MBA Masterclass: Work and Wellbeing
Leadership essentials for fostering thriving teams and organisations
Welcome to the Deakin Stackable Short Course: Work & Wellbeing Masterclass, proudly delivered in partnership with Deakin University.
This masterclass series conducted over 4 weeks is designed to position leaders as change agents for work wellbeing, providing a critical competitive edge for both the organisations in which individuals lead, and in their personal careers.
On this page you will find some valuable information in preparation for the Masterclass, together with links to further valuable resources and support to help you further embed learnings following the series.
WELCOME FROM KATRINA JOHNSTON, DIRECTOR, WELLNESS DESIGNS
MEET OUR FACILITATORS
Katrina Johnston, Founder & Director, Wellness Designs
Katrina has built a reputation as a pioneer of workplace wellness. She has over 25 years ‘on-the-ground’ experience in the development and implementation of multi award-winning wellness and human capital solutions for small to large organisations across the globe. Katrina is a sought-after speaker and trainer, having presented throughout Australia, Europe and the United Kingdom, including as an Adjunct Lecturer with the Centre for Environment and Population Health, Griffith University.
For further details, see wellnessdesigns.com.au
Connect with Katrina on LinkedIn
Audrey McGibbon, Psychologist and CEO GLWS Wellbeing
Audrey is a registered psychologist, researcher, author and speaker with 30 years’ experience of helping leaders reach, maintain and sustain peak performance, and to do so without having to make unacceptable trade-offs with their wellbeing, mental health or personal lives. Audrey has conducted extensive research into the factors that drive leaders’ wellbeing and performance and shares these insights via the Global Leadership Wellbeing Survey (GLWS) which comprehensively measures the multi-dimensional, subjective and dynamic nature of wellbeing.
For further details, see glwswellbeing.com
Connect with Audrey on LinkedIn
Dr Angela Martin, Principal Consultant, Pracademia & Adjunct Professor, University of Tasmania
Angela is a highly experienced Industrial/Organisational Psychology researcher, educator & practitioner specialising in workplace mental health. With over 80 peer reviewed research papers focusing on creating healthier workplaces in small business, the public sector and emergency services, Angela is able to span a range of academic disciplines and work environments.
For further details, see pracademia.com.au
Connect with Angela on LinkedIn
MASTERCLASS OVERVIEW
An organisation is only as healthy as its employees. As leaders strive to navigate the future of work post COVID, employee wellbeing has become one of the undisputed challenges for organisations across the globe. Investing in employee wellbeing is no longer a ‘nice-to-have’ but business critical. However, cultivating a wellbeing focused culture requires strategic leadership, including how to:
- Identify, analyse and mitigate physical, psychological, social and environmental risks for your teams and organisation
The post COVID world requires exploring and addressing the changing nature of how and where we work, leaner teams, higher stress levels and a world full of increasing complexity. Through proactively addressing these issues, leaders can enhance physical and mental capacity, boost employee engagement and reduce the likelihood of other negative flow ons for both themselves and the business. - Creating a results-oriented wellbeing strategy that aligns to and supports business goals
This requires leaders to have an in-depth understanding of key principles and leading-edge global practice for developing an employee wellness strategy that works and sticks – at an individual, team and organisational level. - Optimise personal wellbeing to maintain effective and sustainable leadership
Ultimately, leaders need to be well to lead well. By prioritising wellbeing and understanding some of the key personal drivers, leaders can learn how to alleviate loneliness, work life conflict and physical and mental stress, that can sometimes be a part of senior leadership roles.
This practical Masterclass led by an expert panel with over 65+ collective experience, will position leaders as change agents for work wellbeing, providing a critical competitive edge for both the organisations in which individuals lead, and in their personal careers.
The key takeaways include the following:
- The business imperative for investing in workplace wellness – including improved workplace morale, productivity, engagement and risk mitigation – for a high-performing organisation.
- Ways to foster a mentally healthy workplace, including responsibilities and obligations, and how to recognise and support employees with mental health issues.
- An exploration of personal wellbeing and self- care as a critical foundation for effective and sustainable leadership.
- Strategies for serving as role models and enablers for a healthy workplace and culture.
- A 6 step framework for developing a results oriented and sustainable workplace wellbeing strategy for organisations of any size.
You must attend all webinars to record a pass mark, plus a pre-viewing of at least one recorded webinar each week.
- Webinar 1: Wednesday 1st November 6-8pm AEDT
- Webinar 2: Wednesday 8th November 6-8pm AEDT
- Webinar 3: Wednesday 15th November 6-8pm AEDT
- Webinar 4: Wednesday 22nd November 6-8pm AEDT
(AEDT = Melbourne Daylight savings time)
Student Workbook: Please download your student workbook here.
It is yours to keep, you are not required to submit the workbook. It is an editable PDF that can be used on screen, or you can print and handwrite whichever you prefer. Please have your workbook handy each week.
Workplace scanning exercise
Purpose: To undertake an initial assessment of organisational readiness, key drivers, existing strategies and workplace wellbeing needs.
Task: Complete Workplace Scanning Tool template including key organisational and industry drivers, priorities, current status of health and wellbeing strategy (2-3 pages).
Download the Workplace Scanning tool template here.
To guide completion of above, undertake 3 x 15-20 minute interviews with HR, Safety and/or employee representative/s (recommended).
Download Sample Interview Questions here.
Note – if you are not currently linked to a workplace, you are provided 3 x workplace scenarios (office-based, construction and small business example) to choose from to undertake your assessment.
Download Workplace scenarios here.
For further information on how you will be assessed for this class, Deakin have provided an Assessment Document outlining task instructions and expectations.
Download the Assessment Documentation here.
Assessment is due Wednesday 20th December 2023.
Submit completed assessment via the CloudDeakin micro-credential website.
Download instructions on how to submit here.
It is recommended that you forward your Deakin email to your preferred email inbox, so you don’t miss any updates or notifications.
Instructions regarding how to forward your Deakin email here.
Following the masterclass, you will also have access to a series of additional support options to help them apply and embed key learnings back in the workplace. This includes:
- Free 30 minute virtual Wellness Discovery session with leader and/or key stakeholders to discuss findings of workplace scanning exercise (refer assessment) to guide the development of a targeted and results-oriented strategy for their organisation. Book your Discovery session here.
- 2 months free initial access to The Hub – Australasia’s first knowledge centre for workplace wellness (value $98+GST + 20% discount ongoing if continued). Join The Hub using this unique link.
If you have any queries in regards to this class, please contact Deakin directly at masterclass@deakin.edu.au
WEEK 1: HEALTHY, WEALTHY AND WISE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR INVESTING IN WELLBEING AT WORK
Date: Wednesday 1st November 6-8pm AEDT
Facilitator: Katrina Johnston, Wellness Designs
Session outline:
- What is wellbeing at work
- Why wellbeing at work
- How to create a strategy which gets results
- The role of leaders as change agents
Session summary:
- Key slides summary
REQUIRED PRE-WORK
What did 2020 teach us and how will this influence how we approach wellbeing at work in 2021 and beyond?
We asked our esteemed Faculty (our “brains trust”) for their take.
From rising levels of mental health issues and burnout, to what constitutes good work, managing a hybrid and remote workforce, the importance of adopting a life stage approach, and addressing cultural challenges to name a few insights and predictions they share.
Summary: This session is all about looking at what leading edge workforce wellbeing practice looks like across the globe, with two distinguished guests who certainly have their finger on the global pulse!Because let’s face it. For the past 3 years we’ve been faced with major disruption as to how and where we work, lockdowns, loss of social connection, overwork, burnout and the list goes on! Many have also been reflecting on what matters most in their lives, including their purpose and meaning at work, and how to collaborate and innovate in this new world of work.
Drawing on their wealth of global consultancy and on-the-ground experience, Gary and Wolf share their insights into how workforce wellbeing has transformed the past 3 years, cultural considerations for strategy development, and how the role of wellbeing practitioners has evolved.
OPTIONAL EXTRAS
WORK LIFE by design podcast: Why you need a wellness strategy with Katrina Johnston.
Listen to the podcast:
‘Small Business, Big Results: why investing in wellbeing is critical for a thriving business’. Presented by Katrina Johnston, Director, Wellness Designs and panelists Maree Adshead, Queensland Small Business Commissioner, John Knight, businessDEPOT and Dr Angela Martin, Pracademia and University of Tasmania.
Guide: download the Wellness Designs Small Business & Wellbeing Resource Guide: A host of resources to support both Small Business Owners and their teams.
Webinar summary: In this interactive panel discussion, we discuss the unique stresses facing small business, why investing in wellbeing is critical, how to ensure psychological health and safety obligations are met, where to go for further support and what you can do to support small business clients.
WEEK 2: AN INTEGRATED APPROACH TO MENTAL HEALTH AT WORK
Date: Wednesday 8th November 6-8pm AEDT
Facilitator: Dr Angela Martin, Principal Consultant, Pracademia & Adjunct Professor, College of Business & Economics, University of Tasmania
Session outline:
- Understanding mental health – definitions
- The business case for addressing mental health at work
- Adopting an integrated approach to workplace mental health
- Your responsibilities as a leader
- How to identify and manage psychological distress and mental health issues in your teams or colleagues
- Managing performance issues
Session summary:
- Key slides summary
REQUIRED PRE-WORK
An integrated approach to workplace mental health. Nine priorities for implementation in Australia. A white paper produced by the University of Tasmania’s Work, Health & Wellbeing Network in collaboration with national and international researchers, practitioners and policy makers.
Summary: There is increasing recognition in Australia, and internationally, of the need to protect, promote and support the mental health of employees in their workplaces. This is seen as a vital strategy for improving mental health in our communities but also makes good business sense, with evidence showing economic benefits from taking such action. An integrated approach to workplace mental health seeks to simultaneously prevent work-related harm, to promote the positive aspects of work, and to manage mental illness as it manifests in the workplace.
Safe Work Australia: Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work – Code of Practice.
Summary: The code of practice provides practical guidance on how to achieve the standards of work health and safety required under the WHS Act and the Work Health and Safety Regulations (the WHS Regulations), and effective ways to identify and manage risks.
OPTIONAL EXTRAS
In September 2021, the Commission released the first iteration of The Blueprint for Mentally Healthy Workplaces for review. The Blueprint aims to define a vision of mentally healthy workplaces that can be shared by all organisations and businesses across Australia. It also defines the core principles and focus areas for creating environments that protect, respond, and promote to support mental health. Read more.
Download the Blueprint here.
Amendments to the model Work Health and Safety (WHS):
- model WHS Act and Explanatory Memorandum
model WHS Regulations and - Explanatory Statement
The amendments implement a number of recommendations from the 2018 Review of the model WHS laws.
Learn more here.
Thrive at Work is a world-first well-being initiative centred on designing work that helps employees, organisations and industry to thrive. Led by the Future of Work Institute, Curtin University, Thrive at Work has been developed with leading mental health bodies – for and with, businesses.
Learn more here.
A guide for public sector health and safety leaders and practitioners.
Download here.
Identification of conceptual and procedural knowledge for development within management education curricula.
Download here.
A systematic meta-review of work-related risk factors for common mental health problem.
Download here.
HELPFUL GUIDES
It has been a challenging year for Australian workers, with many impacted by COVID-19, bushfires, flood and drought. The Commission, in conjunction with the Mentally Healthy Workplace Alliance, has created a series of evidence-based, easy to use guides to support the mental health and wellbeing of Australian workers and to encourage mentally healthy workplaces during COVID-19.
Download guides here.
R U OK? inspire and empower everyone to meaningfully connect with the people around them and start a conversation with those in their world who may be struggling with life. You don’t need to be an expert to reach out – just be a good friend and a great listener.
Access useful resources here.
If you’re concerned about someone, approach them and start a conversation. Try to understand their situation and encourage them to seek support.
Access useful resources here.
When an employee discloses they have a mental health condition, it can be hard to know how to handle the conversation, especially if it’s the first time you’ve faced this situation. This article provides some useful tips for navigate and normalise the conversation.
Read more here.
Check-ins are critical during COVID-19 impacts.
The role of check-in conversations in risk and resilience – download here.
TOOLS
People at Work is a free and validated Australian psychosocial risk assessment survey. The survey assesses a number of the most common psychosocial hazards and factors, and includes a series of useful accompanying resources and communication tools.
Visit their website here.
This toolkit aims to help employers, managers and leaders eliminate and minimise risks to psychological health, and create workplace environments that are mentally healthy. Use the guidance material and practical tools to facilitate positive steps towards a mentally healthy workplace.
Download the toolkit here.
This Australian research reviews the array of instruments available to assist workplaces in implementing an integrated approach to mental health and how well they assess the 3 domains of the integrated approach. Click here
SMALL BUSINESS
Everymind is a leading Institute dedicated to the prevention of mental ill-health and suicide, delivering successful mental health and suicide prevention programs for over 25 years.
Whilst the PAW survey is designed for medium-large organisations (20 or more workers) there are additional resources beyond the survey that can be utilised by small business to assist in preventing psychological harm as a result of poorly managed psychosocial hazards and factors.
Download here.
WEEK 3: WELLBEING AS A LEADERSHIP CAPABILITY
Date: Wednesday 15th November 6-8pm AEDT
Facilitator: Audrey McGibbon, Founder, GLWS Wellbeing
Session outline:
- What wellbeing means from an everyday leadership perspective
- Wellbeing Leadership Part 1 – How to thrive as a leader
- Wellbeing Leadership Part 2 – How to lead thriving teams
- Key slides summary
- Thriving Languishing definitions
REQUIRED PRE-WORK
How to save leaders, employers and organisations on the brink of burnout.
‘The current state of Psychological Health & Safety in the Workplace’ – The Positivity Institute
Summary: With increasing awareness of the shared responsibility between employer and employee when it comes to psychological health and safety in the workplace (ISO45003), understanding the legalities and implications is crucial for leaders of organisations, Human Resources and People and Culture directors, and those responsible for health and safety in the workplace.
Dr Suzy Green, CEO and Founder of The Positivity Institute with a panel of leading mental health and wellbeing at work experts Jason van Schie, psychologist and founder of People Diagnostix, Audrey McGibbon, Psychologist, Executive Coach and Co-Founder of Global Leadership Wellbeing Solutions and Louise Parkes, Workplace Psychologist, GAICD and Principal Consultant at The Voice Project. In panel conversation, Suzy will lead a lively discussion to explore current issues, best practice and what the future holds for psychological health and safety in the workplace.
OPTIONAL EXTRAS
Take time to review what you have learned and commit yourself to actions that will enable you to Learn, Live, Lead and Embed wellbeing in your team/organisation.
Download the Leadership Wellbeing Action Plan here.
Leading, working and living well.
Download the overview of GLWS Services & Capabilities here.
You are invited to book a complimentary 1:1 Q&A wellbeing leadership advisory session with Audrey. These sessions are available on Monday’s & Wednesday’s.
Click here to access the calendar and make your booking.
‘Creating supportive cultural environments for wellness’ with Dr Judd Allen.
Summary: In this webinar we explore the question – is your workplace culture supporting or undermining your workplace wellness efforts? We’re joined by globally renowned wellness culture expert and Faculty member Dr Judd Allen, who shares his insights regarding how unsupportive cultures frequently undermine positive practices and our efforts to adopt healthier lifestyles both inside and outside of the workplace. This is one you won’t want to miss.
‘Small business and wellbeing’ Q&A with with Tim Hoopmann, Speaker, beyondblue and Faculty member Anna Chipperfield, Head of People and Culture, businessDEPOT.
Summary: If you’re a small business owner or support SMEs you don’t want to miss this Q&A blockbuster! With special guests Tim Hoopmann, Speaker, beyondblue and Faculty member Anna Chipperfield, Head of People and Culture, businessDEPOT, we discuss what actions can be taken to support the wellbeing of SBOs and their teams.
This insights series highlights how improving psychosocial health and effective risk management within an organisation, can equip an organisation’s leaders to ‘Learn, Live, Lead and Embed’ wellbeing as an individual and collective priority.
Click here for further information.
WEEK 4: THE WELLBEING EDGE: 6 STEPS FOR DEVELOPING AN EMPLOYEE WELLBEING STRATEGY THAT WORKS
Date: Wednesday 22nd November 6-8pm AEDT
Facilitator: Katrina Johnston, Wellness Designs
Session outline: Understanding of a 6 step framework for developing a results-oriented and sustainable strategy including how to:
- Identify and demonstrate the business case for investment
- Determine needs, risks and priorities
- Design a targeted plan with clear goals, objectives and strategies
- Build a transformational wellness culture and overcome barriers to engagement
- Monitor and measure the impact of your strategy
- Evolve and adapt your approach
- Key slides summary
REQUIRED PRE-WORK
‘6 common workplace wellness mistakes and how to avoid them’ with Katrina Johnston.
Summary: Research shows that financial performance increases more than 2.5x when health and wellness is encouraged within workplaces. The problem is that most companies are approaching their wellness efforts the wrong way. In this webinar undertaken in partnership with The Safe Step, Katrina Walton, Founder/Director of Wellness Designs reveals the 6 common mistakes that organisations make, and the six step framework for creating a best-practice and sustainable health and wellness strategy.
OPTIONAL EXTRAS
Employee wellness has always been important. But never more central to the future of work then it is now. In a dynamically changing workplace, the complex challenge every organisation faces is how to ensure the wellbeing and safety of their people, and mitigate risk.
Small businesses continue to dig deep as we navigate through the pandemic, demonstrating their grit and agility. However, more than ever before, the smartest future investment they can make is in the wellbeing of their people. Fortunately, there are a host of resources to support both Small Business Owners and their teams, detailed in the Wellness Designs Small Business & Wellbeing Resource Guide.
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