Abstract

Psychological safety regulations introduced in Australia in 2023 Emphasize Organisations must proactively accommodate mental health issues and introduce policy and programs. Anxiety, which is the most commonly experienced mental health condition, remains a gap in Occupational Health and Safety and Human Resource research and practice. It can affect productivity. Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) and Human Resource Managers (HRM) are often held accountable for Health, Safety and wellbeing programs and are increasingly interested in ways to improve in the area of mental health. A study outlining how anxiety impacts productivity, the efficacy of wellbeing programs to deal with mental health and wellbeing, and perspective of OHS and HRM to be able to deal with the challenge was conducted during 2022 in Australia with enrolled members of the Australian Institute of Health and Safety (AIHS), the peak body for Occupational Health and safety (OHS) and leading Human Resource Managers (HRM). Existing information was investigated through a literature review, and new information was gathered through a Quantitative study including a Self-Administered Questionnaire (SAQ) in the form of an online QALTRICS survey n=152 and a subsequent Qualitative Study used Semi structured interviews with OHS and HRM professionals n=5.

Thematic analysis was used to analyze and triangulate and the data to identify factors influencing awareness of, barriers to, and success around organizational wellbeing programs in relation to anxiety. Indication are that OHS and HRM cohorts (over 76%) perceived that management lack skills to recognise when anxiety or wellbeing was an issue, anxiety can affect productivity yet research gaps around anxiety exist, and employee awareness of wellbeing programs remains low (below 50%). Conclusions are that although anxiety is the most commonly experienced mental health condition [1] wellbeing programs do not typically address anxiety and despite regulation increasing, wellbeing program efficacy remains in question.

Keywords:Psychological safety; Anxiety; Wellbeing; Productivity; Occupational health and safety

Abbreviations:OHS: Occupational Health and Safety; HRM: Human Resource Management; AIHS: Australian Institute of Health and Safety; SAQ: Self-Administered Questionnaire; PSC: Psychosocial Safety Climate; ACQ: Anxiety Coping Mechanisms; EAP: Employee Assistance Programs