Regional resource kit

Poor service access, distance, cost, and continued reluctance to seek help contribute to higher levels of mental illness in regional and remote NSW.

As a result, workers, especially on the frontline, such as police and paramedics, as well as business support services, such as accountants and allied health professionals, can unintentionally become mental health support systems.

What you can do

Regularly promote support services that are available to your workers. These could include:  

• Signing up to an employee assistance program that provides social and psychological support. If an employee assistance program is not available, there are many free support services you can access. Share these with your team, so they know where to go if they need support. 

• Providing mental health training for workers so they can support their colleagues, customers and community.   

If a worker is experiencing mental ill-health, acknowledge it. Knowing that you see them, that you respect their privacy and that they have your support can be the motivation they need to seek help.   

If someone is recovering from a work-related injury or illness, you have an obligation to support their return to work. Make sure you are aware of how to do this.

Employees who stay connected to work during their recovery are much more likely to remain employed. Read the research on this topic.

Remote or isolated work impacts farmers, transport workers, traveling reps and fly in fly out workers (FIFO). These workers often live where they work and are unable to ‘switch off’ for long periods of time.

In small communities, a ‘fishbowl effect’ often occurs where GPs, social workers and other service providers have professional and personal relationships with customers/clients. This can create professional and ethical problems that may lead to work-related stress. 

What you can do

Isolation

• Establish and maintain frequent communication with remote and isolated workers, so they feel supported and connected to their peers. 

• Encourage workers to communicate with their families on a regular basis. 

• Manage the risks associated with remote or isolated work to provide a system of work that ensures effective communication with remote workers. 

• Create boundaries like talking about work only during business hours and schedule downtime for rest and recovery. 

Community interactions

• Create clear guidelines and code of ethics for interactions with clients and customers outside of the workplace. 

• Discuss issues with your staff so they can recognise and are equipped to manage the challenges of client and customer boundaries. 

• Consult with peers in similar situations to gain an objective viewpoint and address any ethical issues that may arise.  

• Just like managing physical WHS, create and implement a written mental health policy to manage risks and help everyone understand expectations. 

Labour and skill shortages in regional NSW can put extra pressure on business owners and workers to ‘pick up the slack’, leading to psychological hazards such as work overload, excessive demands, lack of role clarity and a lack of flexibility.

Inadequate resourcing can lead to lower engagement and can have a negative impact on workers’ mental health.

What you can do

• Keep staff involved and informed of changes to workload, and provide opportunities for open and honest feedback.
• Create clear job descriptions and continuously communicate expectations with your workers. Continue to monitor workload and where possible, support flexible work.
• Identify workplace risk factors such as fatigue, challenges in accessing services or unfair work practices. Put in place controls to reduce or remove these risks.
• Consider how everyone’s work is set up and what simple changes you could make to manage risk factors impacting workplace mental health. For example, if people are on a roster, are the shifts rotated enough? Are staff suitably trained or experienced for their tasks? Are you regularly checking in with your workers when workloads and conditions change? Be up to date with Safe Work Australia’s 10 principles of good work design. 
• Recognise and reward good performance to help build a positive culture. This can be achieved through career development, training opportunities, certificates of achievement or awards. Even a simple ‘thank you’ goes a long way.

Different industries in regional areas face peaks in workload throughout the year. This increased demand can lead to business owners and leaders experiencing higher levels of pressure and stress which can affect performance.

Seasonal workers are more likely to experience depression due to stressors such as high levels of uncertainty, constant change in their work schedules and adapting to new environments.

What you can do

• Plan ahead to get the right support and resources early. Recruiting casuals early can reduce stress and provide more time for all employees to understand their capacities and expectations. This will also give you enough time to brief new staff on their WHS obligations. 

• Look out for risks such as high workloads or job demands, remote or isolated work, lack of support or unfair work practices. Our Code of Practice provides you with practical advice, case studies and templates you can use in your regional workplace.  

• Leaders need to recognise and provide support to anyone facing increased workloads, isolation, loneliness, financial or family stress. Employers should ensure staff have access to the right information, support services and opportunities to discuss their concerns. 

• Build your culture and provide opportunities to connect as a group. Creating a sense of community helps maintain an open and positive environment where staff feel supported and are able to seek help early.

Exposure to disasters, work-related violence and other traumatic events can increase the risk of stress and psychological injury such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

The impact of traumatic experiences can come from a single distressing event, or from the cumulative impact of many events over time, including direct or indirect exposure. 

What you can do

Have processes in place to prepare for and manage traumatic events so workers can be supported from the earliest opportunity.

• Make sure supervisors are supported and have the skills to have conversations about mental health.
• If you notice someone at work doesn’t seem to be coping, or has been affected by a traumatic event, you can help by providing advice and encourage them to access available workplace support services, or seek assistance from a counsellor, psychologist or their preferred General Practitioner (GP).
• For further advice, the SafeWork NSW traumatic events management plan is a practical document that assists workplaces to respond to and manage traumatic events.

Studies have shown that alcohol consumption is significantly higher in regional and remote areas of Australia when compared to major cities.

Employers have an obligation to make sure that their workers are fit for work. Anyone unfit for work due to alcohol and other drugs can put themselves and other people in the workplace at risk of serious harm. 

What you can do

• Make workers aware of the risks to their own and others’ health and safety to encourage an alcohol- and drug-free workplace.
• Develop a formal drug and alcohol policy in consultation with your workers and make it clear to all workers what behaviour is acceptable. See SafeWork NSW’s guide to creating a workplace drug and alcohol policy.
• If you suspect someone is under the influence of alcohol or other drugs at work, follow the relevant procedures in the policy, even if this puts you in an uncomfortable position. Do not feel that you have ‘dobbed in a mate’; you are looking out for them and everyone else at work. 
• If relevant to your industry, conduct regular tests for alcohol and illicit substances, particularly if a worker could kill or seriously injure themselves or someone else. 
• Support and maintain confidentiality for workers that may be struggling with alcohol or substance abuse or return a positive result.
• Support healthy habits and initiatives such as Dry July. Avoid providing alcohol and offer a range of non-alcoholic beverages at workplace events and functions.
• For more advice on drug and alcohol in the workplace, visit SafeWork NSW.