Three areas for managing mental health in the workplace have been identified in a new white paper, which also calls for an “overarching national approach” to monitoring workplace mental health.
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The paper, produced by the University of Tasmania in collaboration with national and international experts, also calls for an “evaluation framework” to be established to monitor workplace mental health.
“There is also a need for an overarching national approach to monitoring progress across all employment sectors,” the report says.
One in five employees is likely to be affected by a mental health condition in a 12-month period, but with individual workplaces creating their own mental health support systems, the report says there is need for “systemic and sustainable change”.
The three priority areas the report identifies are preventing harm, promoting the positive and responding to illness.
Examples include ensuring work is meaningful, assessing and promoting the strengths of teams and individuals, and and specifically designing jobs to promote positive mental health.
Mental health in the workplace costs an average of $109 billion per year as workers call in sick, continue to work when sick, or claim compensation.
UTAS Adjunct Professor Angela Martin said the paper was designed to create a framework for workplaces.
“Despite all the information out there, it can be overwhelming for organisations to know where to start,” she said.