Thursday 12 September 2019 is R U Ok? Day & is our national day focused to reminding everyone that every day is ok to ask “Are You ok?” Mental health related issues are prevelent across society & this year the RUOK Org’s focus is “Trust the Signs, Trust Your Gut & Ask R U OK?”
(more…)Independent research shows Mental Illness is the fastest growing workplace injury and is costing hundreds of billions per year.
The Australian Council of Trade Unions has welcomed some recommendations from the Productivity Commission, including no-liability treatment for mental health injuries and claims.
Psychological health and safety should be treated with the same importance as physical health and safety and WHS in the workplace.
ACTU conducted a survey this year and I was found that over 60% of respondents had experienced mental illness due to their employer failing to manage psycho-social hazards in the workplace. It was also found in this survey that nearly half of participants felt their employers were not prepared to support workers experiencing mental illness in the workplace.
Recent research found employers are failing to acknowledge & address the mental health of their staff. As part of a SafeWork strategy, a group of experts identify construction & scientific industries as the worst offenders.
In Australia, all employers have a responsibility to prevent discrimination, harassment or bullying from occurring in the workplace and to make sure that their employees, and people who apply jobs with them, are treated fairly. Under Work Health and Safety (WHS) legislation, employers and employees are required to comply with practices and behaviour that promote health and safety in the workplace. Because of this responsibility, employers are required to minimise or if possible eliminate the risks to employees’ health and safety caused by workplace bullying. Safe Work Australia has recently updated two publications on workplace bullying to provide guidance and assistance for managers and workers on how to prevent, respond and deal with this issue.
Occupational violence is an incident where a worker is physically attacked in the workplace or during work related activities. It also extends to if a worker is threatened in a way that causes them to reasonably believe they are in danger of being physically attacked. With an ageing population, ensuring aged and other care workers are able to cope with the at times aggressive behaviour associated with some types of dementia or disabilities is an important issue for care providers. Recent data shows care workers represent more than 9 percent of NSW workers compensation claims with over 12,000 physical and mental claims made in the recent 3 year period. Addressing workplace bullying and violence be challenging yet SafeWork Australia provide recommendations.
For many people stress has unfortunately become a constant in daily life. Irrespective of the level of stress a person experiences, the stress will impact their work as well their personal life. Both internal work pressure and external personal factors affect an individual’s mental and physical well-being.
In today’s social media and highly connected society, people are facing an increased variety of personal and professional pressures. The demands of fitting in work and life can take a toll if not managed carefully. Dealing constantly with deadlines, conflicting priorities, customer needs, appointments, etc. can become stressful for some. By assisting your staff to proactively manage workplace stress, you will help improve their job satisfaction as well as their ability to perform tasks at a higher level. An active approach to workplace stress management is a win/win for all involved.
Employers can take 6 simple steps to assist workers in reducing workplace and personal stresses.