In recent years, there has been a significant shift in how organisations prioritise employee mental health and wellbeing. Recognising the profound impact of mental health on productivity and overall satisfaction, forward-thinking companies are investing in comprehensive training programs to foster a mentally healthy workplace. In Australia, there is a growing emphasis on providing resources and support to enhance employee wellbeing. Let’s explore the benefits of mental health and wellbeing training in the Australian workplace and highlight relevant resources available to your organisation.

1. Promote Awareness and Reduce Stigma:

Stigma is alive and well, we’ve come a long way, but anyone who has been through the process of advocating for themselves in times of stress will probably tell you, there’s a way to go. One of the primary benefits of mental health and wellbeing training is the promotion of awareness and the reduction of stigma surrounding mental health issues. Through education and training, employees gain a deeper understanding of mental health challenges and learn to recognise early warning signs of distress in themselves, colleagues, friends, and family. By fostering an environment that encourages open conversations about mental health, stigma is dismantled, and individuals feel more comfortable seeking help when needed, earlier. There is no one size fits all fix for all work environments, but we have to start somewhere, and education is proven to be an effective place.

2. Improved Employee Wellbeing:

Australian industry loses around $10.9 BILLION every year due to mental health issues. Mental health and wellbeing training aid both prevention and early intervention by equipping employees with tools and strategies to enhance their overall wellbeing. From teaching stress management techniques, resilience-building exercises, and self-care practices, and programs like Mental Health First Aid to teach the skills to have a mental health conversation, individuals become better equipped to navigate work-related challenges and maintain a healthy work-life balance. Ultimately, this leads to improved employee satisfaction, reduced absenteeism, and increased productivity.

3. Enhanced Employee Engagement and Retention:

The above $ figure includes one of the number one costs for Australian industry, the cost of staff turnover. Losing, rehiring, and retraining staff costs money, a lot of it. Investing in mental health and wellbeing training demonstrates an organisation's commitment to its employees' holistic development. Research shows that when employees feel valued and supported, their engagement levels increase, leading to higher retention rates. A mentally healthy workplace fosters a positive organisational culture, resulting in improved teamwork, morale, and loyalty. The average ROI for every $1 spent on employee wellbeing and mental health support (including training) is 2.3. Well worth it.

4. Prevention and Early Intervention:

Early intervention is where most training will always sit. For good reason, the objective isn’t to replace professionals in addressing existing issues but to emphasise prevention and early intervention. Providing a clear framework for the scope of practice means that individuals not only have better skills to intervene and have a conversation, but also to recognise when to refer to a professional, and feel more confident about their own boundaries. Many course participants have commented that having a deeper understanding helped them to put better boundaries in place which in turn helped everyone involved. By equipping employees and managers with the knowledge and skills to identify and support mental health concerns, potential issues can be addressed before they escalate. Timely intervention significantly reduces the negative impact on individuals and improves the overall climate within the organisation, reducing flow-on effects for both individuals and teams.

Resources and references:

Heads Up (https://www.headsup.org.au/)

Black Dog Institute (https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/)

Mental Health First Aid Australia: (https://www.mhfa.com.au/)

SJP Wellbeing provides a suite of mental health and wellbeing courses for small, large, and global organisations. All training is contextualised for your industry and workplace. Shani and her team have a wealth of experience working with the government and in the private sector. Discuss your business needs with Shani via the form below.