News
Find out the latest news about SuperFriend, mental wellbeing issues and more.
Workplace Mental Health: Whose role is it?
23 January 2012When it comes to mental health in the workplace there’s little doubt that everyone has an important role to play in creating a healthy environment. Individuals, HR, Occupational Health and Safety, managers, supervisors, CEOs; everyone can contribute. But is there a role within a workplace that has a higher duty of care to recognise when an employee is struggling?
We recently came across a video of a workshop at Rotman School of Management in Toronto, Canada, where a panel of leading workplace mental health experts addressed a variety of issues surrounding employee mental health and wellbeing. What really stood out for us in this short video (which we have included below) was the panel’s response to the question “who in an organisation is best positioned to address the issue [of mental health]? Is it HR, the manager or Occupational Health?” The panel responded that yes, each of these departments and functions has a role to play. However, they delve a little further and ask who has the most control and influence over a workplace culture for an individual employee. The panel’s answer: the supervisor or manager, because they are the people who interact with the employee each day and allocates tasks, responsibilities and who are there to respond to their employee needs.
Unfortunately, it highlights a possible problem: many supervisors and managers recognise that they don’t have the skills, tools and knowledge about mental health and mental illness to be able to respond to and care for employees. Many ask questions such as: How do you approach an employee you are concerned about? What do you say when an employee tells you they are depressed? What are your obligations?
The Rotman panel has two simple suggestions for how supervisors and managers can support employees:
- If you have noticed a change in employee behaviour, tell them that you noticed they haven’t been themselves and ask them if they are okay.
- Ask the employee what they think would help.
What can supervisors, managers and employers do to support a healthy workplace?
-
Recognise The Symptoms
A key to effectively managing well-being in the workplace is noticing and discussing major changes in staff behaviour and feelings and encouraging them to seek professional help when necessary.
-
Understand how to approach staff
If someone in your workplace has a mental illness there are steps you can take to assist them to effectively manage their condition.
-
SuperFriend Mental Health Connected and Train the Champion training
SuperFriend’s specialist mental health training for staff from participating industry superannuation fund, group life insurers and administrators is designed to up-skill your workforce around mental health and to develop ‘workplace champions’ who can support and mentor other staff in these areas for sustainable benefits.
Watch the Rotman School of Management mental health workshop
Follow us