The staggering facts about mental health in the workplace

According to Safe Work Australia, one in five Australian adults will be affected by mental illness every year and it is important for workplaces to invest effort in raising awareness of the issue.

Some 690,000 Australians are currently living with a severe, complex mental illness, which also impacts on the people around them. This includes an impact on the workplace, with Australian businesses losing $10.9 billion every year due to mental illness. In addition, 35–40% of the six million absences from work every year are linked to mental health.

Despite this, only 43% of managers reported having an understanding of mental illness, with many stating that they either were not aware of the problem or did not know what to do about it. Others cited a lack of resources to manage the problem.

Many employees are concerned that if they speak out about mental health issues, they could lose their jobs or be overlooked for a promotion. In addition, they reported not wanting to let the rest of the team down or felt embarrassed by what they were experiencing.

The Western Australian Association for Mental Health reports that anxiety, more than depression or substance abuse, is the greatest cause of mental health illness in the workplace.

It found that employees with a positive mood are 31% more productive, achieve 37% more sales and are 300% more creative in terms of resourcefulness and business acumen.

As well as this, a study released by PricewaterhouseCoopers found that that for every dollar spent on successfully implementing an appropriate action, there are on average $2.30 in benefits to be gained by the organisation.

A WorkSafe panel discussion identified eight parameters that companies can address in dealing with the issue of mental health:

• Demand — Examine workplace demands such as workload, shift hours and patterns of work.
• Control — How much control do employees have over their work? Do they have input? Can they make changes? Are they acknowledged?
• Support — How can employees be better supported?
• Relationships — Examine the style of management interaction with employees. Are they treated with respect? Are employees made to feel that they are valued? Is there bullying in the workplace? Are people held accountable?
• Role — Is there a match between what employees are expected to do and their actual skills? How can skills be improved?
• Change — How is change managed in the company?
• Organisational justice— Are employees treated fairly? Is there sidelining or stigmatising?
• Recognition and reward — Are employees given continual feedback? Are accolades granted?

In November 2016, myosh will be launching a Mental Health Wellbeing Module to assist companies with simple and effective tools to manage workplace mental health. Organisational health depends on the health of employees. Reducing stigma requires a proactive approach with the right tools to identify and manage issues before they escalate.