Take time to learn about mentally healthy workplaces

Building a mentally healthy workplace makes good business sense, with plenty of evidence showing you’ll see less injuries, compensation claims and absenteeism while reaping the benefits of a thriving, engaged workforce. If that doesn’t convince you to make a few changes, it’s worth remembering you have a legal duty to control psychological health and safety risks to your workers, the same as you do for physical risks.

This year’s Mental Health Forum, livestreamed on Monday 11 October during Mental Health Week, is a great opportunity to show your workers you are serious about building a mentally healthy workplace. Tune in with a few of them to nurture your team’s capabilities through professional development and improve your organisation’s awareness of psychological health and safety and the importance of early intervention.

The forum is jam packed with presentations to shine a light on how to promote, prevent, intervene early and support recovery for a mentally healthy workplace. Learn about the common features of bullying and harassment in the workplace, along with intervention strategies, how to manage challenging situations and reframing how to approach difficult conversations. There will be insights into early intervention strategies for PTSD in the workplace and the latest from the international stage, along with the growing awareness of secondary psychology. We’ll look at the psychological reactions people are having to the pandemic, the importance of early intervention and supporting workers through the return to work process. And we’ll hear about the key learnings from the AHRC national inquiry (Respect@Work) and putting a stop to sexual harassment in 2021- what the recommendations mean in real terms for your organisation.

Want more than just the forum? Other events in Mental Health Week include:

• Work-related violence and aggression in the workplace (online event) - 13 October
• Creating mentally safe workplaces workshop - strategies for promoting mental wellbeing (online event) - 14 October.

Looking for mentally healthy workplaces resources?

Check our Heads up toolbox talks on how to get a mental health conversation started in your workplace. Download our Mentally healthy workplaces toolkit and other safety and prevention information and resources to help you take positive steps towards a mentally healthy workplace, or check out the People at Work tool, a free psychosocial risk assessment tool.

Further information

Find out more about what others are doing on the Mental Health Week website and register your events on their calendar.