Creating and maintaining a workplace that supports and promotes mental health and wellbeing fosters stronger engagement, productivity, decision-making and collaboration while reducing absenteeism, presenteeism and workplace injuries and claims.

Knowing where to start can be a struggle for businesses. Here are three simple but effective steps to help assess and improve conditions in your workplace.

#1: Measure it

You may have heard the sayings, “if you don’t measure it, you can’t improve it” and “what gets measured gets managed”, but what can you do to measure your team’s mental health and wellbeing?

A simple yet important step is to gather data. This can be done through staff surveys, which help you identify risks and understand where to focus your attention, time and effort.

Sharing survey results and engaging with staff to explore the data, dangers, mitigation strategies and options will not only help you manage risks but will build engagement, trust and loyalty.

Often your staff have great ideas and solutions – it’s time to unlock those.

If you need support creating, administering and analysing a survey, or if you need an expert to facilitate a feedback session or workshop, see below to contact our Workplace Relations and Wellbeing Consultants and Advisors.

#2: Educate and empower your people

Education is key. Inform your staff so they understand how to support their own – and their peers’ – mental health and wellbeing. It will encourage greater proactivity and ensure staff know how to access support.

Education can help managers and leaders become role models, promoting wellbeing and the confidence to spot early warning signs. It helps staff feel supported, subsequently improving your workplace culture and working relationships.

The Victorian Chamber offers a range of training courses on this topic which can be found here.

#3: Have a conversation

It sounds simple but it’s often overlooked. Getting to know your team and having regular conversations is non-negotiable. Making time to connect, exploring how they are and spotting early warning signs are a skill – and a solid prevention strategy.

This is not always easy and may not come naturally. Often managers and leaders are promoted to their positions because of their skills and expertise but may not be confident to have a care conversation. This skill can be developed.

How the Victorian Chamber can help

If you or your team needs support, the Victorian Chamber’s expert Workplace Relations and Wellbeing team are on hand. We can:

• Build the confidence and capability of managers and leaders to have meaningful care conversations
• Conduct business-wide or departmental mental health surveys and analysis by:

1. Facilitating workshops to share survey results, gather further information and identify opportunities for improvement.
2. Developing and implementing wellbeing strategy, including drafting and reviewing relevant workplace polices and procedures.
3. Coaching business owners, leaders and managers on issues such as resolving workplace conflict, identifying and managing staff with poor mental health, and identifying and addressing risks to mental health and wellbeing.
4. Mental health and wellbeing training for executives, leaders and employees.

To discuss how the expert team can assist you and your business, call the Workplace Relations Advice Line on 03 8662 5222, email workplacerelations@victorianchamber.com.au or submit an online enquiry.