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In Canadian workplaces, the duty to inquire is part of an employer’s responsibility to accommodate employees, including those experiencing mental health challenges. When an employer knows, or reasonably should know, that an employee may be struggling in a way that affects their work, they are required to start a respectful conversation about possible accommodation before taking negative action. This duty helps protect employees from discrimination while supporting psychologically safe and responsive workplaces.

This blog reflects on the power of conversations about Mental Health. Drawing on experiences as a Mental Health First Aider, it highlights the importance of listening, using supportive language, and creating safe spaces to reduce stigma and foster shared responsibility for Mental Health.

Most workplaces already pay for poor mental health at work. The payment shows up in ways leaders rarely label as “mental health.” A project drifts. Quality slips. Conflict spreads. A strong performer goes quiet, then exits. Those moments look like management problems. Yet mental health often sits underneath the surface, shaping attention, energy, and trust.

Discover how leaders can transform workplace stress management from a reactive task to a foundational leadership skill.

The duty to accommodate in Canadian workplaces includes both the duty to inquire and the duty to implement appropriate accommodations—an especially important distinction in mental health contexts where needs may be less visible. Employers must be able to recognize changes, initiate supportive and non-judgmental conversations, and provide timely, tailored adjustments.

Not through technology, accolades, or physical feats, but through the quiet courage of showing up as our truest selves. For too long, society applauded the loudest, boldest, strongest among us, while discouraging vulnerability. But that narrative is shifting. Strength is no longer defined for us; it is something we define for ourselves.