Presentation by Hunter Institute of Mental Health Director Jaelea Skehan for PwC - Workplace mental health: Good for people, good for business.

1. Workplace mental health:
Good for people, good for
business

2. Hunter Institute of Mental Health
The Hunter Institute of Mental Health is a leading
national organisation dedicated to reducing mental
illness and suicide and improving wellbeing for all
Australians.
For 25 years we have been delivering successful,
evidence-based mental health and suicide prevention
programs from our base in Newcastle, NSW.

3. What does mental health
mean to you?
• State of wellbeing, where we can realise our
potential, cope with normal stressors, live and
work fruitfully, and make a contribution to
society.
• More than the absence of illness.

4. If we are mentally healthy we…
• Feel well, think well, act well
• Realise our own potential
• Are able to cope with normal stresses of life
• Work productively and fruitfully
• Contribute to our community.

5. Influences on mental health?
• Structural: e.g. safe working conditions,
employment security, inclusive workplace etc.
• Community: e.g. sense of belonging, access to
social support, freedom from bullying etc.
• Individual: ability to deal with thoughts,
manage life and cope, good physical
wellbeing.

6. Mental ill-health is an umbrella term which encompasses:
• Mental illness or mental disorder is a diagnosable
illness that significantly interferes with an individual's
cognitive, emotional or social abilities. There are
different types of mental illnesses and each of these
will occur with a different degree of severity.
• A mental health problem also interferes with a
person's cognitive, emotional or social abilities, but
may not meet the criteria of an illness. Mental health
problems often occur as a result of life stressors, and
are usually less severe and of shorter duration than
mental disorders, although they may develop into
mental disorders.

7. Mental health/mental illness
Mental Wellbeing Continuum
Optimal wellbeing ------------- Minimal mental wellbeing
(flourishing) (languishing)
Mental Illness Continuum
Minimal mental illness ----------- Maximal mental illness

8. Mental health/mental illness
e.g. worker with high level
of wellbeing but has a
diagnosis of mental illness.
e.g. worker with high level
of wellbeing and no mental
illness.
e.g. worker with no
diagnosable mental illness
but low level wellbeing.
e.g. worker experiencing a
mental illness with low
wellbeing.
Maximal mental
illness
Minimal mental
illness

9. What is the prevalence and
impact of mental ill-health in
the workplace?

10. Mental illness
One in five people will experience a mental illness in any
12-month period.

11. Mental illness – national data
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
Any Anxiety
disorder
Any Affective
disorder
Any
Substance Use
disorder
Any 12-month
mental
disorder
%
Males
Females
All Persons

12. Impact on workplaces
• Productivity
- Estimated cost $10.9 - $20 billion per year
• Absenteeism
- $4.7 billion per year
• Presenteeism
- Estimates of 18 days lost per year ($6.1 billion)
• Injury
- Risk of injury greater.

13. Can work contribute to mental
ill-health?
• Generally working is good for our mental health
• But, many work factors can contribute to mental
health problems or make existing problems worse
• When work related stress is high and ongoing it can
be a risk factor for mental illness
• It is important to PREVENT issues where possible
and mitigate risk where it is not possible.

14. An introduction to the promotion
of mental health and wellbeing and
the prevention of mental ill-health
in the workplace.

15. Prevention First: workplaces

16. Actions to prevent the onset of mental ill-health in the whole
workplace population (including families and community)
Action Area 1
Actions to prevent the onset of mental ill-health in groups at higher
risk within the workplace and community
Action Area 2
Actions to identify and intervene early with individuals showing
early signs of mental ill-health in the workplace
Action Area 3
Actions to support referrals to appropriate treatment and return to
work plans for those experiencing acute periods of mental ill-health
Action Area 4
Actions to reduce the ongoing impact of mental ill-health on
individuals entering or returning to work
Action Area 5
Actions to promote mental health and wellbeing in individuals
experiencing or recovering from a diagnosed mental illness in the
workplace
Action Area 6

17. Mental health promotion
• Mental health promotion is about enhancing social
and emotional wellbeing and quality of life.
• Initiatives can occur:
 with whole populations (e.g. the whole workplace), selected
groups (e.g. managers, female staff, young staff) or individuals
 in any setting (e.g. workplaces, the home, schools,
communities, health settings).
• Mental health promotion is relevant to all people,
whether they have a diagnosed illness or not.

18. Platforms for action
1. Healthy workplace policy – e.g. stigma reduction, social inclusion,
OH&S policies, HR policies.
2. Creating supportive environments – e.g. anti-bullying programs,
strengthening families, healthy work initiatives.
3. Strengthening workplace and communities to take action – peer
support, worker-led initiatives.
4. Developing personal skills– e.g. life skills training, mental illness
literacy, parenting skills, financial management.
5. Reorienting OH&S services to a promotion and prevention
approach – e.g. inclusion of mental health and wellbeing.

19. Prevention of mental ill-health
Prevention interventions work by focusing on reducing risk factors and
enhancing protective factors. Activities may work at three main levels
and seek to:
• primary prevention - prevent the onset or development of a
problem or illness: types = the whole workplace and groups at
higher risk
• secondary prevention - lower the severity and duration of an illness
through early detection and referral to appropriate treatment
• tertiary prevention - reduce the impact of an illness through
rehabilitation back into the workplace.

20. Managing mental health at work
Mental health
problems,
mental illness
Support
recovery
from
illness
Support for
mental
health
problems
Identify
and
respond
early
Reduce
individual
risk factors
Support
good
health
Reduce
environ-
mental risk
factors
Reducing risk Promoting recovery
*Note – colours align sections to the relevant parts of the
Prevention First Framework

21. Support good health
• Ensuring a good fit between the job and the person doing the job
• Preparing people well for the work they need to do
• Creating a culture of high expectations along with support
• Having a culture of fairness and equity
• Promoting mental health literacy (how to stay mentally healthy)
• Good communication between managers and staff
• Increasing social connection and opportunities for peer-support.

22. Reduce individual risk factors
• Reducing drug and alcohol misuse
• Support healthy diet and physical fitness
• Develop individual skills – financial management, stress
management, communication skills
• Management of physical injury and/or pain
• Options to support workers managing ill-health in family
• Provide support and flexibility for staff exposed to traumatic events
at work or experiencing difficult life events.

23. Reduce environmental risk
factors
• Reduce or manage occupational risks:
 tiredness
 boredom
 accidents
 excessive stress
 bullying and harassment
 disharmony.

24. Managing mental health at work
Mental health
problems,
mental illness
Support
recovery
from
illness
Support for
mental
health
problems
Identify
and
respond
early
Reduce
individual
risk factors
Support
good
health
Reduce
environ-
mental risk
factors
Reducing risk Promoting recovery
*Note – colours align sections to the relevant parts of the
Prevention First Framework

25. Identify and respond early
• Promote awareness of mental illness, signs, symptoms etc.
• Support early identification (self or others):
 self-identification, peer-identification and support, identification by
supervisors or managers.
• Promote culture of acceptance of mental health problems
• Promote culture that help-seeking is a positive thing
• Promote a culture of offering support, expressing concern for work
colleagues
• Supervisor training to increase skills in raising difficult, personal issues with
staff in a helpful, non-threatening way.

26. Support for mental health
problems
• Promote use of EAP for early support
• Provide immediate first aid for staff experiencing a mental
health crisis at work
• Reassurance of support for staff receiving treatment for mental
illness
• Partnerships and referral pathways to mental health providers
• Provide or facilitate access to peer-support models and/or
online treatment modalities.

27. Support recovery from illness
• Take a positive optimistic approach
• Manage absences well
• Identify and address any workplace contributing factors
• Manage return to work well
• Make reasonable adjustments to the work environment
• Supervisor training to manage return to work
• Facilitate access to support options for family and friends
• Address stigma in the workplace.

28. Workplace responses
What can workplaces do?

29. Factors for success
From PwC report
• Commitment from senior leaders
• Employee participation
• Develop and implement policies
• Allocated resources for success
• Ongoing effort for a sustainable approach
• Plan and evaluate outcomes.

30. Things to think about
• What are the barriers to implementing a
workplace mental health plan?
• What are the opportunities that exist?
• How can you work with your current strengths
to progress action?

31. Supports and services
Individual:
• GP
Organisation:
• EAP
Community:
• Mental Health Service
• Community Health Service
• Drug and Alcohol Service
• Relationships Australia
• Psychologists, social workers .
National:
• Emergency 000
• Lifeline 13 11 14
• MensLine Australia 1300 78 99 78
Internet resources:

32. www.himh.org.au
www.conversationsmatter.com.au
www.partnersindepression.com.au
www.mindframe-media.info