New mental health framework for resources and energy employers

A new framework has been developed to assist employers in the resources and energy sectors with workforce mental health challenges, including varying rosters, remote isolation and fly-in, fly-out working arrangements.

The Resources and Energy Industry Workforce Mental Health Framework is an initiative from the Australian Resources and Energy Group AMMA.

“The industry’s unique characteristics add to the challenges of building and maintaining mentally healthy workplaces,” said Steve Knott, CEO of AMMA.

“This makes it all the more important we deliver a framework with the tools employers need to benchmark and grow their mental health initiatives and capabilities.”

Organisations are provided with the theoretical tools to break down their workforce mental health and wellness capability from a policy, program and practical perspective.

Employers can then benchmark their specific programs and initiatives against a maturity scale, illustrating what actions look like at five different stages from compliant through to progressive.

“The maturity scale reflects the varying stages of employers as they continue their mental health and wellness journey – from basic compliance and fundamentals, all the way through to being proactive and progressive,” Knott said.

“As organisations constantly evolve and adapt to changing mental health pressures on their workforces, the programs, actions and initiatives they undertake will be selected based on what is practical and appropriate for their circumstances.”

The framework was developed through consultation with leading mental health authorities and professionals within the resources and energy industry, including the guidance of AMMA’s Resources and Energy Mental Health Advisory Board.