Developing strategies for a healthy workplace provides a framework for your workplace to promote mental wellbeing, minimize workplace risks to mental health, support people experiencing mental health issues and reduce stigma associated with mental health conditions.
Everyone has a role to play in creating a healthy workplace, and simple strategies can help achieve this. Since every workplace is unique, your approach needs to be tailored to fit your workplace. You can start small and work towards taking action across multiple areas. Strategies and actions should be underpinned by sound policies and procedures that are relevant to your workplace.
When developing strategies for a healthy workplace there are three critical success factors.
Commitment from senior organizational leaders and business owners
Organizational leaders and business owners need to make visible, long-term commitments to mental health in their workplaces. Leaders are in the strongest position to positively influence the working environment, management practices and the experience of employees. Some key things that organizational leaders can do to show their commitments include:
- Role model positive day to day behaviors and actions
- Ensure all senior leaders have a shared commitment and belief in the goal.
- Commit human, financial and other resources.
Employee Participation
The best strategies for creating a healthy workplace are based on a shared commitment between employers and employees. Employees must be engaged in every step, from planning through to implementation and review.
Employees have first hand experience of mental health risks and protective factors in the workplace, so they are a great source of ideas. They will also be able to help prioritize what to tackle first and what actions will have the biggest impact. The best change initiatives are informed and underpinned by the needs of employees – without this, they are unlikely to succeed.
Some ways to ensure employee participation include:
- Identify champions and supporters early. Keep them engaged throughout the process to help guide the strategy and communicate across the organization.
- Encourage all staff to have a voice. Provide safe and open communication forums where they can express their opinions and start thinking new ideas.
- Provide open access to all information and progress made in developing and implementing the strategy.
- Seek input and feedback at every phase.
Ongoing Communication
It is also important to implement relevant policies to lay the groundwork in ensuring the success of strategy.
A great way to start is to develop a mental health and wellbeing policy, but other workplace policies that also need to include mental health include: workplace bullying, career development, cultural awareness, employee assistance programs, fitness for work, harassment, health promotion, leave arrangements, people and performance management, recruitment, return to work, and workplace health and safety.
Once you have considered the “critical success factors”, work through each of the following steps to help develop your strategy.
- Gain leadership support
- Identify needs
- Develop a plan
- Monitor, review and improve.
A psychological unsafe workplace is not only problematic for employees, it can also reduce an organization’s performance. In a global knowledge based economy, employers can’t let an unhealthy workplace reduce an employee’s potential to contribute their energy and ideas.