The Importance Of Mental Health First Aid Courses In Business
One in five Australians live with a mental illness or substance use disorder, yet many are reluctant to seek help or simply don’t know where to turn for help. Recognising mental health and substance use challenges can be difficult, so it’s so crucial for everyone to understand the warning signs and risk factors – this is where mental health first aid comes in.
Individuals often don’t know how to respond or support a colleague, friend or family member who may be experiencing a decline in their mental state. Mental Health First Aid can teach the skills how to help someone in need of mental health support.
So what are some of the benefits of mental health first aid courses in business?
Attendees can help colleagues who live with a mental health problem.
If you work for a company that hosts mental health first aid courses, those who attend will learn the skills how to help someone who might be experiencing mental health challenges. MHFA doesn’t teach the skills on how to become a counsellor, but how to have an initial conversation and may even save lives.
Trained staff can serve as positive role models & offer support.
Staff that have sat mental health first aid courses can serve as positive role models for their colleagues and be there when a person needs to speak with someone. This can help reduce the stigma associated with mental health in the workplace and encourage early help-seeking behaviour.
Mental health first aid-trained employees can quickly spot a colleague dealing with a mental health issue.
People who experience a decline in their mental health may do so in silence or are afraid or embarrassed to tell anyone about what they are going through. If your employees are trained on MHFA programs, they are taught to have a conversation about mental health issues and make appropriate referrals for professional help.
Increases productivity
A well-designed, mentally healthy workplace should support individual mental health, reduce absenteeism, increase employee engagement, and greater group productivity.
Return on Investment
Beyond Blue commissioned Price Waterhouse Coopers to undertake a report on mental health in the workplace. The report found that for every dollar invested in effective mental health initiatives, there's an average return investment of $2.30. For some businesses or industries, the return on investment can be even higher than that $2.30 amount. Read more about the ROI regarding mental health awareness training in the workplace via our blog post.
Below are some aspects you want to look up if you suspect someone is dealing with mental health issues.
Has there been a recent life event such as a death in the family, job loss or divorce?
Does the person seem unusually sad and withdrawn?
Are they exhibiting significant changes in eating or sleeping habits?
Has there been a noticeable change in their overall level of functioning at work or home?
Do they have unexplained physical complaints such as headaches, stomach pains, etc.?
Is the person having thoughts about death or suicide?
Do you feel that they are in some way a danger to themselves?
Some of these signs are pretty general, so it will require some attention on your part to decide whether the person is simply going through a rough patch or needs professional help.
If it seems they need someone to talk with right away, offer to accompany them to a mental health specialist or go along with them to a local emergency room.
If you have the opportunity, offer to take time off work and go through the course with your colleague to both be there for each other and know what actions to take if it should happen again.
Contact your company's HR department and determine if they offer mental health first aid courses. If not, consider hosting them yourself. It will be helpful to have these skills yourself, and one day, it could even save a life.
Overall, mental health first aid courses are crucial for every business that aim to promote a better work environment. A healthy work environment is essential for a productive workforce.
By creating a healthier work environment, employers can improve the overall morale of their employees and increase productivity. In addition, a healthy work environment can also help reduce stress levels and improve communication among employees.
Appropriate mental health training will help build a sustainable and scalable business that will impact your local community.
If you are a Business Owner, CEO, Director, Manager, Decision-maker or Workplace Leader and would like to create more impact on your employees, the MHFA courses would significantly help you.