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New research, resources and other initiatives in mentally healthy work that have come across our desk.
Focus on Working Minds: Psychology Week 2021 (29 November – 5 December) is exploring the role psychology plays in the workplace. The week will raise awareness of tools can be used to create a positive, mentally healthy workplace and how these tools can be applied to different industries and workplaces. Insights into how workers feel about work, and how this impacts their mental health, will also be shared. Learn more on the Psychology Week website and on social media #PsychWeek.
Free business coaching on mentally healthy workplaces in NSW: The NSW Government is providing a free business coaching service to help businesses in NSW to address specific mental health at work topics and create mentally healthy workplaces. The Direct Practical Coaching service, delivered by Transitioning Well, is available for up to four hours delivered online or over the phone, Monday to Saturday from 8am to 6pm. The service focuses on providing owners and leaders of any private business with less than 200 staff or not-for-profits of any size, hands-on guidance to help create a mentally healthy workplace. For more information visit the mental health at work website.
Latest evidence summaries: Subscribe to Comcare eNews to receive Emerging Evidence Alerts highlighting the latest research on workplace health and safety. This recent alert (Page 13) connects to mentally healthy workplaces evaluating a humour intervention to reduce stress, improve work enjoyment and boost performance.
Insights for mentally healthy workplaces: WorkSafe Victoria’s WorkWell has completed a mid-evaluation of the program, resulting in the WorkWell Emerging Outcomes Report. The report identifies key evidence-based emerging insights for creating mentally healthy workplaces, such as the importance of partnerships, and reveals evidence for predicting psychological safety. It shows the program has generated a strong understanding of what works to influence change at the systems-level to create mentally healthy workplaces.
Managing hazards in the office: Comcare’s newly renovated Office Safety Tool provides employers and workers with tips on how to manage hazards found in the office. The tool includes work health and safety guidance on working from home, workplace mental health and workplace sexual harassment.
Focus on women athletes: A new study by researchers from the Institute for Health and Sport at Victoria University will assess and track the mental health and wellbeing of Australian women athletes in semi-professional and professional sports. The AFL has joined the Commonwealth-funded study as a lead industry partner. Read more here.
Talking mental health at work: The NSW State Insurance Regulatory Agency has worked with Sydney University researchers to fund the final stage development of READY app – a platform that uses Cognitive Behavioural Therapy techniques and real-life experience of workplace recovery to help individuals decide if they should disclose their mental health issues to someone at work. Learn more here.
Many of our readers have requested access to the latest research, reports and information from the sector. The above list of resources have been shared with the Commission this month. Please note these resources are provided as a service to our readers and do not imply endorsement.
