SmallBusiness.wa.gov.au
The Small Business Specialists
Phone: 131 BIZ
Website: www.smallbusiness.wa.gov.au
Mental health is about your state of mind and overall wellbeing. Feeling good about yourself, having a positive outlook on life and your current situation are all features of being mentally healthy.
Having poor mental health is not the same as having a mental illness. Mental illness is a professionally diagnosed disorder, such as clinical depression, anxiety and schizophrenia. Read what the experts say about the difference between mental health and mental illness.
Staying mentally healthy is important for our home, work and social lives. Having good mental health helps us to better cope with everyday stress and unexpected traumatic events. It helps us build and maintain good relationships, pursue opportunities and contribute to our family, business and community.
Maintaining good mental health doesn't need to be expensive or time consuming. It's about taking the time to rest, relax and do activities that we enjoy.
There are many benefits of creating a workplace environment that promotes good mental health. Some of the benefits for small businesses may be:
There are a number of myths about mental illness which contribute to the stigma around mental illness. Stigma about mental illness is detrimental to the productivity of workers with mental illness, which will adversely impact on the whole business.
It is important for small businesses that employ people with mental illness to provide the appropriate support to these employees. Employers who have strategies in place are in a better position to support their employees during episodes of mental illness.
Small business should be aware of first aid techniques to assist people suffering from mental health episodes whilst on the business' premises. It is also useful for businesses to know what services for mental illness exist in their local area.
The National Workplace Program, run by beyond blue, provides a number of workshops to assist staff and managers increase their knowledge and skills to address mental health issues in the workplace. For more information on how your business can benefit from this Program, contact Beyond Blue.