularly important at a time when access to traditional therapy is often limited by a lack of resources.
Real-world examples of digital tools
The growing success of SSDIs can be seen in a number of real-world programs that translate these principles into practical, measurable outcomes. Although these initiatives are not yet publicly available, they were successful in demonstrating early positive results during the initial research phases:
1. Happy@Work
Happy@Work is an online, guided self-help intervention designed for employees experiencing symptoms of depression. Drawing on both problem-solving therapy and cognitive therapy, it addresses areas ranging from learning problem-solving methods and identifying maladaptive thoughts to managing work-related challenges and preventing relapse.
Each lesson combines psychoeducation, structured exercises and personalized feedback. The program also incorporates stress management and burnout prevention techniques with the goal of bolstering employees' psychological wellness.
In a randomized controlled trial, Happy@Work showed small but statistically significant benefits in reducing anxiety and exhaustion among the participants.
2. Three Good Things
Three Good Things is a digital gratitude-based intervention designed to enhance well-being among healthcare workers.
Participants receive three text messages each week that prompt them to record and reflect on three positive experiences from their day. This structured reflection is intended to amplify positive emotions and nurture a sense of gratitude.
A randomized controlled trial found that Three Good Things produced small and short-term increases in positive emotions among participants.
3. Beating the Blues
Beating the Blues is a structured cognitive behavioural therapy program targeted at employees dealing with stress-related absenteeism.
It guides participants through techniques like cognitive restructuring to challenge unhelpful thoughts, problem-solving skills, relaxation training and behavioural activation to organize daily activities. It also addresses sleep management and introduces graded exposure to reduce anxiety.
A randomized controlled trial found that Beating the Blues successfully reduced depression symptoms and negative attributional styles immediately following the treatment, with lower anxiety scores noted one month post-treatment.
Why these digital interventions work
Digital mental health interventions are proving to be effective for a number of reasons:
1. They break the stigma cycle
Digital self-help tools offer a discreet and accessible way for employees to address mental challenges, allowing individuals to engage anonymously and at any time , on their own schedule.
And, since these tools are available online and can be used anonymously, they offer an added layer of privacy and comfort. This flexibility helps minimize the stigma often linked to taking time off for traditional counselling sessions.
2. They are cost-effective and scalable
Traditional employee mental health programs, which often rely on therapist-centred models, can be prohibitively expensive and difficult to scale. By contrast, SSDIs provide an accessible solution that significantly reduces the financial burden on businesses and employees . Their digital format ensures support is available 24/7, providing employees with immediate access to help at a fraction of the cost of conventional approaches.
3. They deliver rapid and measurable results
When it comes to addressing burnout and other workplace mental health challenges. SSDIs provide quick access to coping strategies and stress relief techniques , helping employees strengthen their psychological well-being before issues escalate as an effective preventive tool.
The future of workplace mental health is digital. Self-guided single-session digital mental health interventions offer a pragmatic and immediate way to reduce stigma, cut costs and foster resilience. These tools can complement and integrate with traditional therapy to provide employees with an accessible and immediate resource to help them cope with stress and build resilience.
Ehsan Etezad provides private consulting at MEUS Science with a focus on Workplace Wellness & Psychological Health & Safety.
John Fiset does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
