Guide Promotes Wellbeing at Work
29 July 2013 at 11:27 am
A new guide created to promote mental health and wellbeing in the workplace has been launched across the public service sector.
The guide, Working together: Promoting mental health and wellbeing at work, is a joint initiative between the Australian Public Service Commission (APSC) and Government workplace body, Comcare.
The guide is aimed to help the Australian Public Service to create workplaces that are mentally healthy and build workplace confidence to respond to mental ill health at work.
It follows a national initiative launched earlier this month by the Black Dog Institute, the National Mental Health Commission and the Mentally Healthy Workplace Alliance (MHWA) on creating a ‘mentally healthy’ workplace culture.
Comcare CEO Paul O’Connor said creating inclusive and mentally healthy workplaces was everyone’s business.
“One in five Australians have experienced a mental health disorder in the last 12 months and just under 7% of workers in any organisation will develop clinically significant depression in any one year,” he said.
“Mental ill health is one of the major obstacles to a life in work and we need to do more. “The profile of our workforce needs to reflect the community that we serve and the APS needs to set the standard.”
O’Connor said the Guide would provide practical advice on how to build levels of confidence around mental health issues in the work community.
The Government guide includes topics such as how to create respectful workplaces, how to talk about mental health, how to manage risks to prevent harm, recognising when help is needed and supporting return to work.
“What we do know is that good work is good for our health and wellbeing. It’s about everyone being given an opportunity to participate and thrive in our workplaces,” he said.
The Guide has been developed in collaboration with experts in mental health including employees with lived experience of mental ill health, beyondblue, the Australian Human Rights Commission and colleagues across the Australian Public Service.
It is a key initiative of the Australian Public Service Commission’s As One – APS Disability Employment Strategy.
A copy of the new guide is available for download from the APSC website.
