Relief Research Chair in Mental Health, Self-Management and Work
Nurturing a healthy work environment

Did you know that mental health issues, whether work-related or personal, have a significant impact on workplace wellness. Our commitment to scientific research and practical interventions aims to promote the overall well-being of Canadian workers.

Dive into our content
Next section

We’re taking action
Mental health comes first

Mental health challenges can affect each of us at any time. At Beneva, we’re committed to supporting our members and our community. We believe in the importance of fostering a healthy workplace culture and putting the well-being of the community at the heart of our mutualist values.

That’s why we are proud of our financial partnership for the creation of the Relief Research Chair in Mental Health, Self-Management and Work, powered by Beneva and Relief, in collaboration with Université Laval.

Breaking taboos

Did you know?

+64%
increase in anxiety cases in Canada: going from 7% before the pandemic to 23% during and 11% after1
22.5%
of adults and 76.7% of young Canadians ages 16 to 35 have an anxiety disorder2
500,000
people in Canada miss work each week due to health problems or mental health issues3

Why is it important for you?

Employee well-being

Knowing that 50% of workers in small businesses face mental health issues makes it imperative to promote a healthy work environment. And offering support such as an employee assistance program starts to make a lot of sense.4

Psychosocial safety

Only 25% of employees report feeling a high level of psychosocial safety in their company. Yet that’s the environment needed to ensure a healthy psychosocial balance.

Supporting leaders too

More than half of managers are also affected by stress, anxiety, insomnia and professional burnout, and have more and more trouble signing off from work.5 Recognizing their vulnerability is the first step to finding impactful solutions.

We invest seriously

We make solid commitments to deal with major challenges

Aware of mental health needs and our role in the community, we have invested 1 million dollars over 5 years.

This massive investment in research shows our commitment to finding effective data-driven solutions. Through the Chair, we engage in research, networking and knowledge-sharing activities aimed at developing practical interventions to promote self-management and mental health, benefiting workers, their families and the organizations involved.

The Mental Health Research Chair is the result of a unique collaboration between Université Laval, renowned for its academic excellence, Relief, a national mental health organization, and Beneva.

 

Simon Coulombe, Ph.D., holds the Relief Research Chair and is an associate professor in the Department of Industrial Relations at Université Laval. With a doctorate in community psychology and a career devoted to the study of well-being and mental health, he contributes invaluable expertise and brings immense credibility to this partnership.

The Research Chair focuses on four key interconnected areas to improve mental health in the working world.

  1. The individual and self-management
  2. Work and its meaning
  3. Technology and mental health
  4. Interventions and training

More about areas of research

By relying on data from specific Canadian research, we have an unprecedented opportunity to identify the key challenges facing workers. The goal is to develop solutions to support mental health in the companies where they work.

By collecting previously unpublished data from a large portion of Canadian workers, we show our commitment to providing organizations with personalized service.

Together, we’re leading the way to concrete solutions, putting mental health in the workplace at the forefront of our shared concerns.

Start the discussion

Dive into our content

Article

Managers and professional burnout

The Relief Research Chair conducted a survey on the mental health of managers. It offers solutions to promote their well-being at work.

Read article

Article

Boredom and loss of sense of purpose at work

We’ve all heard about professional burnout. Did you know that boredom and loss of sense of purpose at work can also affect mental health?

Read article

Webinar

Small business special report: group insurance and mental health

Thanks to the Relief Research Chair, learn about the significant benefits of the EAP, MAP and telemedicine for overall health, as well as mental health trends in Canadian small businesses.

Watch webinar

Podcast

Understanding anxiety

Immerse yourself in the second part of the podcast chat with Simon Coulombe, who holds the Relief Research Chair, and explore an inspiring approach: positive mental health.

Listen to episode

Press release

$2M for the creation of a Research Chair in Mental Health

Université Laval is very proud to receive two $1M contributions, one from Relief and one from Beneva, for the Relief Research Chair in Mental Health, Self-Management and Work.

Read press release

Press release

First insurer to reimburse claims for individual self-management support services

Beneva is the first insurer to reimburse its policyholders for the cost of individual self-management support services offered by its partner, Relief.

Read press release

Our support programs for organizational health prevention and promotion.

See our programs

We are the 5th largest group insurer in Canada.

Discover our solutions
  1. Understanding the mental health of Canadians: Through Covid and beyond, Survey 13, abridged report, page 4.
  2. Mental health at the pandemic’s end: Youth still reporting higher rates of mental health problems
  3. Mental Health Commission of Canada
  4. 2023 Portrait of Mental Health in Canadian Small Businesses. Relief Research Chair in Mental Health, Self-Management and Work, powered by Beneva.
  5. Manager burnout