Every business owner understands by now that mental health requires a marathon, not a sprint, especially in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Even though both business owners and employees have shown remarkable resilience, their mental health may suffer due to these adversities.
Working alone can be difficult to balance long workdays, manage cash flow, maintain personal relationships, and deal with isolation. Your health and well-being, as well as the well-being of those around you, are the most valuable assets of your company, so prioritising them will put you in a good position to focus on them.
Even though the government predicted that worker pay would likely decline until 2024–2025, new research from LifeWorks today reveals that inflation is also having an adverse effect on Australians’ mental well-being, outpacing COVID and job loss. According to LifeWorks’ Mental Health Index, one in four Australians attribute the majority of their stress to inflation (26 per cent), followed by the COVID-19 pandemic’s persistence (13 per cent) and job loss (10 per cent). According to the research, more than half of Australians (53 per cent) believe stress is the primary cause of their declining mental health.
The Small Business Development Corporation (SBDC) compiled this list of resources with small business owners in mind to assist you.
NewAccess for Small Business Owners
NewAccess for Small Business Owners is a confidential and free mental health coaching and support programme. Throughout the programme, you’ll collaborate with a coach to identify and discuss the challenges you’re facing and develop a personalised plan tailored to your specific needs. In addition, you will receive up to five follow-up sessions to work through your plan, learn practical skills, and assess your progress.
Visit the website here.
My Business Health
My Business Health is a resource designed to provide small and family-owned business owners with tools, templates, and advice to help them manage stress and actively participate in the management of their operations. The website, developed by the Australian Small Business and Family Ombudsman (ASBFEO) and funded by Beyond Blue, contains detailed information on COVID-19 and cash flow, both of which can be stressful for business owners.
Visit the website here.
Ahead for Business
Ahead for Business has a range of free tools to help you take action when it comes to managing your health and well-being. It includes tools to help you assess your situation and create a well-being program for your business.
The Federally-funded Ahead for Business free Business Wellbeing online training aims to assist small business owners and their employees in developing their knowledge, skills and practices around mental health and well-being in the workplace. The training encourages users to reflect on and learn strategies to support their own mental health and well-being and support others in the workplace.
The training, expanded in October 2022, includes a training pathway tailored for small business employees, along with new content for small business owners, to support in creating a mentally healthy workplace. It consists of four short online modules that can be completed at times suited to small business owners and their employees.
Visit the website here.
Beyond Blue small business support guide
When small business owners experience mental health challenges, their business support network members might be the first to notice. Beyond Blue’s ‘Supporting small business owners’ resource offers practical tips for close contacts helping a small business owner in distress. Beyond Blue has also launched a website dedicated to supporting anyone affected or concerned by the pandemic.
R U OK? Day
The resources on the R U OK? Day’s website offers guidance on how to start a life-changing conversation and help build a more connected world – at work, home and in the community.
Free business advice from the SBDC
We provide a range of services to the small business sector, including free business advice and a dedicated dispute resolution service. If you would like to talk to a business adviser about your situation, call us on 133 140 to speak to a member of our team.
Source: SBDC
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