The most important thing is to be honest about where mental health and wellbeing sits on the hierarchy. If it’s up among the top key priorities for business as I think it should be, then put structure and responsibility around it – as you would with other priorities for your business.

Professor Samuel Harvey Black Dog Institute and UNSW Sydney

Mental Health & Safety

MHS – the new WHS

Job stress and other work-related psychosocial hazards are emerging as the leading contributors to occupational disease and injury. 

The Australian Human Rights Commission reports that fostering a healthy and safe workplace makes good business sense.

The statistics below tell a compelling economic story, but they also speak about the prevalence of mental health and the stigma and contradictions that surround it.

The strength of ordinary courage benefits all workers, including those with mental illness, transforming your workplace in positive ways that stretch far beyond the bottom line.

While it’s easy to measure a return on your MHS investment in dollars, the personal effects are priceless.

Australia’s Mental Health Story

the facts and figures

10

billion

each year is the cost of stress-related workers’ compensation claims

50

of all workers’ compensation claims are related to work pressure psychological injury

25

of all workers’ compensation claims are related to harassment and bullying

25

of workers take time off each year for stress related reasons

3.2 days

per worker are lost each year through workplace stress

No. 3

Mental ‘unhealth’ is the third biggest health problem in Australia, after heart disease and cancer

20

of Australian people experience mental health conditions each year yet almost

75

of all senior managers believe none of their workers will experience a mental health issue at work

45

of Australians aged between 16 and 85 will experience a mental illness at some point in their life

No. 1

Depression is the leading cause of non-fatal disability in Australia but only

3

of Australians identify depression as a major health problem

20% – 25%

 of GP patients require support or treatment for anxiety or depression