© Danielle Robertson Consulting Pty Ltd t/as DR Care Solutions
Australia's Productivity Commission is currently undertaking an inquiry into the role of improving the mental health of Australians to support economic participation and enhance productivity and economic growth. The draft report from the Commission will be released on 31 October 2019.
The Commission's Issues Paper released in January 2019 states:
'‘In 2014-15, four million Australians reported having experienced a common mental disorder. Mental health is a key driver of economic participation and productivity in Australia, and hence has the potential to impact incomes and living standards and social engagement and connectedness. Improved population mental health could also help to reduce costs to the economy over the long term.
"Employers, not-for-profit organisations and carers also play key roles in the mental health of Australians. Many businesses are developing initiatives to support and maintain positive mental health outcomes for their employees as well as helping employees with mental ill‑health continue to participate in, or return to, work."
Juggling the competing priorities of work and family life can lead to the development of mental health issues in employees of any age in any industry. Lost productivity due to increased presenteeism and absenteeism costs employers dearly and puts pressure on colleagues who are left to ‘pick up’ the additional workload. Research released by PwC and BeyondBlue in 2014 estimated the productivity cost to Australian workplaces at $11 billion per year.
One in five Australians are affected by mental illness annually, yet many do not seek help. We need to challenge perceptions about mental illness in Australia and encourage everyone, including employers, to discuss mental health, to reduce stigma and allow everyone to seek the support they deserve.
Forward thinking organisations, large and small, approach DR Care Solutions to discuss and plan policies and strategies on how to support their employees who suffer from mental ill-health and those overwhelmed with the stress of caring responsibilities for ageing or disabled loved ones.
These employers recognise that navigating the aged care or disability care system can exacerbate and accelerate the mental ill health of their employees and result in huge costs to their business.
Research undertaken by Australia's leading professional services firms, PwC, EY, KPMG and Access Economics, encourages employers to have in place prevention and early intervention programs to safeguard the mental health of their employees.
DR Care Solutions offers employers such a program: Employee Care Concierge Packages. It is a program of subsidised support to help employees navigate the aged care and disability care systems. We alleviate the stress and reduce the time to find the RIGHT care solutions for their loved ones from, on average, five weeks to less than five days. The time and effort provided by the employee is minimal.
For more information, please reach out to Danielle Robertson at DR Care Solutions for an initial discussion on how to set up support and assistance for your employees as part of your company's health and well-being program.
Encourage your employees to remain at work, be productive and feel supported knowing that their loved one is obtaining the right care, at the right time in the right place with DR Care Solutions. Contact Danielle Robertson.