Nick Arvanitis - Beyondblue - A Heads Up on Workplace Mental Health

Practical tools for creating mentally

healthy workplaces

OUTLINE

1. Why is mental health important?

2. How to create a mentally healthy workplace?

3. How can Heads Up assist?

4. What are next steps?

Video 1 – A personal story

MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS – SIGNS &

SYMPTOMS

WORKPLACE STIGMA & DISCRIMINATION

• 69% of people are uncomfortable disclosing a mental illness to their employer

• 35% would never disclose a mental illness to their employer

• 48% of people who have taken time off due to mental illness did not disclose the reason to anybody in their workplace

• Over 20% with a mental illness have experienced discrimination in the workplace

TNS Social Research (2014). State of workplace mental healthMental Health Council of Australia (2013). Mental health still taboo in the workplace

PSYCHOLOGICAL INJURY CLAIMS

• “Psychological injury claims are steadily increasing and incur the largest proportion of expense in relation to compensation claims” (Safe Work Australia, 2012).

• "Psychological injury costs continue to rise and the length of time ill and injured people are away from their work has worsened at public sector workplaces'' (Comcare, 2013)

MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS COST

AUSTRALIAN BUSINESS $10.9 BILLION A YEAR

PWC, (2014). Creating a mentally healthy workplace: Return on investment analysis.

FOR EVERY

$1 INVESTED

IN MENTAL

HEALTH

INITIATIVES…

…THERE’S

AN AVERAGE

RETURN ON

INVESTMENT

(ROI) OF $2.30

……

INVESTING IN WORKPLACE MENTAL HEALTH

PROVIDES A SIGNIFICANT ROI

PWC, (2014). Creating a mentally healthy workplace: Return on investment analysis.

ADDITIONAL BENEFITS OF A MENTALLY

HEALTHY WORKPLACE

60% OF EMPOYEES

ARE MORE

COMMITTED

TO THE

ORGANISATION

68% SAY THEY’RE

LESS LIKELY TO SEEK

EMPLOYMENT

ELSEWHERE

45% LEFT A

WORKPLACE

BECAUSE OF POOR

MENTAL HEALTH

CONDITIONS

Instinct & Reason, (2014). Employer of Choice study.

LEGAL OBLIGATIONS RELATING TO MENTAL

HEALTH

Legislation Employers Employees

Work health & safety

Eliminate & minimise risks to health & safety (as is ‘reasonablypracticable’)

Take care of their own and others health and safety

Discrimination Provide ‘reasonable adjustments’ for employees

Able to fulfil inherentrequirements of job

Privacy Prevent disclosure of personal information

Must disclose if their mental health condition may cause a risk to someone’s safety

Bullying Prevent repeated unreasonable behavior that is risk to health & safety

Comply with ‘reasonablemanagement action’

OUTLINE

1. Why is mental health important?

2. How to create a mentally healthy workplace?

3. How can Heads Up assist?

4. What are next steps?

WHAT IS A MENTALLY HEALTHY WORKPLACE?

A ‘mentally healthy workplace’ is one where all individuals actively:

• look after their own mental health

• promote a positive workplace culture

• minimise workplace risks related to mental health

• support people with mental health conditions appropriately.

CREATING A MENTALLY HEALTHY WORKPLACE

RAISE AWARENESS

• Make available information about mental health conditions & available support (e.g. beyondblue, SANE, Black Dog Institute)

• Promote mental health related events (e.g. Go Home on Time Day, RUOK? Day)

• Promote what your organisation is doing to create a mentally healthy workplace

• Have organisational leaders speak openly about mental health in the workplace (including any personal experiences)

• Invite a guest speaker to talk about their personal experience of a mental health condition (speaker@beyondblue.org.au)

• Establish a proven track record of supporting people with mental health conditions

REDUCE STIGMA

SUPPORT PEOPLE WITH MENTAL

HEALTH CONDITIONS

• Provide educational resources or training for how to approach someone you are concerned about

• Make reasonable adjustments for staff with mental health conditions to enable them to stay at or return to work

MINIMISE RISKS RELATED TO MENTAL

HEALTH

1.Identify risk factors (e.g. by seeking feedback from workers)

2.Reduce risk factors (e.g. lack of role clarity, poor workplace relationships)

3.Increase protective factors (e.g. social support, supportive leadership, increase flexibility)

SUICIDE PREVENTION

• Establish policies and procedures for supporting someone who may be at risk of suicide

• Make available information about warning signs for suicide and emergency contact numbers

• Provide training to key staff in suicide first aid (e.g. Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST))

Video 2 – A case study

OUTLINE

1. Why is mental health important?

2. How to create a mentally healthy workplace?

3. How can Heads Up assist?

4. What are next steps?

OVERVIEW OF HEADS UP

• Developed by beyondblue in collaboration with the Mentally Healthy Workplace Alliance

• Funded by the Commonwealth Government

• Aims to assist organisations and individuals create mentally workplaces

• The Heads Up initiative includes:• Interactive website (www.headsup.org.au)• Marketing campaign • Engagement program

MENTALLY HEALTHY WORKPLACE ALLIANCE

HEADS UP WEBSITE (WWW.HEADSUP.ORG.AU)

• A central point online for workplaces

• Simple, practical, and FREE resources

• Resources for all individuals (leaders, business owners, HR, OHS, managers, frontline staff)

• Case studies, videos, tools, fact sheets, brochures, booklets

• Key feature - Heads Up Action Plan tool

MAN THERAPY – WWW.MANTHERAPY.ORG.AU

MAN THERAPY – WWW.MANTHERAPY.ORG.AU

OUTLINE

1. Why is mental health important?

2. How to create a mentally healthy workplace?

3. How can Heads Up assist?

4. What are next steps?

NEXT STEPS

• Resource development

• Union delegates’ toolbox talk resources

• Online resource - work health & safety obligations

• Self-employed & microbusiness owners

• Taking care of your mental health

• Stronger state-base engagement approach

• Marketing activities

Find out more at

headsup.org.au