Workplace Strategies

Most, if not all, work environments will have stressors that can impact mental health and wellness. 

Work-related stress occurs when people feel that the demands of their job are greater than their abilities or resources to do the work. When job stress is prolonged or excessive it can be a risk factor for developing depression and anxiety, or it can cause an existing condition to worsen. 

The chart below outlines possible factors contributing to your job-related stress, and strategies for how to manage that stress. 

Have a strategy you'd like to share? Tell us about it.

Reference: www.headsup.org.au/taking-care-of-myself-at-work/staying-mentally-healthy-at-work

Talking with your supervisor

Talking through the issue(s) you are experiencing with your supervisor or Occupational Health & Safety advisor can help you tp explore possible options that will help you to address the issue(s) and improve your well-being. 

Below are some tips for talking with your supervisor about your mental health, if you decide to initiate the conversation.

  1. Plan the conversation: There is no right or wrong way to talk about your mental health. You are under no obligation to talk with your supervisor about your medical condition, but if you decide to have a conversation, planning what to say before you meet may make it an easier conversation.  Do you want your union steward or colleague, who is aware of your medical condition, with you? It can be helpful to practice what you will say with a family member or colleague.  

  2. Pick the time and the setting: Do you want a formal meeting or talk in a more relaxed setting over a coffee. Is there a time when your supervisor usually schedules meetings? What sort of reaction are you expecting? What will you do if the reaction is different to what you were expecting?

  3. Decide how much detail you want to share: Respect your own sense of privacy – it’s OK to be selective about what to share. Remember that once something is said it can’t be retracted so share details that you are comfortable having someone else know. The main thing is to say what feels natural. 

Tips taken from The Mentally Healthy Workplace Alliance-Head’s Up. You can also find additional information on talking about a mental health issue at work on their website.

 

Last updated Fri, Apr 13, 2018