1. Safety In Action Sydney September 2014 Presenter: Dorienne Spennato

2. Definition of Stress A reaction which occurs when the demands made on you (actual or perceived) overwhelm your resources to cope. Your resources to cope vary depending on what is happening in your life. © AccessEAP rights reserved. 2

3. 3

4. 4 The Stress Performance Connection DEGREE OF STRESS DEGREE OF EFFECTIVE PERFOMANCE RUSTOUT OPTIMAL BURNOUT fatigue boredom frustration dissatisfaction creativity rational problem solving progress change Irrational Problem solving exhaustion Illness Low self – esteem Anxiety Depression Under Stimulation Zone Ideal Stimulation Zone Over Stimulation Zone High Low High

5. Most common workplace anxieties 1.Speaking up during a meeting 2.Remembering peoples names 3.Making a presentation 4.Being interviewed for a job 5.Keeping up with technology 6.Asking a question 7.Meeting the CEO in the hallway © AccessEAP rights reserved. 5

6. An anxiety disorder differs from normal stress and anxiety. An anxiety disorder is more severe, long lasting and interferes with work and relationships. * MHFA Manual Chapter 4 p.21 What are Anxiety Disorders?

7. Some facts and figures On average, one in four people will experience an anxiety disorder at some stage in their life (ABS 2008; National Survey of Mental Health & Wellbeing 2007) Over 6 million working days lost each year in Australia due to depression and anxiety (The Mental Health of Australians. Commonwealth, 1999) 12 million days of reduced productivity each year due to anxiety and depression (The Mental Health of Australians. Commonwealth, 1999) The proportion of Australian adults suffering anxiety grew by more than 50% between 2007 and 2012 (Roy Morgan Research 2013) Anxiety was more likely than depression to lead to suicidal ideation with 23% of people with anxiety symptoms reporting suicidal thoughts (University of Melbourne 2013) © AccessEAP rights reserved. 7

8. What we are seeing in the workplace © AccessEAP rights reserved. 8

9. Aspects of anxiety in the workplace © AccessEAP rights reserved. 9

10. What can we do about it in the workplace? Protective & Risk factors Vs. Cause Protective factors are those factors that would protect an individual from mental health issues e.g. Social connectedness, healthy lifestyle, happy at work Risk factors increase the risk of mental health issues e.g. isolation, traumatic life events, major life changes. © AccessEAP rights reserved. 10

11. Protective & Risk factors in the workplace Protective Factors Support for mental health Good relationships with colleagues Supportive managers and supervisors Absence of bullying and harassment culture Team cohesiveness Work satisfaction Work / life balance Appropriate work load Understanding of diversity and cultural implications © AccessEAP rights reserved. 11 Risk Factors Lack of awareness and knowledge about mental health Poor working relationships with colleagues and / or management Presence of bullying and harassment culture Dissatisfaction with work Lack of work/life balance Work overload Lack of understanding of diversity

12. Early detection and treatment of mental health disorders result in the best and quickest recovery However ….. 50% of people experiencing mental health issues do not seek help WHY? © AccessEAP rights reserved. 12

13. What is stigma? © AccessEAP rights reserved. 13 Stigma has been described as an overarching concept that contains three elements (Thornicroft 2007) : A SANE Australia survey (2006) found that almost three- quarters of respondents living with a mental illness (74%) had experienced stigma DiscriminationPrejudice Ignorance

14. © AccessEAP rights reserved. 14 Resources – Manager Support EAP can assist by: Providing emergency telephone counselling to the employee if they are wiling Providing advice to manager regarding the management of the situation Assist organisation in contacting the appropriate mental health or emergency resources to manage the situation Providing debriefing after the situation has been managed.

15. For the Organisation Mental Health Awareness Workshops Stress Management Building Resilience Thriving Through Change Conflict Management Training Bullying Awareness for Managers and more… © AccessEAP rights reserved. 15

16. © AccessEAP rights reserved. 16 Thank you We are available 24/7 Call us on 1800 81 87 28

17. The content of these materials is general in nature, and must not be relied on in lieu of advice from a qualified professional in respect of your particular circumstances. To the maximum extent permitted by law, AccessEAP does not make, and excludes, any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the accuracy, reliability, currency or completeness of any information in these materials and AccessEAP (collectively, with its officers, directors, employees, agents and advisers) expressly disclaims any and all liability for any loss or damage incurred by you, howsoever caused, relating to these materials or any reliance placed on the information within it. “© Access Programs Australia Ltd (trading as AccessEAP) or its licensors. All rights reserved.” © AccessEAP rights reserved. 17