MANAGING MENTAL HEALTH. in the workplace

Transcription

1 MANAGING MENTAL HEALTH in the workplace

2 Neuroscience and mental health Expert in Human Behaviour Working with Army on PTSD, stress and resilience Doing Ph.D in neuropsychology at RMIT Research Fellow for the Neurocoaching Institute Trainer for Front Line Mind (resilience for front line workers) Co-created the Interdepartmental Forum on Mental Health (IFMH) Dr Robert Holmes People & Change Consulting Lead

3 Starting at the start organisation oriented approach We need to consider the entire environment surrounding the mental health of the workplace. Consider: strategic, tactical and practical issues. Here is a map for one organisation: The population at risk groups, our patients and clients STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENT Economic National Innovation Demographic Political ComCare/premiums APSC/SOS e.g. Automation e.g. Telework SES/exec. TACTICAL ENVIRONMENT Recruitment process Training process Work processes Performance review Management/ supervision Staff selection: personality traits, bias production Expectations management Career path planning Learning pathways Training formats and providers IT systems, Future way of working Formal and informal review, reward and incentive schemes PRACTICAL ENVIRONMENT Education and Support systems Knowledge training management Skills e.g. software, Experience (grows development, goal apps, VR over time) setting Observation, intervention, calibration, conversation. HR systems Mental health training, coaching

4 Framing the conversation 1. Let s start with you shall we? - Self check - Getting a break 2. Mental health workers - What type? - The history of mental health work 3. Mental health responses - Supplier oriented or - Person centred and - Event oriented 4. Four layered of response - Systemic, personal, adaptive and treatments

5 R U OK? The plane: oxygen The GM who wanted to start with someone else How culture change take place

6 Herbert Benson executives Yerkes-Dodson animals Thriving Break out point Arousal Fatigue Tipping point Adaption Coping Awakening Collapse Time

7 Mental health worker Psychologists Clinical psychiatrists MH GP and nurse MH social worker MH settlement worker MH informed coach

8 Mental Health Workers The term was coined in 1976 for community personnel who support mental health. The research began in Burnout among mental health workers was recognised in 1996 (Leiter & Harvie). In 2004 the first article from North Western University Med School included psychologists who treated mental health with a person-centred approach. By 2013 the term included psychiatrists working in clinical fields like socio-behavioural or clinical approached were included. In the community at this time there are a wide variety of options available for mental health the choice selection may be clear to mental health workers, but not to organisations or consumers Leiter, M.P., & Harvie, P.L., Burnout among Mental Health Workers: a review and research agenda, International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 42 (2):90-101

9 A confusing array of choices No sensible way of setting up No agreed upon system

10 Supplier oriented Organisations and consumers usually try to understand the market by arranging offerings by category (do I need a psychologist education? treatment?) Then they reach out to those nearest, most accessible or even by payment type (funding source)

11 Outcomes based, person-oriented approach In 2015 VHA made their submission to Victoria s 10 year Mental Health Strategy. Among its recommendations: an outcomes based, person-centred approach including the reduction and prevention of suicide enabling genuine choice of service This approach is exactly what is needed. Consider the person who might suffer an event at some point in the future. Focus in on the outcomes needed for that person. It really helps place our efforts as an organisation. VHA Submission (2015). Victoria s 10 year Mental Health Strategy, Pages 2 & 5

12 Here comes an event Ask what is the most strategic thing to examine or set up first, and progressively work your way toward the event and eventually to a time past the event. Or to put it the other way, work backward from the event to see the earliest things you can address

13 Used in real life We propose a process we have used in: Self guiding people through an online program with frontline workers (ambulance, triage nursing, fire brigade, marines ). Formulating a strategy for managing mental health in a Government Department (IP Australia). Specifically tailoring a resilience program to a particular environment (returned veterans in Army). We order the steps in terms of time from event, rather than closeness to the individual in this presentation

14 1. Organisational (pre-emptive) organisational 2. Personal assets (pre-event) 3. Team adaptive before and at event Type of response personal team 4. Treatments set up and deploy treatments Time Potential event

15 Check the environment the ecology WH&S, bullying, job descriptions, goals, sexual harassment etc. Check the person s capacity Training, work-life balance, assertiveness, mindfulness Check how adaptive we are together Traffic light, teamwork, culture, social skills, friendships, support Create internal or external support Mental health first aid, coaching, counselling, mediation etc.

16 Start with the Organisation (pre-emptive) treatments Type of response organisational team personal Time Potential event

17 Check the environment the ecology Ensure policy, procedure, orientation and handbook are in order WH&S strategy is in place No bullying or sexual harassment is tolerated Feedback given during 360 reviews about the behaviour of managers is collated and persistent issues are addressed. Ensure personnel are matched properly to work (recruitment strategies) Ensure that the work people are doing is what they were hired to do Have realistic, collaborative goal setting Check for systemic bias (e.g. hiring processes)

18 organisational Personal assets (pre-event) Type of response personal team treatments Time Potential event

19 Check and build people s capacity Education and training workshops on work-life balance Train stress management techniques (e.g. mindfulness) Work-skills training (e.g. time management) Communication training (esp. boundaries - assertiveness) Teach the traffic light system for stress response Run a personal profile radar diagram Be as flexible as possible (e.g. time off to deal with issues as they arise) Track hours worked, workflow, work from home, unexplained absence

20 treatment Team adaptive before and at event Type of response organisational team personal Time Potential event

21 Check how adaptive we are together Check the positive to negative feedback ratio (should be 5:1 positive, is usually 5:1 negative) (Gottman et.al., 2013) Build team cohesion and attachment by reducing rotation of staff, Build better teamwork, (e.g. run a staff retreat or summer school) Is there a culture of us or me? Where does it start? Cross check remuneration systems back this up (i.e. do you use the system for or against equality of pay transparency of levels vs opaqueness). Watch the cost of new hires for special purpose or skill (higher pay) Assist social laggards with improved social skills training Run the Resilience doughnut... Gottman, J. & Lisitsa, E. (2013). The Workplace: The Ideal Praise-to-Criticism Ratio. see also Zenger, J., & Folkman, J. (2013). The Ideal Praise-to-Criticism Ratio.

22 Type of response treatments team personal organisational Treatments set up and deploy Time Potential event

23 Check support (internal and external) EAP is usually the first (and sometimes only) mental health response Mental health first aid (can be rolled out organisation wide e.g. DFAT) Resilient mind/frontline Mind Conflict resolution and mediation programs, Counselling and MH psychology, Online tools (Beyond Blue Heads up, St Vincent s This Way Up) Coaching, trauma informed coaching Referral to specialists (MH doctor, MH psychiatrist)

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