It's time to put ourselves first. The two biggest barriers for women not maintaining a healthy lifestyle is ‘lack of time’ and ‘health not being a priority’. Women’s Health Week is the time to put ourselves first, for just one week, and start making positive changes that can last a lifetime. We know women are leading busier lives than ever before and we have a tendency to let ourselves slip low on our priority lists. However, the health of those we love starts with us. By investing more time in ourselves, we are better able to look after the ones we love and care about. Click on the image below to find out more and register.

One of the most important questions that you can ask your employees as a manager can also be one of the hardest. R U Ok? Day evolved from a need to raise awareness around suicide and to have a conversation with someone if you are concerned for their wellbeing. These are very simple words to ask of employees, and colleagues, however often managers will tell us that they don’t feel equipped to deal with the potential response.

The statistics in Australia are very concerning and reveal that suicide is prevalent in our community. It is estimated that 8 Australians die each day from suicide. Three quarters of these are men. Additionally, Indigenous Australians are twice as likely to die from suicide as non-Indigenous Australians. For those in employment, the highest risk of suicide is between the ages of 40-54 for men and 45-49 for women.

Whilst these figures are cause for action, understandably, managers will often described feeling somewhat overwhelmed by the perceived responsibility this brings. One key message that AccessEAP would like to convey to managers in these situations is that they are not alone. Help is available and it’s important to have someone to talk through these situations with. We offer managers professional advice by experienced clinicians via our Manager Support Hotline.

Our experienced clinicians will help managers to develop a plan for supporting their employee moving forward, and depending on the urgency of the situation, this may simply include tips for having a conversation, or it may involve more direct intervention.

The following tips may help you to identify when and how to have a conversation with an employee, but also remember that every situation is different and if in doubt it’s important to always speak with a professional:

Half of all Australian men will have a mental health problem at some point in their life and 1 in 8 will experience depression, yet they are far less likely to open up about what is affecting them than their female counterparts. With a recent focus on promoting a healthy body and healthy mind, AccessEAP is doing its part in building awareness in some of the more male orientated workplaces such as construction sites and mines.

Talking about what’s affecting them and taking action are proven ways for men to stay mentally healthy but it’s still difficult to get men to take that all important first step. Often in male dominated industries, the macho mentality still exists where men are reluctant to show sadness or vulnerability for fear of the perception of weakness. If men don’t feel like they can open up and access help, it can have a detrimental effect on their mental health, physical health and overall wellbeing.

Toolbox talks

AccessEAP has introduced toolbox talks in an effort to raise mental health awareness. These sessions focus on increasing awareness of mental health issues and helping men to see that everyone needs help and that help is available.

AccessEAP has already provided tailored toolbox talks to organisations in the manufacturing, mining and construction industries and is amazed by the immediate effect it has had on participants. Often at the beginning of a session, we struggle to get men to talk but by the end, they can be reluctant to leave and AccessEAP has witnessed large scale discussion amongst participants about issues that may be affecting them in their personal or work life long after the session has ended. The toolbox talks are not only helping men to reach out for help, but also show them their organisation cares about them and values their wellbeing.

AccessEAP has released data showing conflicts with managers and colleagues are two of the top 10 issues facing Australians workers. Read more

Half of all Australian men will have a mental health problem at some point in their life and one in eight will experience depression, yet they are far less likely to open up about what is affecting them ... read more

The afterglow of the holiday period is gradually fading as many Australians face the reality of their holiday spending spree. With Australians spending nearly $10 billion on Christmas presents last year1 and almost two million saying the festive season will leave them with worrying debt2, it is not surprising stress levels skyrocket post holidays.

Returning to work after the fun of the holiday period brings a dose of reality. Someone who has spent more than they planned can feel out of control and stressed that they haven’t managed their funds as well as they perhaps should have. While stress is a normal part of life, constant levels of negative stress, or distress, can affect many parts of a person’s life, such as health, family, marriage and work.

Traumatic events such as the shooting and car rampage in Melbourne CBD disrupt lives physically and psychologically, creating intense emotional distress for individuals, families and whole communities. Organisations play a vital and valuable role in assisting and supporting their employees and their families in the immediate aftermath and in the days, weeks and months following this tragic event.

Economic considerations are one of the determining factors in whether a woman will leave or return to an abusive relationship, making it crucial for companies to develop policies in order to support staff experiencing domestic violence with paid employment.

Despite the common belief domestic violence is a private issue, the costs to the community suggest otherwise, with a 2015 report by PricewaterhouseCoopers estimating that violence against women costs $21.7 billion a year, with victims bearing the brunt of this cost.

Almost three-quarters of Australian workplaces have no formal policy or procedure for managing staff mental health issues, according to a recent survey by law firm MinterEllison.

Clear policies are crucial to encourage good mental health in the workplace, as is strong leadership to implement them. It is not enough for a workplace to provide a phone number for counselling sessions. Employers have a responsibility to provide a safe and healthy workplace, which includes identifying mental health risks in the workplace and taking action to mitigate these. While this must be led from the top, employees also have a responsibility.

Increasingly, employed women who have families are expected to juggle a multitude of tasks, managing many and varied demands and responsibilities across their personal and work lives. Between being mothers, carers – of children or aging parents, attending social and work commitments and tending to household responsibilities, women are juggling the expectations of multiple roles.

Now more than ever companies need the support to manage mental health issues in the workplace. A recent survey reported in the Australian Financial Review found mental health issues in the workplace have risen 56 percent in the last year.

This week I attended a seminar hosted by the National Safety Council of Australia Foundation and Sparke Helmore Lawyers which addressed what businesses need to know about managing mental health in the workplace.

The seminar was attended by more than 150 human resource and workplace health and safety professionals from various industries and hosted an impressive panel of experts – Lucy Brogden, National Mental Health Commissioner at the National Mental Health Commission; Tim Moran, Acting Head of Workplace Engagement at beyondblue; and Bill Kritharas, Partner at Sparke Helmore.

The new financial year is here and with it comes tax time. For many Australians this is a stressful time. According to recent research by H&R Block and Officeworks, nearly half of Australians report they find the tax preparation process stressful, with around a third saying they resent tax time, leaving preparations until the last minute. Usually, that stress is exacerbated by lack of knowledge, planning and time constraints which can linger long into the new financial year.

Most of us would have come across a difficult person at some point in our lives and most likely it has happened in the workplace. These individuals may come across as aggressive, intimidating or controlling, which can lead to conflict and have a detrimental impact on the person on the receiving end. However, it’s important to develop strategies to successfully manage challenging workplace conflicts so we aren’t doomed to a high conflict and overstressed workplace.

This week is Men’s Health Week (13-19 June). It is all about promoting men’s health and wellbeing, yet one of the biggest challenges is the fact that Australian men are not opening up. As this culture of stoicism continues to rise, we should be encouraging men to reach out and discuss their feelings with others in both their professional and personal lives.

According to the annual Stress in America survey commissioned by the American Psychological Association, Millennials (born between 1980 and 2000) are the most stressed generation. This is echoed by AccessEAP’s own statistics which show that 40% of Australian Millennials list anxiety as their top personal issue, versus 31% of Generation X and 29% of Baby Boomers.

A recent survey, estimates that absenteeism directly costs organisations approximately $578 per employee per absent day, which leads to an annual cost to the economy in excess of $44 billion.₁ With a 39% rise in stress, anxiety and depression related absenteeism within the last year₂, businesses are recognising healthcare as a worthy investment of company resources.

For the fifth year in a row, Australians have rated financial issues as the top cause of stress according to Australian Psychological Society’s recent Stress and Wellbeing survey. Anxiety symptoms in 2015 were the highest they have been in five years with an alarming 35 per cent reporting a significant level of stress in their life. With so much uncertainty across a number of industries and the cost of living rising rapidly, it is no wonder financial related stress is so prominent.

The mindfulness wave is sweeping across the Australian corporate world with many large companies all undertaking corporate-based mindfulness programs. The holiday break is an important time for recuperation in preparation for the year ahead, reinforcing the importance of practicing mindfulness throughout the holidays.

Traumatic events such as Terrorist attacks disrupt lives physically and psychologically, creating intense emotional distress for individuals, families and whole communities. Organisations play a vital and valuable role in assisting and supporting their employees and students in the immediate aftermath and in the days, weeks and months following this tragic and unbelievable event./p>