Workplace: A Practical Guide for Leaders
Keen to get it right?
Recent political, legal, and social developments have turned up the heat on the issue of mental health in Australian workplaces. If you’re an HR professional or business leader, you’ve likely felt this pressure – grappling with how to support your employees’ wellbeing while managing complex organisational demands.
It’s a balancing act.
On one hand, you’re striving to create an environment that nurtures people. On the other, you’re responsible for maintaining performance, profitability, and growth. It’s not easy. But here’s the good news:
Your efforts to prioritise mental health aren’t just ethical – they’re strategic.
And you’re not expected to have all the answers right now. What matters is that you’re asking the right questions and seeking practical, people-first solutions. You’re in the right place.
A Shift Toward Psychosocial Safety
Let’s be clear: today’s workplace wellbeing landscape is about much more than offering an EAP or running the occasional resilience workshop. Employees expect more – and workplace regulators do too.
Workplace health and safety laws across Australia now mandate that employers eliminate or minimise psychosocial hazards, just as they would any physical safety risk.
Psychosocial hazards include things like high job demands, poor support, lack of role clarity, workplace conflict, bullying, and job insecurity – factors that can significantly impact mental health over time.
Creating a mentally healthy workplace means designing a culture and work environment that prevents harm, supports mental fitness, and enables every employee to perform at their best – without sacrificing their wellbeing.
Acknowledge the Complexity – Then Customise Your Approach
Creating a mentally healthy workplace takes time. There are many moving parts. Your workplace is unique, with its own people, pressures, and priorities.
So instead of reaching for a one-size-fits-all program, build a customised framework that fits your organisation – and keeps things simple, clear, and accountable.
What Do You Do First?
If you’re ready to make meaningful progress, start by adopting a framework that provides structure while allowing for flexibility.
We recommend using the 6 Core Standards developed by Mental Health at Work UK as a foundation. These have been widely adopted internationally and adapted across industries – and with good reason. They’re evidence-based, practical, and easy to align with psychosocial risk obligations.
6 Core Standards to Guide Your Workplace Mental Health Strategy
1. Prioritise Mental Health in the Workplace
Develop and deliver a clear program of mental health and wellbeing activities. These could include:
Internal and external mental health support services
Mental fitness workshops or leadership development sessions
Proactive employee check-ins or wellbeing surveys
The key is to make mental health visible, regular, and culturally accepted – not just reactive.
2. Ensure Work Design Supports Positive Mental Health
Many mental health risks are embedded in how work is designed. Addressing these upstream can reduce the need for downstream interventions.
Practical actions might include:
Redesigning roles or workflows to reduce chronic stress
Offering flexible or hybrid work arrangements
Clarifying job expectations and performance goals
3. Promote an Open and Supportive Culture
Stigma is still a major barrier. Create a culture where people feel safe to speak up and seek help when they need it – without fear of judgment or career consequences.
You can:
Promote mental health awareness campaigns
Share personal stories from leadership
Normalize conversations around mental wellbeing
Create team rituals that support connection and reflection
4. Build Confidence and Capability
Invest in your people – especially your leaders. Equip them with the skills and confidence to support themselves and others.
This includes:
Manager training in psychosocial risk and early intervention
Mental health literacy programs for all staff
Leadership development grounded in psychological safety (like we explored in The 8 Factors of Mental Toughness)
5. Provide Tools and Support
Offer a variety of evidence-based mental health supports that are accessible, trustworthy, and tailored to your people.
Options might include:
On-demand support through digital apps
In-house wellbeing champions or peer support programs
Self-regulation and stress management resources like those shared in 6 Interventions That Improve Mental Toughness
6. Increase Transparency and Accountability
What gets measured, gets managed. And when it comes to mental health, measurement builds trust.
Use wellbeing metrics to:
Track progress over time
Report on psychosocial safety initiatives
Identify hotspots or at-risk groups
Demonstrate leadership commitment to staff wellbeing
The Business Case: It’s Not Just a Nice-to-Have
We now know that mentally healthy workplaces aren’t just good for people – they’re good for business.
According to Beyond Blue, for every $1 spent on effective mental health actions in the workplace, the average return is $2.30 – $4.60.
In short, prevention pays. And so does genuine care.
Final Thoughts: Lead With Purpose
Creating a mentally healthy workplace is a journey – but one worth taking. It’s a commitment to your people, your values, and your future as a high-performing organisation.
Don’t wait for things to break. Build now.
With a clear framework, a focus on psychosocial safety, and strong leadership, you can cultivate a workplace where people – and performance – flourish.
✅ Ready to Take the Next Step?
At Get Mentally Fit, we help businesses assess, design, and implement tailored mental fitness strategies that align with both psychosocial safety obligations and your unique workplace culture.
📞 Get in Touch with one of our workplace wellbeing experts
📥 Or explore our leadership development and psychosocial risk training
Let’s build a workplace where everyone can thrive.
🔗 Some Essential Resources
Here are some trusted sources to guide your journey toward a safer, more mentally healthy workplace:
WorkSafe Queensland – Access information and tools to help manage risks, protect health, safety and wellbeing, and understand incidents and notifications.
Mental Health at Work (NSW) – Discover practical actions you can take to create a safe, mentally healthy, and productive workplace.
Safe Work Australia – Find national guidance for PCBUs on identifying and managing psychosocial hazards in the workplace.
Mental Health at Work (UK) – A rich library of tools, templates, stories, and evidence-based resources to help you navigate the evolving workplace mental health landscape.
