What do top-performing employers do differently when it comes to employee well-being?

For International Week of Happiness at Work, Dialogue highlights the role of accessible virtual care in meeting employees where they are.

Montreal, September 21, 2026 — This week, as organizations across the country mark the International Week of Happiness at Work, the connection between work and well-being deserves greater attention. For 70% of working Canadians, their experience at work directly impacts their mental health. At the same time, 2 in 5 of those individuals report that their mental health needs are not being met. Together, these figures highlight a significant gap between the mental health support Canadians need and what they receive, as well as the important role workplaces can play in closing that gap.

For many Canadians, the workplace shapes their well-being beyond working hours. That's why Dialogue, Canada's leading virtual healthcare and wellness platform, helps organizations make care accessible when employees need it, whether for mental health or primary care.

"Work is one of the most powerful determinants of health we have," said Dr. Sandra Primiano, Senior Director of Employee and Family Assistance Program and Mental Health Programs. "When employees can access care quickly and confidentially, they feel supported by their employer and they perform better. Virtual care isn't just a benefit; it can be an important part of building a healthy workplace by making support easier to access when employees need it."

Promutuel Insurance is a compelling example of what this looks like in practice. Earlier this year, the company was named first among organizations with 2,000 or more employees in Dialogue’s annual Healthiest Workplace Awards. These awards are grounded in data, including:

• service utilization rates;

• awareness of available resources;

• employee well-being indicators;

• concrete support provided by the employer.

Promutuel Insurance ranked first by excelling across all of these dimensions. Employees know what care is available to them, they use it, and they report high levels of well-being as a result.

For the organization, this approach translates into sustained promotion of available resources, manager involvement, and a culture built on closeness, listening, and team support. The goal isn’t just to offer tools; it’s to ensure they are known, accessible, and used when employees need them.

"A healthy workplace isn't built on good intentions alone. It's built by investing in resources that deliver real value to employees, resources that respond to their needs and concerns, as reflected in our surveys, and whose relevance is further confirmed by our program utilization data. It also means making those resources known and encouraging their use when the need arises. At Promutuel Insurance, we deeply believe in this responsibility, and we're proud to see our employees embrace this culture of support, listening, and closeness. This recognition reflects above all the commitment of our teams and managers to making well-being a daily priority,” says Isabel Portelance, Vice-President, Human Capital, Promutuel Insurance.

As organizations mark International Week of Happiness at Work, the question of how to build a truly healthy workplace has never been more relevant. The answer, as Dialogue’s data and Promutuel Insurance’s experience show, has less to do with benefits on paper than with whether employees know about them, use them, and feel better for it. That is the standard Promutuel Insurance has set, and one that Dialogue is helping more organizations achieve.

About Dialogue

Dialogue is Canada’s leading virtual healthcare and wellness provider, providing timely, on-demand access to quality care. Through its team of in-house health professionals, it serves employers and organizations who prioritize the health and well-being of their employees, members, and their families. Dialogue’s Integrated Health Platform is a one-stop healthcare hub that centralizes all programs in a single, user-friendly application, providing access to services 24 hours per day, 365 days per year from the convenience of a smartphone, computer, or tablet. Dialogue is the first and only virtual care provider to receive Accreditation with Exemplary Standing from Accreditation Canada, a third-party validation of the highest levels of safety, quality, and member experience. In October 2023, Sun Life acquired Dialogue, which now operates as a standalone entity as part of Sun Life Canada. For more information, please visit the Company’s website at www.dialogue.co.

About Promutuel

Proud of its history, Promutuel Insurance has established itself as one of the largest property and casualty insurers in Quebec for nearly 175 years. Driven by a modern and efficient mutual model, it is fully committed to safeguarding the well-being and peace of mind of its 657,000 insured members, 2,600 employees, and communities by relying on solidarity, openness, commitment, and ambition to guide its decisions, involvement, and partnerships.

With $2.4 billion in assets, Promutuel Insurance boasts a solid financial foundation that enables it to support its mission with rigor and vision. Reflecting its convictions, the future that inspires it is both bold and deeply human: to become an engaged and responsible Canadian leader, the insurer chosen for its values.

For further information: Katherine Hackett, Specialist, Public Policy and Communications, katherine.hackett@dialogue.co | 819-574-3503