Workplace Strategies

What Workplace Strategies does

Workplace Strategies for Mental Health (Stratégies en milieu de travail sur la santé mentale) is a free, bilingual (English and French) Canadian initiative founded in 2007 and wholly funded by The Canada Life Assurance Company as a corporate social responsibility program. It delivers evidence-based workplace psychological health and safety resources to all Canadians at no cost, serving employers, HR professionals, leaders and managers, post-secondary institutions, health and safety committees, and Indigenous communities. The platform is entirely virtual with no physical office and operates via a self-serve distribution model accessible through its website and YouTube channel, with no paywall, subscription, or account requirement for basic access.

The core product portfolio centers on a suite of assessment tools, workshops, microlearning modules, and video content. Flagship offerings include Guarding Minds at Work (launched 2009), a comprehensive psychological health and safety assessment toolset whose free public availability directly inspired Canada's first National Standard on Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace (CSA Z1003, published January 2013); the Psychologically Safe Leader Assessment, which captures anonymous team-member feedback on leadership practices; and the Team Psychological Safety Assessment. The content library spans over 200 bilingual YouTube videos, the 'Au programme' workshop series, 10-minute microlearning modules on topics such as imposter syndrome and constructive feedback, and specialized resources including Indigenous Teachings for Leaders developed through the Miinosewin Collaboration Table. Underlying infrastructure is a standard bilingual web platform with PDF/printable distribution and a publicly accessible Mental Health at Work Data Centre housing aggregated survey data from more than 5,500 Canadian workers, segmented by industry, region, and organizational size.

The business model is non-commercial by design: no revenue is generated, no products or services are sold, and no advertising is accepted. The initiative operates as a brand- and thought-leadency-building CSR asset for Canada Life rather than a profit center, with copyright held by The Canada Life Assurance Company (2009-2026). Distribution relies on organic channels — the website, YouTube, email newsletters, LinkedIn, partner organizations (HRPA, CMHA, Mental Health Research Canada, Mindful Employer Canada, WorkSafeBC, PSHSA, provincial safety associations, and post-secondary institutions), media coverage, and viral resource sharing — supplemented by an Inner Circle annual roundtable community of practice launched in 2022. Strategic positioning is anchored in three reinforcing assets: first-mover authority in the Canadian psychological health and safety standard ecosystem, a fully unconstrained free distribution model, and a deep co-development network across research, Indigenous, post-secondary, and safety-association partners.

Name

Workplace Strategies

Legal name

The Canada Life Assurance Company

Website

https://strategiesdesantementale.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Workplace Strategies for Mental Health is a free, bilingual (English and French) Canadian platform wholly funded by Canada Life that delivers evidence-based workplace psychological health and safety resources — assessments, workshops, microlearning modules, and videos — to employers, leaders, employees, post-secondary institutions, and Indigenous communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workplace Mental Health Resources

NAICS

Offices of Other Health Practitioners (6213)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Stress Management & Well-Being at Work (EDABAMAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Corporate/Workplace Mindfulness & Stress-Reduction Programs (HSADAJAG), Corporate/Workplace Wellness Coaching (HSADAGAL), Mental Wellness & Resilience Education (Non-clinical) (EDAAAHAK)

Keywords

• Workplace mental health resources
• Psychological safety assessments
• Mental health workshops
• Employee wellness programs
• Bilingual mental health training

Headquarters

HQ city

Winnipeg

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. No Revenue Generation — Fully Funded by Canada Life: Workplace Strategies for Mental Health is a free public resource initiative funded entirely by Canada Life (The Canada Life Assurance Company) as a corporate social responsibility program. No revenue is generated from the resources or platform. The organization does not charge for any content, does not sell products or services, and does not accept advertising.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Workplace Strategies for Mental Health is a free, publicly accessible platform that delivers evidence-based workplace mental health resources to all Canadians in English and French. Its offerings include proprietary psychological safety assessments (Guarding Minds at Work, Psychologically Safe Leader Assessment, Team Psychological Safety Assessment), workshop series, microlearning modules, online learning courses, a YouTube video library of 200+ titles, and a public Mental Health at Work Data Centre. All resources are downloadable, printable, and shareable for immediate use by individuals, employers, and practitioners.

Product overview

Workplace Strategies for Mental Health (Stratégies en milieu de travail sur la santé mentale) is a free comprehensive platform offering workplace mental health resources in English and French, funded by Canada Life. The portfolio includes assessment tools (Psychologically Safe Leader Assessment, Team Psychological Safety Assessment, Guarding Minds at Work), workshop series ('Au programme'), online learning modules, over 200 YouTube videos, microlearning modules, and specialized resources for Indigenous inclusion and workplace psychological safety. The platform serves Canadian employers and employees with evidence-based, practical resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Guarding Minds at Work (Protégeons la santé mentale au travail): A comprehensive set of tools for assessing and addressing psychological health and safety in the workplace, launched in 2009.
• Psychologically Safe Leader Assessment
• Au programme workshop series

Products and services

• Guarding Minds at Work (Protégeons la santé mentale au travail) A comprehensive set of tools for assessing and addressing psychological health and safety in the workplace, originally launched in 2009. Includes employee and organizational surveys whose free availability helped inspire Canada's first National Standard on Psychological Health and Safety (2013). Intended for employers, HR professionals, and mental health practitioners.
• Psychologically Safe Leader Assessment (Évaluation du leader psychologiquement sécuritaire) An assessment tool that evaluates a leader's use of strategies known to foster psychological health and safety. Enables anonymous feedback collection from team members to support leader development. Aimed at managers and team leaders.
• Team Psychological Safety Assessment (Évaluation de la sécurité psychologique au sein de l'équipe) An online team-level assessment for teams of three or more members that generates reports highlighting team strengths and areas for improvement across leadership, team interactions, and inclusion categories. Aimed at team leaders and HR professionals.
• Listening to Understand Online Learning Module (Module d'apprentissage en ligne « Écouter pour comprendre ») A self-paced online learning module that helps users listen to understand what people in distress are experiencing, building trust and reducing conflict in emotional workplace situations. Designed for managers, team leaders, and employees.
• Microlearning Modules (Modules de microapprentissage) A series of brief 10-minute self-paced learning modules covering topics such as emotions and their functions, self-doubt and imposter syndrome, mastering inner dialogue, and constructive criticism. Designed for individual learners and team training.
• Au Programme Workshop Series (Série d'ateliers « Au programme ») A collection of ready-to-use workshop materials covering topics such as growth and development, workload management, balance, leadership clarity, psychological protection, and engagement. Designed for employers, trainers, and facilitators.
• Workplace Mental Health YouTube Channel (Chaîne YouTube — 200+ vidéos) A bilingual YouTube library of more than 200 workplace mental health videos in English and French covering awareness, leadership strategies, and practical workplace skills. Available for individual use and organizational training.
• Mental Health at Work Data Centre A free, publicly accessible data platform providing industry, regional, organizational size, and nationwide statistics based on the Guarding Minds at Work survey. Allows organizations to analyze survey data across demographic and sectoral segments.
• Mental Health Awareness Video Series (Vidéos sur la sensibilisation à la santé mentale) A video series raising awareness about workplace mental health issues and promoting psychological safety for use in individual learning and organizational training.
• From Survival to Thriving Resource (De la survie à la réussite) A self-help resource guiding individuals to move from surviving to thriving in workplace contexts, providing practical activities and strategies for personal well-being.
• Resilience Building Plan (Plan visant à accroître la résilience) A professional-edition resilience-building plan with activities and strategies for workplace application, intended for individuals and practitioners supporting employee well-being.
• Team Agreement Process (Processus d'entente d'équipe) A collaborative process resource that enables team members to create their own agreement on how they will interact at work, supporting inclusive and psychologically safe teams.
• Psychologically Safe Interactions Workshop (Atelier – Interactions sécuritaires sur le plan psychologique) A workshop resource on psychologically safe interactions in the workplace, providing facilitation materials for trainers and team leaders.
• Indigenous Teachings for Leaders (Enseignements autochtones pour les leaders) A resource explaining how the Seven Grandfather Teachings and Circles of Influence can benefit workplace culture and employees at all levels. Developed in collaboration with Indigenous leaders, elders, and specialists through the Miinosewin collaboration.
• Planning Indigenous Community Integration (Planifier l'intégration de la communauté autochtone) A guide for organizations on integrating Indigenous communities through recruitment and collaboration, drawing on successful examples of Indigenous workplace inclusion and reconciliation.
• Health and Safety Committee Psychological Resources (Ressources pour les comités de santé et de sécurité psychologiques) A resource collection providing practical guidance for health and safety committees to integrate psychosocial risks into their processes effectively and sustainably, while protecting confidentiality and avoiding unintended harm.

Quantifiable outcome

• Guarding Minds at Work survey conducted with 5,500+ Canadian workers through Mental Health Research Canada, producing publicly accessible national benchmark data.
• +3 more outcomes

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core, moderate, major and minor.

• Mindful Employer CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Workplace Strategies, funded by Canada Life, and Mindful Employer Canada co-host the annual Inner Circle roundtables — a community of practice where psychological health and safety advisors, HR professionals, and independent consultants collaborate on solutions to psychological health and safety challenges. All outputs are freely accessible. The two organizations also jointly run the Mindful Campuses grants program.
• Mental Health Research Canada (Recherche en santé mentale Canada / MHRC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Workplace Strategies, funded by Canada Life, commissioned Mental Health Research Canada to conduct multiple national surveys on psychological health and safety in Canadian workplaces. A survey of more than 5,500 Canadian workers was conducted using the Guarding Minds at Work instrument. Research findings are published and a free data platform was created where organizations can analyze survey data by industry, region, and organization size.
• Mindful Employer Canada — Mindful Campuses Grants ProgrammoderateStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Workplace Strategies and Mindful Employer Canada, with funding from Canada Life, launched the Mindful Campuses grants program. Universities and colleges can apply for grants of up to $2,000 to fund activities protecting psychological health and safety and building resilience. Applications and administration are managed through Mindful Employer Canada.
• Indigenous Collaboration (Miinosewin — Mike S. Schwartz Indigenous Collaboration Table)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Workplace Strategies has an annual commitment to the Miinosewin Indigenous Collaboration Table (meaning 'reconciliation' in Ojibwe), engaging Indigenous leaders, elders, and specialists. Topics have included integrating the Seven Grandfather Teachings into workplace practices and supporting Indigenous employees. Outcomes include Indigenous Teachings for Leaders, Planning for Indigenous Community Integration, and adolescent resilience activities.
• Institute for Work & Health (Institut de recherche sur le travail et la santé)moderateStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018From 2018 onward, Workplace Strategies, courtesy of Canada Life, participated in a project to create resources helping people with episodic mental and physical health conditions retain employment. A follow-up project developed a process to help employees decide whether and how to disclose an episodic illness at work.
• Canadian Mental Health Association (Association canadienne pour la santé mentale / CMHA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Workplace Strategies helped the Canadian Mental Health Association develop its certificate training program in psychological health and safety. Workplace Strategies contributed to the development of professional certification content to build capacity among practitioners delivering mental health programs in workplaces.
• Mindful Employer Canada — In-House and Psychologically Safe Leader Method ProgramsmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Canada Life sponsored the development of In-House and Psychologically Safe Leader Method programs, created with Mindful Employer Canada, to help organizations and individuals develop skills to reduce psychological suffering and promote good mental health among employees.
• Canadian Post-Secondary Community of Practice for Workplace WellnessmoderateStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015From 2015 onward, Workplace Strategies, funded by Canada Life, helped organize annual forums for a Canadian post-secondary community of practice for workplace wellness. Members include workplace wellness professionals from universities and colleges across Canada, specializing in health, wellness, and disability management for staff, students, and faculty. Contributors to resources such as the Evolution of Workplace Mental Health in Canada e-book and health break activities.
• CSA Group (Groupe CSA)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Workplace Strategies played a foundational role in the development of Canada's first National Standard on Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace (CSA Z1003 / BNQ 9700-803), published January 16, 2013 — the first standard of its kind in the world. Free copies of the standard are distributed through the CSA Group.
• Guarding Minds at Work — Network of Specialists and ResearcherscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009In 2009, Workplace Strategies convened specialists and researchers to launch Guarding Minds at Work — a comprehensive set of tools to assess and address psychological health and safety in the workplace. The free availability of this tool helped inspire the concept of a national standard, leading directly to the development of Canada's first National Standard on Psychological Health and Safety (published 2013).
• Canadian Psychological Association (Association canadienne de psychologie positive / CPPA)moderateGTM or Marketing PartnerWorkplace Strategies, with funding from Canada Life, is the primary sponsor of the Canadian Workplace Wellness Awards since their creation in 2021. The awards are administered by the Canadian Psychological Association and recognize organizations demonstrating leadership in positive psychology and psychological health and safety.
• Association of Health and Safety for Public Services / PSHSAmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkplace Strategies has partnered with the Association of Health and Safety for Public Services (PSHSA) and other provincial safety organizations (including WorkSafeBC) to develop resources, tools, and workshops used by employers across Canada.
• Workplace Safety and Prevention Services (Ontario)moderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkplace Strategies collaborates with the Workplace Safety and Prevention Services in the development of resources, tools, and workshops for Ontario employers as part of a broader network of provincial workplace safety partners.
• WorkSafeBCmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkplace Strategies collaborates with WorkSafeBC as part of its network of provincial workplace safety partners contributing to the development and dissemination of psychological health and safety resources across Canadian jurisdictions.
• International Foundation of Employee Benefit PlansminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkplace Strategies leverages the expertise of the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans as part of its network of specialist collaborators contributing knowledge and perspective to workplace mental health resource development.
• Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkplace Strategies draws on the expertise of the Human Resources Professionals Association as part of its network of specialist collaborators contributing to the development of workplace mental health resources for HR professionals.
• Thunderbird Partnership Foundation / National Native Addictions Partnership FoundationmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkplace Strategies collaborated with the Thunderbird Partnership Foundation in developing resources, drawing on their expertise in Indigenous mental health and well-being to inform culturally appropriate content for supporting Indigenous employees in the workplace.
• Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship CentresminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkplace Strategies consulted the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres for expertise in trauma-informed practices for Indigenous learners and community members, contributing to the development of culturally appropriate mental health resources.
• Ontario Native Education Counselling AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkplace Strategies drew on the Ontario Native Education Counselling Association's expertise in Indigenous well-being in schools and maintaining connections to land, culture, and language to inform culturally appropriate resources for Indigenous communities.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• MindWell-U: A Canadian digital mental health training and resilience platform providing online programs to workplaces and individuals. Comparable as a Canada-focused workplace mental health e-learning platform, but commercial in model and emerging in scale.

Direct peers

• Mindful Employer Canada: A Canadian organization providing workplace mental health training, certification, and consulting to employers. Directly comparable as a Canada-focused workplace psychological health and safety provider; co-hosts the Inner Circle community of practice and Mindful Campuses grants with Workplace Strategies.
• Lyra Health: A leading global workplace mental health platform offering EAP, teletherapy, and self-guided content to employers. Comparable as a workplace mental health platform targeting employers with assessment, learning, and care resources — though commercial and global rather than free and Canada-only.
• Modern Health: A global workplace mental health platform combining self-guided content, teletherapy, coaching, and measurement-based outcomes for employers. Comparable as a one-stop employer mental health platform with content, assessments, and care navigation — but commercial and global.
• Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA): Canada's national mental health advocacy and service organization that co-developed psychological health and safety certification with Workplace Strategies. Comparable as a national mental health awareness/training provider serving Canadian workplaces, though broader in mandate and clinical scope.
• Not Myself Today (CMHA program): A Canadian workplace mental health initiative offering toolkits, training, and resources to employers and employees. Comparable as a free Canadian workplace mental health awareness and education platform targeting similar employer and HR audiences.

Broad incumbents

• Homewood Health: A Canadian mental health and addictions service provider offering EAP, teletherapy, and clinical care to employers. Comparable as a Canadian workplace mental health vendor with integrated clinical services, but commercial and clinical rather than free awareness and education.
• Headspace for Work: The enterprise arm of Headspace providing mindfulness, meditation, and mental wellness content and coaching to employers. Comparable as a workplace wellness platform with content library and self-paced modules, though broader in category (wellness) and commercial in model.
• TELUS Health (Mental Health & EAP): A major Canadian health services and benefits provider offering EAP, teletherapy, and workplace wellness platforms to Canadian employers. Comparable as a paid, integrated workplace mental health vendor serving the same Canadian employer market, though with a clinical services model rather than free resources.

Regional players

• Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS): An Ontario-based health and safety association providing workplace mental health resources, training, and consulting to employers. Comparable as a Canadian regional workplace safety/mental health resource provider partnering with Workplace Strategies to distribute materials.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCZ-IgdKJL2sInZEuxeruF7w
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/workplace-strategies-for-mental-health
• Xx.com/workplace_mh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Workplace Strategies