Mary Ann Baynton

MSW, Director of Collaboration and Strategy, Workplace Strategies for Mental Health

Mary Ann Baynton serves as the Director of Collaboration and Strategy for Workplace Strategies for Mental Health. She’s held the role since the inception of the Great-West Life Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace, predecessor to Workplace Strategies, in 2007. She is also principal of Mary Ann Baynton & Associates, where she consults with all levels of government and a diverse range of organizations, including unions, associations and institutions across the country. Mary Ann’s areas of expertise include workplace mental health, psychological safety, conflict resolution and performance concerns. She strives to help people get unstuck, move beyond problems, restore productivity and improve their working lives.

Summary of contributions

What is your window of tolerance for stress? Is it narrow, causing you to respond with fear or...

This framework provides policy recommendations for potential impacts on psychological health and...

Activities and strategies that take a strengths-based approach can help you build your teen’s...

Mandi Luis-Buckner inspired Working through it and talks about her own experience with mental...

A team building activity to help acknowledge team accomplishments. Have employees share a success...

Learn how you can assess and take action to ensure diversity and inclusion...

These questions and strategies can help you have a supportive conversation with someone you care...

Explore what impostor syndrome is, what triggers it and how to address self-doubt...

Improve your ability to accurately identify your emotions, understand why you react the way you do,...

Try these tips and techniques to resolve conflict issues yourself...

Psychosocial hazards are potential causes of psychological harm at work. All statements in the...

It can seem daunting to prioritize and choose those evidence-based actions most likely to improve...

Here are protective self-care strategies you can use both at work and outside of work.

...

Increase mental health awareness in 5 minutes per week with this email series delivered to your...

Learn about the responses to grief and ways you can cope after the death of a loved one or another...

Loneliness is directly linked to health, life and work satisfaction outcomes. Learn strategies for...

Quick and practical tips for responding to co-worker questions about your health...

Learn what’s offered and how your confidentiality is protected with an EAP...

Unless you agree with everything others say or do, confrontation is inevitable. When you’re...

Get tips to make a great first impression while managing the stress and demands of a new job...

Improve your ability to effectively regulate stress and appropriately express emotional reactions,...

Key research and reports...

This team-building activity can help build resiliency through improved social support and...

Whether at work or returning to work, supporting an employee to be successful is especially...

You may have spent a lot of time and effort saving and planning for your financial well-being in...

Try these strategies to help identify risks and to prevent burning out...

This page highlights some cultural and religious celebrations that may be significant to your...

You can be more effective if you take a few moments to reflect on your assumptions and intentions...

Learn how to engage the Indigenous community through recruiting and collaboration. The following...

Healthy break activities are no- to low-cost and are designed to encourage employees to take...

You can manage stress better when you learn how to manage workload and work-life balance. Engage...

Check out these strategies to help employees maintain their well-being while working with a boss...

Learning to provide constructive criticism can help you resolve issues without conflict or...

These ideas may help you to create and implement a supportive policy for those who’ve...

Effective assessments help organizations identify strengths and areas for improvement. Each of...

Anger can be a difficult emotion to experience because of your upbringing, societal norms and fear...

Online support groups are available for a wide variety of mental or physical health issues. You...

These resources can help increase mental health awareness and support positive well-being both in...

Use these questions and strategies to help health and safety committees integrate psychological...

Find resources to support the mental health of working parents and children at all stages of their...

News and articles related to Workplace Strategies for Mental Health. Subscribe to be among the...

This resource helps to assess how employees experience being a member of your team...

Learn how to relax and reduce stress in this four-part series. These videos can be viewed with a...

Research data that shows how effective psychological health and safety is in the workplace...

Strategies to help you create meaningful and productive conversations with team members...

Tips and strategies to effectively give positive feedback...

With an aging workforce, awareness of dementia helps with early recognition, effective risk...

Relaxing break activities improve physical and mental capacities and can reduce stress at work. Do...

Energizing break activities can help improve your sense of well-being, focus and productivity. Do...

Calming break activities can help release stress and improve your concentration. Do these...

How to help someone who is experiencing psychosis until professional help arrives or the crisis...

Compare your accommodation policies and procedures to relevant human rights legislation. Included...

Employees can use this information to request a plan or accommodation to address their workplace...

Lead a team discussion to address psychological competencies and demands in your workplace. This...

Trauma is a subjective experience for everyone. This is also true for the way we interact and...

Balancing your work and personal life can be challenging and stressful at times. These tips

...

Working from home comes with unique challenges. Learn strategies to support your well-being while...

Information on how to work successfully while being neurodivergent or living with attention deficit...

This tool can help develop an accommodation or work plan when psychological, emotional, cognitive...

This 2-part team-building activity engages the team in developing a process to respectfully hold...

Accountability within a team helps foster trusting, safe, and cohesive relationships. But holding...

Tips to enhance the orientation or onboarding process for new employees or those taking on new...

Explore how you can proactively remove barriers and support inclusion and accessibility for clients...

This series of questions can help you pro-actively plan for the quality of life you desire in...

You can use these tools, strategies and information when experiencing mental health issues at work...

Learn how to manage your reactions to stress and protect your well-being...

This collection of activities, videos and audio clips can help you manage stressful, anxious or...

Tips to support employees who are also caring for loved ones. Understanding and flexibility can...

Inclusion is now an expectation at work. Learn tips and strategies to help you provide and maintain...

Learn to identify and understand implicit bias, microaggressions and intersectionality. Whether the...

Learn how to develop policy, processes and training to address and eliminate harassment in the...

Implement these actions and responses with a minimal investment of resources or cost to the...

Check out these actions and resources for leaders to improve communication and collaboration. Learn...

These team-building activities can help improve team effectiveness. Leaders and team members can...

Learn why team resilience matters at work and how to support it. You’ll see actionable...

This team-building activity helps team members collaborate on solutions and strategies they can use

...

Review unique and sector specific psychosocial risks and approaches. Strategies are also provided...

Not sure where to begin in addressing psychological health and safety in your workplace? We can...

Help prepare leaders and employees to respond to traumatic incidents at work. Planning ahead can...

How to plan a successful return to work for your employee. Prevent issues by maintaining contact...

The 2021 Psychological Health and Safety in Canadian Workplaces survey looked at psychological...

A framework to help your organization prevent discrimination, harassment, bullying, trauma, burnout...

Performance management focuses on helping employees succeed. These approaches also support...

Questions to help leaders develop a psychologically safe organizational culture...

Use these workshop materials to help make it easier for decision-makers to say yes to psychological...

This free suite of resources helps organizations and leaders assess and improve psychological...

Psychological health means being able to think, feel and behave in a way where we can effectively...

Try the following tips to refine or create effective and enforceable policies to prevent violence...

A guide to use the free resources offered to assess and address psychological health and safety...

Strategies for union reps to help workers with mental or physical disabilities. Support from union...

How to identify and respond to indications of suicidal behaviour. Evidence-based strategies to...

How to identify and address potential discrimination and promote inclusivity. Engage your workforce...

Improve your ability to understand others’ emotions and reactions and respond in a supportive...

Links to organizations that provide questionnaires and tools that explore health concerns...

Improve your ability to communicate in an assertive, respectful, and non-defensive manner. This is...

This includes how to make the business case, get buy-in, communicate your plan, and choose your...

Learn to lead a team discussion to address psychological protection in the workplace. This resource...

Learn how to lead a team discussion to address psychological and social support at work. This...

Learn how to lead a team discussion to address organizational culture at work. This resource...

Suggested actions are based on research or practice that can help mitigate the risk of psychosocial...

Check out these actions and resources for leaders to improve social intelligence. Learn how to lead...

Check out these actions and resources for leaders to improve problem solving and conflict...

Support all leaders to ensure a psychologically safe work environment for employees. There are free...

This free resource helps leaders become aware of the impact they can have on the psychological...

Learn how the Psychologically Safe Leader Assessment (PSLA) helps you align with the National...

Check out these actions and resources for leaders to improve fairness and integrity. Learn to...

How to build resilience and reduce the impact of stressors for post-secondary students. This...

Use these resources and strategies to set a baseline and develop a plan to create and maintain a...

Develop a peer support program as part of a psychologically safe workplace. Learn strategies from...

On the agenda offers free materials and facilitator tools to address psychosocial factors. Create...

A mentor is someone who supports a peer or employee on their work journey. They are a trusted...

Accommodation, return to work, Employee Assistance Plans, stigma, suicide prevention and peer...

Strategies to deal with employee fears, concerns or resentments about their co-worker's...

The National Standard recommends management review the psychological health and safety outcomes at...

Actions to protect psychological safety for employees who are new to the country. Learn about the...

In addition to insights and strategies from Indigenous leaders and managers, elders and colleagues...

Learn how to implement the National Standard on Psychological Health and Safety in the workplace...

Learn how to embed psychological health and safety (PHS) approaches at work. These ideas and...

Impaired employees could exhibit erratic behaviours that can escalate to a workplace crisis. Learn...

Build on current actions that already support psychological health and safety at work. Identify...

Peer support began as a way to offer compassionate support to those with mental health and...

These strategies benefit those who manage, support or lead employees and can help increase...

Address discrimination and promote inclusion through your policies and processes. You’ll help...

Any organizational change may have an unsettling impact on employees. You can help through...

The background of Guarding Minds at Work includes the history dating back to before its launch in...

Learn about Guarding Minds and how to use it to take action on psychological health and safety at...

Below, we've included statements from the Guarding Minds at Work employee survey. They are grouped...

The organizational review asks similar questions to the employee survey but is for senior...

Share why and how you’re addressing psychological health and safety (PHS) at work. This can...

You can put these actions and responses in place with few resources and minimal cost to the...

You can implement these actions and responses with few resources and limited cost to the...

Implement these actions and responses with minimal cost to the organization...

Implement these actions and responses at low or no cost to the organization...

Implement these actions and responses at low or no cost to the organization...

Put these actions and responses in place with little to no cost to the organization...

These actions and responses can be put in place with only a minimal investment of resources or cost...

Suggested actions are based on research or practice that can improve each psychosocial factor. In...

High levels of engagement can influence a positive organizational culture. And a positive...

This is a free online program for all employees. They can learn how to contribute to a...

When employees struggle with workload stress, it’s important to focus on easing the stress...

Improve your Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to respond to mental health-related issues. At your...

Use the activities provided to improve emotional intelligence related to leading, managing or...

Background, bibliography and methodology for the development of the free Emotional intelligence...

Emotional intelligence is the ability to manage our own emotions as well as recognize and...

It’s likely that at some point managers will need to discuss difficult topics with employees...

Psychological well-being plays an important role in a making a safe workplace. These resources can...

This conflict resolution process provides a technique that can be especially effective when stress...

Make sure your approach to psychological health and safety is documented and communicated...

Learn to describe your emotions based on their level of intensity. This can improve...

Approaches to identify and respond when you feel an employee may be at risk of domestic violence...

A series of questions to help identify psychosocial hazards and manage the potential for...

Safely support productivity for employees with mental health issues who are at work or returning to...

Explore how you can navigate change to help you accept and adapt to changes beyond your control...

Learn how to help co-workers who are struggling with mental health issues. The following steps can...

Resources to help cope with financial stress. Take action to regain control of money issues related...

Resources to help cope with family issues such as divorce, separation, grief and loss that can...

Links to free evidence-based apps, some with paid options, which can help with your mental health...

How to identify employee burnout, recognize workplace factors and take pro-active steps for...

Questions and strategies to help you have a supportive conversation when someone you care about...

Setting healthy boundaries helps support mental well-being. It includes prioritizing adequate...

Use this tool to help you have a conversation with your leader about your current workload and ways...

These workshop materials and personal stress tools can help develop skills to identify and manage...

These resources can help you support an employee to improve their performance and productivity...

Most people react negatively to being blamed or shamed. Learn how to choose language that avoids...

Learn how to adjust the intensity with which you communicate to improve your ability to clearly get...

Learn how to show your employees you’re trustworthy by exploring these core competencies and...

A variety of activities are provided to help leaders strengthen their skills in the areas of...

When people come to you with suggestions or requests, taking the time to understand where they are...

Building self-compassion can help you overcome anxious or negative feelings towards yourself...

Being mindful while moving can help reduce feelings of anxiety by taking your attention away from...

Employee stress can be better managed when we learn how to manage workload and work−life...

Teams can face issues, such as conflict, bullying, high demands or low control. By increasing the...

Policies and programs aimed at preventing harm and improving organizational excellence have more...

Avoiding potential discrimination and promoting inclusivity can help strengthen our workplaces,...

A leader’s guide for team-building activities that develop resilience, emotional intelligence...

Learn how to facilitate a team discussion to address and improve workload management in the...

Learn how to facilitate a team discussion to address and improve balance in the workplace. This...

Learn how to facilitate a team discussion to address recognition and reward in the workplace. This...

Learn how to facilitate a team discussion to address physical safety in the workplace. This...

Learn how to facilitate a team discussion to address and improve growth and development in the...

Learn how to facilitate a team discussion to address and improve engagement in the workplace. This...

Learn how to facilitate a team discussion to address and improve civility and respect in the...

Learn how to facilitate a team discussion to address and improve involvement and influence in the...

Learn how to facilitate a team discussion to address and improve leadership and expectations in the...

A tool to help you bounce back after a health, personal or work crisis. This resource helps you...

Learn how to use appreciative inquiry in your role as a leader, manager or supervisor...

These free workshop materials help show how behaviours might be interpreted as bullying, regardless...

Support psychological safety by approaching workplace issues in terms of solutions instead of...

Resources for supporting performance in a psychologically safe way, even when mental health is an...

Blame and shame are ineffective in motivating desired behaviours and often actually backfire. Read...

This approach can help you understand the perspective of someone who is upset...

Help employees commit to their own success and have them explain what they need to succeed. Respond...

Learn how all employee requests or behaviours are attempts at meeting a need. Learn how to ask...

Workplace Strategies for Mental Health resources are available to anyone, anytime, at no cost. You...

Listening is an important communication skill that becomes even more critical when you're listening...

When people are told their opinions are wrong, they’re likely to become defensive or shut...

Learn how to express respect and appreciation to your employees...

Check out these actions and resources for leaders to improve security and safety. Learn how to...

Create an action plan for improving psychologically safe leadership strategies. There are free...

These actions help hold employees accountable to work together in inclusive ways. They do not cost...

The goal of accommodation is to remove barriers so an employee remains productive and feels...

We have options for dealing with stress and adversity. Learn how one of the four A’s –...

Our thoughts are not facts. They are often assumptions, reactions or unfair self-criticisms. Learn...

Questions for assessing an employee's propensity for violence in the workplace. Consider...

Strategies for supporting employees when a co-worker has died by or attempted suicide. This...

Questions and strategies to help you have a supportive conversation when someone you care about...

How to pay the bills when you are unable to work. Ideas for income sources if you are unemployed or...

Information to help identify the signs of impairment and respond effectively. These strategies can...

In a hybrid team, some employees work on-site and some work remotely. Read more to learn how to...

Tools and resources for managing your own health and wellness, as well as information for helping...

During times of stress, it's usually easier to use your strengths instead of your weaknesses...

Our own emotions, including frustration, guilt or pity can impact our ability to respond to someone...

Learn to respond more effectively when you’re angry...

Questions to help evaluate the pros and cons of disclosing an illness or health condition at work...

These strategies can help you have supportive conversations with employees and avoid triggering...

This process is used in collaboration with adult team members to develop their own agreement about...

Strategies to prevent, prepare for and react effectively in times of distress. Thoughtful measures...

Step-by-step guidelines to collaborate with an employee to develop their own strategies for...

Questions and strategies to help you have a supportive conversation when someone you care about...

Capture employee perspectives and knowledge to support a smooth transition to retirement. Help your...

Support psychological health and safety at work by establishing costs and learning about legal...

The Stress satisfaction scan is a 6-item employee questionnaire that indicates to what extent your...

Understand and analyze your Guarding Minds at Work report so that you can recommend an effective...

Each of the statements included in the Guarding Minds at Work employee survey are available for...

Many people feel uncomfortable with these displays of emotion. Learn how to respond in a more...

Learn to manage difficult or troubling thoughts so they don’t dictate your mood or reactions...

Tips to be a more courageous leader and develop a team where psychological safety supports...

Ask yourself these questions to get a picture of what's going on with you right now. Take this list...

Learn how to seek employee feedback in a productive and psychologically safe way...

In a busy work environment, you may find it challenging to connect with your team in a meaningful...

Tips for evaluating and adjusting a psychological health and safety management system. These...

When employees have mental illnesses, effective accommodation can help them stay productive at...

Learn to understand the emotion, so you’re better positioned to deal with sadness in yourself...

Learn to understand the emotion, so you’re better positioned to deal with guilt in yourself...

Learn to understand the emotion, so you’re better positioned to deal with shame in yourself...

Learn to understand the emotion, so you’re better positioned to deal with anger in yourself...

Learn to understand the emotion, so you’re better positioned to deal with fear in yourself...

In this fun activity, the team will learn how to communicate without their message being...

Strategies for frontline supervisors and managers to better respond to employees returning to work...

Learn how Canada became the first country to have a national standard for psychological health and...

A team-building activity to understand and avoid microaggressions...

Intersectionality focuses on the overlap of various social identities one person may hold. This...

A team building activity about articulating core values to identify goals and understand...

An activity to help recognize how something as simple as colouring can help relax both mind and...

This team activity explores how expressing anger constructively may be the best way to minimize...

This activity helps us understand our own emotional triggers in order to choose an effective...

Video interviews with people who experienced mental health issues at work discussing what helped...

When you can describe the best version of yourself, you’ll be able to reach your goals more...

Tips and strategies to make it easier to advocate for the health and well-being of our loved ones...

Effective collaboration strategies for collective bargaining, accommodation and organizational...

Terminating employees can be done in a psychologically safer way. The following suggestions can...

This activity helps team members to identify and think about specific ways to build their...

This activity helps team members develop skills for calming the mind, improving focus and reducing...

Free online tool by Psychological Foundation of Canada for practical problem-solving to address the...

Questions and strategies to help you have a supportive conversation when someone you care about...

Questions and strategies to help you have a supportive conversation when someone you care about...

Questions and strategies to help you have a supportive conversation when someone you care about...

Questions and strategies to help you have a supportive conversation when someone you care about may...

Questions and strategies to help you have a supportive conversation when someone you care about...

Questions and strategies to help you have a supportive conversation when someone you care about may...

Questions and strategies to help you have a supportive conversation when someone you care about...

Questions and strategies to help you have a supportive conversation when someone you care about is...

Questions and strategies to help you have a supportive conversation when someone you care about is...

Questions and strategies to help you have a supportive conversation when someone you care about is...

Questions and strategies to help you have a supportive conversation when someone you care about is...

Questions and strategies to help you have a supportive conversation when someone you care about is...

Questions and strategies to help you have a supportive conversation when someone you care about is...

Questions and strategies to help you have a supportive conversation when someone you care about...

Questions and strategies to help you have a supportive conversation when someone you care about...

Objective observation of a negative thought can help create some emotional distance between you and...

People lie for all kinds of reasons. On this page, we talk about reasons people lie, how you can...

Tactful words to use when referring employees to mental health resources for a variety of reasons...

Learn strategies you can put in place to protect the mental health of isolated workers...

Learn about reaching out for or becoming a peer supporter in the workplace. Peer supporters draw on...

A process to create a team-level purpose statement that helps clarify the value and contribution...

Techniques to help you reduce anxiety and deal with stressors more effectively throughout your day...

Learn to build, maintain and deepen any relationship for a stronger connection...

Psychological injury can happen as a result of severe stress or trauma. There are approaches to...

Exploring and learning from a challenging thought can help you avoid being overwhelmed by negative...

Select statements from the Guarding Minds at Work employee survey were identified by the...

Select statements from the Guarding Minds at Work employee survey were identified by the...

Questions related to copyright, customization and functionality of Guarding Minds at Work are...

These actions and responses can be implemented with a minimal investment of resources or cost to...

These actions and responses can be implemented with a minimal investment of resources or cost to...

These actions and responses can be implemented with a minimal investment of resources or cost to...

These actions and responses can be implemented with a minimal investment of resources or cost to...

These actions and responses can be implemented with a minimal investment of resources or cost to

...

These questions can help you to open up a conversation that can foster and improve psychological...

By challenging angry thoughts, you can cut through the emotion to get to whatever needs to be...

Activities to help you connect inwardly and show up more fully in your day-to-day life...

Choosing to do acts of kindness can elicit positive emotions such as joy and gratitude, which play...

Anger is a reaction to a perceived or an actual injustice. Sometimes we react with behaviours that...

We associate our emotions – positive or negative – with the ways we think about...

Review the pros and cons of asking demographic questions in your Guarding Minds at Work employee...

Learn how to support your employees during loss and while at work. Effective strategies can help...

Tips and strategies that can help you adjust to routines, re-establish social connections and...

Suggested questions for a productive conversation about an employee’s engagement and...

Use this checklist to assess how you are feeling right now. Take this list to your health...

When we’re triggered, our reactions may be difficult for us and others to handle. Learn how...

Throughout the employment life cycle, there are opportunities to protect psychological health and...

Questions to ask individuals and teams at the end of a project to discover lessons learned and...

This activity assists team members in developing constructive and...

When we express judgment and criticism we may shut down any chance of an open and honest...

Tips and strategies to communicate when someone is emotional...

Free activities to increase your ability to manage your reactions and control how you impact...

This team activity helps team members set positive intentions for a day, meeting, project, event or...

This team activity asks each member to anonymously share how they have contributed to a positive...

This team-building activity helps team members think about and articulate the strengths that others...

This team-building activity can help develop a sense of openness and trust amongst the team...

This team-building activity encourages employees to reflect on past challenges and share coping...

Strategies that can help you provide negative feedback in a respectful, helpful and effective...

In this fun activity, the team will learn how to ensure their body language is conveying the...

Use these resources to discuss psychological health and safety policies and strategies with...

We can experience stress in both in person and virtual or remote work settings. This activity will...

This free tool can help you improve your self-awareness, social awareness, self-management and...

Learn how your choice of words can make any conversation more difficult...

If you feel hesitant to reach out, think about how you feel when you are able to help someone. Many...

A variety of approaches that could help you to reduce your overall stress level...

“You idiot!” You’d be offended if someone said this to you, but how often do you...

Learn to write an email to avoid misunderstandings...

Questions and strategies to help you have a supportive conversation when someone you care about is...

This activity allows team members to examine different ranges of emotional responses and what...

This team activity examines situations where anger is a symptom of an underlying emotion like guilt...

An activity to calm the mind by relaxing the body...

An activity to help the mind focus on what is positive to balance out the need to deal with the...

An activity to help recognize the difference in tension and energy that even a couple minutes of...

This group activity reminds team members that reducing tension in the face and body can reduce the...

This team-building activity helps us recognize how the way we respond to others in person and...

Effective communication isn’t limited to the words we say. Our non-verbal communication...

A team building activity about improving effectiveness and reducing negative emotions in the...

Bottling up emotions can harm our physical and mental health and damage our relationships. Learn to...

Most of us find it difficult to receive negative feedback. We may feel criticized, judged or...

This team-building activity can help develop shared and reasonable expectations for quality of...

Whether we’re talking about our own behaviours or someone else’s, we’re likely to...

Explore why others might perceive you differently from how you describe yourself...

One of the most effective, immediate strategies for regulating your mood in the moment is to work...

This team-building activity helps build effective problem-solving skills to reduce the stress that...

Learn the simple exercise of Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) to help reduce and prevent muscle...

This team-building activity helps team members develop skills to move beyond a disappointment...

It’s rarely, if ever, helpful to worry. Learn fact from fiction when it comes to worry...

Before reacting to someone’s behaviour, take a moment to consider what might be motivating...

Your mood affects others, whether you wish it to or not. Strengthen your relationships by...

Planning in advance to deal with potential illness or absence from work can help build resilience...

Planning in advance to deal with potential illness or absence from work can help build resilience...

Planning in advance to deal with potential illness or absence from work can help build resilience...

For more details, see Canada Life's Accessibility page....

This is a free, evidence-based online emotional intelligence assessment...