Our workplace is an important site for promoting positive mental health. Workplace culture, politics, policies and relationships significantly impacts on our wellbeing every day. These factors all affect people’s attitude to their job, their environment, to themselves and to others. Having a negative workplace can leave people feeling unhappy and unmotivated, eventually leading to high levels of absenteeism and resignation.
1 - Get to know your colleagues
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1 - Get to know your colleagues
There are many activities, as simple as going outside of the workplace with a colleague and having lunch or coffee together. Even traveling to work together if they live in the same area or on the way to work. Not only will you be allowed to travel in T2 or T3 lanes allowing you to get to work faster, you are also contributing to cleaner air and the number of cars during peak hour traffic.
www.yourrestaurants.com.au - A restaurant finder guide, with links to all major Australian cities.
www.rta.nsw.gov.au/usingroads/buses/transitlanes.html - Current network of transit lanes in NSW.
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2 - Fundraise at work
There are many ideas on how to fundraise for charity at work without having to organise or plan too a grand scale. It is an easy and great way to boost work morale and encourage bonding within the workplace. It can be as simple as having a casual day each week, raising money for the same or different charities each week. Remember the good old mufti days at school!
http://nbcf.org.au/content/upload/files/Fundraising_brochure.pdf - A list of ways to raise money for pink ribbon day, or other organisations
www.chw.edu.au/about/fundraising/fab_fundraising_ideas.pdf - A list of more ideas for fundraising
www.fundraisingdirectory.com.au - A list of different products and services that you can use to fundraise at work.
www.raise4leukaemia.org.uk/fundraising/how-to-fundraise-at-work-Here are some great tips and ideas of different fundraisings that can be carried out in the workplace.For example fines for being late to meetings or forgetting to turn off mobile phones.
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3 - Create or join a sports team
Challenge other departments to also set one up, or even other companies within the same building or company competitors in the business world. Create a competition and see who will come out best. It is a great way to encourage team work and bonding between co-workers while at the same time becoming physically fit. Work sports allow you to get know your colleagues better in yours and other departments. It is a healthy break from work. These sporting events can occur during lunch break so as not to disrupt the personal time of workers. This is a great way for developing positive mental health in the workplace.
www.dsr.nsw.gov.au/active/ - How to keep active in your area
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4 - Get the organisation volunteering
Helping others feels good. It takes the focus off your own life and makes your grateful for what you have when you see others less fortunate than yourself. Volunteering really gives you back a sense of worth, that you are making a difference. You not only meet new people and have fun but you also learn new skills and gain new experiences. So get together with others from work, pick an issue you care about and reach out to others, big or small. If your organisation can't do this, organise to give blood together, or donate something a local group needs, such as offering to supply all printing needs.
www.goodcompany.com.au - A site that connects skilled professionals with charitable organisations in need of pro bono assistance.
www.seekvolunteer.com.au - Lists volunteer vacancies throughout Australia
www.volunteeringaustralia.org - The national peak body working to advance volunteering in the Australian community
http://volunteersearch.gov.au - Government volunteer website, lists all volunteer opportunities in the Australian government
www.govolunteer.com.au - Volunteering opportunities in your local area
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5 - Make sure everyone participates
You remember what it was like not to be included in certain activities. Social isolation and lack of participation in the community have been found to have a negative impact on mental health and wellbeing. Don't leave people out; make sure everyone feels included in all aspects of decision making. Development of activities that encourage participation is vital to the mental health of employees. Participation can boost employee morale when they feel that their opinion matters and they have a say in the direction of the company. Not only does it encourage more ideas to be shared and discussed it can also help reduce a person's stress levels.
www.helium.com/tm/738727/meeting-participantsproject-meetings-usually - Ways to encourage people to speak up at meetings
www.fao.org/DOCREP/006/AD077E/AD077e15.htm - Ways to encourage participation
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6 - Introduce yourself and make new members at work welcome
People can feel a bit out of place when they start at a new job. When someone new joins your work team, introduce yourself and make sure to tell them that they are welcome to ask you any question, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem to them.
www.wikihow.com/Introduce-Yourself - How to introduce yourself to a person you don't know
www.smallfuel.com/blog/entry/how-to-introduce-yourself-to-someone-youve-never-met - How to introduce yourself to someone you've just met
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7 - Encourage your organisation to offer training to employees
This provides recognition to a person and allows them to further their career and become more autonomous in the workplace. With further training, employees will become more skilled, efficient and effective in their jobs. This will lead to increased productivity in the workplace. This will also make them more valuable to the company boosting morale of employees and retention of the skilled employees.
www.tpatwork.com - Training packages at work
www.vetab.nsw.gov.au/pubs/packages.htm - A newsletter funded by the Department of Education, Science and Training
www.diversityatwork.com.au/training - Works with your organisation to provide further training
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8 - Reward and acknowledge people's hard work
Many people might not feel the work they are doing for an organisation is being acknowledged or recognised. Increased recognition and provision of bonuses or some form of a reward will not only motivate the employees but it will increase retention of skilled staff, encouraging company loyalty. So, if someone has done a really good job, say thanks for it, and consider giving them a gift as a way of saying thanks.
www.engr.washington.edu/personnel/forms/best-practice/employee-rewards.doc - Top ways to reward good work
www.mgmtexpress.com/publications/surveysandstudies/2006ROWno1.pdf - How employees perceive the rewards they get at work
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9 - Encourage management to clearly define people's workplace roles
By doing this, people will know what is expected of them, and can perform more productivity knowing the role they have in an organisation.
www.cgsst.com/chaire/stock/eng/doc115-395.pdf - Why clarification of roles in the workplace is important
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10 - Promote positive health in the workplace
Positive health in the workplace covers the worker’s attitudes, their mental wellbeing and their relationships with their colleagues. In a positive and healthy workplace, workers attitudes are lifted, creativity is broadened; there is greater efficiency and higher productivity. It will also reduce stress of workers, reducing the amount of sick leave taken and eventually the rate of turnover. There are many ways to promote positive health in the workplace in small ways for you or for your colleagues.
For more information and support on implementing broader workplace health programs speak to your HR or OH&S staff about your ideas or needs.
www.whpn.org - Workplace Health Promotion Network coordinated by the Mental Health Association NSW provides information and tips on workplace health programs including mental and physical health issues for HR and OH&S workers
www.attitudeworks.com.au - a great resource for finding out the benefits of having a positive work attitude and work environment. It also gives you tips and advice on what you can do to create a positive work environment.
www.smartmanager.com.au/web/au/smartmanager/en/pages/126_health.html - an article further explains why having a physically and mentally healthy workplace is important.
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