Small businesses gain tools for mentally healthy workplaces

WorkSafe Victoria recently released a free online toolkit to help small businesses provide tailored support to help create mentally healthy workplaces.

WorkSafe’s WorkWell Toolkit for Small Business offers new resources focused on small businesses, including in-language support for Chinese and Vietnamese-speaking small business operators.

It includes access to practical tools and information such as case studies, policy templates, videos and tip sheets from trusted organisations such as Beyond Blue and RUOK.

The resources cover topics including bullying, fatigue, gendered violence including sexual harassment, leadership, occupational violence and aggression, respect and role clarity.

Mentally healthy workplaces benefited workers, their families and communities, and had a positive impact on workplace productivity, said WorkSafe Victoria executive director health and safety Narelle Beer.

“The free WorkWell Toolkit for Small Business provides tailored support and resources to small businesses to help them create safe and mentally healthy workplaces where workers can thrive,” Beer said.

“The toolkit will support small businesses to be better able to identify and manage risks to psychological health, which can be harder to spot but are just as important to address as risks to physical health.”

Work-related mental health injuries are expected to account for one-third of all worker's compensation claims by the end of the decade. WorkSafe has accepted 633 mental injury claims from workers in small businesses since the start of 2021.

The small business-focused toolkit was developed in partnership with the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions and received $500,000 as part of the Government’s Wellbeing and Mental Health Support for Small Business during COVID-19.