Mental health in the workplace is costing business $11 billion a year

January 30, 2015

News Type:  Weekly Spark, Weekly Spark News

The Sydney Morning Herald

A new report suggests that Australian businesses have much to gain from investing in policies that support the mental health of their workers. Researchers from the University of New South Wales and the Black Dog Institute, a nonprofit focused on understanding and treating mood disorders, said that absenteeism and reduced productivity due to mental health problems are costing Australian businesses approximately $11 billion each year. They offered six recommendations for improving employees’ mental health, including making jobs more flexible. In announcing the release of the report, Allan Fels, chair of the National Mental Health Commission said, “It’s important for businesses of all sizes to step up and take action, because you will only make things better, both for your people and for your bottom line.” The report describes a mentally healthy workplace as one in which workers are encouraged to reach their full potential, and where issues such as bullying are addressed.

Spark Extra: Read the report Creating Mentally Healthy Workplaces: A Review of the Research