Australia is facing a wicked problem. Rising rates of mental illness coincide with a decade-long decline in productivity growth in Australia. Research suggests a clear link between escalating mental health issues and diminishing productivity, exacerbated by stressors in modern work environments and the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The nexus between these escalating rates of mental ill health and declining productivity in Australia has become a pressing concern nationally for business leaders and policymakers alike.
All businesses are grappling with the new nature of the workplace and different ways of working as attitudes and behaviours catch up with technological advances. The pace of change has been exponential and is transforming work in ways that previously may have taken decades.
Building upon the insights of the Leading Mentally Healthy Workplaces Survey 2023, with over 7,500 employees from across 14 companies and different sectors, CMHAA extended invitations to the CEOs of our member organisations and other aligned leaders to engage in interviews to cultivate a deeper understanding of a broad spectrum of leaders’ perspectives and actions regarding employee mental health, wellbeing, and productivity (as related to people performance) within the rapidly evolving workplace landscape. A total of 18 CEO’s
participated.
