What businesses need to know about PTSD

Three out of every four Australians will experience an event that can cause psychological trauma. That’s nearly 19 million people in our country.

Of those 19 million Australians, many are part of the workforce. Whether they are soldiers, frontline workers or accountants, post-traumatic stress can happen at any time, especially at work.

That’s why post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) isn’t just a personal issue but also a health and safety issue. Businesses must take a look at their procedures when it comes to not just physical injuries but mental ones too.

PTSD in the workplace

There are many ways that psychological hazards can appear at work.

For workers like first responders, emergency service personnel and police officers, witnessing a horrific injury or responding to a conflict can result in post-traumatic stress disorder. It could even involve a crime.

It can also take the form of bullying and harassment, stress stemming from workload and time management. It can even be associated with poor management or a grievance with a superior.

Post-traumatic stress disorder may present itself as an addiction to alcohol or drugs. Individuals may mask their PTSD with a reliance on substances as a coping mechanism.

From a health and safety point of view, businesses can absolutely be educated on how to prevent and mitigate these types of hazards in the workplace and develop tools to support their workforce when it does occur.

With 30 years of experience in health and safety, I have seen firsthand the effects of PTSD in the workplace. My role involves helping clients comply with the current legislation and enhancing management systems to accommodate the legislation and best practices.

Part of that best practice involves supporting an injured person back to work – be it physical or mental.

Prevention and mitigation

Preventing workplace injuries starts with awareness and education. Before an injury takes place, a business must put in place robust and comprehensive systems and procedures to prevent workplace injuries in the first place.

Part of this might involve educational programs and workshops to highlight what issues and hazards may occur and how to control those hazards.

When prevention isn’t possible, or fails, a business must move into mitigation. That’s where rehabilitation and recovery treatments come into force.

Compared to a sore back or a broken bone, a mental health injury cannot be seen. We know when we develop a return-to-work plan for somebody that has a sore back, we’re guided by a physician.

In the same way, when it comes to a trauma-related mental injury, we rely on physiotherapists and occupational therapists to guide a return-to-work program with a physical injury. When it comes to mental health, we look to a psychologist for similar guidance.

Why returning to work makes sense

There are many benefits of returning to work after a PTSD diagnosis. Not only do we have a moral duty to look after our workers during a difficult time, but it also makes financial sense in terms of cost management and preventing liability associated with injuries.

When an injury takes place at work, it doesn’t just impact the employee but also their entire support network. Financial instability as a result of leaving the workforce may exacerbate PTSD symptoms, and those that rely on the income, like children and ageing family members, may suffer too.

The benefits extend beyond financial security. Workers who return to work, be it in their original role or another role through upskilling, experience a strong sense of purpose.

For businesses, the benefits are huge too. An injured staff member may have been working at a business for 10 or more years and understand how that business functions. It would be a huge loss to the business to forgo the knowledge that employee holds.

PTSD left untreated

If left untreated, post-traumatic stress disorder can have serious business impacts. It means there is a person in the business who is not fit for work, and that could pose hazards not only to themselves but to others as well.

What’s more, productivity may be seriously impaired. How a person does or does not contribute to a team can impact others’ work too.

What managers need to know

Managers play an important role in supporting a person to get back into the workplace or seek other opportunities within the organisation.

In the first instance, a manager must be supportive of a return to work process, which may involve building back up to a full-time role incrementally. An education when it comes to mental injury, as well as a willingness to support suitable duties, is paramount.

Engaging with service providers that are supporting an employee back to work, offering education and workshops, as well as mentoring and coaching when there is an issue.

A holistic approach

I ensure Hope in Health is able to offer employers of people experiencing post-traumatic stress the highest level of care through completely personalised treatment programs to get them back into society and work.

PTSD comes with huge challenges. Returning those struggling to a point of psychological safety takes time. Providing the right, compassionate care goes a long way to getting an individual back to work and rediscovering a sense of purpose.

By Shaine Mutton, head of Hope In Health’s return to work capabilities and outcomes.