Development of the Strategy will be based on inter-dependent priority areas to provide a holistic approach to health, safety and wellbeing at the individual, workplace and organisational level.
Fair and Positive Workplaces
Safer Workplaces
Healthy Minds
Healthy Bodies
Fair and Positive Workplaces
A fair and positive workplace is one that achieves results for the community, the organisation, teams and the individual. It is one in which employees feel good about coming to work, promotes transparent and open communication, enables a work-life balance, recognises hard work, has a strong team spirit and is training and development focused.
Why it’s important
- The workplace is an important setting for delivery of many positive behavioural changes.
- Evidence shows that organisations can positively enhance the mental and physical health of employees.
- Workplace culture can significantly influence the success of wellbeing initiatives.
- Workplace champions are an important resource to advocate, change and drive successful workplace health and wellness activities.
What’s currently in place
- Training and development
- Supervision
- Health and wellbeing employee surveys
- Recruitment and career progression
- Employee assistance programs
- Preventative workplace health and safety
What we need to do
- Increase recognition and understanding of frontline supervisors and management about workplace preventative cultures.
- Improve leadership capability for supportive people management.
- Create a work environment that fosters a sense of inclusion and ownership.
- Ensure clear values and expectations.
- Actively manage and support employees.
- Create improvements for work/home integration.
- Recognise employee value and good work performed.
- Encourage professional development opportunities.
- Ensure open communication channels.
- Improve workforce planning to enable flexible work arrangements.
- Improve support services to management, employees and families.
- Have correct, safe and appropriate equipment available.
- Create and facilitate opportunities for social connections through sports, activities and networks for employees and families.
Safer Workplaces
A physically safe workplace is one which values the safety of employees, where supervisors and staff adopt a risk management and mitigation approach to potential workplace hazards and adhere to workplace health and safety legislation. It is one where the provision of safe physical work environments, appropriate and high quality equipment, tools and resources are prioritised so that employees are able to undertake their work safely.
Why it’s important
- Every year 1 in 4 employees will have an injury that will result in an absence from work.
- Every year 3500 injuries will be reported with many more near misses. For every injury suffered at work 4 will be suffered away from work.
- More than 1200 police officers receive an injury from a physical assault and 1600 are injured whilst restraining a person.
- Tragically, our officers can be killed whilst protecting their community or can suffer significant injury and lifelong disability through injury or chronic disease.
What’s currently in place
- Safety management system
- Operational training and equipment
- Joint consultative mechanisms
- Health and Safety Advisors
- Trained Safety Officers and Representatives
- District, Region and Service joint consultative committees to review and develop health and safety programs
What we need to do
- Provide appropriate and fit-for-purpose equipment and uniforms.
- Improve the effectiveness of joint consultative forums in the development of District and Branch health and safety programs to oversee the implementation and future revision of the Strategy.
- Promote the Strategy, integrate goals and create workplace actions within operational planning processes.
- Increase the commitment and capability of managers and supervisors to effectively manage workplace health and safety.
- Encourage employee participation in the improvement of workplace health and safety.
- Use mistakes as learning opportunities to prevent the re-occurrence of injuries.
- Enhance knowledge and capability of Health and Safety Representatives.
Healthy Minds
A mentally healthy workplace is one that protects and promotes good mental health, identifies and minimises workplace mental health risk factors, supports employees living with a mental health condition, provides support services, training and education to reduce stigma and has zero tolerance for workplace bullying, discrimination and harassment.
Why it’s important
- In 2015/16, 826 QPS employees received psychological wellbeing support and 1460 (12%) received support from Human Services Officers.
- 45% of people will experience a mental health condition in their lifetime.
- 1 in 5 people will experience a mental health condition each year.
- Emotional and cognitive demands of policing can have significant implications for the psychological health of our employees.
- The pace of life and day-to-day demands on people are increasing pressure on their personal resources to manage under stress.
What’s currently in place
- 24 x Human Services Officers (internal psychologists/social workers)
- 1800 ASSIST (1800 277 478; external psychologists)
- 600+ Peer Support Officers
- 10 x Injury Management Advisors
- 150+ Rehabilitation Co-ordinators
- 30 x full time, part-time and volunteer Police Chaplains
- Psychological Assessment Unit – psychological selection monitoring of specialist groups within QPS
- Early Intervention Treatment Program
- Drug and alcohol treatment services
- Education and training
What we need to do
- Educate our employees and their families about psychological health.
- De-stigmatise psychological health in our workplace.
- Encourage employees to seek help from internal or external counselling services and/or their treating health practitioner.
- Offer psychological health initiatives, services and programs to employees and their families through all stages of employment and in the year post separation from the QPS.
- Review current policies, programs and services to ensure they are supported evidence and meet the needs of employees.
Healthy Bodies
A workplace that supports the physical wellbeing of employees is one which provides opportunities for employees to be physically active, has infrastructure to support physical activity, engages in health promotion activities and has policies intended to facilitate employee health.
Why it’s important
- Physical activity levels of QPS employees are decreasing.
- Our workforce is ageing.
- 65% of Queensland adults are overweight or obese.
- People who are physically active and eat well live longer, have less risk of developing chronic disease, have lower incidence of mental health conditions and lower rates of smoking and substance abuse.
What’s currently in place
- HealthStart
- Fitness coaching
- Diet assessment, planning and coaching
- Alcohol and drug treatment services
- Immunisation and health monitoring programs
- Health information and education programs
- Corporate games/teams
- Fitness equipment in some stations
- Sport and recreation clubs and associations
What we need to do
- Educate employees and their families about the benefits of good nutrition and regular physical activity.
- Increase opportunities to engage employees and their families in regular physical activity and good nutrition.