Manager To Manager Network (M2M) For Mental Health - Governance

The key objective of the M2M Network is to have a platform through which managers at all levels, i.e. any employee, irrespective of group and level, managing or supervising other employees, can connect and empower each other to help sustain a psychologically healthy and safe workplace for all employees reporting to them.

The M2M Network has been created within the context of the needs identified by ESDC managers during consultations, in particular, the need to have an informal, safe and confidential platform through which to connect with fellow managers to:

• Help address day to day mental health and wellness related stressors and challenges of their employees;
• Share ideas and personal experiences to help promote, prevent and/or respond to mental health and wellness needs of their employees;
• Learn about resources and tools available to them for situations with their employees that may require early intervention and/or active case management, as appropriate; and
• Develop skills, competencies and resiliency to promote and sustain a psychologically healthy and safe workplace for all their employees.

Through this one-on-one connection between managers, the M2M Network hopes to help managers discover ways to address stigma and systemic negative stereotypes and misconceptions associated with mental health.

The Network is not expected to respond to all the gaps identified by managers during consultations held in 2017; it is expected to be a progressive transformational initiative.

The M2M Network will be governed and delivered outside the performance management framework at ESDC. As such, the communication will be highly confidential and intended for the sole purpose of providing support to managers rather than to measure the performance in their role as managers.

Note: The M2M Network is not for managers who are personally experiencing MHW challenges for themselves (e.g. suffering from anxiety, depression or facing challenging personal or work related changes, etc.). Managers experiencing personal mental health and wellness related challenges may access the Peer to Peer Support Program (PSP) or other appropriate resources available at ESDC. Please see Annex B for a list of frequently asked questions pertaining to the M2M Network.

The M2M Network is a new initiative developed by the Mental Health Innovations (MHI), a consultancy firm, in collaboration with ESDC. It is based in great part on the Peer Support Program (PSP), a successful Program with a proven track-record of many years, developed by MHI. However, the needs of managers seeking support for their employees experiencing mental health and wellness related challenges are different from those of employees seeking support for their personal challenges. Therefore, it is important to test out the parameters for a platform that is an effective source of support to managers not only to meet their current needs but is also able to adjust and adapt to their evolving needs.

Therefore, as a first step, this initiative is being piloted with a smaller number of participants in order to validate the following: the governance structure and format of the Network, the role and competencies of Ambassadors and the guidelines and codes of conduct for the Ambassadors. However, as a completely new initiative, it is expected that in the first year, the Pilot Project will enable ESDC and MHI to determine the modifications needed to support Ambassadors to not only respond to the current needs expressed by managers but to also adjust and adapt to meet their evolving needs to reflect the changing nature of workplace and nature of work. Therefore, the monitoring and on-going evaluation of the Pilot Project will be a critical component in the first year to determine next steps.

The results of the Pilot will also serve as a foundation on which to build additional initiatives to achieve the objectives. Please see Annex C for the milestones and timelines of the Pilot Project.

M2M Ambassadors report to the ESDC National M2M Network Office (NMNO) who, during the pilot project period will report to the Co-Chairs of the Workplace Mental Health Implementation Committee who, in turn, report to the Departmental Mental Health Champion, who reports to the Senior Management at ESDC (see chart below). While the structure appears to be hierarchical, the aim and objective will be to have a governance structure that is dynamic and responsive to evolving needs.

Department (ESDC)

As an organization, ESDC is responsible for ensuring that the benefits of the Network are fully realized:

• Ensure full awareness of the program across the organization; promote and encourage use of the program through awareness and education programs for all employees; and
• Maintain open and on-going communication with the ESDC Workplace Mental Health Champion to ensure it is relevant to the needs of the managers.

Co-Chairs, Workplace Mental Health Implementation Committeee (ESDC)

During the Pilot Project, the Co-Chairs of the Workplace Mental Health Implementation Committee at ESDC will be accountable for the development, planning, implementation, improvement and oversight of the M2M Network to ensure that the Network meets the current and future needs of the managers by:

• Collaborating with MHI in the creation of the Network and its tools;
• Creating awareness of the program across the organization and promoting its use;
• Coordinating the training of a sufficient number of employees to be M2M Ambassadors, and ensuring, to the extent possible, that they represent the department’s diverse workforce;
• Providing and/or flagging on-going skills developing opportunities that M2M Ambassadors may be able to benefit from to ensure that the Department is building an on-going pool of talented resources to support the mental health and wellness objectives of the Department; and last, but not the least,
• Maintaining open and on-going communication with the different M2M Network stakeholders to ensure the program remains relevant to the needs of managers.

National M2M Network Office (NMNO) At ESDC

During the Pilot Project, the National M2M Network Management Office (NMNO) will be responsible for delivering on behalf of the Co-Chairs of the National Mental Health and Wellness Implementation Committee. In addition, NMNO responsibilities will include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Supporting all M2M Ambassadors;
• Being the primary contact for any issues, concerns, questions, and suggestions regarding the delivery of M2M Network at ESDC;
• Providing operational direction, advice and professional leadership as it relates to the development, implementation, operation and sustainability of the Network;
• Acting as focal point for collection and distribution of information and communications regarding the Network;
• Providing updates, advice, recommendations, and guidance on specific case management and resolution of critical issues concerning the Ambassadors, as and when required;
• Conducting and/or coordinating, as appropriate, the evaluation and reporting process;
• Identifying professional development and training requirements in consultation with the key stakeholders and/or professionals in the field; and
• Liaising and consulting with, as appropriate, the key stakeholders, mainly, the co-chairs of the Steering Committee of the National Mangers Community (NMC) at ESDC, on pertinent items.

M2M Ambassadors

M2M Ambassadors will be seasoned managers with the right profile, experience and competencies and who have been carefully selected through a selection process. They will be managers, i.e. anyone, irrespective of titles or levels, who have employees reporting to them, who have experience in supporting their employees facing mental health related challenges to either remain in the workplace or to help them integrate in the workplace after an extended leave, as appropriate. The M2M Ambassadors do not provide psychological counseling or clinical advice (see Annex D for details on the role of Ambassadors and their competency profile). A M2M Ambassador is a volunteer who agrees to an initial commitment of at least two years (renewable).

M2M Ambassador Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Successfully completing the M2M Ambassador orientation session, and additional training modules/sessions, as required;
• Establishing rapport with fellow colleagues and building a relationship based on trust, respect, genuineness and empathy while maintaining clear boundaries;
• Respecting and maintaining confidentiality of personal information as per Confidentiality section;
• Applying and respecting the principles of self-care to mitigate the impact of M2M Ambassador work on regular work load;
• Supporting colleagues as they strive to support their team members impacted by mental health related challenges and working towards creating a harmonious work teams and work environments;
• Exploring with colleagues the availability of existing resources to meet the various needs of their employees;
• Assisting with workplace education and promoting awareness, as required;
• Reporting non-denominational information on support rendered using the reporting tool (tbc);
• Performing other M2M Ambassador administrative duties, as identified over the course of the Pilot Project;
• Avoiding conflict of interest as an M2M Ambassador by not providing support to colleagues who may be related or where there may be other conflicts of interest;
• Agreeing and abiding by the ESDC Code of Conduct and the M2M Ambassador Guideline of Conduct (Annex E);
• At their discretion, reporting any issues to the designated point of contact of the NMNO in a timely manner;
• Maintaining regular contact with the designated contact to raise questions or concerns as a result of providing support as an M2M Ambassador;
• Briefing on trends, challenges or promising practices;
• Attending M2M Ambassador Training courses and annual professional development sessions to remain engaged and up to date with the evolution of the M2M Network; and
• Ensuring that their activities as a M2M Ambassador do not impede on their ability to perform the regular duties of their position.

All managers who have been screened in through the selection process must have participated in an orientation session before qualifying to become an Ambassador. Annex F provides details on the content of the orientation session.

Managers, i.e. any employee, irrespective of group and level, managing or supervising other employees, may access a M2M Ambassador through a self-matching process based on the inventory with a brief bio-data posted on ESDC Intranet (iService).

Managers who choose to connect with M2M Ambassador should expect to have a conversation with a manager who may have experienced similar situations in the past. They will facilitate an initial set of two (2) private, confidential meetings that could last between 30 to 60 minutes (See Annex G). These meetings may take place in person, by phone, through Lync, and/or by email, during work hours.

During these two (2) initial meetings, the M2M Ambassador will draw from their training, their personal lived experience as a manager and acquired skills throughout their career to offer support to managers who strive to find effective ways to support an employee experiencing or suspected of experiencing a mental health challenge. They may help identify how this situation could potentially impact the entire team and help identify potential next steps that could be taken and/or refer them to additional resources, if needed.

Similar to accessing other confidential services offered to all employees (e.g. the Employee Assistance Program or the Office of Informal Conflict Management) employees are free to access the M2M Network on their own accord and without having to request any type of approval.

Like most relationships, the support offered by ambassadors to managers will progress through stages. This relationship will likely reflect four (4) stages with each stage naturally forming an inherent part of the next one:

1. Building trust
2. Exchanging information and setting goals
3. Working towards goals /Referring to appropriate resources (See Annex H)
4. Ending the Formal Ambassador to Manager Relationship

In order to respect the four (4) phased approach of the M2M Network, after the second meeting, the manager and the ambassador will determine if additional meetings are required. If not, managers will be asked to complete a short survey to seek their feedback. Note: Details on the format for the survey and how it will be triggered remains to be finalized. However, on-going evaluation of all the features of the Network will be critical and data collected will serve as a foundation to determine next steps (see Annex I for examples of some of the indicators).

There are many ways for managers to be informed of the existence of the M2M Network. These may include, but not limited to:

• National Managers’ Community (NMC) at ESDC
• Team Leaders’ Community of Practice
• Management Committees at each Branch/Region
• Human Resources
• Union representative
• Employee Assistance Program
• Office of Informal Conflict Management
• Office of Values and Ethics
• ESDC Disability Management Process

One of the barriers identified by ESDC managers during consultations in 2017 was their fear of breach of confidentiality. Therefore, in order to create and maintain a safe environment for managers seeking support and to ensure the credibility of the M2M Network, all Ambassadors and users of the Network must respect confidentiality.

The standard rule of confidentiality applies to all M2M Network support activities as well as all individuals who are involved in the Network.

The names of managers and specific details about managers’ support, discussions and interactions must be kept confidential. Failure to maintain confidentiality will result in revocation of their role in the M2M Network. The only time that a breach of confidentiality can occur is in matters of imminent danger and in accordance with one of the following three requirements:

Confidentiality can be breached when there is:

• Imminent threat of harm to oneself; or
• Imminent threat of harm to others; or
• Suspicion of, or known, child abuse or serious neglect.

Questions and Concerns Related to Confidentiality

In any situation where an Ambassador is concerned about an issue of confidentiality, they should immediately get in touch with the designated contact from the NMNO who may, if necessary, involve the appropriate bodies within the Governance Structure or outside at their discretion while maintaining confidentiality.

The Ambassadors will discuss the nature of the case without disclosing the name of the manager or any specific details unless a breach of confidentiality is required.

Informed Consent

Written informed consent will be required from a manager before any information can be released or obtained from another individual, agency or institution, (unless the breach is for one of the three reasons stated above in which case informed consent is not required).

In a rare situation where this is appropriate, and if consent has been obtained, the Ambassador may share privileged information for the sole purpose of engaging additional support for the manager.

Retention of Information

At no point will an Ambassador maintain their own sets of notes on managers being supported. Ambassadors must use only the confidential tools (development in-progress) to convey the information for evaluation purposes.

Those working in an Ambassador to manager relationship may develop friendships over time. It is important to have clear boundaries and not allow personal bias to influence professional actions. M2M Ambassadors must stay mindful of maintaining confidentiality, objectivity and equal partnership.

In working with managers, there will be many occasions when Ambassadors must remind themselves that the role of an Ambassador is to become familiar with the challenges experienced by the manager, and offer support, advice and resources to assist.

An Ambassador will need to understand when it is time to transfer the support to another resource that will be better able to support the manager. In most cases, Ambassadors can further avoid boundary conflicts by:

• Developing strong positive working relationships with other Ambassadors within the organization to facilitate open and ongoing discussions on issues as they arise (while maintaining confidentiality);
• Consulting with the designated contact person of the NMNO in cases of difficulty;
• Respecting the mandate and dedication of all other professionals who work with managers;
• Doing so in a way that respects the other persons dignity; and
• Avoiding potential conflicts of interest, such as referring colleagues to Ambassadors who may be related or in conflict with each other.

Overstepping boundaries may put the Ambassador in the position where they become, from manager’s perspective, responsible for the outcome of events thereafter. Also, by giving specific direction to the manager or taking over the situation, the manager may interfere or unintentionally create conflict with another services or programs currently working with the manager OR to whom the manager should be referred to (i.e. Office of Informal Conflict Management, etc.).

However, an Ambassador may feel justified in embracing a mentoring approach and sharing his/her own experience to give insight. The manager must understand that the role of an Ambassador is to gain insight from the experiences of a colleague, however, any decisions or action they take following the discussion with an Ambassador is their choice and their sole responsibility. They cannot attribute any responsibility to the Ambassador.

An Ambassador who is drawn to act on behalf of the manager must be aware that this is not their role. Furthermore, this action may increase the manager’s sense of helplessness and delay the manager from gaining back control of their decisions.

Despite M2M Network being identified as a non-clinical service for non-urgent situations, manager with an employee in a crisis may instinctively contact someone they feel they can trust and who will bring a sense of reassurance. One such a person could be a M2M Ambassador. Once involved in a crisis, the Ambassador may not be in a position to postpone the discussion to a time where impact on operations is null or minimal.

Requests Requiring Immediate Attention by M2M Ambassador (during work hours)

A crisis such as (but not limited to): a manager of an employee with an intense and disruptive sadness or anger reaction, a panic attack, etc., evidently interrupts duties when occurring in the workplace, but can also greatly impact a manager’s capacity to remain calm and access the appropriate help, such as EAP. The support of a trusted and reassuring person to transition the situation to a more appropriate setting and resource is invaluable. It can be anyone in the vicinity at the time of crisis, but with M2M Network in place, the manager may prefer to call upon a M2M Ambassador.

In such circumstances, Ambassadors are asked to have an understanding with their supervisor ahead of time on the most efficient and appropriate way to advise that they will exceptionally be away from their desk to provide M2M support. A simple email or Lync message to the supervisor may be appropriate depending on the operational impact. Each Ambassador and their supervisor are to discuss and agree on what measures would be necessary in their particular operational environment. Should they have questions or require advice, they are asked to contact their designated contact at the NMNO.

To avoid delays in supporting a manager with an employee who may be seriously struggling or is potentially at great risk, the Ambassador will be expected to gauge whether the follow up with manager needs to be done immediately or not. If they deem the situation to warrant immediate action, they will not be required to consult or ask permission in order to proceed.

In keeping with respecting strict confidentiality practices, Ambassadors will not divulge the name or any details about the fellow colleague seeking help when advising their supervisor that they will leave their post. Indicating absence for M2M support shall be deemed sufficient and shall not be subject to further questions from the supervisor.

Should the support to fellow colleague be in person, every precaution should be taken to avoid the supervisor seeing who the Ambassador is meeting as it could breach confidentiality. In situations where this is inevitable, the supervisor is entrusted with protecting confidentiality. It is important for M2M Ambassadors to de-brief their supervisors of this trust should such a situation arise in future.

Emergencies and Extreme Situations

During a severe crisis situation, where imminent harm to self or others may occur, Ambassadors must not jeopardize their own personal safety. It is not the responsibility of Ambassadors to personally rescue any individual in a crisis. The Ambassador is not expected to physically intervene but rather to help their colleague access the appropriate resources.

Ambassadors MUST contact the appropriate services/authorities, even if they believe they could defuse the situation.

If, during an extreme/life threatening crisis, Ambassadors who are in contact with their fellow managers in person, must maintain their role and involve additional and separate resources appropriate to the circumstances. Ambassadors should not leave the manager alone unless the Ambassador’s safety is at risk.

If the contact is by phone every then effort must be made to not hang up on the manager. If the situation warrants, another means should be used to contact additional resources such as 911.

If weapons are known to exist, the Ambassadors should immediately call emergency services and forewarn them of the weapon. Ambassadors must never place themselves at risk by attempting to defuse a situation involving weapons.

Finally, in accordance with the ESDC Emergency Management and Business Continuity section for Medical Emergencies or for Threatening Messages , the Ambassadors should adhere to the following crisis protocol:

• Do not jeopardize own health or safety;
• Listen carefully to the needs and imminent problem;
• Assess the situation and identify the appropriate resource to address the situation;
• Help the manager determine if, and which community resource would be most helpful, and help the manager to overcome any roadblocks to accessing the resource;
• In cases where confidentiality must be breached, reach out to authorities (Police, EMS, Child Protective Services etc.) and ensure contacts are appropriately made;
• Inform the designated contact for M2M Network at the NMNMO to determine if other actions need to be taken;
• Attempt to stay connected to the manager, but remain at arms-length from the crisis per se: simply continue to be supportive;
• Proactively monitor self-care and ensure to remain engaged in self-care activities, especially following the crisis; and
• Follow up with the manager following the crisis.

All Ambassadors need to be fully aware that they can be negatively affected by another’s crisis. Self-care strategies must be exercised on a regular basis to foster personal wellness. When involved in a crisis situation, the Ambassadors must report to the designated contact at NMNMO and provide additional information on the situation. The NMNMO, in consultation with the Ambassador, will determine whether it is appropriate for the Ambassador to contact a professional clinician for reframing or for additional support.

The role of the Ambassador is revocable at the discretion of the National M2M Network Office, in consultation with the appropriate Governance Body. This action is appropriate for, but not limited to the following:

• Personal health issues that impact the Ambassador’s ability to support managers (note: temporary suspension only - the Ambassador may be eligible for Ambassador functions once wellness is re-established);
• Breach of the Ambassador Principals and Code of Conduct;
• Failure to maintain strict confidentiality, including topics discussed and personal details;
• Failure to follow M2M Network policies and directives;
• Acting against the recommendations of the governance bodies; ; and/or
• Continued absenteeism at M2M Network meetings or training sessions.

In agreeing to be an Ambassador, the employee agrees that the National M2M Network Office may, at any time, after proper assessment and evaluation, for a specific reason or reasons, recommend revoking the Ambassador of his/her support duties. Revocation of Ambassador will not affect the employee’s employment with the ESDC, barring normal circumstances covering employment as a public servant.

Revocation/Relief Process

The National M2M Network Office will investigate the details surrounding a potential revocation or suspension of an Ambassador. Results will be presented to the appropriate Governance body for a decision to be taken.

Barring violations of the ESDC Code of Conduct, any action taken within the program will not impact the Ambassador’s normal work duties, will not be recorded in annual performance review documents or employee’s work records, and will not have career implications unless the circumstances also included significant work-related issues.

Work-related issues must be evaluated in their own right and not be confused with M2M Network issues. Only work-related issues can have career implications. The actions of an Ambassador could have career/job implications if, for example:

• the Ambassador uses his/her knowledge of a member's managerial challenges to influence the manager's supervisor or colleagues, suggesting the manager is no longer capable of handling certain files or job responsibilities;
• the Ambassador violates ESDC overarching code of conduct; and
• the Ambassador spends too much time helping managers at the expense of his/her regular ESDC roles and responsibilities, negatively impacting his/her job performance in which case the job performance would be assessed and not the Ambassador’s efficacy as an Ambassador.

Supervisor / Ambassador Conflict

The NMNO will be brought in to act as an intermediary when there is a concern expressed by the Ambassador or a supervisor in relation to Ambassador Commitments. The NMNO, in coordination with the appropriate Governance body, will investigate the validity of the concern and propose a way forward for the two parties.

The Ambassadors must never break confidentiality in discussion with either a supervisor or the NMNO, unless exceptions stated in Confidentiality section are met.

Needs Identified

1. Understanding the role and responsibilities towards an employee affected by a mental health problem.
2. Understanding how to recognize changes in behaviors and performance that might be manifestations of a mental health problem.
3. Having strategies for supporting and managing an employee with mental health problems, for example
4. Contributing to helping the employee recover and remain at work while maintaining ethical boundaries.
5. Effectively managing the performance and mental health needs of other members of the team, while also considering manager’s own health needs.
6. Have access to a mentor that managers can talk to about their emotions and who leads them through the process of helping the employee or address behaviors and also build their self-confidence in the process
7. Help identify boundaries and how to self-care
8. Have access to a specific individual that knows the process; that knows about Mental Health issues and knows our work environment
9. Make sure managers avoid stigma and judgment and contribute in helping employees feel better and that they are taken seriously.
10. How to initiate a difficult conversation with an employee, e.g. how and when to talk directly to the employee.
11. Need to have access to an available credible resource, someone who can help address issues and has managers back
12. Feeling there is a global understanding of MH impacts at all level in the organization; that it's not only a performance issue that will affect productivity
13. Other complex situation (participants were asked to write these down)

Barriers identified that may limit the managers to access services in the area of mental health and wellness in the workplace

1. Been asked to maintain confidentiality by employee
2. Afraid being judged and being found incompetent/ weak as a manager
3. Don't want to challenge myself and be stuck with more responsibilities (maybe even worsen the situation)
4. Don't really know where to seek advice or help/ trust the person giving the advice
5. Afraid of reprisals after seeking advice/ effect on career opportunities
6. In case I don't have time because of workload to seek advice/ take care of action plan
7. I am not comfortable to ask for advice/ lack confidence towards resource
8. No reasons to not seek advice
9. Afraid to go to HR or Senior Management because of bad past experience
10. Self-Stigma regarding my own competence as a manager
11. We think we are able to find a solution by ourselves; experience.
12. I am hoping the situation will dissolve or resolve by itself/ pretend it doesn't exist

Beliefs identified that may impact the progress in the over-all health and wellness of employees in the workplace

1. A person with a mental health issue or condition should not be in a working place; they can't be trusted or should be re-allocated in another job or need more supervision; they are Problem employees that will affect productivity
2. That the person is lazy and can't handle themselves both with behaviors and workload
3. That the person is weak; just have to 'shake it off', don't do necessary efforts
4. We think that mental health is used as a reason to not come to work or take less workload or be less performant (if accommodated)
5. Judged as an issue pertaining to work ethic instead of seeing it a condition linked to a MH
6. It's ok to have Mental Health issues; workplace more open about it than before and offers resources and accommodations

Q1. What is the Manager to Manager Network?

The Manager to Manager Network (M2M) is a resource through which ESDC managers at all levels can connect and empower each other in an informal, safe and confidential manner to help sustain a psychologically healthy and safe workplace for their employees.

Q2. What is the difference between the Peer Support Program (PSP) and the M2M Network?

Like M2M Network, the Peer Support Program (PSP) is also a confidential and non-clinical mental health support. However, while the PSP provides support to all employees for their own personal mental health related challenges, the M2M provides support to managers seeking support to help sustain a psychologically healthy and safe workplace for their employees.

Q3. Who are M2M Network Ambassadors?

The M2M Ambassadors are seasoned managers who can dip into the lessons learned from their experience as managers supporting employees facing mental health related challenges, and share them with fellow managers facing similar situations. The M2M Ambassadors are also familiar with the complexities associated with providing support, as opposed to clinical advice, in the mental health and wellness related areas.

Q4. How can the M2M Ambassadors support their fellow colleagues?

• By listening to their issues and by sharing ideas and personal experiences to help managers promote, prevent and/or respond to the mental health and wellness needs of their employees;
• By having a good understanding of the various mental health and wellness related resources available to managers for targeted follow up, if necessary; and
• By promoting self-care to managers to ensure they are cognizant of resources available to them for their personal support, if and when required.

Q5. What is a mental health challenge?

A mental health challenge refers to a wide spectrum of circumstances. These can include, but are not limited to:

• Feelings of depression or anxiety;
• Substance abuse or other self-destructive behaviors; or
• Any mental health related diagnosis.

It may also include life/workplace challenges such as:

• A marriage breakdown;
• A severe workplace stress or conflict;
• A feeling of being overwhelmed or of emotional turmoil; or
• The loss of a loved one or a colleague.

Q6. How is the M2M Network different from the other professional services, such as the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), available to all employees at ESDC?

Unlike other professional services, such as the EAP, the M2M Network is a non-clinical support system offered to managers. M2M Ambassadors can only provide support. While this may empower and inspire hope in their fellow colleagues, they are not counselors or health professionals.

Q7. How will managers be able to get access to a M2M Ambassador?

ESDC managers will be able to select a M2M Ambassador they wish to consult from a list posted on iService and connect with them directly at work, in complete privacy, for a confidential conversation. That being said, it will be up to the M2M Ambassador to determine if they can support this manager based on each unique situation.

Q8. What if I do not want anyone in my work environment to know about my workplace issues?

The M2M Network is national in scope and consultations can be done virtually. A M2M Ambassador can be contacted at work in person, by phone, by Lync or by email. Ambassadors have no designated territory or regional attachment and can therefore be contacted regardless of their geographical location, thus offering managers the possibility of maintaining confidentiality.

Q9. Will measures be put in place to ensure confidentiality?

Yes. M2M Ambassadors will adhere to a strict Guideline of Conduct that includes clear confidentiality expectations, in line with current ESDC policies regarding Protection of Privacy. The Guidelines of Conduct will be enforced by the ESDC National M2M Network Office (NMNO) at Human Resources and Services Branch (HRSB).

Q10. What if a M2M Ambassador considers a manager’s usage of M2M Network to be improper?

If M2M Ambassadors have reasons to be concerned, they will raise their concerns with the designated contact at the National M2M Network Office (NMNO) at HRSB and discuss next steps while maintaining confidentiality.

Q11. Will the program be evaluated?

Yes. Pertinent data on the M2M Network will be collected and analyzed to ensure that it is meeting the actual needs of managers. The Network also has an “ever-green” governance structure to ensure that the Network continues to remain relevant and pertinent. Managers’ confidentiality will be strictly respected during all steps of the evaluation process.

Q.12. What if the manager being helped breaches confidentiality? What are the consequences for the manager?

It would be very important to inform the participants to respect confidentiality of any process of information they are entrusted with. That said, if there is a breach of information, it would be important for the Ambassador to report it to the parties in question, whether that is to the person involved or through the breach of information process.

Q.13. If managers offer a gift to Ambassadors to thank them for their help, can the Ambassadors accept them?

Generally speaking, gifts between public servants are acceptable. The exceptions to this would be giving a gift to someone in exchange for a favour, preferential treatment, or a gift of an inappropriate nature.

Summary of the Role

M2M Ambassadors are seasoned managers with experience in creating and maintaining psychologically healthy and safe workplaces for their teams. Based on their lived experience as managers, M2M Ambassadors will be able to offer support to their fellow colleagues to:

• Promote, prevent and/or respond to the mental health and wellness needs of their employees;
• Address day to day challenges associated with the mental health and wellness needs of their employees;
• Refer them to different resources available to respond to the specific challenges they are experiencing with their employees; and
• Refer managers to appropriate resources if they feel or detect that the manager seeking support may also need support for their own personal mental health.

M2M Ambassadors do not provide psychological counselling or clinical advice

Competency Profile

1. Acting with Empathy and Compassion

Definition: Genuinely seeking to understand and respecting others’ perspectives and emotions; encouraging a culture of compassion, empathy and support within and beyond the organization.

Required competence: Level 3 (Demonstrates empathy and compassion in difficult or complex situations)

2. Fostering Communication

Definition: Listening and communicating openly, honestly, and respectfully with different audiences, promoting dialogue and building consensus.

Required Competence: Level 3 (Adapts Communication)

3. Exemplifying Integrity

Definition: Treating others fairly, honestly, and respectfully, furthering the integrity of the organization and its relationships of trust with the broader community.

Required Competency: Level 2 (Handles ethical dilemmas effectively within teams relying on own judgement and values, while respecting confidentiality)

4. Fostering Learning and Development

Definition: Supporting others to develop and learn, recognizing their achievements, and building an organizational culture where knowledge and growth are valued and rewarded.

Required Competency: Level 2 (Guides Others)

5. Emotional Intelligence

Definition: Understanding the emotions of self and others, managing own emotions, and influencing others.

Required Competency: Level 2 (Understands emotions in a range of situations)

Principals

Commitment – An M2M Ambassador is committed to the role of supporting managers of ESDC who are experiencing challenges in meeting the needs of their employees who are facing mental health related challenges and to help them create a psychologically healthy and safe workplace

Acceptance - An M2M Ambassador is empathetic, and free of judgment

Communication - An M2M Ambassador is effective in different interpersonal contexts and capable of adjusting their communication style to meet the needs of the manager they are supporting.

Optimism & Faith - An M2M Ambassador focuses on and affirms the potential of the managers they support and has faith that every challenge has a solution.

Guidelines Of Conduct

Ambassadors shall:

Refrain from offering clinical advice and guidance.

Refrain from giving advice or information that may be confidential, misleading or where it is not possible to assess its accuracy. Important: Where information relates to regulated industries such as legal or finance information, Ambassadors should not give advice in these areas.

Always look for opportunities to enhance understanding and acceptance of the M2M Network wherever appropriate.

Share skills, knowledge and experience with fellow Ambassadors to further increase the body of knowledge, skills and competencies of the network.

At all times, operate within the limits of their own competence, recognise where that competence has the potential to be exceeded and where necessary refer the manager either to a more experienced Ambassador, or support and/or refer the manager in seeking the help of another professional, such as a counsellor, psychotherapist or business/financial advisor.

Develop and continually enhance their level of the identified competencies by participating in relevant training and appropriate Continuing Professional Development activities.

Be aware of the potential for conflicts of interest that may arise through developing relationship between the Ambassador and the manager and deal with them quickly and effectively to ensure there is no harm? to the manager.

Act within applicable ESDC policies, code of ethics and federal public service regulations and do not encourage, assist or collude with others engaged in conduct which is dishonest, unlawful, unprofessional or discriminatory.

Not exploit the manager in any manner, including, but not limited to, financial, emotional or sexual, and refrain from exceeding the professional bounds of the relationship.

The M2M Network will solicit interest from managers at ESDC who are interested in volunteering their time to assist ESDC continue to develop and sustain a mentally healthy and psychologically safe workplace. Following an initial screening, selected candidates will be invited to a competency based interview process to determine if they are a good fit for the M2M Network.

Successful candidates will be required to attend an orientation session to help them better understand their role and how it is meant to complement other services and programs. References will be required from each applicant and reference check will be performed as the final selection stage. The candidates will be given the opportunity at the end of the orientation and training session to confirm their intention of becoming an Ambassador. The trainer retains the right to ask the candidate, after the orientation session, to go through other training and be re-assessed before becoming an Ambassador.

M2M Orientation Session - General Overview

Mental Health Innovations (MHI) Workplace M2M Network Orientation Session is a 2-day course tailored to meet the needs of Ambassadors who will be supporting managers throughout the M2M Network for ESDC.

This orientation session has been designed to help the Ambassadors better understand their unique role and how it is meant to complement other services and programs. Our curriculum is delivered by an experienced facilitator who engages participants in keeping with the basic principles of adult education. It will be offered in English and French.

The following provides a synopsis of each Part (1 to 6) of the orientation and states the learning objectives.

Check List

This process provides structure to the supportive process between the manager and the M2M Ambassador. It can serve to guide the initial conversation in a casual way or be more formally completed when there are many goals that are sought to be achieved.

It is recommended that your goals be examined and your progress discussed periodically.

Goal #1:

• Benefits to You:
• Benefits to the organisation:
• Potential barriers to success:
• External resources needed to achieve goal:
• How will we know we are making progress?

Guidelines for Ambassadors

1. Share ideas and personal experiences to help managers promote, prevent and/or respond to the mental health and wellness needs of their employees;
2. Support the manager to face day to day challenges associated with the mental health and wellness challenges of their employees;
3. Possess high levels of situational awareness regarding the various resources available to further assist the manager deal with the challenges presented by their employee or team; and
4. Determine if the manager seeking support also needs self-care and if so, provide referral to appropriate resources.

Advisory service

• Employee Assistance Program – Service for managers
• The APEX Advisory Service for Executives
• Office of Informal Conflict Management

Learning

• Coaching for Supervisors – Mental Health (Office of Informal Conflict Management)
• Online training: Mental Health in the Workplace for Managers

Tools and guides

• Mental Health First Aid in the Workplace – Manager’s Guide (PDF, 8.6 KB)
• Guide for Managers: Proactive Management of Paid Sick Leave (DOCX, 208 KB)
• Departmental Guidelines – Duty to Accommodate in the Workplace
• Examples of Accommodation Strategies for Functional Limitations Related to Psychological Job Demands (DOCX, 324 KB)
• Departmental process on Disability Management and Return to Work

External Resources

• Public Health Agency of Canada: Mental Health
• Health Canada: Healthy Living - Mental Health
• The Stress Invasion: The Other Crisis in Climate Change (PDF, 153 KB)
• Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety
• Canadian Mental Health Association
• Guarding Minds @ Work
• Jean-Pierre Brun: Bien-être et efficacité organisationnelle (in French only)
• Mental Health Commission of Canada
• Mental Health Works
• Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health Workplace Strategies for Mental Health

Ambassadors

• Did your training prepare you adequately for this role?
• Were you able to fulfill your role?
• How many meetings were needed to support the manager resolve the issues identified?

Manager seeking support

• Were you able to build a safe and trusting relationship with your Ambassador?
  • Did you feel judged?
• Did you feel your ambassador had the knowledge and experience to help resolve the issue you were faced with?
• If referred to other resources were these effective in helping you resolve the issue(s) you faced?
• After a referral did your Ambassador follow up with you?
• Did you require more than the 2 initial meetings to help resolve the issue(s) you faced?

To Be Developed Further