6 tips to help legal practices mitigate new stressors
By Barbara Kougellis|29 December 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has placed a spotlight on workplace mental health and it’s becoming increasingly apparent that a seismic shift is required to address the current, emerging and ongoing challenges that experts anticipate will last for decades, writes Barbara Kougellis.
A global study conducted by the non-profit organisation Mind Share Partners reports that almost 42 per cent of respondents’ mental health has declined since the outbreak began, and it is expected that this figure will increase as the long-term effects are likely to be far-reaching.
Unisearch expert and president of the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses, Conjoint Professor Michael Hazelton concurs: “Mental healthcare in Australia was already approaching crisis point following the prolonged drought and devastating bushfires. The widespread and ongoing effects of COVID-19 have significantly amplified the stress on an already strained mental health system. The impact of pandemic-related tension is expected to compound over years, if not decades, making it important for industry leaders to recognise the significant mental health challenges ahead, increase their ‘mental health literacy’, and actively create an infrastructure that supports wellbeing in the workforce.