How we’re taking a more equitable approach to mental health support at Coles

We’re making Coles somewhere everyone feels like they belong. With ‘Health and Happiness’ one of our four company Values, we believe caring about our team members helps them do a great job in caring for our customers. We also believe in creating an inclusive workplace where our team members’ mental health is a priority.

While mental health issues can affect anyone, it’s important to recognise that some communities are more vulnerable than others. Those who find themselves in a minority – who can feel like ‘the other’ in society – are often more likely to experience mental health issues than their peers.

First Nations people and those who identify as LGBTQI+ are two such groups. According to LGBTQI+ Health , LGBTQI+ people are 2.5 times more likely to have a diagnosed mental health condition, while 31% of Indigenous Australian adults reported ‘high’ or ‘very high’ levels of psychological distress.

In this article Andrea Shaw, Coles’ National Health & Wellbeing Manager, Cristilee Houghton, Head of Indigenous Affairs at Coles, and Katie Wyatt, Coles’ Diversity & Inclusion Manager share their thoughts on why taking a more equitable approach to mental health support matters.

“Like any diversity and inclusion strategy, we need to approach mental health from an equity – not equality – perspective, and prioritise our focus on our most vulnerable team members,” says Katie.

Here’s how we’re doing just that.

Identifying and addressing diverse mental health needs

The first step in addressing the mental health needs of our team members is to understand them, which includes acknowledging the unique challenges minority groups face.

“LGBTQI+ team members may or may not be comfortable to be 'out’, which can bring significant anxiety relating to the need to ‘self-edit’, or hide one's true self,” Katie says.

This is particularly prevalent in young people, who we know are less likely to be out in the workplace and may therefore be feeling a need to disguise who they are in the workplace and at home with family.

“Another hurdle in meeting an LGBTQI+ team member’s needs is the diversity of mental health experiences within the community, as the experiences of transgender team members, for example, may be vastly different to those of gay and lesbian team members.”

“A leader might be the first person in the workplace that a team member confides in, so it’s vital that they take an open and caring approach, and draw on the wealth of resources within and outside of the organisation.”

Cristilee agrees.

“It is well documented that First Nations peoples experience poorer health outcomes during their lifetime than non-Indigenous Australians, as evidenced by the expected life cycle of a non-Indigenous person versus an Indigenous Australian. This includes poorer social and emotional wellbeing outcomes and higher levels of psychological distress, nearly three times the rate of non-Indigenous adults, as referenced by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Deeper consideration needs to be given to appropriate mental health services for First Nations peoples.”?

“When overlaying this with workforce plans, the most effective solutions are often found in culturally appropriate mental health and wellbeing solutions, designed by and for First Nations team members. It’s also helpful when these services are informed by First Nations mental health professionals.”?

"It’s important that our leaders continue to support the business to undertake the cultural learning available to the workforce."

This training provides team members with the context and understanding of the impacts of intergenerational trauma and poverty. It has been successfully delivered across the Coles Group over the past 10 years.

“It is also important to build trust and create an environment of safety where First Nations team members are able to raise their issues or challenges in a safe and supported space. This is most successful when time is invested in building relationships with Indigenous people.”

“To maintain a high level of employee engagement and be recognised as an employer of choice by Indigenous team members and community, we need to create a culturally safe workplace where team members feel supported and comfortable raising mental health or wellbeing issues.”

Last year, members of Coles’ Mind Your Health team completed listening sessions with both our Indigenous and LGBTQI+ communities to better understand how well Coles’ mental health support initiatives were serving these groups.

While the feedback was positive overall, both communities agreed only small subtle symbols were needed to be included as part of the program. Significant effort has been put into making this adjustment ever since.

As an example for ‘R U OK?’ Day’ earlier this year, posters were designed that represented and celebrated the diversity of our team. These posters also promoted free, confidential, 24/7 helplines dedicated to our First Nations team members and LGBTQI+ communities as part of our Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

Our structured approach to mental health support

The Mind Your Health program is Coles’ health and wellbeing strategy. The program is committed to creating a mentally healthy workplace and supporting a positive team member experience. It provides a range of resources to support all team members and their families lead happier, healthy lives.

The program has matured over time and is now based around three key pillars:

1.????I Am Seen: Empowering our team members to seek help when they need it.

2.????I Am Heard: Leading supportive conversations within our team.

3.????I Matter: Creating a mentally health workplace and providing tools and resources to support the mental health of our team and their loved ones.

“Our program has maintained a strong emphasis on embedding mental wellbeing into our culture. We want team members and leaders to be comfortable having proactive discussions about their wellbeing and creating systems that foster a psychologically safe workplace," says Andrea.

We want team members to know that they are working in a safe environment and that they will receive support when they need it.

“We regularly educate our leaders in Mental Health Training, so that they can continue to build an environment that is inclusive and psychologically safe, while also being able to identify mental health warning signs and to respond appropriately in high-risk situations.”?

In addition, Coles remains committed to supporting the health and wellbeing of their team throughout the year, by offering a range of resources designed to help build mental wellbeing and resilience. We partner with external experts such as The Resilience Project to create programs like the GEM Movement at Coles. This program is designed to enhance and maintain team member resilience by promoting Gratitude, Empathy and Mindfulness. Team members are supported to focus on connection, physical wellbeing and self-care strategies.

To keep the conversation going, each year Coles promotes ‘R U OK? Day’. We want every day to be ‘R U OK? Day’, but this annual event does help to refocus the team. The celebration gets bigger every year, and includes lots of on-site activities.?

During the course of the program we have seen engagement through thousands of posts on Yammer as well as team members willing to share their success in the campaigns and associated activity. We ensure that team members who identify as LGBTQI+ and Indigenous communities are considered when developing the content for the program.

When asked what advice she’d offer to other organisations looking to implement their own mental health program, Andrea highlights the need to understand your organisational culture and to take the time to complete a psychological risk assessment on your business. This way you can build the foundations that will help to create a mentally healthy workplace and develop strategies that are designed to help leaders and team members.

Our biggest learnings came from listening to our team and leaders. Our team helped us to develop a program and select resources that were suitable to their needs and fit within our culture. With a large and diverse workforce this was critical in developing programs that have worked for Coles.

“We know that team members will participate in the program when they feel as though their communities are being heard and represented, and more importantly that their feedback is considered as part of the program. Sometimes it is tempting to assume that the program is inclusive and meets the needs of the team. But by talking to the team, you can grow the program in a way that better meets their needs, while offering it in a more engaging way.”

With Mental Health Week currently being recognised across several states and territories, now is a great time for us all to consider the importance of mental health in our everyday lives. For those who may be needing support, the Australian Government’s Head to Health website has a wide range of resources and mental health helplines available.