Almost three-quarters of Australian workplaces have no formal policy or procedure for managing staff mental health issues, according to a recent survey by law firm MinterEllison.

Clear policies are crucial to encourage good mental health in the workplace, as is strong leadership to implement them. It is not enough for a workplace to provide a phone number for counselling sessions. Employers have a responsibility to provide a safe and healthy workplace, which includes identifying mental health risks in the workplace and taking action to mitigate these. While this must be led from the top, employees also have a responsibility.

Published by ASSA online, September 2016

As annual R U OK? day has passed, we must still remember the impact that mental health issues can bring to workers and their respective workplaces. According to a recent talk at the National Safety Convention, A workplace that is mentally healthy is good for business.

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Published by Workplace OHS online, September 2016

A workplace that is mentally healthy is good for business, according to recent talk at the National Safety Convention.

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Published by Australian Mining online, September 2016

This year’s safety in action event will highlight the importance of mental and physical health in the workplace.

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Published in Business First, September 2016

Managers are suffering from increasing stress caused by toxic employees in today’s workplace.

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Published by Motherpedia, August 2016

Increasingly, employed women who have families are expected to juggle a multitude of tasks, managing many and varied demands and responsibilities across their personal and work lives.

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Increasingly, employed women who have families are expected to juggle a multitude of tasks, managing many and varied demands and responsibilities across their personal and work lives. Between being mothers, carers – of children or aging parents, attending social and work commitments and tending to household responsibilities, women are juggling the expectations of multiple roles.

Now more than ever companies need the support to manage mental health issues in the workplace. A recent survey reported in the Australian Financial Review found mental health issues in the workplace have risen 56 percent in the last year.

Published by Food Magazine, August 2016

The largest workplace health and safety event in Australia will gather at Sydney Showground Olympic Park on 6-8 September 2016.

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Published by Facility Management

While feminism has brought women to the workforce, those who are working and have families can often still find themselves bearing a larger brunt of family responsibility than their male counterparts.

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Published by Nine.com.au, August 2016

Tension headaches, sleepless nights, increased heart rate. The physical symptoms of stress are easy to spot, but did you know that experiencing heightened levels of anxiety for prolonged periods of time can take a serious toil on your body?

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Published by Australian Women Online, August 2016

Increasingly, women who have families are expected to juggle a multitude of tasks, managing many and varied demands and responsibilities across their personal and work lives.

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Published by Informa Australia, August 2016

Mental health costs Australian employers approximately $10.9 billion a year and absenteeism due to mental health results in a staggering 12 million days of reduced productivity amounting to 6 million working days being lost every year.

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Published on Manufacturers’ Monthly, August 2016

It is estimated that untreated mental health conditions cost Australian workplaces approximately $10.9 billion per year, comprising of $4.7 billion in absenteeism, $6.1 billion in presenteeism and $145 million in compensation claims.

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Published on OHS Alert, August 2016

Employers can encourage workers to consult assistance programs to tackle problem drinking by raising awareness and normalising the issue, according to a psychologist and program provider

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This week I attended a seminar hosted by the National Safety Council of Australia Foundation and Sparke Helmore Lawyers which addressed what businesses need to know about managing mental health in the workplace.

The seminar was attended by more than 150 human resource and workplace health and safety professionals from various industries and hosted an impressive panel of experts – Lucy Brogden, National Mental Health Commissioner at the National Mental Health Commission; Tim Moran, Acting Head of Workplace Engagement at beyondblue; and Bill Kritharas, Partner at Sparke Helmore.

The new financial year is here and with it comes tax time. For many Australians this is a stressful time. According to recent research by H&R Block and Officeworks, nearly half of Australians report they find the tax preparation process stressful, with around a third saying they resent tax time, leaving preparations until the last minute. Usually, that stress is exacerbated by lack of knowledge, planning and time constraints which can linger long into the new financial year.

Posted by Business Daily, July 2016

The new financial year is here and with it comes tax time. For many Australians this is a stressful time.

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Posted by Australian Women Online, July 2016

Employers can play a role in helping their employees cope with financial related stress by recognising the impact it can have on different groups in the workplace and providing financial coaching via an employee assistance program.

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Published by Inside OHS and Thomson Reuters, July 2016 (Pages 3-5)

AccessEAP Chief Executive Officer, Sally Kirkright shares her insights with Stephanie D'Souza.

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