Are today’s organisations prepared?

Wellbeing in organisations is often misaligned or misdirected and focuses on individual psychological remedies, failing to consider the role of work and workplace environment as a key factor that impacts worker mental health.

Relying on EAPs (Employee Assistance Programs) are reactive and have a lagged effect. Initiatives such as free healthy office lunches or gym membership are short-lived with onus placed on individuals. The new regulations require proactive measures designed to improve “prevention” and “promotion”. The industry guidelines suggest a proactive, integrated approach to manage psychosocial hazards and risks.

Should leaders or HR take charge of wellbeing?

Senior leaders are expected to drive the initiative. Organisations often lack wellbeing or mental health experts and instead assign responsibility to the HR department with little training, specialist knowledge, and insufficient resources. Importantly, it must become a strategic imperative with a targeted focus on mental health and be built into broader company culture, strategy and operations.

Leaders that adopt a positive safety culture and a no-blame approach to safety reporting are more likely to build a mentally healthy workforce.

How can organisations reach the right level of mental health maturity?

This is not a short-term solution or fix. Part of the challenge for organisations is the difficulty in identifying mental health issues. Most organisations discover an issue only after symptoms surface or an incident is reported. Sharing information on hazards and risks, giving workers a reasonable opportunity to express their views, report concerns, or unveil their own situations without fear or repercussion will address this. While it is clear from the new regulations that senior leaders are responsible, mental health is everyone’s business. It is a shared responsibility.

A human-centred focus and consultation with workers is key here (and a legal requirement). Consulting and engaging your workers and enabling them to contribute to the decision-making process on mental health is likely to yield better outcomes.

Where to start?

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Before embarking on your workplace mental health strategy, senior leaders must consider their organisational objectives. A clear, well-communicated organisational workplace mental health policy is essential. Acknowledge the reality through a gap analysis to identify and bridge the gaps to WHS compliance. Leaders should then reassess their position, assign authority, and allocate sufficient resources to relevant WHS and HR divisions. Using forward-looking measures targeted specifically at psychological health and safety is key.

But remember, it’s not just about compliance. Organisations will only be able to improve the mental health literacy of their workforce by taking a proactive approach and instilling a positive safety culture through strong leadership.

Dr Betty Frino is a lecturer in the University of Wollongong School of Business.