Originally published by the Australian Institute of Health & Safety
This news story contains information some readers may find distressing as it refers to data about mental health and suicide.
Employers need to play an active role in suicide prevention by using a multi-strategy approach across all levels of an organisation, according to the Black Dog Institute.
While there is no one-size-fits-all solution to suicide prevention, a strategy must employ multiple approaches, such as upskilling individuals and managers, having easily accessible pathways to help, and developing a comprehensive suicide prevention framework.
This must be underpinned by leadership support, good data and involving people with lived experience in the design and development.
“There will be strategies that apply to the whole workforce, such as reviewing organisational policies that impact people’s wellbeing,” said Dr Fiona Shand, head of suicide prevention research at the Black Dog Institute.
“There might be strategies for people who are experiencing distress, so ensuring that managers know how to have a supportive conversation about mental health and where to get help.
“And there should be strategies for bringing people back into the workplace if they’ve had a suicide attempt, which can be really challenging,” she said.
Recent data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) shows that 3249 people in Australia died by suicide last year.
On average, nine people take their lives each day, with the highest number of suicide deaths in working-age people – three-quarters of which were men.
The ABS identified mood disorders including depression (36.9 per cent), suicidal thoughts (25.7 per cent), spousal relationship problems (25.1 per cent), a personal history of self-harm (21.5 per cent), and anxiety and stress-related disorders (17.5 per cent) as the top risk factors for suicide, noting that in 86 per cent of deaths there were multiple risk factors present.
“Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, there had been a gradual increase in suicides for about a decade,” said Shand.
“What we saw during the peak of the pandemic was that suicides plateaued in all jurisdictions and even went down one year in New South Wales.
“Unfortunately, in 2022 and early 2023, there has been some increase in most eastern states, where we’ve got good suicide data.
“People tend to manage during a crisis but we often see suicide rise towards the tail end of that crisis or in the period afterwards, so we need to work even harder to make sure people are supported at the moment.”
Given the duties under WHS laws to keep people in the workplace safe, Shand said employers play an active role in suicide prevention.
“While COVID-19 has been recognised as a contributing factor for more than 80 deaths last year, it was not in isolation and those deaths also included multiple other factors such as job losses, relationship breakdowns, and mental health issues,” said Beyond Blue CEO Georgie Harman.
“We are seeing rising distress in the community due to cost-of-living pressures, as well as relationship issues, divorce and family separation, and unemployment. These stressors are placing extraordinary pressure on people and they’re not going to recede quickly.
“Suicide is complex – and both our mental health and the pressures we face day-to-day can influence suicidal thoughts, intentions and plans.
“That means we need to look beyond the mental health system for solutions while ensuring the system is set up not only to support people during and after suicidal crisis but in a way that prevents them from getting there in the first place.”
