The training packages are designed to provide workers with the practical skills to support someone with a mental health problem, while improving the resilience and mental wellbeing of your organisation. Given that 1 in 5 of working age New Zealanders in any given year experience a diagnosable mental illness, it is more important now than ever to support the mental health of your workforce.
What Is A Mental Health First Aider?
Mental health first aid (MHFA) is a thoroughly evaluated, evidence informed, skills development course.
Throughout the training, participants will learn the signs and symptoms of common mental health problems in the workforce, how to provide initial help and refer to a professional, strategies shown by research to be effective and how to provide first aid in a crisis situation. Following the course, participants will be able to complete an online assessment to become an Accredited Mental Health First Aider. Mental health first aid is considered as the ‘gold standard’ mental health training course for the workforce.
Benefits Of Mental Health First Aid For Your Business
Create a landscape for a thriving and resilient workforce
A well-designed workplace should support individual mental health which can lead to reduced absenteeism, increase employee engagement and group productivity. A fundamental requirement for employees to feel engaged, enthusiastic and invested in their work is to feel that their company and leaders care about them. By taking a proactive approach to mental health in the workplace, you are building a platform for a more resilient and innovative workplace.
Meet your legal responsibilities
Employers and business owners have a legal responsibility to provide a safe and healthy workplace. It means that the mental health of employees needs to be regarded the same way as physical safety. Being proactive in creating a psychologically healthy and safe workplace is one of the best steps an organisation and manager can take so that:
- A culture is developed where mental health conditions are not created or exacerbated
- Employees who do have a mental health condition are supported in helpful and constructive ways.
- You meet both your moral and legal obligations and responsibilities with regards to workplace mental health.
It makes business sense
Be an employer of choice
Done well, mental health initiatives can position you as an employer of choice. A study by mentalhealth.org.nz reported that 75.5% of New Zealand workers didn’t report bullying or other workplace issues, because they believed that it wouldn’t help resolve the situation. 1 in 10 workers reported that they felt discriminated against, harassed or bullied. If you’re looking to win the war for talent, then opening the lines to conversation about mental health, having a mental health strategy and investing in mental health training will strengthen your position as an employer of choice. The culture of workplace wellbeing has many flow-on effects to individuals, businesses and the community.
Benefits Of Mental Health First Aid For Employees
Improve workers’ physical and mental health and wellbeing
We spend a third of our lives working and as such, it is vital that our working environment is one that creates opportunities for employees to build positive workplace relationships to assist in negating the impact of stress inside and outside the workplace. A workplace which promotes proactive mental health initiatives helps employees build resilience and makes them feel more socially connected. Having strong resilience is fundamental to maintaining positive strategies for maintaining mental health and in turn physical well being.
A happy workforce = A more engaged workforce
An employee who feels valued is happier and more engaged. Creating an inclusive culture that promotes mental well-being provides employees with a sense of empowerment to bring their best selves to work. This is likely to result in improved productivity and decreased absenteeism.
Promote early intervention and help-seeking
New Zealand workers are battling hard with mental health issues with statistics suggesting that over 636,000 (17%) have been diagnosed with depression or anxiety at some point. It is estimated that, at any point in time, 1 in 6 working age people will be suffering from mental illness. A further one-sixth of the population will be suffering from symptoms associated with mental ill health, such as worry, sleep problems and fatigue, which, while not meeting criteria for a diagnosed mental illness, will be affecting their ability to function at work.
A mentally healthy workplace is one that encourages open dialogue about mental health amongst its workforce. This creates an opportunity to decrease stigma, increase awareness, promote early help seeking and treatment through access to resources.
What Does A Mental Health First Aid Training Program Involve?
Employ Health offers a variety of mental health training programs and packages that can be tailored to meet the demands of your workforce.
Face to Face
Includes 2-day course led by an accredited Instructor. All participants receive a copy of the MHFA Manual and are eligible to become an accredited Mental Health First Aider on completion of the course.
Workplace Mental Health Training sessions
An hour-long training package delivered face to face designed to give your workforce practical skills to support someone with a mental health problem and improve the resilience and mental wellbeing of your organisation.
Why Employ Health?
We are passionate about improving the mental and physical wellbeing of your workforce
At Employ Health, we understand the business of health and specialise in empowering your workforce to bring their best self to work. We know that it is impossible to separate physical and mental health and are passionate about driving a healthy connection between body and mind. Our training programs aim to equip your workforce with the skills and knowledge to be able to thrive inside and outside the workplace.
Flexibility
We take the success of our partners seriously and so we are in this with you for the long haul. While you are running a marathon, we will act as your support crew, pivoting and responding to the needs of your workforce. We will work with you to understand the specific needs of your business as no two businesses are the same therefore no workplace training program should be either.
It’s what we do
We have a team of qualified and dedicated instructors with years of experience developing and delivering workplace mental health and wellbeing programs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Following completion of an accredited Mental Health First Aid training program, you will be eligible to complete an online assessment and receive a certificate of accreditation as a Mental Health First Aider
Mental Health First Aider accreditation is valid for three years.
Costs vary depending on the number of participants and type of training provided. Please contact us for more information on pricing.
Good work is good for our mental health. We spend at least a third of our lives in the workplace and so the state of our mental health at work matters. Mental health issues can impact a person’s mood, thinking, feelings and behaviour and have been shown to correlate directly with increased absenteeism, presenteeism and decreased productivity. A person may experience work performance limitations such as an inability to concentrate, a lack of stamina and difficulty handling time pressures or multiple tasks. This in turn can impact their relationships within the workplace.
Employers have obligations under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (‘health’ is defined as both psychological and physical). Employers must provide safe and healthy workplaces, systems of work, monitoring of conditions and provision of information, instruction and supervision so employees can work safely. Maintaining a healthy workplace can also require employers to do things like eliminating or minimising common risks to mental health such as bullying, stress, harassment and workplace trauma.