Protecting and strengthening the mental health of Australia’s workforce is more critical than ever

A study conducted by Atlassian, in partnership with PwC Australia, surveyed 1,225 workers across a broad range of industries in Australia (and an equal number in America, though we are focussing on Australia in this blog) to learn what they value most right now and what they expect of their employers. We thought we’d share with you some of the key findings (our list is not exhaustive, and we encourage you to read the full report – link provided below).

 The survey for this report was completed late February to mid-March 2021 and the sample (1,225 Australian employees) provided representation across demographics, geographies, employment industries, and business size by number of employees.

• 66 percent of Australians agreed that companies that act on important issues are more attractive as employers. The relative importance of societal issues has changed in the past year. Mental health and wellness is the most important issue in 2021.
• Mental health is more important than career growth, with 69 percent of employees reporting they would turn down a promotion in favour of preserving their mental health. This trend is true across all age groups and income levels.
• More than a third of employees (37%) look to their employers as the main source of mental health support.
• Employers must recognise and respond to this shift in priorities or risk losing valuable employees and future talent.

Separate from this study, did you also know?

• Every 40-seconds around the globe a human being takes their own life. Each loss will further impact up to 135 people.
• About 1 in 2 Australian employees will experience mental health challenges at some stage throughout their working life.
• Approximately 54% of people who experience mental ill-health do not seek professional assistance.

It’s time to double down on services and benefits that effectively improve workplace mental health and we encourage all organisations to consider developing a robust mental health strategy informed by experts. In the interim, our LIVINWell In Work mental health education and stigma reduction program could be a great way to kickstart important conversations about mental health in your workplace right now.

What is LIVINWell In Work? LIVINWell In Work is a mental health education and stigma reduction program designed to teach people how to look after themselves and others, and to encourage people to speak up and seek help. In addition to helping your organisation put mental health on the agenda, funds raised from the delivery of our LIVINWell In Work program go towards the delivery of our LIVINWell In Schools program to students right across the country.

INVITE US ALONG TO YOUR WORKPLACE TODAY: Get Involved – LIVIN

Full Atlassian and PwC report can be viewed here.