There is a strong business case for addressing workplace stress.
The Australian Work Health and Safety Strategy 2012–2022 has identified work-related mental disorders as a priority of focus.
Business leaders ask, ‘Why is it important for compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma to be included as components of our risk management considerations’? The answer is, because compassion fatigue and trauma are recognised as psychological hazards, to those that working in high stress and high trauma organisations.
High stress, trauma-exposed organisations face unique challenges and workplace needs, which are not found in other areas of business. The effects of stress are magnified in these environments and consequently have a profound adverse effect on productivity, organisational and individual health.
Organisational costs include:
- Low morale
- Absenteeism and presenteeism
- High turnover and retention challenges
- Increase in sick leave and WorkCover costs
- Lack of team connection
- Lower employee satisfaction
- Challenges to client/patient/community relations
- Increased conflict
- Decrease in productivity
- Loss of critical skill capacity and intellectual capital
- Increased recruitment and training costs
- Lack of engagement
- Increase in errors and abuses
Safe Work Australia statistics (2015), indicate that approximately one in five Australian workers is likely to be experiencing a mental health condition such as depression or anxiety at any given time. This is estimated to cost Australian workplaces $10.9 billion per year in absenteeism, presenteeism and compensation claims.
Safe Work Australia confirms “safe and healthy workers create a workplace which is productive, high performing, retains its staff and is perceived as an employer of choice.”
We are specialists in high trauma and high stress workplaces. Our services and programmes are designed to reduce the consequences of stress by:
- Helping you create a positive and emotionally healthy culture
- Equipping your people and workplace with tools and knowledge
- Developing individual and organisational resilience
