Why Workplace Support Matters
Mental Health Costs in Australia are Massive
The Australian economy loses an estimated $297–$342 billion per year (~$826–936 million/day) in mental illness costs—including workplace effects—per the Productivity Commission (HRM online).
Workplaces alone lose approximately $10.9 billion annually due to absenteeism, presenteeism, and compensation from poor mental health (Mentally Healthy Workplaces).
In New South Wales, psychological injuries now cost businesses roughly $39 billion per year (blackdoginstitute.org.au).
In 2022–23, mental health conditions accounted for 10.5% of all serious workers’ compensation claims, representing a 97.3% increase over the past decade (Safe Work Australia).
The median time lost for mental health claims was 584,029 working weeks, with a median compensation cost of $58,615, more than triple that of physical injuries (Safe Work Australia Report).
Each serious mental health claim resulted in ~34 weeks off—versus ~8 weeks for physical injuries—with compensation averaging ~$58,615 (vs ~$15,743 for other injuries) (data.safeworkaustralia.gov.au).
Burnout symptoms affected 46% of employees in 2025, with nearly half reporting performance below their usual level (CMHAA Survey Report 2025).
Mental Health Claims are Rising Sharply
Poor Psychosocial Safety = Huge Hidden Costs
Low psychosocial safety climate (PSC) costs employers about $6 billion per year, with depression alone costing ~$6.3 billion from absence/presenteeism (Safe Work Australia).
Low PSC is associated with a 43% increase in sickness absence and 72% increase in presenteeism compared to healthier environments (Psychosocial Safety Climate and Better Productivity in Australian Workplaces).
Compensation & Recovery Costs are soaring
Median claim cost for mental health is ~4× higher and absence ~4× longer than physical injuries .
In NSW alone, psychological injury claims have risen roughly 30% in four years, far outpacing physical injury rates (~11%) (The Guardian).
Retail Trade
There is a proven Financial ROI in addressing this
Beyond Blue and Safe Work Australia cite that every $1 invested in psychosocial risk reduction yields $2.30–3.00 in return via reduced absenteeism and higher productivity (safetysolutions.net.au).
Preventing work-related mental illness could expand GDP by $3.5 billion/year and reduce government spend by $2 billion/year (The Australia Institute).
Leadership, Culture & Emotional Safety
Only 45% of employees felt their leadership team valued mental health equally to operational performance (CMHAA Survey).
43% of workers reported low autonomy, and 42% faced high job demands, contributing to elevated psychological distress (EML & Monash).
Women submitted 39% more mental injury claims than men, with an 88% higher claim rate per 10,000 FTEs, yet men experienced longer average absences.
Despite over 4 million workers reporting a mental health condition, only 13,379 mental injury claims were accepted in 2022—just 0.33% of affected workers (EML & Monash).
This gap suggests stigma, lack of psychological safety, and limited access to trauma-informed support systems.
Underreporting & Systemic Gaps
Sector-Specific Risk Profiles (Australia, 2023–2025)
Mental Injury Claim Share /
Risk Level
Sector
Key Psychosocial Hazards
Accommodation & Food Services
Mental Injury Claim Share /
Risk LevelHigh turnover & stress (Safe Work Australia, 2024)
Key Psychosocial Hazards:
Unpredictable hours, emotional labour, harassment, low support (Black Dog Institute, 2024)
Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing
Isolation, climate stress, financial strain, limited access to support (Mental Health Australia, 2023)
Job insecurity, emotional exposure, irregular income, identity-related stress (Black Dog Institute, 2024)
Arts & Recreation Services
Masculine norms, isolation, job strain, stigma around help-seeking (Safe Work Australia, 2024)
Construction
Underreporting, high suicide risk (Black Dog Institute, 2024)
Workload pressure, emotional strain, student aggression, low control (Safe Work Australia, 2024)
Education & Training
Elevated distress & absenteeism (EML & Monash, 2025)
Emotional labour, trauma exposure, compassion fatigue, shift work, role overload (Safe Work Australia, 2024)
Healthcare & Social Assistance
62% of all mental injury claims (EML & Monash, 2025)
Transport, Postal & Warehousing
High burnout & presenteeism (Safe Work Australia, 2024)
High presenteeism & stress (Safe Work Australia, 2024)
Financial & Insurance Services
Performance pressure, emotional suppression, low psychological safety (Mental Health Australia, 2023)
Job insecurity, customer aggression, low autonomy, high emotional demand (Safe Work Australia, 2024)
Mining
Elevated psychological distress, 80% higher suicide risk than general population (Mates in Mining; WA Mental Health Commission, 2018)
FIFO/DIDO isolation, shift fatigue, stigma, trauma exposure, limited access to support (MMHG, 2021; ICMM, 2025)
High PTSD & burnout rates (Black Dog Institute, 2024)
Public Administration & Safety
Frontline trauma, role ambiguity, exposure to violence, moral injury (Safe Work Australia, 2024)
Rising distress & dissatisfaction (Mental Health Australia, 2023)
Elevated fatigue & isolation (Safe Work Australia, 2024)
Repetitive tasks, low control, shift work, stigma around mental health (Mental Health Australia, 2023)
Manufacturing
Moderate risk, low reporting (Safe Work Australia, 2024)
Long hours, shift work, low social support, high job demand (Mental Health Australia, 2023)
Perfectionism, long hours, cognitive overload, low recovery time (Mental Health Australia, 2023)
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services
What Gen Z & Millennials Value Most
Evidence-Based Pathways to Psychosocially Safe Workplaces (case studies)
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Kundi et al. (2021) explored how two dimensions of wellbeing—hedonic (pleasure, comfort, emotional positivity) and eudaimonic (meaning, growth, purpose)—impact job performance. Their study found that when employees experience both types of wellbeing, they’re more likely to be affectively committed to their organisation, which in turn boosts performance. However, job insecurity was shown to weaken this relationship, acting as a psychological barrier to engagement and productivity.
“Fostering employee psychological wellbeing may be advantageous for the organisation” (Kundi et al., 2021, p. 736).
How Via Method helps: Via’s grief-responsive frameworks directly address emotional safety and symbolic meaning—two pillars of hedonic and eudaimonic wellbeing. By embedding rituals, reflective practices, and psychosocial hazard mapping into leadership systems, Via helps workplaces create cultures where employees feel both emotionally supported and purposefully engaged. This is especially vital in sectors facing high turnover, low control, or regulatory pressure.
Deloitte’s 2025 Gen Z and Millennial Survey of 23,000+ respondents across 44 countries reveals that only 6% of Gen Z see reaching leadership as their primary career goal—most prioritise work/life balance, learning, and meaningful work (Deloitte). Nearly 90% say purpose is essential for job satisfaction—especially if they feel mentally well (67% of well vs. 44% of not well - Deloitte). Despite ambition, 48% of Gen Z and 46% of Millennials do not feel financially secure (Forbes).
Microsoft’s 2022 Work Trend Index found that, after pay, the top priorities are:
Positive workplace culture (46%)
Well-being benefits (42%)
Sense of purpose (40%)
And Gen Z is more likely to quit if these aren’t present—49% vs 36% average (Microsoft WorkLab).
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Krekel et al. (2019) conducted a meta-analysis of 339 studies involving over 1.8 million employees and 82,000 business units. They found that employee wellbeing strongly correlates with key business outcomes:
The study revealed that wellbeing isn’t just a “nice to have”—it’s a measurable driver of performance across industries, with stronger effects in finance, retail, and service sectors.
“The evidence very much suggests the answer to the overarching question is ‘yes’—wellbeing drives performance” (Krekel et al., 2019, p. 74).
How Via Method helps: Via offers a way to operationalise wellbeing—not just through metrics, but through meaning. Its diagnostic tools, symbolic mapping templates, and grief-responsive language help organisations track emotional safety alongside performance indicators. This aligns with WHS mandates and positions wellbeing as a strategic asset, not a peripheral concern.
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Karimi et al. (2021) studied aged care staff and found that emotional intelligence (EI) predicts psychological empowerment, wellbeing, and quality of care. Employees with higher EI were more resilient, more satisfied, and more effective in their roles. The study also showed that EI can be cultivated through training—making it a scalable lever for leadership development and organisational health.
“Employees with higher EI will more likely deliver a better quality of care” (Karimi et al., 2021, p. 93).
How Via Method helps: Via’s grief-responsive language and symbolic tools are designed to foster emotional intelligence—not just as a skill, but as a cultural norm. Through ritual, reflection, and emotionally attuned leadership practices, Via helps organisations build emotionally intelligent ecosystems that are resilient, compliant, and deeply human. This is especially critical in sectors where burnout, compassion fatigue, or interpersonal strain are prevalent.