Psych Health and Safety Podcast

In this episode we chat with Dr Libby Brook, Principal Psychological Health and Safety Specialist at WorkSafe Victoria. Libby takes us through the Exposure Draft OHS Amendment (Psychological Health) Regulations, providing more context on the objectives, employer duties, control of risk, prevention plans, and complaint reporting. A useful episode for anyone who will be affected by the introduction of these Regulations! https://engage.vic.gov.au/proposed-psychological-health-regulations

In this episode we chat with Lucas Finch, Global Head of Wellbeing at Xero. He shares with us the approach that Xero is taking to psychological health and safety, and describes the steps being taken to operationalise the integrated approach. We discuss how to measure outcomes from a psychological health and safety strategy, and how to align a business case proposition with outcomes that are important to the organisation in question.

Join us to celebrate the first birthday of the Psych Health and Safety Podcast! Who would have thought in just one year we would publish 74 episodes, feature 63 world-leading guests, host six live panels, spawn three spin off podcasts and record more than 27,000 downloads! In a special first birthday episode, co-hosts Jason van Schie, Joelle Mitchell, and Dr Alicia Papas teamed up to discuss the top four challenges for workplaces adopting psychological health and safety in 2022. This included: building OHS/HR competence; line manager training; tools for psychosocial risk assessment/monitoring (and what isn’t a risk assessment); and action planning following risk assessment (and look out for a surprise special guest who popped in to say hello!).

Get FlourishDx Basic on a forever free account: www.flourishdx.com/signupLaMontagne AD, Martin A, Page KM, Reavley NJ, Noblet AJ, Milner AJ, Keegel T, Smith PM (2014): Workplace mental health: developing an integrated intervention approach. BMC Psychiatry. 2014 May 9;14:131. Available open access: https://bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-244X-14-131.LaMontagne AD, Shann C, Martin A (2018): Developing an integrated approach to workplace mental health: A hypothetical conversation with a Small Business Owner. Ann Work Expo Health; 62(suppl_1):S93-S100. doi: 10.1093/annweh/wxy039.Martin AJ & LaMontagne AD (2018): Applying an integrated approach to workplace mental health in SMEs: A case of the “too hard basket” or picking some easy wins? In Organizational Interventions for Health and Well-being, A Handbook for Evidence-Based Practice Organizational Interventions. (Eds Nielsen K, Noblet A,), Routledge, Taylor & Francis Publishing, UK, Chapter 8, pp: 195-219.LaMontagne AD, Martin A, Page KM, Reavley NJ, Noblet AJ, Milner AJ, Keegel T, Allisey A, Papas A, Witt K, Smith PM (2019): Developing an integrated approach to workplace mental health. In Total Worker Health: Integrative Approaches to Safety, Health & Wellbeing (Editors: Hudson HL, Nigam JAS, Sauter SL, Chosewood LC, Schill AL, Howard J), Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA), Washington DC. Chapter 12, pp: 211-228.Good practice framework for mental health and wellbeing in police and emergency services organisations (beyond blue, 2020)The Australian National Mental Health Commission’s National Workplace Initiative (in development). https://www.mentalhealthcommission.gov.au/Mental-health-Reform/National-Workplace-InitiativeWHO Work and Mental Health Guide (in development).  See https://www.who.int/teams/mental-health-and-substance-use/mental-health-in-the-workplace and https://www.who.int/mental_health/prevention/guidelines_mental_health_work/en/#:~:text=Work%2C%20including%20working%20conditions%2C%20is,and%20well%2Dbeing%20of%20workersWorkplace Strategies for Mental Health: https://www.workplacestrategiesformentalhealth.com/Promoting Positive Mental Health in the Workplace – Guidelines for Organisations (2015). http://www.superfriend.com.au/supporters/research/promoting-positive-mental-health-in-the-workplace-guidelines-for-organisationsWorkplace Prevention of Mental Health Problems, Guidelines for Organisations (2013): https://mhfa.com.au/cms/guidelines#mhfapreventGuidelines on Providing Mental Health First Aid in the workplace (2016): https://mhfa.com.au/resources/mental-health-first-aid-guidelines#mhfaworkplaceWorkplace mental health resources for small business (beyond blue): https://www.headsup.org.au/healthy-workplaces/for-small-businessesLaMontagne AD and Keegel T (2012): Reducing Stress in the Workplace: An Evidence Review, Full Report.  Melbourne: Victorian Heath Promotion Foundation (VicHealth), 52 pages.  Open access at http://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/workplaceWorksafe Victoria: Preventing and Managing Work-related Stress – A Guidebook for Employers.  https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/resources/preventing-and-managing-work-related-stress-guide-employers

Get FlourishDx Basic on a forever free account: www.flourishdx.com/signupwww.safetyinmind.org

Get FlourishDx Basic on a forever free account: www.flourishdx.com/signuphttps://www.mentalhealthcommission.gov.au/Mental-health-Reform/National-Workplace-Initiativehttps://www.comcare.gov.au/collaborativepartnershiphttps://www.mentalhealthcommission.gov.au/mental-health-reform/national-workplace-initiative/mentally-healthy-workplaces-during-covid-19https://superfriend.com.au/resources/itw/