Demand doubles for OzHelp Workplace Tune-Ups as mental health takes WHS spotlight

An early intervention workplace mental health program is helping the Australian workforce get ahead of an increasing existential threat.

This year alone, demand for OzHelp’s “Workplace Tune-Ups” has risen 100 per cent compared to 2022.

The increase comes as statistics show workers’ compensation claims for physical injury have declined 13 per cent since 2000 but those relating to mental health have grown a staggering 60 per cent.

OzHelp Partnerships and Engagement director Caz O’Brien said unfortunately, there was no indication this would change any time soon.

“With the impacts of COVID, unfortunately we’ll only see that continue into the future,” she said.

“That’s why Workplace Tune-Ups has become our sort of star program. Employers are realising the value of proactivity in this space, and that’s what OzHelp programs are all about – helping organisations get on the front foot of employee mental health.”

OzHelp is a national leader in providing health and wellbeing programs for workers, focusing on the high-risk, hard-to-reach industries of building and construction, transport and logistics, manufacturing, and farming and agriculture.

Its Workplace Tune-Ups send wellbeing support workers into workplaces to undertake a comprehensive, evidence-based assessment.

This produces a report identifying its specific psycho-social safety hazards against benchmarks developed over the program’s seven years.

The reports anonymise employees while identifying recommendations for targeted interventions that hone in on a workplace’s opportunities to mitigate risks and better support its employees.

“For example, if something emerges in the assessment about fatigue, it might prompt a recommendation for an employer to review their shift structures and how they might be negatively impacting their workforce,” Ms O’Brien said.

“We’ve also seen a beautiful shift in employers now including their non-direct workforce in these considerations. This is wonderful because a large sub-contracting workforce is now included in an employer’s efforts to better understand the complexities of their workforce.”

Workplace Tune-Ups plug into regulatory Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) requirements around employee psychological safety, which Ms O’Brien said had come sharply into focus over the past year and a half.

“The moral imperative has always been there for employers to understand the risks their workers face, but there are now clear legal obligations,” she said.

“When you consider the costs of mental health issues to organisations, it’s hugely beneficial to employers, but also the right thing to do.”

Health, Safety, Environment and Quality manager for Huon Contractors Regan Hudson said the mental health of employees was as important as any other workplace health and safety consideration.

“Especially at the moment we see it every day – people are stressed,” he said.

“Whether it’s the rising interest rates or other external factors, there’s a lot that can contribute to an employee going through a tough time.

“Our supervisors and coordinators are going to take on external training through OzHelp to make sure they are aware of the issues and can identify them.”

Mr Hudson said Ozhelp has been valuable at Huon.

“We’re in an industry where people can work long hours or odd hours, we’re operating 6 am to 6 pm most days. So people don’t always get the chance to go to the doctor on a regular basis,” he explained.

“Just the ability to have the nurses come to them is a huge benefit to our people.”

Lesa O’Leary, the OzHelp Service Delivery team leader and primary nurse for the Workplace Tune-Ups program, said a holistic approach was critical.

“Employers and employees are coming to understand how external factors – our relationships, our finances, our diet and exercise habits – are inextricably linked with our workplace wellbeing,” she said.

“It’s reflected in absenteeism, productivity and focus and even how we conduct ourselves in the workplace.

“That’s why our assessments look at everything from family and medical history to sleep and fatigue, smoking, alcohol, diet, exercise and finances – any area that can knock a person down in terms of their health and wellbeing.”

While employees receive their own personalised assessment reports, their employers only receive the high-level information needed to make improvements. Crucially, these are systemically followed up.

“I remember assessing a business once where everyone was a-ok, but when I returned three months later one employee had gone from fine to not coping at all,” Ms O’Leary said.

“In three months he had experienced relationship breakdown and financial strain and was struggling mentally. And of course that spills over into the workplace, where we spend most of our waking hours.

“Employers can’t possibly know everything going on in their employees’ lives. But that’s why this program is available.”

To learn more about available early intervention, capability building, wellbeing, support, planning and advisory services, visit OzHelp.