Small business tools and resources
Small businesses and their workers can benefit greatly from a focus on mental health and wellbeing. Often, it’s small businesses that have less time, money and skills to spend on making their workplace more positive. But there are some simple actions small businesses can take to improve workplace mental health, and the rewards can be great.
The opportunity for small businesses
Small businesses can be an ideal setting for tailored mental health programs. Some advantages include:
- less red tape to prevent you from making decisions and taking action
- being more responsive to the needs of individuals
- getting workers involved in making positive change.
Unique challenges
Small business owners face many unique pressures and challenges.
Some of these include...
- financial pressures
- high work demands and long work hours
- maintaining business growth and long-term success
- changes in the market
- a lack of work-life boundaries
- not much focus taking care of yourself (for example, sleep, exercise, meditation).
See more on this research from Everymind.
Tools and resources
No matter what industry you're in, your people are your greatest asset. The success of your business depends on them. As a small business owner, there are simple steps you can take to support your workers' mental health so they can do their best work for you.
These tools and resources will help you get started.
Mental health resources for small business
Improve mental health in your workplace with these handy resources.
- Ahead for Business - this website provides helpful tools and resources for small business owners and those that support them.
- Heads up for small businesses.
- Business in mind - this workplace mental health promotion program is tailored for small business owners and managers.
- Mental health for small businesses page on the NSW Department of Industry website.
Staying well at work
Get tips on looking after your mental health and wellbeing at work.
- Learn about looking after your mental health from Heads Up.
- SuperFriend has these tips to help you and your team stay mentally fit with 5 ways to wellbeing.
- Complete a confidential online mental health 'check up' and get tips to Help Your Self from Ahead for Business.
- Learn from other small businesses with these case studies from Heads Up and Ahead for Business.
Create your mentally healthy workplace
Learn how to make your workplace more mentally healthy.
- Read about mentally healthy workplaces and how they benefit your business.
- Understand how workplace factors can impact your mental health and your teams' and learn simple steps you can take to prevent or reduce them.
- See what training is available to improve your mental health knowledge, skills and confidence to support yourself and your team.
- Create a positive workplace culture where your staff feel valued and supported to be their best.
- Get tips from the Victorian Small Business Commission on creating a mentally healthy small business.
- Access free online mental health training for managers and workers and free WHS advice for your business. Download our flyer to share with others
Support workers when they need it
Support your workers to be their best every day and learn what support is available.
- Get tips on how to have a conversation with someone you are worried about from Heads Up or R U OK?
- Find support services in your area.
- Share resources and eHealth tools with your team to help them stay mentally fit at work.
- If one of your team is struggling, experiencing mental ill-health or has taken time off due to mental illness find out what you can do to support their recovery.
Other useful websites
Not knowing where to access help for your business when you need it can be a challenge for small business owners so here are some useful websites and resources to assist you.
- Access free resources from the Small Business Mentoring Service
- The ATO Small Business Newsroom has articles, workshops, tools and resources to support you
- Find out how the NSW Small Business Commissioner can help your business.
After something more specific?
Below are more tools and resources to assist.
Managing workplace factors
- Learn more about how good work design can help support mental health at work
- Get tips on preventing fatigue and reduce the impact on mental health and wellbeing in your workplace from SafeWork NSW
- Access resources to help you respond to bullying at work
- Learn how you can prevent and respond to work-related violence from SafeWork NSW.
Legal obligations
Find out about meeting your legal obligations.
Tailored tools to support workers
- Is one of your workers caring for someone with a serious mental or physical illness? This can have impacts on their mental health - find out how you can support them at work with resources from Carers NSW and Mental Health Carers NSW.
- Are you concerned one of your team may be experiencing domestic violence? Find out how you can them to information and support services that can help.
- Access services and resources to help connect workers to support if they are experiencing drug or alcohol addiction.
- Access services and resources to support workers with problem gambling.
Learn more about the strategy and how it can help your business and workers.