Workplace Wellbeing

Mental Health in the Workplace

Work can impact your mental health, both positively and negatively. A variety of issues can have an impact on your mental health at work, including work-related stress, workplace bullying, and work-life balance.

Workplaces that incorporate workplace wellness into their employee strategy and create productive and positive environments where employees want to come to work.

Workplace wellbeing is important in promoting and maintaining our mental health. According to research, mentally healthy employees are more productive and less likely to take sick leave. Additionally, in Australia mental ill health is the leading cause of sickness and long-term work incapacity.

We spend so much of our lives at work, and at times we might spend more time with our colleagues than we do with our friends and family. It’s important that we feel safe at work, not only physically safe but mentally too.

Workplace wellbeing is beneficial not only to employees, but it can also have a positive impact on businesses. How?

·         Enhanced productivity and work performance

·         Increase profitability

·         Improve overall wellbeing

·         Attracting and keeping talented employees

Facts about workplace wellbeing and mental health

Mental illness is common, with one in every six Australians of working age is currently living with a mental illness, with anxiety and depression as the most common disorders.

Let’s break that down. If you have 20 people in your team, there is a chance that 2-4 of your team are living with a mental illness.  

Furthermore, one in every six of us will experience symptoms associated with mental illness, such as worry, sleep problems, and fatigue, which will impact our ability to function well at work.

Mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety cost Australian businesses between $11 and $12 billion per year in the following ways:

·         Employees who are absent from work (sick days)

·         decreased job performance and productivity

·         Staff turnover

·         Compensation or Fair Work claims

What to do?

We can help you evaluate your current workplace wellbeing strategy and programs and develop a plan to improve wellbeing and reduce psychosocial risks in the workplace.  How? We will work with you and your leadership team to design a tailored strategy which could include policy review, policy development, program design and implementation, and training for staff in programs such as resilience and Mental Health First Aid.

If you’re in Melbourne, we can come to your office to discuss the individual needs of your team. Or if you’re located around Australia or the world, we can schedule a time to initially meet virtually.

Contact us as Wellbeing Campus about your Workplace Wellbeing Strategy or training in Mental Health First Aid Melbourne.