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The NSW government has, this week released the most comprehensive research ever conducted about mental health in NSW workplaces.
According to Minister for Better Regulation Matt Kean the findings would inform the Mentally Healthy Workplaces Summit in November, and help develop a long-term strategy for mentally healthy workplaces across NSW.
“These findings show nearly half of the businesses have no measures in place that specifically address mental health in the workplace,” Kean said.
“That’s quite a staggering statistic when you consider that one third of our adult life is spent at work and that work can therefore have a significant impact on our mental health.”
Kean said a Return on Investment (ROI) Analysis of workplace mental health initiatives was also released by the government and had found strong, positive outcomes for NSW businesses.
“This research demonstrates that businesses which invest in workplace health promotions can get a return of more than $4 for every $1 invested from reduced absenteeism and better productivity.”
“So there’s a real opportunity for businesses to introduce valuable mental health programs in their workplaces while having a considerable impact on their business’s bottom line,” said Kean.
Minister for Mental Health Tanya Davies said mental illness does not discriminate, and that is why prevention and early intervention strategies are the key to improving the mental health of workers right across NSW.
“The State government is absolutely committed to improving mental health in NSW and our Mentally Healthy Workplaces Strategy is a critical part of our comprehensive approach to this important issue,” Davies said adding that the findings show there is more work to be done to help businesses support staff with evidence-based mental health strategies in the workplace.
“This research will also help inform our Mentally Healthy Workplaces Summit in November so we can have productive discussions that address some of the key areas for improvement.”
Image sourced from Flickr cc: Pat Bluey