In today's fast paced and often stressful work environments, prioritising mental health is essential for fostering a positive workplace culture and ensuring the overall wellbeing and productivity of employees. When employees feel supported in managing their mental health, they are more likely to thrive both personally and professionally.

In Australia, approximately 1 in 5 individuals experience a mental disorder, highlighting the need for employers to take proactive measures to create mentally healthy workplaces with an ongoing commitment and action in the three areas of intervention; protect, respond, and promote.

Protect: This involves implementing preventive measures to safeguard employees' mental health and wellbeing. Employers can create policies and practices that minimise workplace stressors, such as excessive workloads or unrealistic deadlines. Providing resources for stress management, resilience training, and promoting a healthy worklife balance.

Respond: Inevitably, some employees may experience mental health challenges despite preventive efforts. Organisations can support employees by building capacity to respond and support staff experiencing ill mental health or distress. This includes offering employee assistance programs, recognising and responding to signs and having clear procedures for employees to seek support without fear of stigma or reprisal. Additionally, training managers and leaders to recognise the signs of mental distress and respond appropriately can make a significant difference in early intervention and support.

Promote: Creating a culture that prioritises mental health and fosters wellbeing is essential for long-term sustainability. Employers can promote mental health awareness through training programs, workshops, and regular communication campaigns. Encouraging open dialogue about mental health, work design to support professional growth, and actively supporting employee led initiatives can help normalise conversations around mental health and again reduce stigma.

By integrating these principles of protect, respond, and promote into organisational practices, employers can create an environment where employees feel valued, supported, and empowered to prioritise their mental health. This not only enhances individual wellbeing but also contributes to a more resilient, engaged, and productive workforce.

Investing in mental health initiatives not only demonstrates a commitment to employee wellbeing but also yields tangible benefits for the organisation. Research consistently shows that companies with mentally healthy workplaces experience higher levels of employee engagement, lower rates of absenteeism and turnover, and increased productivity and innovation.

In essence, prioritising mental health in the workplace isn't just the right thing to do, it's also a strategic priority for building a resilient, high performing workforce and fostering a culture of compassion and understanding.

This panel discussion will present a range of options for psychologists in the early career stage of professional development.

Ann Lord is a pioneering school psychologist in Western Australia with over 30 years experience. She has recently been a driving force behind the "Leap into school" initiative which encourages psychologists to consider a career as a school psychologist with a particular emphasis on servicing the geographically and culturally diverse population of WA.

Kylie Henderson established Humanity Health Group in 2013. Kylie holds a Doctorate of Clinical Psychology and has more than 25 years experience in mental health and work. Kylie has built Humanity Health Group into a global business that has grown to eleven brands in eight years, partnering with industry-leading personalities who share her vision to improve healthcare for current and future generations.

Aaron Frost has been a leader in private practice with a particular emphasis on quality assurance and routine outcome measurement. Founder and Director of Benchmark Psychology, with 25 years experience. More recently, his team have developed a structured approach to registrar training that aims to improve the traiing standards for psychologists working towards gaining an area of practice endorsement.

These three panelists have agreed to shared both their own professional journey as well as the opportunities provided in; Private practice, NDIS, and Government.

The formal will be a mix of brief remarks and panel discussion, with extensive "Ask me Anything" audience participation and discussion.