10 minute read
Health & Wellbeing
ARE YOUR CREAKY KNEES OR BACK TELLING YOU IT’S TIME TO TRADE IN YOUR TOOLS?
If you’re an older tradie, physical limitations may be impacting your ability to perform your trade. Perhaps your back isn’t what it used to be and the bending and kneeling are really taking their toll. This can be a worrying time for older tradies – after all, you’ve likely spent a long time (if not a lifetime) finessing your trade and you aren’t ready to retire yet, so what are the alternatives?
Perhaps you’ve considered becoming a trainer for your industry or would like to transition more to the administration side of your trade business. Regardless, there are many potential career transitions to consider and the great news is that there is support available through the Australian Government funded Skills Checkpoint for Older Workers program.
The Skills Checkpoint for Older Workers is a no-cost program that offers career guidance support for mature and experienced tradespersons (and any worker aged 45-70) to transition to a new role within your industry or a new industry. Recognising that older workers have an incredible amount of knowledge and skills, the program helps to keep those highly valuable skills in the Australian workforce.
The program offers you or your workers: • careers assessment of your skills, talents, and preferences; • one-on-one support with a career support mentor who can provide guidance and help you work out your options; and • access to 50% funding towards vocational education courses to assist you with your career transition.
BUSY At Work, an established not-for-profit organisation that offers a range of recruitment and skills development programs, administers the Skills Checkpoint program in Queensland and can assist you or your staff to navigate your options through the program.
To apply online or for more information, visit www.skillscheck.com.au.
Article supplied by Busy at Work
WHAT CAN EMPLOYERS DO TO COMBAT MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES IN THE WORKPLACE?
The conditions of employment within workplaces have significantly changed over the past 12-18 months due to COVID-19. We are noticing that the impact is different for each workplace and the way the business is adapting also differs. This change in conditions and adjusting to adaptability is having an impact on the mental health of workers.
We have been receiving an increase in queries from members regarding employee mental health. In particular, the question we get asked is, “What are some ways that employers can work with their employees?” So, we have put together some suggestions for businesses to consider.
Flexible Work Arrangements
It doesn’t have to be working from home. Flexible work arrangements could also be: • Adjusting hours of work – start earlier or later • Work more hours over fewer days
If adjustments are made, it is important to have it mutually agreed in writing.
MATES in Construction
MATES is a great initiative that provides support and assistance for those who need to talk about the emotional struggles they may be having, and it is FREE for people working in the construction industry.
Employee Assistance Programs
These programs offer different packages for businesses to utilise to provide employees with counselling when they require it. The cost for the business will depend on the employee assistance program implemented.
Team Building Activities
With COVID-19, many businesses have stopped having that Friday afternoon or morning coffee catch up. Depending on the different COVID-19 restrictions, businesses should try to continue having that regular catch up as a whole team to keep everyone united and connected.
Mental health awareness is an area that is on the increase, and it is important that businesses don’t shy away from it but become more be open to communicate and work with their team.
For further suggestions or if there are particular issues within your business, give the MPAQ Workplace Relations team a call on 07 3273 0800.
FOOTY LEGEND SHANE WEBCKE GETS SERIOUS ABOUT WORK SAFETY
Footy legend Shane Webcke is keener than ever to get heartfelt safety messages to Queenslanders and share why he is such a strong advocate for work safety.
This year, Shane is inviting all Queenslanders to join him for a late breakfast to kick off Safe Work Month in October.
As he enters his sixth year as Queensland’s Safety Ambassador, Shane still loves nothing more than dropping into businesses around the state to speak to workers about why safety is so important to him – and what can happen if it’s overlooked.
For the former champion Broncos prop, the role is personal, as his father was killed by an industrial wool-press he was working on just as Shane’s football career was taking shape.
“I lost my dad in a workplace incident, so I know first-hand that family and loved ones are the most important reason for work safety,” Shane said.
“As Queensland Safety Ambassador, I travel around the state visiting workplaces and sharing my story in the hope I can make people think twice about their own and their mates’ safety and help workplaces create a positive safety culture.
“I am just as passionate today as I was when I first started in this role about sharing my family’s story and the tragedy that affected us. Hopefully, it will open up hearts and minds to the importance of safety.
“Trust me, as a parent, you don’t want your kids to grow up without knowing you and endure everything we went through after dad’s death. It’s horrible, devastating, and sadly, often avoidable.”
As Safety Ambassador, Shane shares the story of how his father’s death impacted the Webcke family, especially his mother and brother.
“When I’m on site and a bunch of blokes have gathered to listen, you’re not really sure of how things are going to turn out,” Shane said.
“But once it starts and you can hear a pin drop, you know you’re getting through.
“To see battle-hardened blue-collar workers tear up, you realise they are taking it in, relating it back to their situation. It’s also a good sign when they ask questions at the end or tell you about their experiences. I hope that means I’ve helped change the attitude of at least one person, made a bit of a difference, and maybe, just maybe, a life or two might be saved down the track.
“There’s only a few weeks until Safe Work Month starts and there’s plenty of ways to get involved, including attending one of our online professional development events such as the Injury Prevention and Return to Work Conference on 19 October.
“But it’s the launch on Friday 1 October I’m looking forward to the most – because I’m in it!
“It’s a virtual event but get your workmates together at 9am for a late brekkie, and I’ll do my best to get you all thinking about your most important reason to work safely.
“You can also have a laugh while celebrity chef Justine Schofield tries to teach me to cook.”
For more information about Safe Work Month and Shane’s ambassador role, visit www.worksafe.qld.gov.au.
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QUEENSLAND LOCAL TRADIE TALKS TO THE TOOLS OF R U OK?
R U OK? is calling on Australian tradespeople to add conversation skills to their toolkits and has recently released ‘Tradies Tools to Talk’ to help them know when and how to ask their workmates ‘are you OK?’.
Queenslander and plumber Justin Geange has been an R U OK? Community Ambassador since 2015 and works as a Field Officer for suicide prevention charity Mates in Construction. He says that while tradies were thought of as tough as nails, a lot were hurting and masking their pain.
“I was on struggle street back in 2012 and had a mate call me out on the stuff that he was noticing and the changes in my life,” said Mr Geange. “That conversation led me to get the help that I needed, and it’s the reason I’m here today.”
Mr Geange says one of the biggest challenges for time poor tradies is finding time to really talk.
“Maybe go for a walk down to the coffee shop and grab a pie and have a yarn or have a yarn in the car on the way to work or on the way home from work,” he said. “These are great opportunities to have meaningful conversations, fair dinkum, real R U OK? conversations.
“As an industry, cultural change is happening, and I want play my part in spreading the message that it’s OK to speak up when your struggling,” said Mr Geange. “As someone with a lived experience of mental health and circumstantial challenges, I am passionate about how transparent conversations with a mate or someone you trust can actually change your life. I know, I’ve experienced that firsthand.”
“As a tradie, I know how hard it is to put your hand up when you’re struggling, yet we are more likely to accept offered help from a mate or someone we trust. R U OK? has given us tradies some tools we can use to help us with these important conversations.”
The free ‘Tradies Tools to Talk’ resources provide guidance on how family, friends, and fellow workers can spot the signs that a tradie in their world may be struggling. The resources feature stories of tradies told by tradies and aim to empower individuals with the confidence to check in with a workmate who might be doing it tough.
Katherine Newton, CEO of R U OK? says tradies face challenges across their working lives and the impact of COVID-19 has increased uncertainty for a workforce already dealing with job insecurity pressures and the inability to adopt a work from home model.
“The pressures of job insecurity, financial position, and intense physical demands are part of their everyday. Coupled with life challenges such as relationship difficulties and grief, there can be a cumulative effect that impacts mental health and senses of social connection,” said Ms Newton.
The resources feature tradies sharing their stories and practical tips supported by information about how to spot the signs someone might be struggling, and how to navigate the conversation if someone answers “no, I’m not OK.”
Justin Geange R U OK? Community Ambassador and Plumber
Download the free resources including the ‘R U OK? ‘Tradies Tools to Talk’ at ruok.org.au/tradies.
This year R U OK?Day was on Thursday 9 September 2021, the national day of action dedicated to reminding people to regularly check in with family, friends, colleagues and neighbours.
Article supplied by R U OK?
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