Last week I attended a business breakfast in Melbourne Town Hall organised by the Mentally Healthy Workplace Alliance and Beyond Blue. It was the last event in an 18-month long, Australia-wide roadshow to introduce the Heads Up initiative headsup.org.au, which promotes mentally healthy workplaces. Jeff Kennett was the first keynote speaker. He described his work with BeyondBlue as the most important in his life, and gave an illuminating and challenging address about the importance of creating a healthy workplace culture, and supporting team members who may be struggling with mental health problems. Mentally healthy work environments are positive places where people look forward to attending, feel supported, and are able to do their best work. Jeff explained that to improve the mental health of any workplace, change has to start at the top. As a business owner, you play the critical role in creating a happy, positive and supportive workplace for yourself and your team. What I loved about Jeff’s address was the focus on the nuts and bolts. That’s the key thrust of the Heads Up initiative – that there are simple, effective actions that even small business owners can take to minimise workplace stress and anxiety, and cultivate a healthy, happy work environment. And not only is taking action in this area the right thing to do, it’s also a solid business investment. At any given time, about one in five Australians is experiencing a mental health condition, most commonly anxiety and depression. Like any health problem, anxiety and depression can affect a person’s ability to work. BeyondBlue commissioned research which shows that every dollar spent to promote good mental health in the workplace produces an average ROI of $2.30. So taking action to ensure a positive workplace culture also makes good business sense. The message from the breakfast was clear and compelling – and reinforced by a fabulous information pack which included an excellent, simple guide for business owners. The same resources are all available free at headsup.org.au You can also find out more about:
- Creating a mentally healthy workplace
- What is workplace stress?
- Addressing workplace risk factors
- Creating an action plan for workplace mental health
Jeff challenged every one of us at the breakfast not to walk out and do nothing, but to take at least one action as a result of what we had learned. Telling this story is my first step. What will you do? For a happier, healthier and more productive workplace, create a free tailored action plan at headsup.org.au.
