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The New Era of Workplace Mental Health: Dr. Rachel Toledano

In this episode of A Minute with Maxwell: Mission in Motion, host Heather Maxwell sits down with clinical psychologist Dr. Rachel Toledano to explore how workplace mental health has transformed since COVID-19. They discuss the most common mental health challenges facing today’s workforce, why supporting mental health is now a business imperative, and how organizations can create psychologically safe cultures. From no-cost strategies like flexibility, trust, and daily recognition, to paid supports such as enhanced benefits and EAPs, Rachel shares practical, actionable ways leaders can better support their teams. Post-COVID shift in mental health: From stigma to normalization; “everyone was struggling” so the conversation opened up. Common workplace mental health challenges: Burnout/adjustment disorders, depression, anxiety, and especially substance use concerns. Evolution of EAPs and access to care: From a few in‑person sessions to ongoing, flexible, remote and tech-enabled support. Role of technology & AI: Tele-mental health, AI-driven matching with therapists (language, culture, identity, role-specific needs). Psychological safety at work: Reducing stressors like workload, role overload, and poor work-life balance; clear responsibility between employer and employee. Organizational responsibility & ROI: Mental health as a business imperative with clear return on investment. Leadership behaviors: Empathy, active listening, non-judgment, openness, and having real human conversations about struggle. No-cost / low-cost supports: Flex work where possible, reduced micromanagement, autonomy, trust, and everyday recognition and gratitude. Paid supports: Benefits for mental health, improved EAP structures, ergonomic and practical supports, dedicated mental health roles. Workplace culture & energy: How toxic versus positive cultures impact energy, engagement, productivity, and burnout. Burnout and return-to-work: Need for real accommodations and dialogue to prevent relapse, not just box-ticking. Using data for action: Turning engagement and satisfaction surveys into concrete, visible changes and closing the feedback loop with employees. The conversation also looks ahead at trends like AI-driven care, tele-mental health, and holistic wellness approaches that are reshaping how we think about work, well-being, and burnout prevention. 0:00 – Introduction to the podcast & episode 0:40 – Meet Dr. Rachel Toledano 3:20 – Rachel’s background in clinical psychology & EAPs 6:25 – Mental health stats in Canada’s workforce 8:05 – Most common workplace mental health challenges 8:40 – How COVID-19 changed the mental health conversation 12:30 – Evolution of EAPs and access to therapy 14:15 – Role of technology and AI in mental health support 14:50 – Signs an employee may be struggling 15:55 – How much responsibility do employers have? 18:00 – What is a psychologically safe workplace? 20:10 – Workload, work–life balance and burnout 21:30 – Internal pressures and performance culture 21:55 – No-cost and low-cost supports organizations can offer 23:30 – Flexibility, autonomy and trust vs micromanagement 26:10 – Power of gratitude and recognition (COVID nurse story) 29:10 – Paid supports: benefits, EAPs, equipment, roles 31:50 – Role of workplace culture in stress and burnout 33:40 – Future trends: AI, tele-mental health, holistic wellness 35:10 – Burnout and return-to-work accommodations 36:50 – Top recommendation for employers: action on survey data 38:15 – Final reflections and key takeaways 39:30 – Closing remarks & podcast outro