Workplace mental health and wellbeing articles
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Using the Thriving Workplace Index: SuperFriend’s experience
Blog In 2020, SuperFriend in partnership with PwC, started work on our long time goal of developing a practical tool workplaces could use based on our annual Indicators of a Thriving Workplace research framework. After a lot of hard work and dedication from our combined ...
Vale Helen Hewett
Blog SuperFriend, our staff and board members are deeply saddened by the passing away of our founder Helen Hewett this week. Helen was a visionary, envisaging the concept for SuperFriend in 2007, while Executive Officer of the Industry Funds Form. As a former CEO ...
How a positive workplace culture benefits your organisation
Blog There are many factors to consider when it comes to managing a successful business - increasing revenue, keeping costs down, ensuring client satisfaction, paying suppliers and worker productivity, just to name a few. With so many things to juggle, it’s easy to let ...
Five simple ways that small organisations can help improve employee wellbeing
Blog As a smaller business, it may feel like there’s not much more you can do to improve your worker’s wellbeing, especially in comparison to large organisations that have entire teams and large-scale budgets for HR and wellbeing. We’re here to tell you that ...
Leadership as action
Blog “Leadership is action, not position.” These are the words of Donald McGannon, a broadcasting industry executive during the formative years of television in the United States and a vocal advocate for social responsibility in broadcasting. This statement is just as true ...
The art of leadership
Blog By Mark Leopold, Head of Policy and Strategic Alliances In my forties I became a positive leader. If that sounds like I’m pumping wind into my own sails, be assured, I spent the prior 20 years being somewhat crude at the art! I ...
The art and science behind managing conflict
Blog Conflict and challenging interactions are a part life. In the workplace, they can be caused by various factors including differing ideas and personality types and opposing communication styles. 2020 was an unprecedented time for Australian workers, with the effects and uncertainty of COVID-19 still ...
Piloting unique digital workplace mental health tool with PwC
Blog Over the past few months, SuperFriend has been working alongside PwC Consulting Australia building and piloting a unique online workplace mental health tool. Designed to diagnose, benchmark and prioritise strengths and areas of opportunity, it is based on Australia’s largest and longest running ...
How thriving is your workplace?
Blog It's a pretty universal feeling, wanting to work in an organisation that not only values its employees and their contributions, but also prioritises their mental health and wellbeing - however reality doesn't always match up to expectations.Our 2020 Indicators of a Thriving Workplace report ...
Is a good friend really worth $100,000?
Blog One of the great ironies of having amazing technology and social media at our fingertips is that we’re lonelier now [1] than ever before. In a 2018 study, the Australian Psychological Society reported that around half of us feel lonely at least one ...
Say “goodbye” to conflict and “hello” to connectedness
Blog Forging connections and relationships with the people around us is an essential part of maintaining our mental health. No matter the situation, the feelings of belonging and connection, as well as having positive interactions with others are vital. But what about when interactions ...
Compassion, Community and Connection
Blog By Mark Leopold, Head of Policy And Strategic Alliances Building a bridge to effective mental health and suicide prevention. If a calamitous 2020 has shown us anything, it is the importance of compassion, community, and connection. They are the underlying foundations of society ...
What’s a workplace mental wellbeing audit?
Blog Connecting with others is an essential part of good mental health. Considering that we spend so much time working, building relationships and connecting with our colleagues it is vital to maintaining mental health. It’s much easier to feel in sync with our colleagues, especially ...
Zero stress is bad – but so is burnout – finding the sweet spot for the festive season!
Blog The end of year always adds more to people’s plate than they are already balancing - let alone having to do it whilst navigating a post-lockdown re-entry into society (many with one hand clutching the safe haven they have built over the last ...
Preparing for a mentally healthy workplace post-COVID
Blog The beginning of a new year is the right time to think about what type of environment you would like to build for your organisation before the year’s end. The pandemic has created both good and bad change in the workplace – some ...
Are you worried about the mental health of someone you know?
Blog There is no doubt it's been a tough year. Our latest research tells us that, while the year's events have boosted productivity and connection, the number of workers who experienced a mental health condition has increased by 8.9 percent up to 59.5 percent. And ...
Three tools to get your groove back
Blog Forget 'normal' and use these three simple tools to get your groove back. ‘New normal’, ‘COVID normal’, ‘better normal’…. all phrases that have well and truly passed their used by date. There is no normal way to do life and most things ...
What a year it’s been
Blog I usually get to the end of a year feeling immensely proud of what my team has achieved but this year, I’m also celebrating just getting through the year at all! The way the SuperFriend team have conducted themselves means we ...
PC Inquiry into Mental Health: What does it mean for super and insurance?
Blog The highly anticipated final report from the Productivity Commission Inquiry into Mental Health, and National Suicide Prevention Adviser’s Interim Report to the Prime Minister have both recently been published. Both reports recognise the need for an improved mental health system with a ...
Trust + Respect = Actions not words
Blog Reflections on positive actions that build connectedness and an inclusive culture. Trust and respect are built from a leader’s many actions. Stating the words “I trust you” and then micro-managing to task implies exactly the opposite. “I trust you” is only a ...
NEW RESEARCH: Mental health of workers in 2020 – the unexpected results
Blog SuperFriend has just released the results of its national workplace mental health study, revealing some surprising positive outcomes from 2020s challenges - including an improved national score. The survey of over 10,000 people showed clear benefits for those at organisations taking action ...
8 tips for riding COVID’s second wave
Blog There are a few 'c-words' that are universally disliked, but 'COVID' is definitely the frontrunner. Why? Well, apart from the fact that COVID stinks, for some reason it's taken this crisis for us to learn some very human lessons. Whether ...
The 11 most impactful actions for improving worker wellbeing
Blog With so many actions available to improve the mental wellbeing of your workers, employers can quickly become overwhelmed and find it difficult to prioritise which are most appropriate for their organisation. The 2020 Indicators of a Thriving Workplace research, Australia’s largest workplace ...
Looking after your mental health when you’re out of work
Blog While you’re out of work, there are some simple practices you can adopt to make this period of your life much easier for yourself and your family. Developing a sense of self ‘What do you do?’ is a question you’re probably asked ...
Making the most of it – ways to spend your time when you’re out of work
Blog It can be stressful to be in a job or industry where work isn’t guaranteed or if it dries up altogether. COVID-19 has also created a level of uncertainty around the future of work for many people, particularly casual workers. If you ...
Peer Support Booklet
Resources SuperFriend’s Peer Support Booklet provides practical suggestions to individuals for listening to and supporting work colleagues who may be experiencing issues with their mental health. The communication skills and support strategies promoted in this booklet are important for employees at all levels ...
Looking After You
Resources Looking After You booklet Most of us are juggling multiple roles in our lives, and many of these typically involve caring for others. Making self-care a priority with “the life juggle” can be tricky, so to help, we’ve put together this resource ...
Building Thriving Workplaces
Resources Building Thriving Workplaces features practical and evidence-informed strategies to help your workers thrive. This booklet contains: the latest workplace mental health findings and advice the business case for investing in your workplace’s mental health practical information on applying the five evidence-based ‘domains’– ...
Personal issues are workplace issues
Blog Just as issues at work can impact on our personal lives (relationships, stress levels, time etc) we can also bring all the personal issues we are dealing with at home to work. And while employers don’t own those issues – they do ...
A systems approach to good work design
Blog Good work design has three main aims: protecting workers from harm, improving their health and wellbeing and transforming the business through increased worker productivity. Work design looks at four workplace elements: the work, work systems, the physical working environment, and the ...
Staying productive when working from home
Blog With more than half the workforce working from home at least part of the time, it’s important to make sure this time is spent well. Working from home has grown as an option over the past decade, making it a legitimate ...
Your leadership responsibilities during a crisis
Blog As a leader, your legal responsibilities in a crisis include: Keeping people physically and emotionally safe, communicating, monitoring changing needs, leadership, and getting people back to work – which includes providing support and flexibility. It IS your responsibility as an ...
Claims management – best practice framework and support
Resources SuperFriend is uniquely positioned at the juncture of the superannuation, life insurance and mental health sectors to help maximise the number of Australians reaching a happy and healthy retirement. The insurance provided through our superannuation funds is critically important in supporting this ...
Looking after yourself as a leader
Blog If you’ve travelled on a plane, you’ll know the flight attendant’s safety briefing: brace positions, emergency exits, and remember to put on your own oxygen mask first. The reason we’re told this is because you can’t help others if you’re running low on oxygen. ...
Plan for stress as a team
Blog Stress is the body’s reaction to adverse or demanding situations. In the workplace, among other factors, this can take the form of demanding workload, lack of control, poor working conditions, or the breakdown of working relationships. Chronic or repeated exposure to these ...
Standing up when times are tough
Blog An organisation with poor leadership cannot thrive. This is true of organisations today, and of the first organisations or organised groups ever created. And there is no time that leadership is more important than when an organisation is experiencing difficulty – ...
The business case for a mentally healthy workplace
Blog Research tells us mental health is either affecting your business right now or is likely to in the near future. One in six working aged people are living with a mental illness. Beyond that, it’s believed there are more people experiencing mental ...
More helpful links and resources for COVID support
COVID Support Hub Information from reliable sources It’s best to rely on information from credible sources during this time, such as: The Australian Government Department of Health The World Health Organisation Checking in with someone you care about ...
Leader’s guide to supporting staff
COVID Support Hub Managing people can be challenging even when piloting the calmest of skies. As leaders, we always need to make sure we’re prepared to adapt and respond calmly to any unforeseen turbulence along the journey but this is not straightforward when ...
Connecting employees during physical distancing
COVID Support Hub In an effort to slow the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19), many organisations have some or all of their employees working from home for extended periods. State and Federal governments in Australia are signalling that shutdown of schools and government ...
Let’s have fun!
Blog At SuperFriend, we know the biggest ongoing changes to the mental health of a workplace come when strong organisation-wide systems and practices are put in place. However, you can also implement fun activities that provide important social connections, positive interactions between employees ...
How to create a Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy
Blog Employers are legally obligated to provide a psychologically safe environment, free of harm, for their employees. In line with the Australian work health and safety (WHS) legislation, employers must take steps to protect workers against risks to their physical and mental health. ...
Action ideas to boost wellbeing
Blog People often ask us: “What’s the first thing I should do to begin the workplace wellbeing process?” Our response is to tell them that the chances are they are already engaging in a wide range of actions to promote workplace mental health ...
Seek formal support
COVID Support Hub Taking that first step to seek support can be daunting, especially if you haven’t had experience with formal mental health support before. However, it is completely normal and important to seek support if you’re feeling overwhelmed by COVID-19, or during any difficult ...
Connect with a buddy
COVID Support Hub During difficult times, like a pandemic, it is understandable that people may be feeling isolated, anxious and overwhelmed. As humans we thrive and rely on human connection for overall wellbeing. It’s therefore vital to keep strong social connections, and to ...
Wellbeing checklist
COVID Support Hub In times of uncertainty it’s normal to feel some anxiety about the world around us. It’s important that we have a level of self-awareness about our response to these circumstances and how this may present in the way we behave. ...
How to spot someone in distress
Blog What does someone in distress look like? What should you do? How can you start a conversation? Have you noticed a change in a loved one or friend? It’s important to pay attention to cues that someone might be struggling, and reach out. ...
Your guide to managing a crisis
Blog Learn about the short-term, intermediate and long-term phases of a crisis, what to expect and practical ways to support your people and customers. You can also view as a PDF. Phase 1: Pre-disaster Phase 2: Impact ...
Wellbeing check-in and action plan
Blog Use this free, confidential module to check-in on your wellbeing, get tips on managing your mental health and make your own self-care action plan during these challenging times. Practical Proven Private Personal ...
Five Ways to Wellbeing
Blog The Five Ways to Wellbeing are five simple and effective ways you can improve your mental health and wellbeing every day, focusing on connecting, being active, being aware, continued learning and helping others. If you’re looking to improve the mental health and wellbeing ...
Getting leadership buy-in
Blog All too often, well-crafted workplace wellbeing strategies struggle to maintain engagement and fizzle out over time. Like all workplace initiatives, leadership support determines the success or failure of all efforts to improve employee wellbeing.Gaining leadership buy-in is one of the first crucial steps ...
The two key ingredients to successfully managing change
Blog We know organisational change can seem a bit daunting to employees, but we also know workers handle this change much better if they are included in – and informed about – each step of the transformation process with clear communication. Giving your employees ...
Ensure your organisation is inclusive, fair and representative of the real world
Blog There is a wealth of resources to guide organisations towards a strategic diverse and inclusive (D & I) workforce. Reviewing these resources to inform yourself about the proven approaches is a great place to start – here are a few resources you may ...
How to effectively engage with different personality types in the workplace
Blog Sometimes it’s nice to imagine how stress-free life would be if everyone else was the same as us, especially in the workplace. But life is full of different types of people and - let’s face it - it would be boring if ...
The art of checking in
Blog Approaching a friend, family member, colleague or employee you’re concerned about is important at any time of year. Noticing changes in someone’s behaviour or mood and asking, “Are you OK?” can make a significant difference to the life of someone who is having ...
Improving mental health and wellbeing in your workplace doesn’t need to be complicated.
