How does a robust safety system and an adaptive organisational development system create durable mental health and wellbeing in an organisation?
A workplace that is safe and well managed creates a safe space for human to human respect, growth and innovation.
Worksafe Victoria has published its 2021-2014 Mental Health Strategy to demonstrate their commitment to playing a lead role in helping employers and workers create mentally healthy workplaces.
The CEO of Worksafe Victoria, Colin Radford points out that a “positive mentally healthy workplace can provide people with fulfilment, purpose and a connection to community” and from my point of view without this work would be a torture of confinement one step above slavery.
After years of Covid restrictions and rising fear within our community, we are all tentative about our safety and our return to work circumstances.
Mr Colin Radford expects that “in the next 10 years mental health injuries and claims will grow to 33% of workers compensation claims”. If this eventuates then businesses will be devastated beyond imagination. The cost of doing business will rise to unsustainable levels, the absentee rate and worse the presenteeism effect will destroy productivity and many businesses will be pushed to the wall.
If organisations are to prosper into the future, then it’s time to get on the front foot and maximise the management interaction between safety, environment and health, and organisational development. A siloed approach to management with different departments carrying out disconnected activity is no longer good enough.
We at Sustain Ability International Pty Ltd, the home of Backsafe, Mindsafe and Bizsafe commend the Victorian Strategy and whole heartedly encourage businesses to take this proactive and holistic approach to workplace wellbeing.
We have been advocating this integrated approach for many years, and while we deliver safety training through Backsafe, mental health training through Mindsafe and organisational development training through Bizsafe – we always work to integrate each of these approaches across an organisation when we can.
Appendix A in Worksafe’s 2021-2014 Mental Health Strategy states the following.
Model 1: An integrated approach to worker safety, health and wellbeing.
This approach draws on OHS, human resources and health and wellbeing programs to collectively create a positive and sustainable impact on mental health in the workplace.
It recognises the interaction between safety, environment and health, and organisational development. It brings these elements together to enhance productivity, health and wellbeing, prevent work-related injuries and illnesses, and create a more comprehensive and prevention-led approach
This integrated approach unites usually separate disciplines or disconnected strategies and recommends each element to be undertaken in combination with each other to not only build worker safety, health and wellbeing but to also build organisational cohesion, productivity and profitability.
For more information about Worksafe Victoria’s 2021-2014 Mental Health Strategy see https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/resources/mental-health-strategy-2021-2024
For more information on how we can help you implement this integrated approach contact Peter Broadbent 0414 460 859.
