Canadian HR Reporter

www.hrreporter.com 37 For a company committed to employee wellness, though, it became apparent to Purity Life that they wanted to do more to address the mental health impacts of the ongoing pandemic as nationwide lockdowns set in. Virtual care breaks down barriers to mental health care Even without a pandemic raging on, mental health is still a key challenge for Canadian employers. It is a leading cause of disability and of long-term work leaves. And it's costly. The economic burden of mental illness in Canada is estimated at $51 billion per year when you factor in health-care costs, lost productivity and reductions in health-related quality of life. Part of the reason for this crisis is the low accessibility of mental health services in our country, so Purity Life started its search for an online mental health provider by examining the most common barriers to accessing therapy. In their analysis, they found that people often run into obstacles such as: • scheduling — especially for parents and full-time employees • travel time — particularly for people who live in rural or remote areas • privacy — avoiding notice from family members, co-workers or neighbours • budget — high-quality therapy can come at a prohibitive price point Seeing how Maple had broken down the first three barriers when it came to management of employee health and how enthusiastically employees had embraced the platform, Purity Life reached out to Maple about adding online therapy to their existing primary health program to eliminate the fourth barrier for their employees. So far, Albrecht is impressed by Purity Life's program results. She believes the success of the program is driven by the streamlined user experience, which offers employees a one-stop shop for their physical and mental health issues. "We love that employees can simply log into Maple and access psychotherapy at the click of a button," she says. Patients on Maple can book recurring visits with the same therapist for longer- term mental health management and coaching, and the flexible model also includes access to same-day, on-demand therapy sessions, with wait times averaging less than two hours. This ability to access help when it's needed most can make a major difference in the quality of care delivered. Highly effective psychotherapy methodologies such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), for example, rely on a patient's ability to determine the root cause of a concern and evaluate their thinking in order to adjust negative thought patterns. If employees aren't able to identify that root cause, the rest of the process isn't going to provide the desired results. With on-demand support, however, employees are able to rapidly enact mental health strategies that can otherwise take months to master. For Purity Life's employees, there's no more going it alone, even while quarantined. When asked if Maple helped Purity Life reach its wellness program goals, Albrecht says the partnership is "exceeding expectations and the par ticipation numbers are ver y impressive." Purity Life's employee signup rate currently sits at 83 per cent, which the company attributes to Maple's step-by- step support in launching an employee communications plan. Supporting your team's mental health As COVID-19 carries on, mental health continues to be a growing concern. With decreasing stigma and new means of accessing care, however, there is an opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the mental health of employees. The long-term benefits of these programs — including increased employee engagement, retention and productivity, as well as decreased disability claims and long-term leaves, to name a few — can have a dramatic impact on a company's bottom line. Flexible virtual care models are proving to be a powerful tool for any company invested in the health and wellness of its people. All you need is a smartphone, tablet or computer to get started. CHRR Maple is a global health-care app for fast, convenient, 24-7 access to Canadian licensed doctors. For more information, visit www.getmaple.ca/business. "The Maple mental health coverage has provided us with the tools to live up to one of our core value pillars to make a difference in the lives of our employees and each other." Michele Albrecht, Purity Life

• Cover