Tag Archives: injury prevention

11 April 2019

Mental Health Prevention- What Does An Effective Prevention Program Entail?

Mental health conditions present substantial costs to organisations. However, through the successful implementation of an effective program to create a mentally healthy workplace, organisations, on average, can expect a positive return on investment (ROI) of 2.3. That is, for every dollar spent on prevention programs, there is an average return of $2.30 gained by the organisation.

So what does an effective prevention program entail?

A two-tiered training program is an essential strategy for delivering better mental health outcomes for managers and all employees. A program that does not also provide self-care and psychological resilience training for all employees will be ineffective. This top-down approach provides the necessary prevention tools for self-awareness and self-regulation and supports long-term mental health on an emotional and psychological level. This combined approach to both mindful leadership training, as well as mental health awareness training, assists managers with supporting employees mindfully, positively and effectively.

The objective of our mindful leadership program is to improve mindfulness and emotional intelligence related to self-care as well as leading, managing and supporting employees. The training helps strengthen and develop the communication and trust between team managers and staff members. Managers learn evidence-based practices and tools for the cultivation of self-regulation and resilience, which also assists them with enhancing their own self-awareness and leadership skills.

Mindful Manager Training for a Mentally Healthy Workplace

In 2018 we conducted a pilot study of our Mindful Leadership Training with Child Protection at the Department of Health and Human Services. Here are the results:

  • 94% Found the training very enjoyable and engaging.
  • 100% Found the training useful in understanding stress reactivity and how to recognise when stress is building.
  • 98% Agree the tools provided in the training pack will be useful for the workplace.
  • 94% Feel the tools they have learnt will help them remain calm and in control when faced with difficult or challenging situations and feel better equipped to recognise habitual thought and behaviour patterns.
  • 92% Agree the training was helpful in developing their skills as a leader (e.g. mindful listening, non-judgment, effective communication, building trust).
  • 90% Have a greater understanding of the benefits of mindfulness and its role at work and at home.
  • 90% Have learnt effective ways to minimise distractions and improve concentration and focus.
  • 92% Feel more confident strengthening relationships and trust in their team.
  • 80% Agree the training has helped them be a more positive leader and role model in the workplace.
  • 90% Feel more confident integrating mindfulness practices into team meetings (if applicable).
  • 80% Feel better equipped to process difficult or strong emotions.
  • 82% Feel more able to recognise the early signs of distress, poor mental health and mental illness.
  • 84% Feel more confident supporting a distressed team member immediately and following an emotional crisis or difficult event.

A course outline is available upon request. I look forward to continuing discussions around supporting the long-term mental health of employees within your organisation.

29 June 2018

Neuroplasticity Training For Safety & Resilience

 

  • Can we rewire our brain to improve focus and awareness?
  • And in doing so what impact can this have on injuries and safety outcomes?
  • What are some ways we can practice mindfulness to boost resilience and workplace mental health?

 

In this episode of the FitForWork Podcast I chat with Sally McMahon about the benefits of rewiring our brain to improve our focus, awareness and psychological resilience. Here is the link to the the episode if you missed it. http://fitforworkaustralia.com.au/040-neuroplasticity-training-for-safety-and-resilience-sally-cumming.

Key takeaways from the episode:

  • Mindfulness research is robust not fluff: The benefits of mindfulness training attention are well researched and it makes for a compelling case for organisations to invest in programs that teach employees the tools for greater self-awareness and self-regulation.
  • Mindfulness improves leadership to supports harmonious workplace relationships: We know that if employees learn to train attention and concentration they are more focused, calmer, have greater clarity, make better decisions and can self- regulate more effectively. This is also key to effective leadership and effective communication.
  • Mindfulness is simply a way of living and a way of being: The art of embracing being a human BEING not a human DOING. The art of noticing when our mind is distracted and bringing it back to the present as the only moment we really have is the now moment. The key with mindfulness practice is non-judgmental awareness. This helps us have greater composure and balance through life’s turbulence and ups and downs – both inside and outside of the workplace.

The Fit for Work Podcast is the place to be if you’re a health, safety or HR professional and leader wanting to take YOUR workplace from GOOD to GREAT. The Fit for Work Podcast will serve you up a weekly FEAST of thought leadership, business resources and real-world examples of what’s working and not working in workplaces. Eavesdrop on conversations with professionals in the Workplace Health, Safety and Leadership spaces along with researchers, educators and front-line staff from both white and blue collar, private and public workplaces. Learn the latest trends and practical tools to boost health, happiness, safety, engagement and productivity in your workplace. Be part of the solution in taking your workplace from good to GREAT!

14 July 2017

The New Integrative Approach For Improving Mental Health & Resilience in the Workplace

As an organisation we are constantly seeking new and innovative ways to improve staff wellness, reduce psychological distress and prevent injuries. We have set ourselves ambitious targets to increase the number of Victorians reporting high levels of resilience, and of course the workplace is a key setting for this.

We needed to find an effective formula that produced beneficial results for staff, as well as tangible business outcomes.

Creating a program that was embedded within a context of both Mind/Body and Integrative Medicine, was the winning formula. We combined themes from both our corporate mindfulness program, ‘Wise’, as well as our injury prevention program, ‘Engage’, to create the ‘Wise Worker’ program. For the first time in my career I was inspired to create a program that could draw on both qualifications as an exercise physiologist and a mindfulness practitioner. Teaching evidence-based injury prevention practices as well as well-researched mindfulness interventions meant we could achieve the holistic results we were looking for.

Over the last few months we trialled this exciting new program at the Department of Health and Human Services with the Disability Support Carers. Eight houses were selected throughout Victoria and we have now completed all eight departments. We are absolutely thrilled with the results, the testimonials and the self-reported feedback. The core purpose of the program was to inspire staff members to create personal health goals to see how good they could feel in four weeks. The goal setting and individual health screening was a key component that led to the cultivation of positive health behaviours.

Over the course of four weeks participants were taught how to integrate and apply mindfulness into their everyday lives, as well as how they can protect themselves from pain and injuries at home and at work.

Through combined mindfulness training and body awareness practices, staff learnt how to illicit the relaxation response. This was a key component of the program, not only for reducing injury risk but also for reducing pain, tension and muscle tightness. Suppression of the sympathetic nervous system and physiological stress response was also effective in improving digestion, increasing energy levels, and improving flexibility, blood flow and circulation. Mindful movement and guided injury prevention exercises were tailored specifically to assist in the prevention of wear and tear injuries due to postural dysfunction. Staff were encouraged to perform manual handling tasks with mindful awareness so they could slow down and perform the tasks correctly with proper posture and ergonomic equipment.

Disability support workers have a difficult and constant role. Work in helping professions can be incredibly rewarding, but also very challenging. Usually there is a focus on looking after others before themselves. For many support workers the idea of self-regulation and self-nourishment is a new concept, so this was a vital component of the program. Through mindfulness and breath work, staff were able to bring some calmness, clarity and appreciation back into their day. Teaching staff how to anchor themselves amidst the pull of turbulence in their lives helps them build the capacity to accept, tolerate and transform painful mind and body states without reacting so intensely to them.

When our body and our mind are working efficiently we feel great. Mood and workplace morale is improved and performance is enhanced. Educating staff using this combined approach to both mind and body training is one that we are pleased to say has been incredibly effective. We look forward to continuing this exciting new work with other professions in the near future.