There are lots of simple things everyone can do to make a mentally healthy workplace. You don’t need to spend a lot of money, and you can engage all the team to make it happen.
- Smart work design
- Establish flexible working hours.
- Address workplace culture of when, where and how you work.
- Involve staff in deciding how work is performed. Listen to people’s ideas about how to get their work done.
- Monitor staff workloads.
- Ensure your physical work environment is safe and encouraging.
- Building personal resilience
- Provide stress management and resilience training for those in high-risk jobs, such as emergency service workers exposed to significant levels of trauma or stress.
- Use evidence-based approaches such as cognitive behaviour therapy.
- Provide and encourage regular physical activity opportunities like lunchtime yoga, jogging or meditation.
- Encourage mentoring and coaching
- Building better work cultures
- Learn how to have conversations with people you’re concerned about and encourage all staff to look out for each other.
- Provide mental health education to the whole team.
- Reduce stigma. Speak openly about mental health conditions.
- Ensure senior staff are engaged in mental health promotion and providing a safe and positive workplace.
- Implement a mental health policy including zero tolerance of bullying and discrimination.
- Increasing awareness of mental health
- Provide access to mental health information. Leave brochures about mental health on team notice boards.
- Talk openly about mental health at work.
- Participate in events like RU OK Day.
- Conduct mental health awareness programs and mandatory training.
- Include mental health development in staff induction and development.
- Supporting staff recovery from mental illness
- Provide supervisor training on how to support workers recovering from mental illness and stressful life events.
- Facilitate flexible sick leave.
- Modify duties and work schedules when appropriate.
- Provide a supportive environment and ensure no discrimination or bullying occurs.
- Early intervention
- Encourage staff to seek help early.
- Consider wellbeing checks once appropriate supports are in place.
- Provide mental health training so staff can support each other.
- Provide a peer support program for staff.
For further support & advice contact EAP Assist