“We know that mental health problems cost Australia billions and billions of dollars,” says Ingrid Ozols, founder of the Mental Health at Work initiative, “yet mental health is still such a stigmatised topic.” One report estimates the cost of stress alone in Australia at $14.81 billion annually*.

While the business world increasingly acknowledges the link between workplace mental health and productivity, many employers and managers continue to feel unequipped or unable to deal with the issue. From something that has been traditionally viewed as a ‘personal’ problem, an increasing number of employers are now taking responsibility for supervising the mental health of their workforce.

Ozols identifies the key elements of maintaining a mentally healthy workplace, including understanding the early warning signs of mental illness, dealing with mentally unwell employees and bringing up the issue of suicide.

The early warning signs

Ozols advises that the best way to anticipate mental illness in the workplace is by fostering relationships with employees.

“A manager needs to know their people,” says Ozols. “Instead of pressing the ‘send email’ button to your team members, it’s about going out and talking to them. Ask them what they’re up to and how they are.

“It comes down to knowing them beyond work so that you will notice any behaviour changes, such as changes in work output, work quality or the person’s mood. At the end of the day, this is all about communication.”

Being a functional part of the working culture enables managers to take advantage of the best kind of workplace wellbeing: prevention. Ozols explains:

“If you’re having those old conversations around the photocopier or the kitchen and know that Mary’s got 3 kids, an elderly mother that she’s trying to look after and her husband’s just left her, then you know that she’s having a bit of a tough time.”

Being aware of the emotional strains on staff members ultimately helps managers anticipate potentially problematic circumstances sooner, so they can deal with them in a proactive way.

Dealing with struggling employees

If a staff member appears to be struggling with aspects of their work and/or life, managers need to feel confident in their obligations and capabilities, as well as be aware of necessary limitations of their role.

“Managers don’t have to manage someone else’s health,” says Ozols, “and they shouldn’t be diagnosing someone else. It’s really about a two-way relationship; between management and employees.”

Ozols explains that the expansion of the traditional boss/worker boundary is vital for maintaining workplace mental wellbeing.

“This is where we’ve got to change our mindset,” says Ozols. “For too long we’ve said, ‘Personal issues stay personal. Before you walk in leave your personal problems at home; we’re not going to ask because it’s none of our business.”

“We’ve got to be aware that we (the workplace) are the new extended family for some people. We are an important vital connection. A lot of people don’t have extended family and a lot of people don’t have community. Work can be the only place where people are connected.

“So, a manager’s duty of care is not about diagnosing or managing someone else’s health, but about supporting the person. If you notice a behaviour change, don’t be afraid to ask, ‘How are you going? What’s going on in your world? Do you need some help?’

Maintaining this support role is vital, Ozols declares.

“Don’t be afraid to ask the questions,” says Ozols, “but then be prepared to hear some uncomfortable answers that you may not like or understand. Remember, you don’t have to fix another person’s problem – that’s not your role.

“Your role is if someone comes in and starts to cry, saying, ‘life is getting a bit hard’; listening to her and asking, ‘Would you like me to get you some help? Can I get you a cup of coffee? What can I do?’

Ozols suggests exploring a range of options with the distressed employee, including:

• Would you like some time off?
• Would you like me to rearrange your responsibilities or your work design?
• Can we try to rearrange your workload?
• What if we alter the hours you’re working?
• What would help you to feel better?

“Let’s be preventative before this person gets sick,” says Ozols. “I’ve got so many case studies of where we’ve had these conversations; we’ve turned it around and helped people.”

Ozols warns against reverting to our cultural idiosyncrasies. “Aussies love asking ‘how are you?”, she says, “but we’re not very good at listening to the answer because we’re afraid to hear it.”

Signs of mental illness

Ozols suggests some typical signs that can be exhibited by employees suffering from mental health problems:

• Change in mood, such as aggression, teariness, or absent-mindedness;
• Declining appearance, such as a drop in grooming or dress standards, physical signs of fatigue or unhealthy weight loss;
• Decline in work output, or a drop-off in effort levels for projects or tasks;
• Disinterest in social interactions or occasions; and
• Tardiness for shifts or meetings, or missing appointments altogether.

The ‘S’ word

A common myth is that talking about suicide will implant the idea in mentally unwell peoples’ heads. People who are suicidal already have the idea in their head and the only way to improve the situation is to talk about it.

 “If you can see that someone is really not coping and you’re worried about what you’re seeing, there’s nothing wrong with asking, ‘Have you been having suicidal thoughts?’ says Ozols.

"The big ‘S’ word frightens people; they think mentioning it will put the idea in people’s heads.”

"Accept you’re not going to like the answer; accept it’s an uncomfortable question,” Ozols advises.

“But you want them to talk to you, so you can know what to do. If they say yes, they are considering suicide, you might be terrified on the inside that they’ve told you this but you can make all the difference.”

Ozols offers strategies for dealing with such an answer.

“Ask them what they’ve been thinking about, why they’ve been thinking about that, how you can help. Ask if you can call the employee assistance program, or their GP, a nominated carer or a support person that you can ring.”

“Tell the person that you’re really worried about their health and that you don’t want to let them leave here on their own now. Ask if you can take them to a GP.”

The most important thing you can do is to support the person, offering them options for further help or treatment. Try to resist the urge to ‘solve’ their problems, or to downplay what they are feeling as a ‘bad day/week’.

In part two, Ozols takes us through the difference between intervening and interfering; the imperative for dealing with situations as they arise; the need for constant communication; and an overview of the return to work process.

Ingrid Ozols is founder and Managing Director of Mental Health @ Work.

*The Cost of Workplace Stress in Australia. Medibank Private. August 2008.