Over the past 6 months at Learn & Laugh Randwick we have been focusing on promoting positive mental health in the workplace. This focus derived from learning nearly one in six workers across all sectors experience mental ill-health every month. We really want to raise awareness of mental health and support all of our team at Learn & Laugh. This includes training our leaders to ensure quality support is given with confidence.
We have been working alongside a coach from ‘Transitioning Well’, who has guided us for the past few months on setting up a plan to promote positive mental health in our workplace.
Some things we have put into practice so far:
- Implementing a Well-being and Mental Health Policy – this is so we can show our commitment to positive mental health and show it is just as important as our physical health.
- Creating a risk assessment on mental health – to minimise psychosocial hazards in the workplace.
- Provided training to those who would benefit from strategies for their own mental health as well as for leaders to provide guidance and support to those in need.
- Wellness Wednesday – provide healthy snacks that are proven to reduce stress and promote brain activity.
- Compiling a resource booklet with a range of resources for staff to access in their own time (both digitally and physically).
- Each staff newsletter contains resources staff can use as needed to support their mental health.
- Wellbeing Workshops – to gain more knowledge, insight and support teamwork
- Weekly Acknowledgement boards – to encourage more praise and recognition
- Prize Basket – gratitude for hard work and celebrating key strengths.
- Mental health check ins – to promote a work : life balance.
- 5 Minute breather cards – staff can pass to another staff member if they need to take a five minute brain break and go for a short walk, do some breathing exercises to reduce stress.
- Include mental health resources in our induction process.
- Carry out surveys to identify any risks from psychosocial hazards, creating strategies to reduce any hazards and set goals to achieve successful outcomes.
- Generally raising awareness by displaying posters with relevant support helplines.
Our aim:
Our aim is to promote and normalise the use of mental health support by sharing articles, resources and support service contacts regularly through the ways we generally communicate e.g. group chats, posters and staff newsletters.
Our leadership teams will lead by example with conversations and actions that show our teams that it is ok and normal to have good and bad days, to discuss mental health and to use support services where needed. We want our teams to look after their mental health the same way we do our physical health, and use support services the same way we would personal trainers, physiotherapists, GPs and coaches.
We pride ourselves on our plans to promote positive mental health across all of our centres so staff can come to work feeling supported, heard and valued.
