Your how-to: Identifying the need for mental health policies
Identifying the need for mental health policies in an organisation is about understanding the importance of mental wellbeing in the workplace and recognising when it's necessary to implement measures to support it. These measures can be in the form of policies, procedures, or initiatives aimed at maintaining or improving employee mental health. This process involves recognising the signs of mental health issues among employees, acknowledging the effects on performance and productivity, and understanding the legal obligations and best practice guidelines.
In an Australian context, this also includes a keen awareness of the health and safety obligations under the Australian Work Health and Safety Act(2011) which mandates the mental wellbeing of employees to be a priority. Recognising the need for mental health policies involves appreciating the unique workplace stressors and culture within your organisation that can affect the mental health of employees, and then taking proactive steps to address these. This might include adopting flexible working policies, providing mental health training and awareness programs, or creating an open dialogue about mental health.
Step by step instructions
Identify the Need: Recognise the necessity for such a committee within your organisation. This can be done by reviewing internal surveys on employees' mental health, discussing with HR, or identifying stressors within the workplace that may negatively influence mental wellbeing.
Define the Committee’s Purpose and Scope: Define clearly what the committee's mission is. It should focus on scrutinising internal feedback regarding mental health, supporting employees facing challenges, assessing your current mental health policies, and recommending improvements. Ensure that the objectives are in line with the 'Work Health and Safety Act 2011'.
Define Roles within the Committee: Outline specific roles and responsibilities for each committee member. These roles could include a committee chair, a note taker, a HR representative to deal with legal concerns and a mental health professional to provide expert insight.
Communicate and Implement the Committee: Once the permissions are obtained, the roles are defined, and procedures are set, it's time to publicly announce the committee to your staff via emails or meetings, and begin implementing its function.
Get Senior Management Buy-In: Present your findings, along with the benefits of establishing a feedback review committee for mental health, to senior management. Their support is crucial for its implementation and will help ensure that the committee is taken seriously and given the resources it needs.
Establish a Committee Structure: Decide the structure that your committee will operate within. This should involve representatives from various departments, including different employee levels to provide a well-rounded perspective. Consider including mental health professionals either within or outside of your organisation for expert advice.
Set the Review Procedures: Establish a regular schedule and format for reviewing feedback, thoroughly discussing them, and finally providing recommendations. The feedback could come from sources like staff surveys, meeting notes, or exit interview data.
Regular Review and Follow-Up: Ensure the committee operates effectively and makes constructive changes where necessary. Regularly evaluate its performance and its impact on the workplace. Make sure the actions taken by the committee are communicated back to the staff to show the progress and impact.
Use this template to implement
To ensure you can execute seamlessly, download the implementation template.
Pitfalls to avoid
Ensuring compliance with the relevant Australian legal and statutory requirements related to mental health is essential. Negligence in this area can lead to severe consequences such as lawsuits, penalties, and damage to the organisation's reputation. The committee should be well-versed and regularly updated about the legal stipulations under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 that relate to psychological health and safety, and any changes to state mental health legislation.
A key aspect of a successful feedback review committee is effective communication. Failure to clearly communicate the committee's purpose, objectives, and decisions to all stakeholders could lead to resistance, non-cooperation, and lack of trust within the organisation.
Providing proper training is a crucial component of establishing a feedback review committee. Insufficient training can lead to ineffectiveness and poor decision-making, undermining the committee's purpose. Training should include awareness of mental health issues and how to provide and handle feedback on mental health.
The committee should be inclusive, encompassing people from different roles and levels within the organisation. Lack of diversity could lead to narrow perspectives and biased decisions, indirectly affecting the effectiveness of committee policies.
Mental health issues are sensitive and personal; handling them requires utmost discretion. Breaching confidentiality, either inadvertently or deliberately, could lead to severe harm to individuals and the organisation. Adherence to privacy laws such as the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) is essential.
The objective of feedback is to help individuals and the organisation grow. Non-constructive criticism or personal attacks can lead to hurt, resentment and further psychological harm. Encouraging an open, transparent and respectful feedback culture is crucial.