Month End Wrap - September 2023

A Month-End Review on Mental Health in the Australian Workforce

Australia recently marked "RUOK Day" - an annual call to engage in discussions about mental health and offer support to those who might be struggling. This September also brought early insights from the Diversity Council Australia (DCA)’s 2023 Inclusion@Work Index. The overlap of these events couldn't be more pertinent, as both spotlight the integral relationship between mental well-being and our workplaces.

Inclusion at Work: More Than Just a Trend

The DCA Inclusion@Work Index highlighted a crucial link: workplace inclusion directly impacts mental health. Derived from responses of 3,000 workers, the data suggests that employees in inclusive environments report significantly more positive mental health experiences. Those working in inclusive teams were six times more likely to feel their workplace benefited their mental well-being. Moreover, having an inclusive manager quadrupled the likelihood of work positively influencing one's mental health.

Flexibility was another core theme of the findings.

A remarkable 45% of staff with flexible work arrangements felt their employment positively impacted their mental health. Conversely, only 12% felt the same way without adequate flexibility.

From Pandemic to Progress

The turbulence of the pandemic has refocused our attention on mental health, especially within sectors such as aged care and healthcare. The ramifications have prompted both regulatory and grassroots measures to address the issue. Regulations like the Work Health and Safety Amendment (Managing Psychosocial Risk and Other Measures) have set a foundation. Still, individual businesses are pushing the boundaries by introducing policies that prioritise staff well-being.

Numbers Tell a Story

DCA's findings offer a sobering contrast. A whopping 57% of staff in inclusive teams felt work positively impacted their mental health, while only 9% felt the same in non-inclusive environments. Similarly, while 57% credited inclusive management with positive impacts, only 14% did so for non-inclusive management.

Moreover, nearly half of the respondents who faced discrimination or harassment cited a negative workplace influence on their mental health - double the number of those unaffected by such issues.

A Word from DCA’s CEO Lisa Annese, DCA’s Chief Executive Officer, distilled the essence of these findings, emphasising the broader repercussions of workplace culture.

"How we're treated at work profoundly affects our mental health"

Advocating for a zero-tolerance approach towards bullying and harassment, she asserted that a focus on diversity and inclusion correlates with positive effects on employee mental health.

The Path Ahead

The care sector, often at the forefront of addressing workforce needs, is a shining example. Customised rosters for caregivers and innovations like the four-day work week testify to this sector's proactive approach.

However, it's not just about pioneering new methods but sustaining and expanding them. As the full DCA 2023 Inclusion@Work Index awaits its October release, let's take these initial findings as a prompt. As business leaders, CEOs, and HR professionals, the onus is on us to foster environments where our teams not only work but thrive.

In this month of reflection and awareness, let's commit to a future where our workspaces are sanctuaries of inclusion, mental well-being, and innovation. For the betterment of Australian businesses, and more importantly, the people who power them.