Healthy Minds | Productive Minds

Healthy Minds, Productive Minds

Mental Health in the Workplace

^{By Lyn Benson & John Haines}

One in five working Australians, or roughly 21%, have taken time off work in the past 12 months due to mental health.

They felt stressed, anxious, depressed and/or mentally exhausted.

This statistic is more than twice as high, or 46% among those who consider their work environment "mentally unhealthy".

Employees who believe their workplace is mentally unhealthy are unlikely to disclose within their workplace if they are experiencing a mental health condition, seek support from HR and management, or offer support to other colleagues with a mental health condition¹

This publication, by Lyn Benson and John Haines, is a guide to helping your colleagues in the workplace who may be struggling with their mental health.

It is not to be used as a diagnostic tool; rather, it provides you with an overview of what certain mental health issues look like, and how to approach and respond to a colleague who may be in showing signs of these conditions or distress.

This vital information will explain how to:

• R_{ECOGNISE a mental health issue;}

• R_{ESPOND appropriately, and;}

• R_{EFER to professional assistance.}