Promoting a positive workplace culture

Effective communication increases the likelihood of workers engaging in mental health initiatives. For mental health to be viewed as a priority within an organisation, safety culture needs to be embraced and modelled by senior leaders and management.

Leadership needs to actively demonstrate that physical and mental health are viewed as equally important, and ensure that mental health management is integrated into the safety management system and written into policies. Strategies need to be supported by appropriate action, especially by leaders and management, to ensure that the behaviours underpinned by these messages are valued and become part of the prevailing culture.

Modelling positive behaviours and attitudes

Effective leaders model their organisation’s values and standards for workplace behaviour and employees take their cues from their management and the immediate environment. It is important, therefore, to model behaviours that promote positive attitudes towards mental health and wellbeing. Modelling a positive workplace culture includes:

• encouraging collaboration
• welcoming new ideas
• discouraging gossip and rumours
• taking a zero tolerance approach to inappropriate and unreasonable workplace behaviours like bullying, violence, aggression and harassment
• attending mental health training and events and encouraging staff to attend
• being available to workers by having an open-door policy.