WORKING IT OUT

WHEN THE SUNDAYNIGHT BLUES BECOME A LITTLE MORE SERIOUS, IT’S TIME TO TAKE ACTION

THERE’S NEVER BEEN more attention on mental health at work, and for good reason: mental illness costs the Australian economy $60 billion a year, and a new report from research agency Gartner has led to talk of a “workplace mental health epidemic”. The spotlight is now on it at the highest levels: Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to – and funding for – mental health initiatives, while this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours List celebrated Lucy Brogden, chair of the National Mental Health Commission, whose focus is on the workplace.

Yet despite all this attention, the old stigmas persist, says Dorothy Hisgrove, chief people officer at PWC Australia – one of the Big Four accounting firms, where employees can face intense work pressures. “One in five people experiences a mental health issue every year,” she says. “And in Australia,

54 per cent of people who experience a common mental health condition don’t access any professional help. So we really need to change the stigma around this.”

And the stigma has very real consequences: a 2013 study found that four out of

10 Australian workers who take sick leave for depression hide it from their employer, and almost half worry they’d lose their job if they disclosed their illness.

But the law is on your side. You don’t have to tell your employers about any mental health condition you have if it doesn’t affect your work. If you do want to tell them, the Privacy Act says they’re not allowed to tell anyone else. You’re protected from any “adverse action” from your employer thanks to the Fair Work Act, and the Disability Discrimination Act states that your boss must make “reasonable adjustments” to accommodate your needs. Yet we all know that taking legal action to affirm those rights if your company doesn’t provide them would be an expensive and stressful exercise.

PWC is one employer that’s doing its best to change the conversation. “We invest in mental health to ensure our employees are happy, that they’re bringing their whole selves to work every day, and then they’re more productive and more engaged,” says Hisgrove. “When our partners speak up about their mental health challenges, it makes others feel supported if they too share their challenges.”

The HR team have filmed 13 partners talking honestly about their experiences with mental health, with the stories made available to all employees. “That’s had a profound impact – it’s made people feel they will get support and not be judged.” The company has also trained employees at all levels in mental health first aid, and provides digital mental health check-ins as well as a 1800 number to call for support. And it’s working, with the use of the program increasing by seven per cent in the past three years, proving people are more comfortable asking for help.

But what if your employer isn’t quite so enlightened? Holm says that, ideally, you’ll share your concerns with your boss, but advises: “It’s about finding strategies that you can fit into your work life, if you’re not ready to open up to people at work. So whether that means fresh air and making sure that you’re getting out of the office once a day, or driving to work instead of using public transport, if that’s what makes you nervous – just find little things to make your day a little bit easier.”

A PWC report commissioned by Beyond Blue in 2014 found that for every dollar invested in effective mental health strategies, businesses received an average return of $2.30.