This past Saturday, October 10, marked World Mental Health Day. What better time to remind
ourselves of how much mental health matters in a health and safety context?
There are various steps you can take to make your workplace an example of both good safety and
good health practices. Mental health is an undeniable part of a functional safety framework. There
are two steps to achieving positive mental health on the job: creating an environment of positive
practices and open feedback and preventing or addressing conditions or behavior that negatively
impact mental health.
Today more than ever, our definition of mental health is incredibly comprehensive–as it should be.
Often, we forget that signs of a poor environment are not always self-evident. For instance, bullying
can be so subtle that you may be doing it without even realizing it. Conditions and behaviors that are
not glaringly obvious can still contribute immensely to creating a stressful and toxic environment,
which greatly undermines efforts to achieve safety and compliance.
Workplaces with good mental health records rank much higher in productivity terms. Every dollar
invested in mental health programs has more than a double return on investment. Prioritizing
mental health results in less absenteeism, fewer compensation claims, increased safety, better
resources for employees, and less stigma overall.
Of course, you get it–but what if you don’t know where to start? Resources like Heads Up offer a
wealth of information and training on how to sustain a mentally healthy workplace.
As always, stay safe,
Team Donesafe
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