Sep 05, 2019
Australian Bureau of Statistics have released a document on the State of Workplace Mental Health in Australia.
According to the ABS study, 45% of Australians between the ages of 16-85 will experience a mental health condition in their lifetime. It is estimated that untreated mental health conditions cost Australian workplaces approximately $10.9 billion per year. This comprises $4.7 billion in absenteeism, $6.1 billion in presenteeism and $146 million in compensation claims.
Mentally unhealthy workplaces impact on employee behaviour:
• One in five Australians (21%) have taken time off work in the past 12 months because they felt stressed, anxious, depressed or mentally unhealthy.
• This statistic is more than twice as high (46%) among those who consider their workplace mentally unhealthy. (ABS link)
Businesses should consider a Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) in order to maintain a productive, effective and functional working environment. The primary goal of an EAP is to ensure the mental health of employees so that they can consistently contribute to the growth of the company.
IMPROVED PRODUCTIVITY: When an employee is dealing with personal issues, family problems or substance abuse, the result is often a drop in productivity at work. EAPs provide prevention techniques, assessment protocols and health management services. While helping your employees deal with life’s ups and downs, you are also ensuring effective company growth and development.
REDUCED COMPANY COSTS: Employee Assistance Programs are designed to reduce the impact that social, psychological or physical problems have on the employee in order to reduce the financial impact on the company.
INCREASED MORALE AND WORKPLACE HARMONY: A happy and healthy employee is a productive and effective one. EAPs ensure that your employees are well taken care of as individuals so that they can perform as part of your team. The added advantage here is that the employees know that the company supports them, therefore they feel a connection to the work they are doing and are more committed achieving the desirable results.
REDUCED ABSENTEEISM: EAPs reduce the amount of time employees take off work. EAPs provide a range of prevention and treatment options for employees and their families. In the event that time off work is required, the amount of time is greatly reduced and the employee is able to return to work with renewed strength.
REDUCED TURNOVER: EAPs effectively reduce the turnover of employees by managing work related and personal stress. EAPs improve the working environment in terms of morale and company support ensuring employees are well looked after, and less likely to leave their jobs.
REDUCED ACCIDENTS AT WORK: It is easy to see how accidents can happen at work when you’re stressed. A person suffering from stress-related symptoms will often experience difficulty with concentration, mental focus and physical function. EAPs look after the mental health and ability of your employees ensuring that they are able to function at the required level.
RESOLUTION OF WORK RELATED PROBLEMS: External stress often results in a reduction in workplace performance. Problems within the working environment lead to absenteeism, high turnover and low morale. EAPs look after the physiological health of employees, developing strategies for coping with external stress as well as work related stress.
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES: One of the great things about an EAP is they are able to connect employees directly with professional services. This means that your employees are getting the help they need quickly, dealing with and averting crisis situations.
If you would like any advice on Employee Assistance Programs, contact Total HRM on 1800 868 254.
Total HRM recommends the following business for EAP support:
Acacia Connection – Australia & New Zealand
Step Psychology – Albury Wodonga
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Amelie is our Marketing Lead and currently studying for a B.A. in Business and Visual Arts. She brings her visual arts skills and eye for colour and detail to our graphics and design for the business.
Amelie uses her skills as a digital native in our Marketing team and works across our social media channels. Amelie provides administrative support and assists the recruitment team in finding great candidates.
Sarah joins the team at Total HRM following her time in a regional real estate company, most recently in HR. She brings a solid understanding of the unique dynamics and challenges within small and medium-sized businesses.
Prior to real estate, Sarah worked in the airline industry, providing her with excellent skills in customer service and how to remain calm in a crisis.
Known for her positive energy, Sarah approaches her role with enthusiasm and a genuine desire to support and uplift those she works with. With her experience in HR and recruitment, Sarah is committed to fostering a culture of inclusivity, professional growth, and employee well-being. Her ability to connect with people and create a positive work atmosphere contributes to the overall success of teams and the business as a whole.
Ashly is one of our most experienced HR Business Partners with over 20 years of experience in manufacturing and hospitality, both local and overseas, ranging from large multinational companies to small family-owned operations. Throughout his career, Ashly regularly led teams with over 30 employees while continually growing the business and aligning business strategies with employee capabilities.
Ashly has qualifications in Applied Management and Human Resources and a strong leadership and people management background. Ashly combines his experience with his qualifications to develop great workplace cultures while delivering practical support.
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In a business landscape of ‘information overload’, Kim’s pragmatic approach simplifies the ever-changing HR trends and legislation to obtain meaningful and maximum benefits for her clients.
Kim is well known for her ability to understand the ‘real’ issues within businesses and to provide solutions for sustained business growth.
Kim has over 20 years of experience in human resources and 15 years of business consulting experience, and she holds post-graduate Business and Human Resource qualifications.
She has vast and varied experience in senior consulting roles across varying disciplines and HR management positions within retail, manufacturing and professional service sectors.
Linda is the Managing Director of Total HRM and has worked for over twenty five years in business and consulting, including executive and senior management roles. She has worked here and overseas in numerous industries, including mining, energy and government. Her experience in areas such as production, strategic planning, finance, OHS/WHS, and lecturing in Human Resources Management at La Trobe University provides her with a unique blend of business and HR capability.
Linda has led comprehensive organisational restructures and implemented programs to improve the effectiveness of businesses with clear alignment between individuals’ contributions and organisational outcomes. She works with various local boards and executive teams in the region. She is a Certified Professional Member of the Australian Human Resources Institute.