It is heartening to see that the stigma around mental illness is slowly reducing, both in workplaces and the broader community. Yet when it comes to identifying and monitoring mental illness at work, many employers are uncertain of the best mechanisms to use.
We understand that employers want to do the right thing by their employees, yet they can sometimes mistakenly see mental illness as a non-work issue. And with community knowledge still rather generalised when it comes to mental health, it can be quite a challenge to know where to start when it comes to providing relevant workplace assistance.
The mounting evidence
We are often asked – is mental illness really a problem for employers? As the Australian Human Rights Commission notes – not only will 45% of Australians be impacted by mental illness in their life, but around half of all workers’ compensation claims will involve a psychological injury. And Australian business loses some $6.5 billion each year by failing to provide early mental wellness assistance to staff. So in short – yes. It pays to keep mental health a front-and-centre issue within every business!
In fact, there is every chance that a proportion of workers in every workplace is currently dealing with a mental illness – regardless of appearances. Without proper strategies in place to handle current and future mental health issues in the workplace, it is sadly inevitable that some employers will face considerable business challenges related to operations, costs and staff attrition.
Strategies for managing mental health
1. Audit your mental health resources
Getting the expert know-how
We understand that knowing where to start with a ‘tune-up’ of workplace culture is more easily said than done. But with a good mental health snap-shot taken via professional audit, plus some up-to-date training on best-practice, a ‘healthy’ approach to mental illness in the workplace is certainly achievable. Add to this a well-structured program aimed at growing a culture of inclusion for those staff currently dealing with mental illness, and organisations will certainly be on the road to a healthier, happier and more productive workforce.
Content retrieved from: http://www.wiseworkplace.com.au/_blog/WISE_Blog/post/3-strategies-for-handling-mental-illness-in-the-workplace/.