SafeWork NSW’s Mentally Healthy Workplaces Strategy has been relaunched, aiming to improve workplace mental health in response to significant shifts in ways of working due to COVID-19.
Member for Coffs Harbour Gurmesh Singh said the re-designed strategy focuses on helping every type of business become mentally healthy.
“Thanks to the NSW Government, hundreds of businesses across the state have been supported to implement mental health plans, and thousands of employees have been trained, but there’s a lot more work to be done,” Mr Singh said.
In the past two years SafeWork NSW received more than 5,000 calls for assistance and information in relation to bullying and other psychosocial risks as well as how to get started in creating a mentally health workplace
“This re-designed strategy is about helping employers move from a model of only prioritising mental health at work following an incident, to offering targeted and proactive support to their employees throughout the year,” Mr Singh said.
Minister for Better Regulation Kevin Anderson said one new initiative in the strategy is “direct practical coaching” for small and medium businesses, providing business leaders with one-on-one coaching from experts on workplace mental health.
“Through the pilot, every business in NSW, at a time convenient to them, can receive tailored guidance on how to address risks related to mental health at work, as well as identify actions and plans to mitigate the issues,” Mr Anderson said.
The new and improved strategy also includes tailoring of programs and services to meet the unique needs of regional and remote businesses.
“This strategy is designed to help us ensure we are meeting the needs for every single workplace in NSW, and that includes the ability to edit the way that we provide tools and services to businesses in regional and remote locations,” Mr Anderson said.
Minister for Mental Health Bronnie Taylor said knowing how to prioritise the mental health and wellbeing of staff is increasingly important in the wake of COVID-19, and can also make a big difference to morale and productivity.
“Most of us spend about one-third or more of our waking lives at work. It’s a huge part of what we do and can have a significant impact on our mental health in a positive or negative way,” Mrs Taylor said.
“Good mental health begins in the community and in the places and times we gather from day-to-day. From high-risk sectors to small and medium businesses, this means equipping each and every one to confidently deliver tailored, practical support to meet the unique needs of their staff from the ground up.”
The NSW Mentally healthy workplaces strategy can be accessed at https://www.mentalhealthatwork.nsw.gov.au/committing-to-leading-change/the-strategy
