Leading with Care: Balancing Mental Well-Being and Performance

Meaningful dialogue.

Mental well-being is no longer a side issue in Canadian workplaces—it’s one of leadership's primary concerns. As more organizations commit to psychologically safe environments, managers are increasingly expected to support employee mental health while still delivering results. For many leaders, striking this balance can feel challenging.

According to Mental Health Research Canada, 24% of working Canadians report feeling burned out “most of the time” or “always.” At the same time, 68% of respondents feel that their workplace is psychologically safe. That still leaves nearly a quarter of employees who don’t feel comfortable raising mental health concerns, which creates challenges for everyone. Leaders want to be compassionate, but they also need to manage performance, maintain fairness, and ensure the work gets done. Without clear expectations or training, even well-intentioned managers can find themselves overwhelmed or unsure where to draw the line.

The Challenge

Unlike physical health (e.g. broken arm), mental health challenges can be invisible and highly personal. Managers may notice an employee struggling with focus, energy, or attendance, but they’re not always sure what to say, how to help, or whether it’s even their place to ask. Conversations with leaders typically reveal that they really do want to be supportive, but they also fear being intrusive. And in a culture still shedding stigma, silence can persist—sometimes until a situation turns into a performance issue.

If someone says they need adjustments due to mental health, but their engagement seems inconsistent, how do you respond? How do you support someone while also holding them accountable?

Support is a Shared Responsibility

One important truth often overlooked is this: supporting mental health at work is a shared responsibility. Employers have legal obligations to accommodate mental health concerns under human rights legislation, but employees also have a role to play. The Canadian Human Rights Commission makes it clear that employees are expected to participate in the accommodation process. This includes communicating openly, providing documentation when appropriate, and being part of realistic, sustainable solutions.

This also means employees can't simply decide what their workday looks like. It’s not uncommon for an employee to say, “I’m working from home for my mental health” or “I’ll be logging on outside core hours now.” While these requests may be valid, accommodation requires discussion and agreement, not declaration. Managers have the right, and the responsibility, to ask how proposed changes will affect operations, workload, or the rest of the team. Boundaries are still part of supportive leadership. Supporting someone through a hard time doesn’t mean lowering the bar, it means finding ways to help them reach it. For example, temporarily adjusting deadlines or workloads can be part of a plan, but it’s a plan that should include shared accountability and regular follow-up. Flexibility is given, not assumed.

Trust, Not Suspicion

Let’s be careful, though. While some leaders worry about being taken advantage of, assuming bad intent too quickly can damage trust. It’s not about being suspicious, it’s about being thoughtful. Instead of judging motives, managers can look at patterns and context. Is this a one-off request or a recurring theme? Has the employee been open to discussing how they’ll meet expectations under the new (possibly temporary) arrangement? Are they following through on commitments? These observations help leaders respond constructively. If needed, they can request documentation for formal accommodations, especially when operational impacts are high.

The Mental Health Commission of Canada encourages training programs which help leaders develop the skills to recognize early signs of mental distress and how to have supportive, non-intrusive conversations. Acquiring the right tools can help managers feel more confident navigating complex situations without defaulting to assumptions or discomfort. Normalizing conversations about wellness, checking in with employees regularly, and modelling healthy work behaviours (e.g. taking breaks) are all important aspects to creating safe workspaces. 

By encouraging open dialogue, setting respectful boundaries, and expecting shared responsibility, leaders can support mental well-being while still moving the work forward.

That’s not a compromise—it’s a smarter, more effective way to lead.