Promoting a mentally healthy workplace

A survey of super fund executives, group insurers and corporate HR employees who attended the recent 2013 SuperFriend Symposium in Melbourne shows Australian businesses are beginning to understand the importance of the mental health and well-being of employees.

With one in five Australians experiencing mental illness in any given year and 45.5 per cent of the Australian population aged 16-85 experiencing a mental health issue in their life time, SuperFriend chief executive Margo Lydon said workplaces needed to realise it’s far better to support employees and keep them in work irrespective of whether they are living with a mental illness.

By providing a positive work environment, research supports staff productivity increases, there is a reduction in staff turnover, absenteeism and presenteeism and overall morale improves.

While the majority of respondents (60 per cent) said their workplace currently invests in promoting mental health and well-being, Lydon said it was important to note that majority of the survey respondents are already a step ahead in understanding the impact of mental health problems.

“It is an encouraging first step to see that majority of attendees have workplaces currently investing in promotion of mental health and well-being, however, the situation extends beyond this group and impacts all Australian workplaces,” she said.

“We understand that Australian businesses have a multitude of priorities and it is a difficult task to juggle all of these. However, businesses need to understand that people are their greatest asset and there are a range of benefits from creating a mentally healthy workplace which impact both the culture and the profitability of the company.”

According to the survey 43 per cent of group insurers and corporate HR employees believe improved morale and job satisfaction to be the main benefit of ensuring Australian workplaces promote positive mental health and well-being. Thirty per cent viewed increased staff productivity was the second main reason.

“The benefits of investing in programs that promote a mentally healthy workplace are mutually beneficial to both the organisation and the worker,” Lydon said.

Over half (56%) of delegates said their workplaces were engaging in activities to promote a healthy work/life balance to improve mental health and well-being, followed closely by engaging in “R U OK?” conversations (44%).

“There are a number of initiatives employers can implement to nurture a healthy workplace. It can be as simple as encouraging workers to connect with their colleagues, having an R U OK? At Work event and ensuring strong leadership of employees. Workplaces will also benefit from training staff in early detection of mental illness and on supporting employees while they seek assistance,” she said.

SuperFriend is a national foundation aimed at improving the mental health and well-being of industry superannuation fund members, employers and staff. SuperFriend’s mission is to reduce the incidence of suicide and the impact of mental illness on individuals, employers, workplaces, friends and families.

“SuperFriend is interested in a total holistic solution, not just an economic one, or a human one. Addressing these imminent issues is about achieving total health,”  Lydon concluded.