Breaking the Silence: Supporting men’s mental health in the workplace

At Cenovus, mental health isn’t a side initiative or a wellness trend, but a strategic priority integrated into the organization’s values and purpose. In an industry predominately male and often involving high-pressure, physically demanding environments, the need for honest conversations, accessible support and cultural change has never been more important.

Helping lead this shift is Leora Hornstein, Well-being Specialist at Cenovus. Championing a holistic approach to health, Leora is advancing mental health strategy to transform how the company and industry approach emotional well-being.

“Mental health is a key part of our overall well-being, equal to physical health,” she says. “I help progress our mental health and well-being strategy across Cenovus. I also aim to be a thought leader and change agent, hoping to positively impact the discourse surrounding mental health and well-being within our workplaces, communities and society.”

Confronting mental health challenges in male-dominated workplaces

The conversation around men’s mental health remains urgent, particularly in industries like oil and gas. Leora explains that stigma paired with the workplace environment can create a perfect storm for mental health issues to go unnoticed or untreated.

“Addressing men’s mental health is crucial, especially in male-dominated industries where stigma and triggers like stress, isolation and physical demands can impact well-being,” she says.

Leora shares how these challenges are compounded by outdated perceptions around masculinity and help-seeking.

“Stigmas such as the perception of seeking help being a sign of weakness can prevent men from accessing the required support and, lead to untreated mental health conditions as well as higher rates of suicide. These stigmas can also negatively affect job performance which can compromise safety of individuals and others around them.”

The path forward, according to Leora, lies in transforming workplace culture.

“By addressing men's mental health in male-dominated industries, we can foster a healthier, more resilient and productive workforce. Organizations can make a difference by developing supportive mental health cultures through open communication, peer supported programs and promoting effective health resources.”

Making mental health part of the everyday

Instead of addressing mental health in times of crisis, Cenovus has embedded mental health considerations into the daily culture and norms across its workforce.

“Reducing stigma is foundational for our mental health and well-being strategy to be effective,” says Leora. “Through education and awareness, we're working to improve mental health literacy, encourage open and supportive conversations and build psychologically healthy and safe workplace environments where our people feel like themselves everyday.”

A key component of Cenovus’s mental health strategy is its partnership with the Canadian Mental Health Association through the Not Myself Today program.

“Not Myself Today provides the resources and tools for leaders, program ambassadors and staff to make mental health part of everyday conversations,” says Leora.

Cenovus integrates mental health conversations throughout all levels of its organization to encourage leaders to demonstrate openness and vulnerability.

The company also launched Mental Health Matters, a peer-led support network that empowers employees to support one another.

“Mental Health Matters aims to foster positive mental health for all staff through collaboration, education and communication. The network also helps us build a more open and supportive mental health culture,” says Leora.

Learning what works and building for the future

Leora draws not just from Cenovus’s experience, but also from broader research and applicable practices. Referring to the CSA Group’s Mental Health at Work Public Policy Report, she emphasizes the importance of beginning with achievable steps.

“Start small and scale up. Implementing programs with small pilot initiatives allow organizations to test and refine approaches before scaling up.”

But successful mental health strategies must go further than one-off programs, and Leora emphasizes the need for integration into everyday working culture.

“Standalone programs often lose focus when new priorities arise. Embedding initiatives into segments of our business such as recruiting, training, performance management and return to work processes drive sustainability.”

In addition, Leora stresses that leadership commitment is one of the most important keys to success.

“Strong, committed and empathetic leadership is crucial. Thoughtful support and active involvement from leaders enhance the success and sustainability of well-being initiatives.”

When it comes to its own efforts, Cenovus is already seeing results.

“Mental health has really been enhanced and emphasized at Cenovus since 2018. We’ve seen positive results of our strategy through data insights and feedback from company-wide organizational health survey results over that time.”

But perhaps more powerful than the data is feedback coming directly from employees.

“I’ve had the opportunity to hear from staff and leaders highlight the supportive culture we’ve built at Cenovus — where our people feel safe to talk about mental health, ask for help, offer support and look out for one another,” says Leora.

Redefining success through well-being

Looking ahead, Leora envisions a workplace future where well-being continues to expand outside of human resources and is integrated in the wider business.

“I’m optimistic that we’ll see priority-setting for mental health and well-being evolve from “nice to have” in organizations to a table stakes requirement. I’m hopeful that more companies will invest in resources and appoint dedicated subject matter experts to lead change within this space as well.”

Leora also shares that she wants to see employee well-being discussed in the same breath as operational goals and financial performance.

“I’m hopeful that the mental health and well-being conversation will be a key focus in boardrooms and leadership can enhance understanding of the connection between employee well-being and successful business results.”

As companies look to attract and retain talent, maintain safety and drive performance, mental health must remain a foundational part of culture. At Cenovus, that culture is already taking shape—one conversation at a time.

To learn more about Cenovus, visit cenovus.com.

Cenovus: Our Mental Health Pillar Partner

In an effort to continue reducing stigma and empowering strength, Cenovus Energy has become the Calgary Chamber's Mental Health Pillar Partner. This transformational three-year partnership will promote mental health awareness, resources and education across all sectors and business sizes. It will also encourage employers, leaders and employees to maintain an ongoing focus on their own well-being and the well-being of those around them.