{"id":13789,"date":"2025-10-10T02:59:08","date_gmt":"2025-10-09T15:59:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.workplaceoptions.com\/au\/?post_type=news&p=13789"},"modified":"2025-10-10T02:59:08","modified_gmt":"2025-10-09T15:59:08","slug":"world-mental-health-day-2025-workplace-options-australia-shares-five-practical-steps-to-support-staff-after-a-crisis","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.workplaceoptions.com\/au\/news\/world-mental-health-day-2025-workplace-options-australia-shares-five-practical-steps-to-support-staff-after-a-crisis\/","title":{"rendered":"World Mental Health Day 2025: Workplace Options Australia Shares Five Practical Steps to Support Staff After a Crisis"},"content":{"rendered":"

With burnout at record levels, Workplace Options urges Australian employers to prioritize long-term support <\/span>with <\/span>a free toolkit to help teams <\/span>build lasting <\/span>resilience<\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Burnout has become one of the most pressing challenges in Australian workplaces, with employees reporting some of the highest daily stress levels in the Asia-Pacific region. On World Mental Health Day 2025, Workplace Options (WPO) is urging employers to move beyond reactive crisis response and build proactive systems of care that sustain well-being over time. In a country frequently tested by natural disasters and economic uncertainty, anniversaries of crises can reopen emotional wounds, making long-term, structured support essential for recovery and resilience.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRecovery is not linear,\u201d said <\/span>Alan King, President & CEO of Workplace Options<\/span><\/b>. \u201cAnniversaries remind us that pain can resurface, but these events also give employers the chance to reaffirm care, reduce stigma, and advance access to support by thoughtful promotion of employee assistance programs.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Five Leadership Actions to Help Teams <\/span>Communicate with care:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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  1. Share simple, empathetic, meaningful messages<\/strong> that validate ongoing emotional challenges and highlight resources.<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Conduct regular check-ins.<\/span><\/b> Recovery takes time. Continued outreach shows it is normal, and beneficial, to seek help.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Engage peer support.<\/span><\/b> Encourage Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and storytelling forums to normalise conversations about trauma, stress, and anxiety.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. Provide manager training.<\/span><\/b> Equip leaders with trauma-informed skills and toolkits so they can respond with empathy and confidence.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  5. Monitor and adapt.<\/span><\/b> Gather feedback to ensure support remains relevant and responsive as needs evolve.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    \u201cPractical steps are needed in order to turn awareness into action,\u201d says James Callender, Director of Business Solutions at Workplace Options. \u201cEmployers must create environments where people can succeed sustainably \u2014 with realistic workloads, open conversations, and a culture where seeking support isn\u2019t just accepted, it\u2019s encouraged.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Why It Matters<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Burnout and stress have become defining features of the Australian workforce, with recent data from Workplace Options\u2019 Center for Organizational Effectiveness <\/span>Psychological Safety Study<\/span><\/a> revealing:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n