As we all do our part to flatten the coronavirus curve, a concerning new curve is emerging. Reported in The Australian last week, an increase in suicide rates and a generational mental health crisis directly linked to the pandemic is being predicted by the country's top mental health experts.¹ While people have been actively considering how best to manage the physical second wave of COVID-19, few organisations are putting the same thought and preparation into this ‘mental health’ second wave. Mental health has been reprioritised and is now front and centre of the national health agenda and transition strategy right now. With the estimated cost of lost productivity reported to be up to $5 billion. It is perfectly normal in a crisis for people to focus on their immediate needs, just as it is for organisations. Many organisations, and their leaders, must now shift their thinking to how best support the mental health and wellbeing of their people.

AccessEAP works with organisations to proactively build resilience and target protective factors to support people through change. Helping organisations to prepare their people to achieve the best outcomes and meet new challenges.

AccessEAP recognises that leaders need support to find the time and space to make difficult decisions and equip their workplaces for the transition to the ‘new normal’ and potential return to the physical workplace. Data from Professor Ian Hickie at Sydney University’s, Mind and Brain Centre shows that mental health will be the number one priority for leaders through COVID-19, recovery and a potential recession. “Now the most important part of the recovery is helping as many people return to work as soon as possible.” ^2.

Our Clinical and Organisational Development teams work with our customers to build on what’s currently working in their people strategy and successfully harness this for the additional investment needed to target support for your people and organisation. Contact your Relationship Manager to ensure your organisation is getting the most impactful benefit from the latest COVID-19 support resources available from AccessEAP.

References:

Published in Human Resources Director 7th May 2020

Marcela Slepica, Clinical Services Director, AccessEAP, said in the current climate, it’s important to manage the demands of COVID-19, such as social isolation, caring for our families and home-schooling children while juggling work.

“It’s vital to remember that we are not born resilient. We can develop coping strategies, including practised traits and learned behaviours that will help us remain positive and deal with new challenges,” she said.

Workplaces play a part in maintaining a semblance of normality, by providing employees with structure, some social connection and purpose.

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• Help make a genuine difference every day
• Freedom to apply your creative spirit
• Strong team environment

Your role will be to take the lead in the design of learning experiences and materials that deliver the best possible outcomes. Working as part of a team you will be the subject matter expert in advising and guiding the creation and ongoing development of digital and traditional learning materials.

Combining your L&D and technical design skills you will focus on translating customer needs into best in class materials and experiences that truly enhance the learning experience.

With a strong background in L&D design, your key attributes will include your analytical and creative capabilities. Your flexibility and adaptability allow you to prosper and thrive in a rapidly changing and growing environment. Most importantly you will have a passion for mental health and wellbeing and enjoy working in a team that is driven by respect, collaboration and accomplishment.

AccessEAP takes the health of employees seriously and you will be working in an environment that genuinely cares about the wellbeing of all employees.

For more information call David Williams on 0414551795 or to apply send your resume to dwilliams@kurtispaige.com.au.

The public health challenges of COVID-19 may no longer be in the news several times a day, but our healthcare workers continue to be on the frontline of this crisis and under immense pressure. Healthcare workers need easy access to support as early as possible to ensure the best mental health outcomes. Launched last week, the AccessEAP Healthcare Hotline responds to the specific needs of our healthcare customers during the pandemic. 

How does AccessEAP's Healthcare Hotline work?

• The dedicated, 24/7/365, toll-free Healthcare Hotline number will be recognised and answered by our client services team. 
• Healthcare clients will be offered same day counselling appointments via telephone or video. 
• Healthcare clients will have access to AccessEAP's most senior clinicians and psychologists with expertise in working in the healthcare sector and/or a hospital environment.

Visit the Primary Healthcare Toolkit within the Employer login area for more information or to discuss how AccessEAP can further support your organisation, please reach out to your dedicated Relationship Manager.

Our Clinical and Organisational Development teams are creating a growing resource bank of tools for you and your people, including COVID-19 webinars.

We have released a new webinar for you on Coping with COVID-19. This webinar has been uploaded and is available for you to view right now. Click the below link and register your name and work email address to view the webinar.  You can also access the video and more resources under COVID-19 SUPPORT in our Employee Login Area.

AccessEAP COVID-19 Resources

To access our COVID-19 specific resources on Mental Health Awareness, Self-care, Domestic Violence support, Working from home and more, login to our Employee and Employer Areas of our website.

Our work environments have changed drastically over the past few months. For many, that means working from home and having to navigate team dynamics from a distance.

Whether your team dynamics have changed or not, see our tips for an effective teamwork refresher below: 

1. Review Objectives and Goals

Successful teams have clear objectives that all team members are aware of and working toward. There is a clear vision and shared values. Team members are committed to the goal and live the values.

2. Participation

With the Easter Long Weekend (Friday 10th until Monday 13th) coming up, followed by Anzac Day on Saturday the 25th, there are a lot of April Public Holidays.

Please be assured our counselling and support services are available 24/7, 365 days a year however our other business functions observe the Australian National public holidays.

See our 10 Tips for Building Resilience below.

For assistance or more information on our Stress Awareness and Building Resilience Webinars & Training, speak with your Relationship Manager today.

Published in Yahoo Lifestyle 2nd April 2020

With many people all around the country now working from home due to the outbreak of COVID-19, Marcela Slepica AccessEAP Director Clinical Services, believes there’s definitely an increased risk of workplace exhaustion.

“For example, working parents who have young children at home, have to to juggle teaching, supervising and keeping children busy while also trying to work and meet deadlines. In addition to this, there are fears of not wanting to risk losing their job, which means they may be working late at night and doing overtime,” Marcela said.

“The pressures and demands can be significant. Those working alone who are isolated may struggle with loneliness, motivation, and feel disconnected from their colleagues. This may impact their feelings of anxiety, may affect sleep, and could also cause them to work longer hours as they fear losing their jobs.”

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Published in mybusiness 1st April 2020

Communicate often, according to Marcela Slepica, AccessEAP Director, Clinical Services.

It’s important for employers to check in with their team members. Regular check-ins help people to feel connected, and managers should try to provide structure for employees. The situation is constantly changing and evolving, so reassuring people we are in this together is vital. 

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- Awareness and education is the key for developing a good understanding of mental health and how to support employees who are at risk. Develop and implement policies that raise awareness of mental health and work towards reducing stigma in the workplace. Leaders and managers talking about mental health openly and honestly goes a long way towards acceptance of mental health in the workplace. This in turn helps to build empathy for co-workers and an acknowledgement that there may be high stress levels in the workplace that impacts on individuals and their wellbeing.

 - A culture of trust and support is a great place to start. It is critical we all work towards reducing the stigma so employees can feel safe to talk about their mental health without fear of consequences and trusting that there will be help and support. The Mentally Healthy Workplace Alliance is a national initiative to encourage workplaces to become mentally healthy and is a great source of information for helping employers determine how they can improve workplace mental health.

- Develop a long term mental health strategy, addressing policy and providing mental health resources in order to address areas of bullying, poor decision making, long working hours, inadequate communication and job insecurity.

- Protective factors can be developed and implemented, such as training that is related to leadership, positive morale, collaborate decision making, good communication and team collaboration. The evidence shows that acceptance and good working relationships, especially with managers, are a strong protective factor.

- An integrated approach to wellbeing. There is no one way to improve mental health in the workplace, but an action plan that develops and implements supportive measures to help improve wellbeing, both physical and mental, has been shown to help improve employee productivity, lower absenteeism and promote a positive workplace culture.

The Australian government has moved ahead of the World Health Organisation to introduce the first phase of the country’s emergency response plan preempting the elevation of coronavirus to pandemic status. Prime Minister, Mr Morrison referred to the decision as “being taken in an abundance of caution”.

At AccessEAP we continue to monitor government sources for updates and reinforce the measures we can all take to look after our people. What we are doing in response is to keep our people informed and clearly communicate that while the current risk is low for Australia, being prepared for a change in circumstances helps to maintain a sense of calm. These websites provide up to date and easy to follow information:

https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019 

https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/diseases/Pages/coronavirus-resources.aspx

Many of our organisations have already experienced having their people in a self-imposed work from home situation. It may be that your organisation will utilise work from home options further if required. If this is the case here are some factors to consider; feelings of connection may be strained and fear of illness and general anxiety may be increased as a result of COVID-19. Roles where travel and close contact with others is required may feel particularly impacted. There may be a greater reluctance to participate in face to face interactions, even with a counsellor. Phone, video chat and email counselling options are available and appointments can be made in exactly the same way as face to face sessions making support easy to access no matter the location.

International Women's Day is held each year on the 8th of March. This year's theme is #EachforEqual.

An equal world is an enabled world.

Individually, we're all responsible for our own thoughts and actions - all day, every day.

We can actively choose to challenge stereotypes, fight bias, broaden perceptions, improve situations and celebrate women's achievements.

Collectively, each one of us can help create a gender equal world.

While it might feel as if 2019  has just wound up, we are already in March of 2020. How did that come around so fast?

This may have felt like a strange, and at times tense, summer in Australia. Some people are coming back to work feeling more exhausted than when they went on holiday. Whether you are a community directly impacted by fires or somewhere kilometres from it all but seeing the impact on the news, it has been the overarching story of the new decade. 

This is a time to get to know your community and to look after each other. Being mutually supportive at this time of year can help us to get back into the swing of life.  As well as being there for colleagues and friends, helping other people is a great technique of self care. We get an emotional boost when we are kind to others and when we offer support to others – it makes us feel connected, and strengthening social bonds allows us to draw on the support from others when we feel personally or professionally overwhelmed.

AccessEAP are part of your professional community. We offer 24-hour phone counselling if you feel that you are in a crisis, as well as providing face to face counselling at a few days notice. The ability to share your worries can help you to gain perspective and find solutions, and as your organisation allows you to have access to multiple sessions with a counsellor each year, we can provide an outlet valve for the stresses that modern workplaces can bring. As many of us try to balance multiple responsibilities including carer roles it is helpful to remember that AccessEAP is part of the network that is here to support you in supporting those around you.

Work stress often starts small – restless nights, feeling uncharacteristically snappy, or blue. Being on the lookout for changes in how you feel before they become significant can make it easier to address problems. Making contact with an AccessEAP counsellor earlier can make returning to normal smoother. And if there are issues that are impacting on your organisation, we also provide training to organisations on a range of issues. We have training which can be delivered to your organisation or by webinar, with topics like Resilience through Change, Managing Challenging Behaviours, and Burnout and Compassion Fatigue. We offer direct support for managers who are holding teams together, by phone and in-person as needed through our Manager Support Hotline.

Harmony Week on the 15th-21st of March, celebrates Australia’s cultural diversity. It’s about inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging for everyone. Harmony Day which falls on the 21st of March coincides with the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

With around 45 per cent of Australians born overseas or with at least one parent who was, Harmony Week has always been a popular way for workplaces to showcase and acknowledge their cultural diversity. Celebrating Harmony Week can take any form you wish – big or small, simple or challenging. Events can be a simple multicultural morning tea or a guest speaker at an all staff meeting. It creates an opportunity to think, talk about and recognise how our differences and our similarities make our workplace stronger.

For more information see the Harmony Week Website.

 At AccessEAP we will be celebrating with a week of lunches where everyone brings a dish on their designated day and shares the background behind it. It is such a wonderful opportunity to learn something new about your colleagues and of course try some amazing food!

Published in wellnessdaily 21st February 2020

AccessEAP clinical services director Marcela Slepica said that in order to support those parents and contribute to better mental health, businesses must take the time to help and assist their employees and offer flexibility whenever they can.

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The World Health Organisation has rated the Novel coronavirus as a world health emergency. The current risk to Australia is considered to be small. At AccessEAP we are assessing the risk to our people and will continue to monitor the situation and determine any actions we may need to take as a business. We are communicating this approach to our people so we are all aware that relevant precautions are being taken without causing undue alarm.

Ignorance and misinformation can lead to panic, fear and misunderstandings in situations such as these when personal safety is questioned. Clear and concise communication around risk mitigation based on information from official channels will assist in keeping people calm. For up to date and accurate information we are referring to The World Health Organization and NSW Health websites. These sites provide fact sheets and frequently asked questions in English and Mandarin to help individuals and organisations determine the level of risk associated with their everyday activities and interactions and modify behaviour as necessary. 

https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019 https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/diseases/Pages/coronavirus-resources.aspx

We encourage respect for each other in the workplace and close adherence to the normal policies around mitigating risks to co-workers associated with infectious diseases. It is very important that anyone with symptoms seek medical advice/attention. Australia has a very good health system and the Federal government is coordinating efforts around the country to contain the virus and support isolation of potential cases. It is also important not to make assumptions, particularly around who may carry the virus, it is advisable to adopt recommended hygiene practices and act on credible information. If you have any further questions relating to how AccessEAP can assist your organisation please contact your Relationship Manager or the Manager Support Hotline. As always, your EAP is here to support your people whatever the nature of their concerns, please contact AccessEAP on 1800 818 728.

Published in Human Resources Director 20th February 2020

The impact of natural disasters, such as the bushfires across Australia, will have significant long-term effects, according to Marcela Slepica, Clinical Director of AccessEAP.

The workplace can provide a sense of community, and communities that support each other through difficult times is key.

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• -Combine your EAP and OD skills
• -Help make a difference every day

 At AccessEAP our mission is to create thriving workplaces. We partner with each customer to promote positive organisational behaviour, enhance employee wellbeing, improve workplace productivity and effectively manage the mental health of every employee. As an Australian owned not for profit Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provider, our emphasis is on understanding the unique needs of our customers and tailoring our services to support and prevent mental health issues in the workplace. Due to continued growth and an expanding service offering we need additional trainers and facilitators to help achieve our goals and continue our ambitious journey.

 Your role will be to deliver best practice learning initiatives that respond to the unique needs of our customers. In return, we offer competitive market rates and support you to be successful to ensure the quality and consistency of our training courses and workshops.

 With a degree in clinical or organisational psychology your track record of success will be matched by your desire to make a genuine difference and your ability to engage with a broad range of managers and employees.

 For more information call David Williams on 0414 551 795 or to apply send your resume to dwilliams@kurtispaige.com.au