WorkWell's Mental Health Toolkit for Small Business

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We know work is

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a big part of our daily lives,

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and can help promote our mental health

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by giving us a feeling of purpose

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and a sense of contribution.

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There's a clear link between

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our experience in the workplace

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and our mental health.

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Thriving at work can have

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a profoundly positive impact

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on how a person feels.

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Under the Victorian Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004,

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"Employers must provide and maintain

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"a working environment that is safe

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"and without risks to health."

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This includes psychological health.

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But what is a mentally healthy workplace?

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Firstly, it's one which has measures in place

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to prevent harm by identifying

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risks to mental health.

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It manages harm from an early stage

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and supports team members' recovery along the way.

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So, if a person's mental health

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is connected to their work,

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how are your workplace system and practises

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affecting your team?

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There are a number of work related factors

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which can be controlled and managed by employers

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to create a mentally healthy workplace,

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and to prevent mental injuries.

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Work related factors that are not controlled and managed

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can increase stress.

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can increase stress.

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This can lead to physical injury, mental injury,

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or even both at the same time.

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Of course, workers can be exposed

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to more than one work related factor at a time.

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Some may always be present

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while others occur occasionally.

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Common work related factors

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that can become hazards if not managed are

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low job control,

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high and low job demands,

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poor support,

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poor organisational change management,

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poor organisational justice,

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low recognition and reward,

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low role clarity,

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poor workplace relationships,

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poor environmental conditions,

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remote and isolated work,

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and violent or traumatic events.

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Here's a few a examples.

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Employees need challenging tasks

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to maintain their motivation

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and to develop new skills,

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but they also need to be able to cope.

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Let's call these job demands.

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They can have a significant impact for your team.

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If job demands are high,

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think about the support employees need

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from supervisors and their work colleagues.

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And think about the level of control

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the employee has in their job

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to meet demands.

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Poor workplace relationships

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can negatively affect the way

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an employee feels at work.

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When groups of people work together,

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it is likely some conflict

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will arise from time to time.

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So it's important that

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a workplace takes proactive steps

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towards preventing and managing conflict

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by developing a culture

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that promotes appropriate workplace behaviour

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and respectful relationships.

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It's important to consider

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the environmental conditions in your workplace

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and the impact on how someone can feel.

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Air quality, noise, and temperature

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can increase the risk of stress

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to an employee.

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An employee may not identify

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and report these factors immediately,

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but over time that can impact on their mental health

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and contribute to a mental injury.

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Good work design

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enables employees to be engaged in work

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that is healthy, safe, and productive.

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Consulting with employees

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on matters that affect their mental health at work

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is the first and most important step.

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Bring your team along for the journey.

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As an employer,

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you have the power to create

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a positive, supportive, and inclusive workplace

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and to develop good systems of work

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for supporting mental health.

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Discover more about the work related factors

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at wwww.worksafe.vic.gov.au.