Examining Workplace Productivity in the Saskatchewan Mining Industry
The mining sector plays a huge role in the Saskatchewan economy, in addition to being the largest private sector employer of Indigenous peoples in the province.
It is important both economically and socially for those working in the mines to be healthy and productive; yet, we know little about the potential effects of physical and mental health on productivity, absenteeism and disability within the industry. To take a closer look at this, Dr. Lorna Butler is leading a team that has received funding from Mitacs and the International Minerals Innovation Institute (IMII) for their project titled, A Healthy Workplace for a Healthy Workforce: Identifying Predictors of Health Impacting Workplace Productivity in the Mining Industry of Saskatchewan.
Based on 2011 Stats Canada data, Saskatchewan industries led the country in average days of worker illness at 11 days, compared to the national level of 9.5. Dr. Butler’s research team will identify predictors of health and health behaviours that may be impacting the productivity of mine workers. Health promotion is particularly important in mines, as they typically hire more men than women and men, in particular rural, Indigenous and blue collar men, are far less likely to have regular physical exams, seek health care, or proactively address mental health issues of excessive stress or depression.
“The goal of our research is to determine ways to promote health and employee wellness as a way to increase productivity by linking healthy workplaces with healthy employees at mine sites throughout Saskatchewan,” said Dr. Butler. We asked Butler what the trends in the Canadian mining industry are that suggest this research is needed. She replied, “There is an increasing of efforts to promote workplace safety, coupled with growing externalized costs for worker injury and disability and second, there is emphasis on hiring a geographically and culturally representative workforce”.
Joint funding from Mitacs and IMII allows Dr. Butler to hire a postdoc fellow to visit mine sites throughout Saskatchewan to collect data for the project. “To receive funding from IMII and Mitacs to address workforce productivity, absenteeism and disability is an investment in a long term sustainability plan,” said Butler. “Distinct from most projects, we are focusing on the mining workplace from a primarily health and nursing perspective, rather than a disability and safety perspective. We want to help to ensure the province’s mining industry and beyond is at its most effective in supporting the health of its workers and its workplace”.
Team members from the College of Nursing working on this project with Dr. Butler include: Dr. Carol Bullin, Dr. Jill Bally, Dr. Heather Exner-Pirot, Dr. Mary Ellen Andrews, Assistant Professor Janet Luimes, Lecturer Kristin Haase, Director of Operations and Strategic Planning Mark Tomtene, Research Facilitator Robin Thurmeier and International Project Officer Emmy Neuls from the International Centre for Northern Governance & Development.
“Mitacs is proud to partner with the University of Saskatchewan to facilitate academic knowledge transfer and engage students in critical research efforts like Dr. Butler’s,” said Mitacs CEO and Scientific Director Alejandro Adem. “Through this collaboration, U of S researchers will play a vital role in addressing the productivity and wellness of employees in one of the province’s leading economic sectors.”
“Protecting the health and safety of employees, contractors and adjacent communities is a fundamental component of all our member companies’ management practices,” says Al Shpyth, IMII Executive Director. “This project offers the potential for further improvements to health management at the facility and corporate level as the new information generated should help companies and workers alike keep focused on staying healthy.”