Mental illness is one of the most prevalent health issues today. A 2021 survey of 1,386 GPs published by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners found 70 per cent of doctors reported mental health as the most common condition they now treated.

This trend pre-dated Covid-19. In 2017-18, 20.1 per cent of Australians had a mental health condition, up from 17.5 in 2014-15.

Employers have many reasons to understand the implications of mental health at work, including legal responsibilities not to treat employees unfavourably because they have a mental illness, as well as occupational health and safety and other legislation.

By acting to prevent discrimination and responding to mental illness by making reasonable adjustments you can retain valuable workers, improve workplace morale, and become an ‘employer of choice’ by enhancing the reputation of your business as a good place to work.

Identifying mental hazards

An important step is to reflect on potential mental health hazards at work. These include:

• Unrealistic job demands: There is consistently more work to do than time available to do it in. Under-resourcing is systemic
• Poor work-life balance: Employees consistently work long hours (paid and unpaid), take work home, lack time and energy to pursue interests outside of work
• Low job control: Employees have low autonomy, use a limited range of their skills and have minimal input in the way their work is done. They have little say in when they can change tasks or take breaks, and micromanagement is common
• Lack of support: Employees lack necessary resources but are still held accountable for getting the job done
• Poor relationships and incivility: Relationships are poor between employees and managers. The atmosphere at work is tense and strained. Bullying, harassment, and discrimination occur frequently and are culturally embedded
• Lack of role clarity: Responsibilities are poorly defined; there is constant conflict about who is doing what. There is a mismatch between position descriptions (PDs) and actual job expectations
• Poor change management: Change is relentless. Employees perceive that the employer changes for the sake of change. Information spreads via gossip and hearsay. The employer either fails to consult with employees or only pseudo-consults
• Lack of recognition and reward: The employer fails to recognise when employees put in extra effort or reach important milestones
• Unfairness: Rules are inconsistently applied. Inappropriate behaviour is punished or accepted depending on who the person is. Managers have favourites or don’t model behaviours that they expect others to adhere to
• Violence and vicarious trauma: The work involves vicarious trauma and/or emotionally demanding tasks. The employer has nothing in place to support employees.

Creating a mentally healthy workplace

All this, and more, is taught in the Victorian Chamber’s Managing Mental Health in the Workplace training. This course will help you effectively support and manage employees with mental health conditions as well as how to build a mentally healthy workplace that is both safe and productive and free of mental health hazards.

The one-day course provides:

• Knowledge of facts about mental health in Australia
• Understanding why mental health is a workplace issue
• Recognising early warning signs of poor mental health
• How to have a supportive conversation
• Dealing with a mental health crisis
• Knowing the importance of engaging with doctors
• Managing team impact
• Making reasonable adjustments
• Understanding performance management in relation to mental health
• Mental health and workers compensation
• Creating a mentally healthy workplace.

This course is suited to business owners, senior managers, HR and OHS professionals, Return to Work Coordinators and people managers.

For more information, including dates, visit Managing Mental Health in the Workplace. The Victorian Chamber training has now also expanded to the suburbs, so you can view our offerings closer to your business.