Here's How Managers Can Better Support Their Employees' Mental Health
Even in times of change and uncertainty, your role as a manager remains the same - to provide a healthy and safe workplace where the mental health and wellbeing of your team members is supported.
Most people with mild to moderate mental illness are able to stay at work but may require some adjustments. When you understand and support your workers’ needs early, you help improve recovery time and reduce the stigma and discrimination surrounding mental health.
Identify and address mental health
Under work health and safety laws, employers have duties and obligations to provide physically and psychologically safe work.
Organisations also have obligations to consult with workers and their representatives about health and safety, identify risks to mental health, assess these risks, eliminate or minimise the risks, and review to ensure strategies are effective.
Identifying and addressing mental health issues is a key responsibility of managers.
It is not your role as a manager to diagnose a mental health condition or to be a counsellor. But you can guide workers to supports if they are acting out of character or you are concerned about their mental health and wellbeing.
How to support a worker
Workers living with a mental health condition or illness can often manage their own condition without it affecting their ability to do their job well.
However, there may be times when a worker requires support and reasonable adjustments at work to help them get well and stay well.
Enquire with your employer to see if they have a manager assist program available or take the time to reflect on how you might use the above resources to support your own mental health.
References:
https://www.comcare.gov.au/safe-healthy-work/mentally-healthy-workplaces/how-managers-can-support-worker-mental-health-and-wellbeing