In Australia, mental illness is the third largest health concern after heart disease and cancer. It is also the leading cause of sickness, absence and long-term disability worldwide. For this reason, mlcoa in partnership with IPAR, decided to hold a national educational event to give our clients insight into how they can manage mental health conditions in the workplace.

The educational event ‘Mental Health in the workplace: How employers can have a positive impact’ was held in VIC, NSW, WA and SA. All states had a great turn out with most events receiving over 100 attendees from a variety of industries including mlcoa clients working in safety, operations, HR and injury management fields.

The presenters gave insights into mental illness in Australia, the financial cost, mental health risk factors and pre-claim indicators, as well as strategies to manage mental health issues in the workplace. Overall, the events were extremely successful, receiving very positive feedback.

We would like to thank Prof Jonathan Foster, Neuropsychologist who discussed strategies to safeguard employee mental health, Psychiatrist Dr Frank Chow and Psychiatrist, Dr Michael Schirripa for providing advice on reducing the risk of mental health conditions in the workplace and other strategies to safeguard employee mental wellness.

Thanks as well to Psychologist, Louise Pitcher from our partner company IPAR, for providing an overview of the most recent research into mental health challenges in the workplace, as well as detailed individual skills and strategies for the managers who want a truly healthy team.