It has previously been acknowledged that there are extensive mental health risks associated with working in a competitive environment like the arts and entertainment industry, with creative people more prone to depression. Now a new campaign is encouraging organisations to make mental health a priority in the workplace.
The Heads Up campaign is a joint initiative by beyondblue and the Mentally Healthy Workplace Alliance which is putting mental health first.
At any given time, one in five Australian employees is likely to be living with a mental health condition. With 56% of arts organisations classified as small, that could make a high proportion of your team who need additional support in the workplace.
Without proper support, untreated depression and anxiety can be a huge expense to organisations, costing employers around $10.9 billion every year. With the uncertain future of arts funding, the cost of inaction in the form of absenteeism and reduced productivity can hit arts organisations especially hard.
On the flipside, when an organisation commits to creating a healthy workplace, the returns are positive, including increased productivity and profit. Analysis by PricewaterhouseCoopers shows that businesses will on average achieve a return on investment of $2.30 for every $1 spent on creating a mentally healthy workplace.
Despite the positive cultural and economic impact a commitment to mental health can have on an organisation, some organisations remain hesitant to implement a plan, with a lack of time and resources being the commonest excuses for not introducing such a policy.
For small to large arts organisations alike, there are simple actions you can take to create a mentally healthy workplace and support your employees.
1. Have a plan
For a healthy workplace, it’s important to have a plan that looks at mental health from all angles. If your organisation is committing to creating a more mentally healthy workplace, putting a poster in the staff kitchen or handing everyone a stress ball is not enough.
Think about the strategies, initiatives, events and resources your organisation will provide. Communicaiting the why and when to staff is key. Think beyond the short term and consider developing return to work or stay at work plans that are tailored for an employee’s needs.
You can find resources at beyondblue’s Perspectives: Returning to work online resources, and Employers’ return-to-work obligations.
2. Provide resources and training
To increase awareness of mental health for organisations with little time or resources, online materials and face-to-face training can be a great place to start. beyondblue offers a National Workplace Program: an awareness, early intervention and prevention program designed specifically for workplace settings. It aims to increase the knowledge and skills of staff and managers to address mental health conditions in the workplace offering senior executive briefings, strategies for HR professionals and organisational, manager and employees awareness presentations.
Online training programs and face-to-face solutions can also be found at Mindful Employer.
3. Facilitate open communication
Investing time into training is wasted if it is not backed up with a commitment to open communication in the workplace.
Regular communication about employees’ wellbeing can help reduce the stigma that surrounds mental health issues. It’s helpful to fostering a culture that if someone is struggling, someone checks in on them.
Open communication can encourage people to speak up at an early stage and seek guidance, rather than feeling forced to think they have to cope on their own, resulting in reduced productivity, sick leave and staff turnover.
