Australia has a serious mental health challenge – and opportunity. One in five Australians experience a mental illness in any year. Annually, 25% of all Australian workers take time off due to stress. 78% of people have suffered a mental or physical injury at work. And, only one in two Australians perceive their workplace to be ‘mentally healthy’. The estimated direct financial cost of mental illness to Australian businesses each year is $13 billion.

What if mental health was viewed as not a problem to fix but an opportunity to enhance individual quality of life, build high performing businesses and achieve social and economic impact?

In the 2019-20 Federal Budget the Government announced an investment of $11.5 million over four years for the National Workplace Initiative (NWI). The NWI’s goal was to provide a nationally consistent approach to workplace mental health, targeting all businesses in Australia.

For over four years, Ellis Jones working with the NWI project tea, to realise their vision.

The NWI needed to reach every worker and every business in Australia – from sole trader companies to major corporations. And each and every individual needs to recognise the potential relevant to their role and industry.

Our work comprised:

• National research study to establish perceptions, attitudes, language and behaviours about workplace mental health
• In-depth stakeholder research of Mentally Healthy Workplace Alliance members
• Focus group testing to uncover behavioural insights and define best practice in communication tools for educating and promoting workplace mental health
• Vision and framework co-design
• Communications strategy
• Behaviour change model, tools and canvases
• Naming, brand and visual identity development for Mentally Health Workplaces
• Visual direction and assets for the digital platform
• Key message and language development
• Stakeholder communications strategy and plan
• Digital Engagement Network approach and design
• Website, creative assets and communications collateral design and development
• Design of a comprehensive suite of guides and tools for a diverse range of users and settings
• Design and management of a community of practice feature leaders in mental health, business and advocacy organisations

Over the last 18 months, Ellis Jones has delivered a series of outputs for the NWI.

• Quantitative research provided a baseline understanding of Australian perceptions of mental health
• Large scale virtual workshops brought over 50 experts and leaders of representative organisations across Australia together to define the characteristics of mentally healthy workplaces, and help build a vision.
• A behaviour change model and canvases for the NWI to use in designing campaigns, education resources and other interventions, collaboratively, with partners.
• Application of a signature brand and visual identity to digital platform and collateral design.
• Communications strategy to position the NWI within the mental health ‘space’, defining what it is and how it can help.
• Focus testing providing guidance on branded assets, value proposition, language and tone, as well as the optimal format and content of case studies.

In September 2021, the Blueprint for Mentally Healthy Workplaces was released. This living document is a foundational reference for all organisations and business types. It establishes a nationally conshttp://Vision and framework co-designistent approach to mentally healthy workplaces.

Since then, a range of industry guides has been produced, each building on the initial themes and visual identity. They are hosted on the portal,  Mentally Healthy Workplaces, for which Ellis Jones provided design direction. We have also assisted the Commission in the design and production of annual reporting.

From the insights and strategy phases to identity development, communication and workplace guides, partnering with the National Workplace Initiative has seen all Ellis Jones teams work together, validating our multidisciplinary model – and our deep commitment to mental health.