22.3% of Australian workers say their workplace caused or worsened their mental health last year.
On World Day for Safety and Health at work, SuperFriend released the findings from Australia’s largest workplace mental health survey, ‘2021 indicators of a thriving workplace’. The report found that almost a quarter (22.3%) of Australian workers say their workplace caused or worsened their mental health condition last year.
Interestingly, Victorian workers seem to have a had a particularly tough time of it this year, of the 53.5% of Aussie workers who experienced a mental health condition 56.6% were based in Victoria.
Sandra Surace, workplace mental health and wellbeing consultant at SuperFriend said in a press release, “With the end of the financial year around the corner, it’s the perfect time for businesses to spend their remaining budget on critical areas, like mental health and wellbeing initiatives and be open to adapting to the evolving needs of the workforce.”
The report also unveiled that Australian workers value mental health support more than they value flexible working options. When ranking their most valued workplace initiatives almost a third (29.7%) ranked mental health support while only 12.9% ranked flexible working conditions.
“The United Nations’ World Day for Safety and Health at Work is a great reminder for businesses to assess their investment in their employees' mental health. Mental health initiatives are mutually beneficial, proven to boost productivity and profits and improve employee retention - an area that is especially important as industry muddles through a talent shortage,” says Sandra.
Read the full report here.
