Category Team update   Show all

  • Mentally Healthy Workplaces platform now live

    We are delighted to share with you that the Mentally Healthy Workplaces digital platform is now live at: https://beta.mentallyhealthyworkplaces.gov.au/

    During this Beta phase, we will be fine-tuning the platform's content, navigation, functionality and layout based on feedback we receive from users. You can read more on the beta testing here.

    The platform includes modules on a range of topics associated with the three pillars of the Blueprint for Mentally Healthy Workplaces. More modules will be published in coming weeks after they have been through our review process.

    We encourage you to visit the platform, engage with all its features, and please provide your feedback to help shape its development.

    We also suggest you forward this email to your contacts and in your networks and help spread the word about the Mentally Healthy Workplaces digital platform.

  • New release: Small Business Guides to Mentally Healthy Workplaces

    We are delighted to release the Small Business Guides to Mentally Healthy Workplaces, developed by Ahead for Business, Everymind as part of the National Workplace Initiative.

    Over the past few years, small business has been doing it tough, often due to issues beyond their control, such as COVID-19.

    The Mentally Healthy Small Business Guides provide information about key topics, clear examples, helpful tips and links to further support and guidance.  

    The guides are built around the three core pillars of the Blueprint for Mentally Healthy Workplaces for creating environments that protect, respond, and promote to support mental health.  

    • The Protect guide helps small business to identify and manage work-related risks to mental health.  
    • The Respond guide helps small business to identify and respond to support people experiencing mental ill-health or distress.  
    • The Promote guide helps small business to recognise and enhance the positive aspects of work that contribute to good mental health. 

    Access the guides here

  • Released: Our Quality Assurance Framework

    We are delighted to release the Quality Assurance Framework for quality assuring third-party content within the Mentally Healthy Workplaces digital platform.

    Thank you to everyone who provided feedback on our draft Quality Assurance Framework, which we developed to ensure the content you read in the Mentally Healthy Workplaces platform is current, relevant and supported by evidence.

    The Quality Assurance Framework has been created in collaboration and consultation with representatives of businesses, unions, academics, regulators, service providers and people with lived experience of mental ill-health.

    The Quality Assurance Framework is applied to each resource submitted to the platform.

  • New guide for creating resources and communications

    We are delighted to release the Creating Resources to Support Mentally Healthy Workplaces guide, which shares principles and practical tips for creating clear and compelling resources and communications. 

    The guide also outlines the essential elements of different types of resources including: 

    • case studies 
    • instructional content 
    • awareness campaigns  
    • news articles 
    • in-depth resources. 

    There are also some ideas for how to draw on behaviour change principles to create effective resources and communications.  

  • New resources for mentally healthy workplaces

    We are delighted to share the updated Blueprint for Mentally Healthy Workplaces, based on extensive feedback received to Release 1.

    Revisions in Release 2 of the Blueprint include making organisations’ legislated requirements clearer and providing more detail about the three core pillars. 

    We are also releasing the Measuring Mentally Healthy Workplaces guides that support organisations to use measurement as a key tool in a continual improvement approach to creating mentally healthy workplaces.  

    Recognising the unique issues and challenges facing organisations of different sizes, there are guides specifically for sole traders and small business, and medium to large organisations.  

    We would love to know what you think of these new resources, please send us an email or complete the surveys to share your feedback. We also encourage you to use the social media assets included in the communications pack to share these resources within your networks.

    Forthcoming releases

    We look forward to releasing other new resources over coming months to support a nationally consistent approach to mentally healthy workplaces. Keep your eye out for our guides for small businesses, supporting career transitions and mentally healthy hybrid workplaces.

  • Mentally healthy workplaces and COVID-19

    The Mentally Healthy Workplace Alliance and the National Mental Health Commission have developed a new set of guides to support workplaces in responding to issues arising from COVID-19.  

    The guides focus on practical ways we can all work towards a mentally health workplace as more Australians return to workplaces and manage various COVID-19 concerns, such as fear of infection.  

    The series includes: 

    • Helping people return to workplaces after extended periods working at home during COVID-19   
    • Strategies to support wellbeing of decision makers through periods of sustained pressure     
    • Identifying and managing fatigue and burnout during COVID-19   
    • The hidden impact of COVID-19 on sleep 
    • Creating mentally healthy hybrid teams in the recovery from COVID-19   
    • Responding to COVID-19 concerns in the workplace     
    • Supporting people experiencing post-COVID-19 syndrome.


    The new guides complement the Mentally Healthy Workplaces during COVID-19 resources released in 2020 with a focus on addressing current challenges. 

  • Building our platform and content

    The National Workplace Initiative has entered an exciting phase with work underway on our digital platform for mentally healthy workplaces, informed by our earlier user-centred design process. We are also busy developing information and resources for the platform.

    Some of the other highlights you can expect from us in coming months include:

    • Release of the updated Blueprint for Mentally Healthy Workplaces, based on your feedback.
    • Release of new Measurement and Reporting Guides for Mentally Healthy Workplaces.
    • Creating new ‘deep dive’ resources on emerging issues affecting workplaces such as hybrid work and supporting workers at career transition points.
    • Testing and refining our digital platform for mentally healthy workplaces.

    Feel free to share our newsletter with your contacts or networks who may be interested in learning more about Australia's national approach to mentally healthy workplaces.

  • Series on mentally healthy industries

    We are delighted to share the series on industry initiatives supporting mentally healthy workplaces to showcase current industry-led approaches and encourage others to take collective action.

    The three-part series was developed for anyone seeking to lead change in their industry to support mentally healthy workplaces.

    This series includes:  

    • Creating a collaborative: How to build an industry-led initiative. This provides high-level guidance for setting up an initiative based on the insights of existing initiatives, research and expert advisors. 
    • Stories from the field: Case studies of pioneering industry action. This provides 13 case studies with various industry-led initiatives across white- and blue-collar industries. 
    • Industry-led initiatives: Plan on a Page tool. This plan on a page tool guides strategic thinking when planning an industry initiative. 

    The Commission has released the series today to coincide with Psychology Week, which this year focuses on “Working Minds” and the role psychology plays in the workplace. #PsychWeek

    There are several ways you can engage with this series:

    • Use the guidance and inspiring case studies to start or progress a conversation about how an industry-led approach could apply in your industry.
    • Share the papers with your members/networks and encourage people to engage and provide feedback.
    • Share your insights on social media using the hashtag #MentallyHealthyIndustries.

    Read the series and give feedback.

  • Key insights informing design

    As we progress with design of various elements of the National Workplace Initiative there are recurring themes we have observed. Understanding these patterns is informing our design, and may also be useful for your approaches in helping organisations to create mentally healthy work.

    In the interest of collective knowledge, here are some key design challenges we are embracing as we develop the National Workplace Initiative:

    • One of a kind: Every organisation is unique and requires an individualised approach. Generic advice and information alone won’t meet organisations’ needs. Responses that understand an organisation’s context and challenges are valued. For instance, information presented by industry groups is seen as particularly relevant.
    • Size matters: Smaller teams and organisations require a tailored response. They interact with resources in different ways. This is largely due to the time and resource pressures they face. Humanised content resonates most.
    • Follow the leader: Business owners and leaders are key and their engagement impacts all areas of mentally healthy work from creating a strategy and funding activities to maintaining ongoing momentum.
    • Learning from others: Organisations repeatedly say they need information in the most simple and relatable way. More specifically, they value learning from organisations like them through clear and concise case studies.
    • Bring information to me: Organisations are often unaware of the many great initiatives and supports that are available, which makes it important for services to reach out to organisations with information in the right way and at the right time.

    We would love to know how our key insights resonate with you. Get in touch with the team: nwi@mentalhealthcommission.gov.au