By Dr. Sarah Cotton

There is nothing wrong providing employees with healthy food and opportunities to exercise per se, but ad-hoc perks don’t cut it when it comes to protecting employees’ mental health today.  

Prevention over crisis management

The workplace mental health landscape has transformed dramatically. While Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) remain valuable, they shouldn’t be an organisation’s only line of defence. Modern wellbeing strategies must address potential stressors before they become crises – from AI-driven workplace changes to the challenges of our evolving flexible work culture.

Over the last decade, we’ve seen a huge shift in how we address mental health in the workplace. Pre-pandemic, many organisations considered Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) a catch-all for tackling a range of individual mental health concerns. What we know as mental health practitioners is that people often only seek EAP support when they reach a crisis point. The ideal scenario is to create a positive environment where EAPs are just one arm of a multi-pronged approach that fosters a mentally healthy environment. 

Consider implementing:

• Regular psychological safety assessments
• Preventive mental health education
• Stress management training
• Digital wellbeing resources
• Clear boundaries around out-of-hours communication

With the new Work Health and Safety (WHS) laws requiring Australian organisations to actively prevent psychological harm, and mental health support now a key factor in talent attraction and retention, a strategic approach to wellbeing is imperative for organisations and leaders at all levels.

Inclusive support for all ages and stages

Today’s multi-generational workforce demands flexible, personalised support. Whether managing early career transitions, parental leave, caring responsibilities, health conditions, or work-life integration, employees expect their organisations to provide meaningful support at every stage.

Successful organisations are creating:

• Structured mentorship programs
• Phased-return to work programs for various life transitions
• Flexible work arrangements that adapt to changing needs
• Career development pathways that accommodate life changes
• Cross-generational knowledge sharing initiatives

Supporting people to do their best work at all life’s ages and stages is a compelling way to attract and retain quality employees. People now expect to be able to work in a way that suits them. Whether they be graduates, parents or carers, those experiencing a health condition, or people simply wanting a better way to balance life and work. Employers who understand this mindset and support their people undergoing all of life’s transitions will be highly sought after as we move into future ways of working. 

Leadership that walks the talk

A wellbeing strategy is only as strong as the leaders who champion it. Beyond executive buy-in, organisations need leaders who model healthy work behaviours and actively promote psychological safety.

These include:

• Mental health training for all leadership levels
• Regular wellbeing check-ins as part of performance discussions
• Clear communication about available resources
• Leaders sharing their own wellbeing practices
• Metrics to measure strategy effectiveness

The bottom line? Organisations that invest in comprehensive wellbeing strategies aren’t just protecting their people – they’re securing their future. With mental health support now a key factor in talent attraction and retention, a strategic approach to wellbeing isn’t just nice to have – it’s a must have.

Looking for help to build a wellbeing strategy in your organisation? We can help! Connect with our team here.

The post Why Your Organisation Needs a Strategic Approach to Wellbeing appeared first on Transitioning Well.

How to support employees experiencing pregnancy loss

The path to parenthood isn’t always a smooth one. Some may experience a smooth ride to parenthood, while others may have to navigate rough terrain, and overcome enormous obstacles. Sadly, some may never reach their destination.

Fertility can be a long and trying journey. Over time, the stress and mental toll can start to have huge impacts on those going through the process.  

For workplaces, your support at this time is crucial, but knowing how to support your people at this time can be really difficult.  

The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that every single day in this country there are 282 miscarriages, five still births, and two infant deaths under the age of 28 weeks. Given the prevalence of pregnancy loss, employers and HR managers need to be aware of the issue and mindful of some of the ways it can potentially affect their employees.

What is miscarriage?

Pregnancy loss can take many different forms. Miscarriage refers to the loss of a baby up to and including the 19th week of pregnancy, while stillbirth is the loss of a baby from the 20th week of pregnancy onwards. Bear in mind that loss can also be experienced as a result of an unsuccessful fertility treatment cycle, or when all avenues for pregnancy have been exhausted.

How pregnancy loss can affect your employees

Pregnancy loss can often manifest itself in a variety of symptoms of emotional and physical strain.

These may include:

• Emotional upheaval associated with loss—grief, anger, shame or fear of stigma.
• Uncertainty or fear about future pregnancies.
• Struggling with the physical recovery of pregnancy, including possible surgery or the trauma of delivering a stillborn baby.
• Supporting the grief of a partner and other children.

Managers should also be aware of the logistical challenges that grieving parents may face during recovery.

These may include:

• Managing the care of other children in the family – e.g. caring for children while grieving and the logistical challenges such as school drop-off and pickup.
• Medical or specialist appointments may be required.
• The mother may be unable to drive if she has undergone surgery.

In addition, there are also specific workplace concerns relating to pregnancy loss. Some people may not have told colleagues they were pregnant or trying to conceive. Others will be unsure about how to inform their manager, colleagues or clients about their loss.

How to support your employees through pregnancy loss

The far-reaching consequences of pregnancy loss can impact your employees’ workplace performance and affect their mental and physical health. But what can you do support your employees through this difficult time?

Implement clear policies and educate employees

Ensure policies explicitly cover perinatal loss, and that this is clear and easily accessible to everyone. Avoid having a “ask your manager for the policy” situation as the grieving parent may not yet be ready to discuss their situation.  In addition, educate your organisation about pregnancy loss, explaining what support is available to those impacted, and how they can support their colleagues.

Hold no expectations about how an employee ‘should’ grieve

Recovery takes time and is not linear—some days will be better than others. There is no ‘set’ amount of time a person takes to grieve. Ask what leave they need and be prepared to be flexible as their needs change. Be aware that some people will want to keep busy as part of their recovery—they may not wish to take leave.

Remind employees of EAP assistance and additional 1-1 counselling service, if available

If EAP services offer counselling to immediate family members, remind them of this service for partners and other children. Close co-workers and managers may also benefit from EAP counselling.

Allow flexibility to attend any medical appointments or manage childcare logistics for other children

If appropriate, prepare a return-to-work plan. You may consider a range of options including temporary part-time hours, gradual transition back to regular work, compressed hours or another option your employee requests.

Carefully consider communication to others

Ask your employee what communication they would like, and what they would prefer to do themselves as opposed to having it done for them. They may, for example, prefer you to inform their colleagues or clients about their loss to spare them having to repeat the same conversation numerous times.

Remember: it may be necessary to discuss this more than once as and when it becomes necessary or appropriate.

Consider financial assistance where possible

If possible consider some form of financial assistance, for example, contributing to expenses, funeral costs, vouchers for childcare to provide grieving parents some time or even vouchers for meal delivery to help in this difficult time.

Practical issues for your employees

Leave entitlements

As pregnancy loss often isn’t openly discussed, your employees may face uncertainty regarding their leave entitlements. Parents dealing with a stillbirth or infant death can currently access six weeks of unpaid leave where they have already commenced their parental leave.

Under new legislation, parents of a stillborn baby, or in the case of infant death, are entitled to 12 months of unpaid parental leave. In addition, special maternity leave may be available for eligible employees not fit for work because the pregnancy ends in loss, within 28 weeks of the expected date of birth.

Financial and administrative concerns

Parents dealing with pregnancy loss may also be unfamiliar with their legal or financial obligations.

• By law, all stillbirths in Australia must be registered with Births Deaths and Marriages in the relevant state or territory.
• It is also a legal requirement to arrange a burial or cremation for a stillborn baby.
• There may be additional medical costs, particularly for emergency or specialist care.

Pregnancy Loss Support

Our team are here to help navigate this transition. All our sessions whether virtual, over the phone or face-to-face are conducted by registered psychologists specialising in pregnancy loss.

We can offer a tailored approach to help best support employees at this time, through dedicated one-on-one sessions, and team leader support.  

For more information, head to our pregnancy loss and fertility support page.

The post Supporting people at work experiencing pregnancy loss appeared first on Transitioning Well.

By Justine Alter

We talk a lot about transitions at Transitioning Well. In fact, we live and breathe it every day and constantly reflect on how transitions impact every aspect of our lives and work. You might think that when we’re going through our own transitions, we’ve got it all covered. I can assure you we don’t. 

My 18-year-old son is about to start his VCE exams. He got his driver’s license a few months ago and had his last day of school on Friday. I’m in the midst of supporting him while navigating the transition to parenting an adult, and it’s literally all the feels! 

At times of transition, we’re adapting to our ‘new normal’ – this process impacts our roles, relationships, routines, and assumptions (Goodman, Schlossberg, & Anderson, 2006). The transition for parents of Year 12 students is rarely spoken about, but it impacts all four of those areas.

Watching your child navigate this stressful and emotional time can be challenging. The entire family unit may be navigating disruption, and our ‘normal’ responses and rhythms are tipped on their heads. 

There’s a gamut of mixed emotions, from praying your child doesn’t get sick on exam day to an enormous sense of joy and pride at what they’ve achieved this far. There’s nostalgia galore wondering where the years have gone to being grateful they can pick up groceries and younger children from play dates.

For our children comes their own transition, leaving behind the structured way of secondary school – and sometimes their friends – as they move into the world of employment or tertiary education. It can be a time of great uncertainty, and that too can have huge impacts  

It’s important to remember that everyone copes differently during times of transition. So, while one young adult may be bubbling with joie de vivre, another may be feeling lost – and that’s OK.  

If this is your reality right now, know that you’re not alone. Understanding the path of transition can be helpful, as can identifying the key factors that can influence your ability (or your child’s ability) to cope during times of change, such as: 

• How you perceive the change 
• What help you can turn to 
• Your values 
• What strategies you can employ to cope.  

And, if you’re like me and riding the wave of emotions – we’re nearly there, though I suspect a lot more will come splashing our way, especially as we near our next transition – watching our children grow wings and fly from the nest!  

The post An Open Letter to Parents of Year 12 Students appeared first on Transitioning Well.

2021 has been a ride, hasn’t it? We’ll spare you the tally of days spent in lockdown and a recap of the highs and lows of the last 12 months; it’s not one we’re ready to relive just yet!

What we do know is that in our practice and personal lives, we’ve noticed a blanket exhaustion settling in people across all industries, sectors, and genders. Many of us are feeling like we’re sliding towards Christmas, and counting down the days until we can say goodbye to 2021. You may remember feeling like this at the end of last year too, and so it is our concern that without proper rest and the right strategies to cope with the ongoing uncertainty, the few weeks off over December and January may not be enough.

To help, we asked our team of expert psychologists for their tips on making the most of the Christmas break. Please share these with anyone you think may also find these useful.

A quick ‘self-check-in’ is a great way to identify how we are coping and feeling at the start of the holiday season.  It enables us to make better decisions about the way we look after ourselves, and how best to plan for self-care activities during the holidays – as we find some down-time, moving away from the normal routine of work and daily living. Self-check-ins allow a gentle monitoring of how we are coping, and promotes greater self-awareness.  

Sarah Alwyn, a registered psychologist with experience in counselling, executive coaching, consulting with organisations, individuals, groups, couples and adolescents.

Give yourself permission to have a real break. At this time of year to have a real reset, it’s imperative to get out of automatic pilot and if you can, have a change of environment.

For those who have been primarily working from home where the boundaries between work and home have been blurred more than ever before, consciously getting out of your working space is needed to relax and reset. If you’re not going on a physical holiday make an effort to do day trips.

Justine Alter, Psychologist, work-life transition expert, and Co-Director of Transitioning Well.

Firstly, take some time to appreciate what you’ve achieved in the last two years. It’s been a heck of a ride, but we are here, still standing, so really appreciating family, friends, and the chance to be together for those that are able to get together – and embrace all the cheesy things (yes, a Christmas movie marathon is being planned in my house!)

Secondly, and connected to that, many people still aren’t able to connect with family and friends, so if you can, do something to reach outside your circle – whether that is inviting someone round whose family is overseas/interstate etc, or who has had a really challenging year, donating to a cause (Father Bob, Sikh volunteers, Asylum seekers – whatever floats your boat) – just doing something for someone else is something I find useful to counteract the consumerism of the season.

Elizabeth Clancy, Senior Psychologist specialising in organisational wellbeing and stress prevention. 

It takes a village to raise a child, and for many of us lockdowns robbed us of our village. No matter how much we love our kids and our family, we need a break from them. And if tensions are high and you’re wondering how much you really do love your family, then please know you’re not alone. Leave the kids with a friend or a babysitter and go on a ‘date’ with your partner, or spend some time by yourself.

Rachael Palmer, a registered and endorsed Organisational Psychologist who passionately believes that good work is good for us. 

Immerse yourself in the natural environment around you. Spend at least half an hour a day in nature. It might be in the garden, at the beach, walking in your neighbourhood – breathing the air, feeling the sun – or the rain. And if it’s raining – enjoy the puddles! 

Michelle Mitford, a psychologist specialising in enhancing organisational performance through people achieving measurable and sustained change in behaviour, attitudes and culture.

PLAN AHEAD FOR 2022

If you are looking for a creative way to connect your team and open up important wellbeing conversations, we recommend our Wellness Workshops delivered by our team. Having delivered over 400 webinars nationally and Internationally since the start of COVID we are well placed to support your people.

SUPPORT FOR TEAMS
As we transition to the ‘next normal’ we can support your people by opening up important wellbeing conversations including:

Re-Entry Anxiety: Normalising re-entry in a post lockdown world
Workforce Exhaustion: Combatting exhaustion and creating a fresh start moment
Hybrid Work Series Part 1: Transition to Hybrid: Navigating the early transition to hybrid work and return to office
Part 2: Making Hybrid Work: Navigating the long game of hybrid work and tools for transition

DOWNLOAD FLYER

SUPPORT FOR LEADERS
We know that leaders need to be well to lead well. In an exhausted workforce, there’s a particular need to equip leaders and, in turn, their teams with the right help to support their emotional wellbeing and energy including:

Mental Health Essentials for Leaders: Looking after yourself and your team
The Great Resignation: Reducing the impact of the pandemic upon your people 
Workforce Exhaustion: Practical strategies to reenergise an exhausted workforce 
Flexibility 2.0: Redefining flexible work in a post pandemic world

DOWNLOAD FLYER

The post 5 Psychologist-Approved Ways to Switch Off From Work appeared first on Transitioning Well.

Guilty. Overwhelmed. Exhausted. Overworked. If you’re experiencing any of these emotions, it’s not surprising. Research conducted by the University of Melbourne has found that one quarter of the almost 1.5 million working parents with kids aged between five and 11 are experiencing high levels of mental distress. And these figures were based on research from last year, before many of us across Australia were plunged into lockdown. 

Even if you’re used to working at home, you may not be used to sharing your workspace with your partner and kids or managing the multiple interruptions that come with primary-aged kids learning remotely. Given the highly infectious Delta strain’s impact our on cities schools, we spoke to Dr Eleanor De Ath-Miller, a Senior Consultant and Clinical Neuropsychologist here at Transitioning Well for her tips to managing in lockdown. Eleanor is a parent to two primary-aged kids and living and working through Melbourne’s now six lockdowns – if anyone gets it, it’s Eleanor.  

Create (a loose) structure   

Most kids (even the younger ones) benefit from preparation and planning each day. This also helps with creating a vague structure, which we are all missing at the moment. 

Think about practical discussions with kids in terms of ‘consultations’. Do you like a manager telling you exactly what to do and when and how? Neither do (even the youngest) kids!

The more children feel they’ve been heard and are part of the solution, the more they tend to manage better. (Ros Greene’s Collaborative Proactive Solutions model is excellent for ways to work with our kids). 

At breakfast, try having a chat that guides kids to think about the day in terms of three ‘columns’. Essential kids activities (including school), essential adult activities (including work and household activities), then a third where you pop in extras (e.g., things the kids want to do and some physical activity so that everyone moves a bit during the day).

• This is what we all need to do today…
• What do you want to do today after school is done?
• This is what I need to do today after school is done.
• How can we make a plan so we all get some things we want, even though we can’t do everything we want?
• Write this down – even better, get the kids to write it or decorate it. 

Consider the traffic light system 

Try using the traffic light system to minimise disruptions during the day. My kids aged 7 and 9 have grasped this (most of the time!) when we are working at home. Note: most kids under 7 can’t manage this easily.

• The kids coloured in three sets of traffic lights, we laminated them (you don’t have to) and hung them on the hall side of the door. 
• We then agreed with the kids on what the lights meant and ensured they had clear examples.
• We had Red = ‘this is no interruptions unless there is a real problem or someone is ‘hurt’ (in kid language, this meant ‘only for broken legs or vomiting!’), Orange = ‘this meeting can be interrupted but try and solve your issue first’ to Green = come and go as you please.

Build-in ‘yes days’ 

Have ‘yes days’ or ‘yes afternoons’ where the kids get to choose activities for the family within whatever restrictions you’re living in. They LOVE this and it helps them have a sense of control, even just for a while.

Prioritise one-on-one time 

Juggling work responsibilities and parenting is hard, and you can feel torn in different directions and that you’re not succeeding in either. Though time is short, make space in your schedule (or weekend) for special time with kids 1:1 even if it’s just 10 minutes every couple of days. They choose an activity and you do that fully with no phone, no email, no interruptions.

Keep a close eye on kids’ sleep  

It’s harder to keep routines in lockdown, and kids still need lots of sleep. Switch off screens at least an hour before bed to help the sleep hormones kick in naturally. Ensure kids are exercising every day to help them use pent-up energy, which will help them sleep better too. 

COVID SUPPORT FOR YOUR TEAM

If you are looking for a creative way to connect your working parents and open up important wellbeing conversations, we recommend our 1-hour COVID-19 Wellness series delivered by our team of registered psychologists. Having delivered over 300 webinars since the start of COVID we are well placed to support your team. Click here to contact us and for more on our COVID-Wellness support. 

The post How to Work From Home with Primary School-Aged Kids appeared first on Transitioning Well.