Mental health is just as important as physical health, so Bluesky Modular Buildings addresses it directly in the workplace. According to the ABS, around 45% of Australians aged between 16 and 85 will experience a mental illness at some point. In contrast, one in five Australian adults will experience a mental illness in any given year. While 90 per cent of employees think mental health is an essential issue for businesses, sadly, only 50 per cent believe their workplace is mentally healthy. The proactive steps that Bluesky Modular Buildings are taking will help to offer a safe space for our diverse workforce. This is better for our people and our business.

While mental health conditions can vary widely in severity and symptoms, it is clear that the problem of mental illness in the workplace is widespread. However, there are many proactive steps that businesses like ours can take to help support employees who may be struggling with a mental illness or other mental health problems.

One such measure is offering training for managers and staff. The team at Bluesky Modular Buildings is undergoing training with the Black Dog Institute. The training develops practical skills to support mental health and well-being in the workplace. We’ll learn how to start a conversation around mental health and how to support our colleagues who may have mental health concerns.

This training can help to create a mentally healthy workplace and will encourage our team members to be more open about their needs.

The research has made it clear that the workplace can have a significant impact on mental illness – either positively or negatively. At Bluesky Modular Buildings, we want to minimise psychological stress wherever possible. However, we also want each team member to feel empowered to start a conversation. To this end, we’ve provided our team member, Casey, with a TradeMutt ‘Conversation Starter’ shirt. We hope this encourages our team to reach out to Casey and know they can confidently speak with him.

We encourage all businesses and leaders to join us in the Black Dog Institute program. To learn more, visit https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/education-services/workplaces/workplace-programs/