Mary Ann Baynton & Associates Consulting

You may have excellent plans for disabilities that involve physical issues, but for many employers the invisible disabilities are much more complex. Let us help by working with your employee to discuss the hundreds of accommodation ideas that have allowed people with mental health issues, such as depression or anxiety, to remain productive. We help employees to find solutions that work for them and which they are able to commit to for the long-term. Our solutions address issues such as panic attacks, repetitive negative thoughts, paranoia, emotional outbursts, fears or phobias. They include ideas for times when concentration is compromised, when deadlines are a challenge, when certain words or action seem to trigger stress responses, when teamwork is overwhelming, or when fatigue makes morning tasks more difficult.

Instead of hiring an expert to provide a plan for your employee, let us work with the real expert about what is possible and what they will commit to – your employee. When the employee is involved with the plan, they are much more likely to commit to its success. We have the ability to balance the employee’s ideas with the realities and responsibilities of the job demands in a way that often exceeds the expectations of the employer. Most importantly our plans aim to allow the employee to be successful in doing the job for which they were hired. A productive employee who feels good about their accomplishments is what most employers want. We can help.

Everyone has a time when things become overwhelming and coping strategies become strained. Many of us have times when we cannot shake feelings of regret or worry. At other times we feel like we are doing our best, but it just doesn’t seem good enough. Sometimes these thoughts are just fleeting and we shake it off and get back to a place of balance. Sometimes it lasts longer and has negative effects on our health, our work and our relationships. Whether this is part of an anxiety-related disorder, or just a part of life, this workshop helps you identify the type of stress you may be experiencing and the approach that may work for you to manage it more effectively. For those who manage or work with individuals who may be stressed out, burned out or living with an anxiety disorder, this workshop will provide helpful insight and practical workplace strategies.

Those whose role includes managing, supporting or supervising others, often feel that the burden of working with employees who are emotionally distressed is overwhelming. Most of those in this role are there because they were good or great at their job. Their expertise did not necessarily include working with the ups and downs of employee emotion. It is unfair to expect that this skill set would be natural or that it is included in most training.

We have worked one-on-one with managers, supervisors, human resources personnel, occupational health professionals and union reps to coach them in working through situations. We learn the particular style and personality and develop strategies that work with, rather than against, what is natural for the person we coach. For a particular situation, or to develop a new approach, let us help you discover what works for you.

Sure you should eat well and exercise, but stress management in the workplace often requires more than oranges and jumping jacks. Stress is always going to exist in workplaces. In fact, it is necessary for us to perform at our best. We need to have a sufficient level of stress to make things exciting, but not so much as to exhaust us. While we would like to have exactly the right amount of stress every day, this is not likely to be your reality. What we teach to employees is a cognitive-behavioural approach to stress management which means that if you can control your thoughts about workplace stressors, you can control the physiological responses as well. This means that instead of spending the majority of your day in the fight or flight response which elevates blood pressure and releases harmful stress hormones or chemicals , we can learn to choose healthier responses to at least some of those things that may be outside of our control.

For those employees who are also dealing with mental health issues such as depression or anxiety, finding relief from stressors is much more complicated. While appropriate treatment by qualified health providers is of primary importance, we can help the work situation by working with employees to develop personal plans that allow them to stay productive during times of illness and recovery. Our experience in working with hundreds of employees experiencing mental health issues has provided us with a multitude of ideas and strategies that have worked.

For general employee stress management, or for specific employee situations, give us a call today at 905-689-7447 to see how we can help.

Even with the best management, interpersonal issues can arise in workplaces. Sometimes what began as a dispute between two people can become an employee morale problem that affects entire teams. We have worked in organizations where people were emotionally distressed by the hostility, anger, bitterness, humiliation or frustration of their co-workers. In some cases, co-workers had not spoken to each other for years. Our approach is to break down the barriers by refusing to engage in blaming or shaming and instead asking everyone to engage in committing to a way forward. We involve each employee in the solution and offer only practical strategies that work in your unique environment. Are you tired of working in a stressed out or emotional environment? Let us help you enjoy going to work once again.

Understanding how we take in information and make decisions is important for our own self-awareness. Understanding that others may take in information and make decisions differently than we do is important for work dynamics. Appreciating how different approaches and styles complement each other can mean the difference between a good or a great team. Let us help your team become more self-aware and more able to take advantage of differences among team members.

We offer a series of workshops that begin with individual Myers-Briggs Type II profiles and culminates team development workshops. Let us tell you more.

You have tried everything and still cannot understand why your team is not performing the way they should? This workshop will help you develop a systematic approach to getting to the root of performance issues. From a lack of skills, knowledge or resources to the possibility of a mental or physical health problem, we will explore not only the causes, but the solutions to many performance issues. What you learn here can be applied to all situations to develop a plan to maximize performance, productivity and engagement with your team.

When an employee returns to work, especially after a mental health leave, there may be fear or uncertainty on the part of the supervisor and/or co-workers as well as for the employee. In some cases, unaddressed performance issues, previous conflicts with co-workers or concern about ongoing behaviours in the workplace are barriers to a successful reintegration into the workplace. Medical notes do not usually address any of these issues. Our return-to-work planning is not a replacement for sound medical or rehabilitation programs, rather it is the way for workplaces to ensure they have done all they can to allow the employee’s return to be successful in terms of productivity, performance and sustainability.

Our past cases have included complex and diverse situations involving a range of mental health issues including depression, bipolar, anxiety, PTSD, OCD, etc. We have worked in unionized environments, healthcare and educational settings, industrial and high-risk settings, corporate head offices and small business settings. We have helped professors, engineers, nurses, bus drivers, receptionists, and many others make a successful transition back into a work situation that effectively addressed the many issues that might have prevented them from staying at work.

Our approach is to understand the issues that existed before the leave, understand the situation that will exist after the return to work and develop a plan that addresses what the employee may need to stay productive, what they are willing to do to help themselves and how they want to deal with future issues as they arise. This comprehensive planning gives the supervisor a solid plan that honestly deals with the issues in an effective way.

The best time to call for our help is well before the employee actually returns to work.

Similar to our return to work planning process, this service is aimed at employees who are experiencing emotional distress, but this is for those who are still at work. In order to help resolve issues and to assist the employee in staying productive at work, we work on a plan that addresses whatever problems have arisen. Whether those problems include unaddressed performance issues, conflicts with co-workers, difficult relations between employee and supervisor, or concern about ongoing behaviours in the workplace we find ways to change the situation for the better.

Our past cases have included complex and diverse situations involving a range of mental health issues including stress, depression, bipolar, anxiety, PTSD, OCD, etc. We have worked in unionized environments, healthcare and educational settings, industrial and high-risk settings, corporate head offices and small business settings. We have helped professors, engineers, nurses, bus drivers, receptionists, and many others.

When you have tried everything and feel exasperated by the situation, it is time to call us.

Workshops and seminars for unions dealing with a variety of topics including: Self-care for Union Stewards – we recognize the personal emotional cost that can come with the position of union steward, especially when the work involves emotionally distressed members. This session helps experienced and newer stewards to recognize the risks to their own mental health and consider strategies to protect themselves while they are protecting the rights of their union brothers and sisters. Return to Work or Accommodation – When mental health is a factor, the negotiation for a successful return to work or accommodation can be challenging. Learning some of the strategies to assist workers with mental illnesses such as depression or anxiety-related disorders can make it easier. Custom sessions prepared to suit your group’s needs. Read CAW’s letter about work done with their health & safety representatives.