Job in Jeopardy – helping employees with mental illness 

Job in Jeopardy – helping employees with mental illness

Around 45% of Australians between the age of 16 and 85 will experience a mental illness at some point in their life, while one in five Australian adults will experience a mental illness in any given year.

As a manager or work colleague, it can be difficult to see a team member struggle with mental illness and employers don’t always feel equipped to deal with the situation.

If a staff member’s employment becomes at risk because of a mental health condition, there is help available for both employers and employees via the Job In Jeopardy Assistance program, which is funded by the Australian Government. *This program will be called Work Assist as of the 1st of July.

You can find a provider to help via THIS LINK. Either the employer or employee can approach a program provider for support.

Far North Queensland program provider Worklink, is one organisation who offers this great service. They provide counselling, on the job support, upskilling/training and employee/employer liaising as part of their Job in Jeopardy service delivery. Worklink has been servicing far north Queensland for over 20 years. They specialise in assisting people who have experienced a mental health condition.

Tips for managers to create a mentally healthy workplace for all employees

[source www.headsup.org.au]

  1. Increase your own knowledge about mental health and be aware of the support available (such as the Job In Jeopardy Assistance program)
  2. Educate your staff about mental health in the workplace
  • Tool box talks
  • Include in induction and other employee training processes
  • Provide educational information and/or posters in the workplace
  1. Talk openly about mental health at work and encourage others to do the same
  2. Provide support to any team member who is struggling with their mental health
  3. Communicate regularly with your team
  4. Encourage respectful behaviour and communication by team members
  • Have consistent messages about behavioural expectations, including education and responsiveness to bullying behaviour
  1. Improve work design by addressing potential workplace stressors
  • Regularly review workloads
  • Improve role clarity
  • Provide adequate resources and training to your employees, so they are able to confidently perform their roles
  1. Demonstrate healthy work habits – lead by example
  2. Be an influencer – encourage senior management to make mental health a priority in the workplace
  3. Work with your team to develop a plan

Helpful Links: