Otsuka Case Study

As a pharmaceutical company, Otsuka Canada Pharmaceutical Inc. has always recognized the value in providing employees with resources to enhance their health and wellness. Having implemented Dialogue’s primary care services in 2018, Otsuka Canada quickly onboarded the mental health program in 2019 and the EAP in 2020 to provide their staff with a full range of benefits that allowed employees to seek out the help required to be their best selves.

Challenge

Otsuka Canada sought to provide employees with proactive resources to help tackle issues particularly around mental health, such as stress management

Solution

Dialogue’s mental health program provides employees with the appropriate tools and hands-on resources to actively take control of their mental health and well-being
The user-friendly, cutting edge platform made it easy for employees to quickly access the help they needed, when they needed it

Why Otsuka Canada invests in employee mental health and well-being

Providing employees with helpful mental health resources

Being part of the healthcare industry themselves, Otsuka Canada aimed to help their employees take proactive care of their own health and well-being. Otsuka Canada recognized their responsibility as an employer to provide their employees with effective health benefits. This ultimately led to implementing Dialogue’s primary care services in 2018, followed by the mental health program in 2019 and the EAP in 2020.

“Mental health is something that is very near and dear to our hearts.

We want to make sure that our employees and their families have the resources to deal with their own issues and concerns, like stress management,” says Joanie Michel, Otsuka Canada’s Senior Director of People and Culture. “We need to provide the right tools to our employees, but it’s up to them to take the next steps.”

Joanie Michel, Otsuka Canada’s

Senior Director of People and Culture

Happy employees!

Otsuka Canada strongly believes having best-in-class mental health resources in place helps employees and their families be happy and lead more productive lives. “When an employee shows up to work feeling well and empowered, it shows! It's about our employees being able to show up for work as their best selves, which also translates in front of our customers.” says Michel.

Why Otsuka Canada loves Dialogue

A good fit for their company culture

It’s Otsuka Canada’s belief that the success of a well-being program depends on whether it’s the right fit for a company’s culture. With both Otsuka Canada and Dialogue being in the healthcare industry, both organizations want to provide high quality care in the spirit of helping others. As for Dialogue being a fit for Otsuka Canada, the two are a solid match. “We've had nothing but a positive experience with Dialogue, and it's been a game changer in our people's lives,” Michel says.

Additionally, it was important for the organization to partner with a platform that would speak to their employees, that was cutting edge, and that made employees feel good when using it. “Dialogue has the look and feel of who we are,” says Michel.

Fast and effortless access to mental health services

The rapid and simple accessibility to mental health services plays a significant role in why Otsuka Canada loves Dialogue. “Employees can easily access what they need right at their fingertips,” says Michel. The easy-to-use nature of Dialogue’s platform, accessible via smartphone or laptop, contributes to the utilization of the health programs among their employees.

Employees also appreciated the rapid process of booking and having a virtual appointment from the comfort of their homes or wherever they may be. Previously, it would take much longer – sometimes up to weeks or months – before accessing a mental health counsellor or healthcare professional and now they have quick access and don’t have to commute to appointments. “It’s quite a different experience from what we’re used to, but this change is proving to have a positive impact on our team,” Michel says.

Mental health support throughout good times and bad

Otsuka Canada has always recognized the value of having ample mental health support available to their staff.

When COVID-19 intensified in Canada in March 2020, employers were aware that such events could generate additional health issues for their employees and family members. “With everybody working from home, looking at screens all day, and spending a lot of time in isolation some individuals may feel overly taxed or stressed. It’s tough,” Michel says. “I could not be happier that our employees have access to Dialogue.”

It remains a proactive and preventative solution that has and will continue to help employees navigate various other issues following the COVID-19 situation and throughout their lives.

Follow-ups with the same physician, mental health specialist, or psychotherapist

Dialogue’s multidisciplinary team follows up with patients after an appointment to ensure that they’re well on their way to recovery – a feature that Otsuka Canada loves. “You typically don't receive that kind of service from your family doctor,” Michel says.

In fact, Dialogue ensures that employees are nurtured throughout every step of their care experience. From a case manager coordinating consultations to scheduling follow-up appointments with the same physician, mental health specialist or psychotherapist, Dialogue is committed to providing physical and mental health support for employees until remission. This ongoing, proactive care experience ensures that employees are treated attentively and demonstrates that the heart of Dialogue’s services are rooted in compassion for others while providing excellent care.

Promoting health and well-being internally

Otsuka Canada has a rigorous onboarding process in place to introduce new employees to the services at their disposal. “We make sure that employees understand that Dialogue is available to them right from the start,” Michel says.

In order to keep Dialogue top of mind and promote corporate wellness, Otsuka Canada issues email campaigns and uses town hall meetings to remind staff of the services available to them. In extraordinary circumstances, like COVID-19, they also make an effort to check in with staff members. “We’ve been checking in with our employees quite a bit during the pandemic. We regularly remind them that Dialogue’s offerings are available to them and their dependents should they need access to the resources”. Michel explains.

Having Dialogue in place allows Otsuka Canada to provide tangible resources and support to employees who may need it.

Results

Unmatched member and customer service experience

Otsuka Canada’s employees and HR team have been very happy with Dialogue’s service and support. “The Dialogue team members that are in touch with our employees are top-notch. It's very easy and enjoyable to work with them,” says Michel. Dialogue’s customer success team strives to deliver dependable, responsive, and professional service in every area, from onboarding to reporting key metrics. This quality of service has not gone unnoticed by Otsuka Canada.

Elevated employee engagement at work

“Compassion for people is one of our core values. It's about doing what we can so that our employees feel happy and cared for. ” says Michel. Excellent results from a recent engagement survey showed that employees at Otsuka Canada appreciate all the benefits that have been put in place for their overall well-being and Dialogue is a part of that.

Help Centre

Enriching employee mental health through proactive tools and hands-on support

Challenge

Solution

Results

Who is Otsuka Canada?

Why Otsuka Canada invests in employee mental health and well-being

Providing employees with helpful mental health resources