Mental health issues in the workplace are an unfortunate reality.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing:

  • Over two in five Australians aged 16-85 years (43.7% or 8.6 million people) had experienced a mental disorder at some time in their life
  • One in five (21.4% or 4.2 million people) had a 12-month mental disorder
  • Anxiety was the most common group of 12-month mental disorders (16.8% or 3.3 million people)
  • Almost two in five people (39.6%) aged 16-24 years had a 12-month mental disorder.

It’s also an economic burden, costing $12 billion every year – including more than $200 million in workers’ compensation claims.

So recognising the signs of ailing mental health is one of the most important first steps in ensuring your employees are functioning at their best.

5 signs an employee may need support

Decreasing performance and employee disengagement can have various origins depending on personal circumstances, but it can also indicate poor mental health.

Some of the warning signs include:

  • procrastination or not finishing work on time
  • failing to fulfil important duties
  • lower general work output
  • starting late or leaving early when work is unfinished
  • not meeting specific objectives or performance goals.

If you notice an employee taking more time off than usual, it may be a sign of mental ill-health.

According to a report by the Mentally Healthy Workplace Alliance, almost a quarter of the Australian workforce experiences mild depression that leads to absenteeism of 50 hours per person per year. A further 8% of workers experience moderate to severe depression that leads to absenteeism of up to 138 hours per person per year.

Presenteeism – working while sick or at reduced capacity – is another indicator of a potential mental health condition. This may include:

  • working at a suboptimal level
  • an inability to focus or not being ‘mentally present’
  • getting distracted easily
  • struggling with low energy levels.

Together with absenteeism, presenteeism is estimated to cost Australian businesses about $11 billion each year.

Even in a workplace setting, mental health conditions can result in mood swings or unstable emotions marked by extreme highs and lows.

If a team member is experiencing mental ill-health, they may demonstrate behaviours that seem out of character or inappropriate. They might also become agitated or withdrawn easily, or show irrational fears and anxieties.

Mental illness can impact a person’s ability or motivation to take care of their physical appearance. This may result in poor personal hygiene, lack of grooming or even dressing inappropriately at work.

What to do if you think an employee is struggling

If you suspect an employee has a mental health concern, addressing the situation could be as simple as having a private conversation to ask how they’re going and guide them to an appropriate mental health support service.

In cases where mental health issues are ongoing or affect more than one team member, developing a more formal workplace mental health strategy may be the best course of action.

To help you develop a mental health policy in your workplace, My Business Workplace has created a Mental Health Policy.

This policy is designed to help parties deal with mental health issues by:

  • explaining the importance of positive mental health
  • setting out steps for  improving and maintaining positive mental health
  • defining mental illness and providing examples of common symptoms
  • encouraging employees to seek professional help in circumstances where they might be experiencing mental illness, and
  • providing contact details for organisations that provide counselling and support for people suffering from mental illness.

Need more information on WHS resources? My Business Workplace has a library of more than 200 documents to ensure you’re compliant with workplace legislation.