Work Safe Australia statistics state that $736 million dollars were paid in response to work related mental health compensation claims from 2018 to 2019. This figure is expected to rise in coming years in response to the pandemic, and WILL effect the mental health of your employees as they suffer in response to lock downs, infection, working from home, job insecurity, job losses and business closures.
As COVID-19 cases rise within Tasmania we will see an increase in employees working from home and job-related stress as employees are determined as close contacts or infected and placed into isolation and quarantine. To reduce the impact upon employee health and workplace productivity, businesses should be conducting Risk Assessments TODAY to pre-determine strategies for environmental and mental/ psychosocial hazards that may arise in response. This aims to decrease potential employee illness, compensations claims and cases of employer negligence.
Businesses should develop strategies that:
- Define workplace and employee operations within pandemic events
- Implement Flexible Work Arrangements
- Respond to multiple requests for Flexible Work Arrangements if employee requests are deemed reasonably required
- Determine how employees will be supported throughout the pandemic and flexible work arrangements process
- Promote team communication and regular contact to decrease worker isolation
- Ascertain and improve upon employee satisfaction and productivity remotely
- Assess the hazards that present within flexible working environments without entry
AHR can assist you to conduct Risk Assessments for flexible working arrangements and can further facilitate the development of business specific strategies, checklists, and procedures that aim to maintain employee mental health and retention. Call AHR today on 1800 577 515 to discuss your business needs and to define a way in which we can best help you.
