Your how-to: Setting up a workplace mental health crisis communication plan
A workplace mental health crisis communication plan is a structured approach to deal with mental health emergencies that may occur amongst staff members. It provides essential guidelines and procedures to support employees who may be experiencing a serious mental health issue, such as severe stress, panic attacks or potential harm to self or others.
This plan includes various components such as designated personnel for crisis handling, steps to identify and respond to mental health crises, communication lines to mental health professionals, strategies for immediate intervention, and post-crisis strategies, such as providing the affected employee with care, support, and time off.
In the Australian context, the plan must be compliant with the Mental Health Act 2014 which focusses on the rights of people when they are experiencing mental health issues. The plan should prioritise the wellbeing and safety of your employees, thereby creating a supportive workplace culture and meeting corporate social responsibility expectations.
Step by step instructions
Recognise the Importance and Conduct Initial Research: Before setting up any plan, take the time to understand why it is essential. Ensure that you're familiar with the basics of mental health needs in the workplace and the benefits of a suitable plan. Read through the Mental Health Act 2014 to fully comprehend the legal requirements for workplaces in Australia.
Establish a Line of Communication: Employees should have a designated way of reporting mental health crises. Ensure the line is accessible at all times and handled by people who are equipped to respond. Ensure confidentiality and prompt response.
Create an Action Plan: Write down a step-by-step protocol of what needs to be done when a mental health crisis is reported. This should include how to evaluate the crisis, who to contact (including the external expert from step 4), and the immediate steps to take to ensure the safety of the individual involved and other employees.
Provide Training: Educate your team and employees about the plan. Train the entire staff not just to act according to the plan but also to recognise warning signs of a crisis and know how to respond appropriately.
Assemble a Crisis Response Team: Identify individuals from different areas of the business who will form your Crisis Response Team. This team will be trained on how to handle mental health emergencies and provide support to affected employees.
Identify an External Mental Health Expert: Find a mental health professional who can be contacted for advice when a crisis strikes. This expert may also train your response team to handle such situations.
Develop a Post-Crisis Strategy: This will include follow-ups with the affected employee, providing them necessary support and care. Also, consider the necessary adjustments to their work schedule, environment, or job duties to ease their recovery.
Regularly Review and Update the Plan: Ensure your mental health crisis communication plan stays relevant and beneficial by auditing its effectiveness at regular intervals and updating it as necessary. Feedback from employees, especially those who have experienced a crisis, can be valuable. These steps provide a starting point for developing a responsible, considerate, and legally compliant mental health crisis communication plan to ensure a mentally healthy workplace for all employees.
Use this template to implement
To ensure you can execute seamlessly, download the implementation template.
Pitfalls to avoid
When dealing with mental health, confidentiality is paramount. Breach of confidentiality can erode trust within your company and could even potentially lead to legal problems under Australian Privacy Act 1988. Ensure that all communications involving an individual’s mental health crisis are kept strictly confidential.
Any ambiguity in a crisis communication plan can create confusion and delay response times in a crisis. Ensure that your communication process and escalation plans are clearly defined and laid out.
Avoid implementing a plan without seeking advice or input from the employees themselves. Creating an effective mental health crisis communication plan requires understanding the needs of your staff. This might involve anonymous surveys or bringing in a mental health consultant to gather more information.
Ensure that whoever is managing this communication plan is adequately trained in mental health first aid, crisis response, and well-versed in the law surrounding mental health issues in the workplace. Without proper training, the execution of the plan can magnify the crisis instead of mitigating it.
Handling mental health crises is not solely the responsibility of your management. It is important to involve healthcare professionals and counsellors as they are trained to handle such situations. Not involving them could potentially lead to greater harm to the person in crisis.
Workplaces are increasingly multicultural, and mental health perceptions can vary across different cultures. Ensure that your communication plan incorporates respect and sensitivity to cultural differences to avoid further distress or misunderstanding during a crisis.