Promoting Supportive Workplaces for People with Mental Illness Employer Forums: Report to the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations

The Australian participation rate of people with a mental illness in the workplace is
extremely low, both in comparison to other countries and other disabilities.
The Mental Health Council of Australia (MHCA) conducted two one-day national forums
aimed at engaging the business community in examining ways to promote the employment
of people with mental illness through the promotion of best practice programs, and to
develop a greater understanding of mental health problems.
The forums examined mental illness as a major cause of disability, current treatments,
evidence based workplace programs, and examples of workplace practices which attract
and retain employees with a mental illness.
The forums provided an opportunity for the Australian Government to articulate the need for
employers to play a critical role in meeting the challenge of skill shortages through the
creation of workplace practices and programs that enable people with mental illnesses to
take up and remain in employment.
Examples of programs and workplace practices currently being utilised in large and small
workplaces (ie Telstra, Australian Tax Office, Toll Holdings and Subway) formed a key
feature of the forums.
Participants were provided with information aimed to:
1 increase awareness among employers and Job Network and Disability Open
Employment Service (DOES) providers on mental health issues; current treatment
practices and efficacy, the barriers faced by consumers in obtaining and maintaining
work; managing mental illness in the workplace, and the services available for people
with mental illness;
2 assist in improving workplace practices for dealing with the episodic nature of mental
health problems; and
3 assist in improving linkages between the mental health services, Job Network and
DOES providers and employers.
Through the formal presentations, case studies and examples of employer and service
provider best practices, and the workgroup discussions, a number of ideas were identified.
This report stresses that these ideas represent only a first step in the development of a
comprehensive employment strategy for people with mental illness. Further research and
evaluation is required, with input from consumers, service providers and from multiple
service sectors (health, employment, disability), peak groups and all levels of government.
Evaluations from participants indicated high levels of satisfaction with the forums and
progress among those in attendance in achieving the stated objectives. However it is also
evident in the discussions and feedback that the task ahead is a difficult one. The low
levels of awareness of mental health issues generally in the community, and particularly the
perceived and real barriers to greater workforce participation, will require a concerted and
coordinated multi-strategy approach if Australia is to attain the levels of employment for
people with a mental illness seen in comparable OECD countries.