David Burroughs
Dave is a psychologist and Westpac Group’s Chief Mental Health Officer and has been in the role since 2018. His work with Westpac is focused on the development and implementation of Westpac’s mental health strategy. This includes understanding and supporting vulnerable customers.
Dave has had a 20-year international career as a psychologist and strategist, specialising in workplace mental health, culture change and complex behaviour.
Dave has a unique background working across clinical, organisational, medicolegal and military mental health domains. Outside of Westpac he is a mental health advisor to numerous government, national and multinational organisations and has a passion for small business and men’s mental health.
Dave is recognised as an expert in psychosocial risk management and has been at the forefront of introducing integrated psychosocial and systems-based approaches to workplace mental health to Australia. Dave collaborates widely with leading national and international experts in psychological health and safety, behavioural ethics and wellbeing. He is an advocate for evidence-informed approaches to workplace mental health and committed to translating academic research into real work initiatives.
“We spend far too much time at work to not make our workplaces the best places they can be and by getting strategic, by focusing on improving peoples experience of work, we can improve the lives of people both within and outside of the workplace.”
Evidence-informed practices have been used as the foundations of the Westpac mental health strategy, where mental health is considered a positive concept.
Dave is conscious that mental health does not discriminate and can affect anyone, including high performers. Therefore, it is important to look at mental health holistically, where supporting the mental health needs of everyone in the organisation will allow them to flourish and thrive.
Mental health in the finance sector
Mentally Healthy Workplaces - David Burroughs Case Study
Related information
acknowledge that it’s okay to not be okay at times
no matter your background, it doesn't give you immunity from the stresses and strains of work and life
maintain work-life boundaries and let people know what those boundaries are.
have self-compassion
Strategic ‘5 in 5’ approach to support the mental needs of all employees.
Strategy recognises that mental health is a positive concept and that mental ill-health does not discriminate.
Evidence-informed and focussed on understanding and addressing psychosocial climate factors that influence mental health.
Integrated range of initiatives designed to support the mental health benefits derived from work and improve people’s experience of work.
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