MENTAL  HEALTH  &  WELLBEING‐ A  STRATEGIC  APPROACH

Presented by Simon Brown‐Greaves

A modern, evidence based approach to

workplace wellbeing

• Strategic Wellbeing: An evolving landscape

• What is the issue we are trying to solve?

• An understanding of psychosocial risk in the 

workplace

• Identifying and assessing effective control 

mechanisms for managing psychosocial risks

• Taking a strategic approach 

• Building effective cultures: Barriers and 

enablers for implementation  

• Special Care: Occupational Violence

Agenda

Mental Health Continuum

© FBG Group Pty Ltd, 2018

Inner Life Related Drivers• Self Concept• Life Approach• Emotional 

Predisposition• Control Orientation• Psychological Needs• Motivational Factors

Outer Life Related Drivers• Financial• Health • Lifestyle • Recovery• Challenges• Connectedness

Work Life Drivers• Supervisor 

Relationships• Co‐worker 

Relationships• Work Culture• Nature of Work• Job Role• Skills

Key Factors that drive Wellbeing at Work

Wellbeing Initiatives @ Work

H o w d o y o u f i n d o u t w h a t

p e o p l e n e e d t o h a v e h i g h

l e v e l s o f w e l l b e i n g i n y o u r

o r g a n i s a t i o n ?

W h a t d o e s y o u r d a t a t e l l

y o u ?

• Benchmarks– Specific to your organisation– General data – but relevant 

• Engagement / Opinion Surveys• HR Metrics

– Leave trends– Workers Compensation– Turnover– Incident reports/complaints 

• Industry specific risk data• EAP Utilisation • Exit vs. Stay Interview

What are some of the

psychosocial risks in your work

context?

P s y c h o l o g i c a l h e a l t h & s a f e t y r i s k s

1. Job  Demands2. Job  Control3 . Support4. Role  Clar i ty5. Change  Management6. Workplace  Relat ions7. Organisat ional  Just ice8. Reward  and  Recognit ion9. Vio lent  and  traumat ic   inc idents10. Remote  or   i so lated  work11. Environmental  Condit ions

worksafe.qld.gov.au/mentallyhealthyworkplaces

P s y c h o s o c i a l R i s k M a n a g e m e n t

Work‐related psychosocial risks concern aspects of the design and management of work and its social and organisational contexts that have the potential 

for causing psychological or physical harm

It has been identified as one of the major contemporary challenges for occupational health 

and safety and are linked to such workplace problems as work‐related stress, occupational violence, harassment and bullying (WHO, 2008)

Contemporary approaches to the prevention of occupational violence

• Approaches• Case studies

O c c u p a t i o n a l v i o l e n c e a s a p s y c h o s o c i a l r i s k f a c t o r

Creating mentally healthy workplaces

Mentally Healthy Workplaces Toolkit, WHSQ

Promote: strategies to promote positive mental health practices.

Prevent: systematic safety management practices to address psychosocial hazards.

Intervene: strategies to manage stress and address psychological injury and harm to worker health.Support recovery: following psychological and physical injury/illness.

What do you currently provide?

• Proactive (front end)• Reactive (back end)• Highly Utilised• Mandated• Targeted or General• Evidence‐based (evaluated?)

Building a Wellbeing Strategy

Where do you invest your efforts?

I n d i v i d u a l s ? O r g a n i s a t i o n s ?Te am s ?

S o h o w d o w e b u i l d w e l l b e i n g i n …

Want vs. Need

VSSTRATEGIC TACTICAL

DATA DRIVEN S Y S T E M I C

PREVENTATIVE

ADDRESSES THE

CAUSEFLEXIBLE AND ADAPTABLE

COST-EFFECTIVE OVER TIME

SUSTAINABLE O U T C O M E S

DELIVERS ORGANISATIONAL BENEFIT

Ad-HocI n d i v i d u a l f o c u s

REACTIVE

HELPS INDIVIDUALS RESPOND TO THE SYMPTOMSVALUE AND COVERAGEUNKNOWN

PATCHY OUTCOMES

DELIVERS INDIVIDUAL BENEFIT?

Possible Levels of Intervention

Employer Obligation- Duty of Care

REASONABLE CARE TO PREVENT 

FORESEEABLE INJURY

SAFE WORK ENVIRONMENT 

–ENVIRONMENT YOU CONTROL 

MONITOR HEALTH 

ATTRIBUTION TO THE 

COMPANY 

Standard of Care Reasonable practicability 

What is the risk?

What is the control?

Is there a hazard?

• Lack of access to data specifically indicative of psychological risks• Significant organisational change• Weakening of leadership support• Lack of evidence regarding employee knowledge about organisational policies and programs 

in the domain of psychological health and safety• Competing organisational priorities 

B a r r i e r s t o i m p l e m e n t a t i o n

Facilitators of implementation

• Strong leadership support • Consistency with organisational mission • Leverage of existing structures 

Asking the right questions…..

What is the smallest change you can make to generate the highest impact on wellbeing?

Where are you likely to have most impact?

Leadership Skills Training 

Respect at Work Program

Recognition andFeedback

Person‐Job Fit Effective recruitment processes 

Job design

Performancesystem

Conflict Management Training

PART 1• Identify specific risks/needs in your organisation

• List your current initiativesThen as a group CLASSIFY them –are they Prevention, Management or Safety Netmeasures?

• Identify budget parameters /estimate(ie. Costed as a specific “wellbeing” initiatives or funded from another line)

Group Activity

PART 2Ruthlessly re‐prioritise

If you could start all over with the same budget –

how would you allocate the money?

Group Activity

W h a t r o l e d o e s c o n f l i c t h a v e ?

Glasl ’s nine stage model of conflict escalation

Know your conflict style

Follow a conflict management process

1. Define the issue

2. Separate the issue from the people involved

3. Explore the needs of both parties

4. Identify areas of common ground

5. Suggest and discuss solutions

6. Select a solution and develop steps towards it

fbggroup.com.au

THANK YOU

Simon Brown‐Greaves FBG GROUP03 9600 0067L3, 350 Collins StreetMelbourne VIC 3000