But is it all getting too much? If you are fi nding it hard to cope, you’re certainly not alone. Research by the Mentally
Healthy Workplace Alliance and beyondblue estimates that, at any given time, 20 per cent of employees are likely to be experiencing a mental health condition. Furthermore, their research shows that untreated depression results in more than six million working days being lost in Australia each year, with the cost to organisations running into billions of dollars.
Supporting employee mental health is, therefore, a win–win for both businesses and employees. PwC research shows that every $1 invested in creating a mentally healthy workplace will generate $2.30 in productivity gains.
Frank Quinlan, chief executive of the Mental Health Council of Australia, says that it’s important for organisations to be aware of mental health issues and how they can affect people, and to be prepared to intervene if there are concerns about an individual employee.
“Organisations need to be able to provide support directly, either through fl exible working arrangements or through other ways, to ensure that people get the support they need through employee access programs and other initiatives that are available,” he says.
“It comes back to the sort of culture that the leadership in an organisation might set.
If the leaders within an organisation display an awareness of mental health issues and a willingness to take steps to actually ensure that people get the assistance they need, then that leadership culture is something that can extend into the whole organisation.”
What that means essentially is that stress should not be a dirty word. If you are feeling stressed, don’t ignore it. Seek out direct support – either from within your organisation or externally. In many cases, the best place to start is with your boss or manager.
If you feel that stress is having a serious impact on your mental health, beyondblue.org.au offers support and other resources.
