Wellbeing. It’s not just personal.

We often hear messages about taking care of ourselves, and making better decisions to keep ourselves healthy … eat healthier food, take time out for exercise, and connect with our friends. These are all very good messages, however we rarely hear about how we might address some of the imbalances imposed on us by our workplaces.

A great example of this is the recent resignation of two Tasmanian cabinet ministers – one leaving cabinet, the other leaving politics altogether. News reports cited a variety of factors that led to these resignations, including bereavement, and the impact of public and media scrutiny. However, it’s also reasonable to suggest that the workload placed on ministers, their advisors and staff, and the need to juggle multiple portfolios due to reduced numbers of politicians in Parliament, is a systemic issue. This is not about people’s competence, capacity or health – it is about expectation. Our political system is one that places unrealistic demands on the people who have to work within it, and this has real consequences for people’s physical and mental wellbeing.

This is a problem that can be fixed. Of course, the political will to do that is another question.  Perhaps this challenge won’t be addressed until politicians and staff stand up for change themselves.

What about your workplace? Is there an increasing expectation for employees to meet ever increasing productivity demands? Is the workplace operating as intelligently and efficiently as it can, in terms of having functions, supports and structures in place to support its workers?

How can we address these stressors at work? It begins with awareness, and mental health first aid training is one very effective way of creating this awareness and equipping ourselves with tools to recognise challenges and support our mental health . But we also need to address the underlying challenges that may be contributing to illness and stress in the workplace - at a foundational and organisational level.