Employers in Victoria must take reasonable steps to provide and maintain a safe workplace. This includes mental health and safety, as well as physical safety.
The World Health Organisation defines mental health as:
“Mental health is a state of wellbeing in which every individual realises their own potential, can cope with normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to their community.”
Everyone has the right to feel safe, secure and happy when they come to work.
Caring for yourself is about having good physical and mental health to come to work every day.
Throughout our lives, our mental health can change.
When we manage our mental health effectively, it helps us do well in our life, work and relationships.
When you come to work, you're responsible for:
When we can effectively manage our mental health we can better:
If your mental health condition doesn't affect your ability to do your job, you have no legal obligation to tell your employer about it.
One in five Australian adults experience a mental health illness every year.
It's important to be aware of and do things that support your mental health and wellbeing.
Here are some tools and resources you can use to get started:
Health and safety representatives (HSRs) help improve occupational health and safety (OHS) outcomes by representing the views and interests of their colleagues in OHS matters.
As an HSR, you have responsibilities in addition to your regular role. This can have an impact on your mental health and wellbeing.
It's important to speak to someone you trust if you need any support or training.
For example, you could set up regular meetings with your manager to discuss the role or speak to a Health and Safety Representative Support Officer (HSRSO) from WorkSafe.
HSRSOs can:
You can contact an HSRSO by emailing [email protected].
As a manager or senior leader, you look after both your own wellbeing and the wellbeing of your team.
Good mental and physical health means you will be more alert, motivated, attentive and resilient. These are all qualities a manager needs every day.
In your role, you may face a lot of challenging situations.
If your physical and mental health is in good shape, you will be able to manage these better. This also has a positive impact on your team.
As a manager or senior leader, never forget that you can ask for help too.
You can use our Wellbeing toolkit for practical tips, tools and activities for you and your team.
Speak with your own manager or HR if you need support.
Individual activities and organisational supports can help your mental wellbeing. Here are just a few tools and approaches to try: