This year on World Mental Health Day, the focus is on Mental Health in the workplace. In Australia, the conversation around mental health at work has gained significant momentum, and for good reason. A mentally healthy workplace is not just beneficial for employees but also for the overall productivity and success of an organisation.

Experiencing poor mental health is common in Australia – almost half of us will in our lifetime and 1 in 6 employees experience mental illness at any given time. Mental health issues can affect anyone, regardless of their position or industry. According to Safe Work Australia, mental health conditions are a leading cause of absenteeism and lost productivity in the workplace. In fact, they account for 11% of all serious workers' compensation claims.

For employers, these costs are significant with the average pay out for psychological injuries almost three times larger than the average pay out for physical injuries between 2019 and 2023 (the former rose from $32,769 in 2019 to $42,335 in 2023). Mental health conditions have become the leading cause of long-term sickness absence in Australian workplaces, which is estimated to cost the economy up to $12 billion a year. These statistics highlight the urgent need for workplaces to prioritise mental health and create supportive environments for their employees.

The introduction of legislation in recent years that addresses psychological safety and the right to disconnect are just two examples of the Australian government’s approach to improving mental health in the workplace. While compliance to these laws incorporates a proactive duty, there is more that organisations can consider.

We look at the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) core risks to mental health in the workplace and discuss three ways to reduce their impact by promoting mental health.

1. Review employee roles and job descriptions regularly

At work, risks to mental health may be related to job content or work schedule. Many of the key risks to mental health and work link to job design and capability, such as:

• under-use of skills or being under-skilled for work;
• excessive workloads or work pace, understaffing;
• long, unsocial or inflexible hours;
• lack of control over job design or workload;
• unclear job role;
• under- or over-promotion; and
• job insecurity, inadequate pay, or poor investment in career development.

Educating managers about these risks and having conversations in regular one-on-ones is a great way to start the conversation and identify any risks, so that you can work through ways in which to address them collectively. It is important to regularly revise job roles, job descriptions and KPIs based on these discussions again in consultation, and deliver on promises so employees feel supported and empowered in their role.

2. Create a safe, supportive and inclusive workplace

Other risks to mental health in the workplace as identified by WHO relate to safety and inclusiveness, such as:

• organisational cultures that enable negative behaviours;
• unsafe or poor physical working conditions;
• conflicting home/work demands;
• limited support from colleagues or authoritarian supervision;
• violence, harassment or bullying; and
• discrimination and exclusion.

Organisations in Australia who do not provide a safe workplace face potential legal, financial and reputational consequences. It basically doesn’t make good business sense. However, this doesn’t mean they don’t occur, particularly when some aspects of psychosocial safety may be hidden.

Developing a mentally healthy workplace is multi-layered and requires fostering a culture of openness and support. Employees should feel comfortable discussing their mental health without fear of stigma or discrimination. Furthermore, they should know that reporting incidences will be taken seriously and not result in negative consequences. If you’re organisation isn’t conducting surveys that help to uncover psychosocial hazards (those that may harm an employee’s mental health), this might be the time to start. It will help you to gain an understanding of where you’re at and what to prioritise.

Workplaces can also implement policies that promote work-life balance. Flexibility in work arrangements can significantly reduce stress and improve mental well-being. What this looks like may differ significantly depending on the role and the organisation. Providing access to mental health resources, such as Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), is also ideal. For smaller organisations, many providers offer ‘as needs’ fee structures to make these programs financially viable.

3. Lead by example



Leaders plays a critical role in promoting mental health in the workplace and cannot be effective without a genuine commitment. This includes modelling positive behaviour and influencing workplace behaviours according to the Diversity Council Australia (DCA). Modelling positive behaviours as a leader may involve demonstrating work/life balance or being vulnerable and open about your own mental health.

DCA also notes that employees from marginalised communities often face additional stress from microaggressions, tokenism, or outright discrimination, which leaders need to understand. Having a mental health condition, on top of belonging to a minority group, can create compounded feelings of exclusion. It is essential that leaders understand intersectionality in the context of mental health.

The approach to mental health in the workplace continuous to shift, so continuous education for leaders about mental health, and mental health first aid, can be advantageous for improving work environments and organisational responses.

By focusing on mental health in the workplace on World Mental Health Day 2024, we are reminded that mental health is a collective responsibility. Creating supportive and inclusive workplaces can help all employees to thrive and assist in reducing negative impacts on employee’s mental health.