The Mental Health Foundation is launching a free e-learning package to help people managers and workplace wellbeing professionals talk about mental health in the workplace. 

Called Open Minds, the e-learning package focuses on how to include, support and prevent discrimination towards New Zealanders with mental distress or illness in the workplace. Over a third of New Zealanders have experienced mental distress, and of those people, 19% have reported being discriminated against. Half of mental distress discrimination occurs in the workplace.

This e-learning package builds on the first series of the Mental Health Foundation‘s Open Minds resources. It focuses on helping people managers in both outdoor and indoor workplaces understand why opening the conversation about mental health in the workplace, supporting employees with mental distress through the tough times and creating mentally healthy workplace cultures hold both financial and workplace culture incentives.

The e-learning package consists of three, one-hour, easy-to-follow e-learning modules with downloadable resources and templates. The modules are supported by videos and scenarios from non-office-based settings, and represent a range of experiences including Maori, Pasifika, rainbow and Gen Z employees and people who have experienced mental distress or illness in the workplace.

You can start the free e-learning package here.