Lived Experience Forum

[Zoe7]

One of the biggest factors to having a mentally healthy workplace is both feeling you are being heard and also that actions are taken as a result. 

[Shaz51]

yes same here my sister @Zoe7  little housework each night has helped me the most too @Daisydreamer 

[Former-Member]

Question 5: For everyone following this discussion tonight, what are some of the attributes of a mentally healthy workplace?

I think being supportive of each other in a team. Taking the time to meet with your team, your boss and ask the Q's like whether the workload is too little or too much. EAP services for staff. The employer offering mental health first aid training and support. Clear policies on health and wellness and what is available for leave, support and a HR department who listens.

[Daisydreamer]

"we have learnt to work smarter then harder over the years" @Shaz51 I love this saying. Investing in all the other parts of life that help wellbeing can also mean that we are more productive at work and keep our lives balanced 🙂

[Daisydreamer]

What are some of the attributes of a mentally healthy workplace?

I might share a resource that I came across that I really liked, some of the key areas have already been mentioned which is great!

This resource talks about 9 key attributes of a mentally healthy workplace:

1. Prioritising mental health
2. Trusting, fair and respectful culture
3. Open and honest leadership
4. Good job design
5. Workload management
6. Employee development
7. Inclusion and influence
8. Work/life balance
9. Mental health support

https://www.headsup.org.au/healthy-workplaces/what-is-a-mentally-workplace/9-attributes-of-a-healthy...

[Adge]

I have just Qualified for Disability Employment Service Access @Ultravox Assessment via Telephone with an Unknow Doctor, last week.

My meeting their Benchmark criteria (only able to work 15 to 22 hours per week) - Was due to Chronic Physical illnesses (several), not due to my MH CPTSD

[Shaz51]

we have learnt to work smarter then harder over the years" @Shaz51 I love this saying. Investing in all the other parts of life that help wellbeing can also mean that we are more productive at work and keep our lives balanced

it is Funny @Daisydreamer  but it is soo true 

crazy to think how hard we used to work and had soo many different hats on -- crazy we were 

way better now , still have ups and downs but a lot better xx

[Former-Member]

@Ultravox really well said about what makes a healthy workplace

I agree with you and wish more workplaces upheld those things.

[Zoe7]

Great list @Daisydreamer Unfortunately emplyee workload in our sector is continuing to increase despite every survey or report made to the government saying it needs to reduce - yet another area the employees are not listened to and Yes we lose many, many teachers as a result.

[chibam]

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@Ultravox wrote:
There are websites such as My Future which is good
https://myfuture.edu.au

Job Outlook is another good one;
https://joboutlook.gov.au

Or this https://yourcareer.gov.au

Also Work Employment Agencies or Disability Employment Services are also useful. Some specialise in mental illness.

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I think I need the human touch.

But my worries when you mention "Work Employment Agencies" is that I've heard so many horror stories about people who, as I say, have been assigned a job by some half-asser who just narrowly decides that "once an unemployed person has been connected with an income stream, all is right with the world"...

And I have paid such a heavy price for placing my future in the hands of the wrong person before. I can't just carelessly, randomly blunder in to such a potential nightmare yet again.

I guess I need something that comes with a pretty strong element of reliability; some reliable (and patient-attested) indicator that whoever I place my fate in is predominantly fixated on getting me in to a life that is very much worth prolonging - as deemed by my own judgement. Not just someone who is obsessed with skills and paypacket sizes.