Jacobs Asia Pacific Team Participates in Australia’s Biggest Mental Health Check-In

Jacobs became the first engineering consultancy to participate in Australia’s Biggest Mental Health Check-In following its launch across the Asia Pacific region last month.

The World Health Organization (WHO) lists mental health as the most significant health issue in the world. One in five will experience a mental health issue in any given year, and one in two at work.  Mental health issues have a significant detrimental impact on quality of life yet it is one of the most untreated health issues; less than seven percent of people find their way to an effective intervention. 

The Biggest Mental Health Check-In assesses individuals’ mental health and offers subsequent support where required. To participate in the opt-in program, Jacob’s employees are provided with an online check-in survey and a wearable device. The technology measures circadian heart rate patterns to ascertain objective measures of stress in the body through sleeping and waking. Participants can subsequently access their report results, including their personal strategies, through a password protected portal.  The Check-In team psychologists are on hand to confidentially support people with elevated scores. 

“As an employer, Jacobs’ participation in the program places it at the forefront of global mental health,” said Biggest Mental Health Check-In creator and psychologist Peta Slocombe. “It signals a genuine desire to make life easier for their people using the best technology to deliver private, personalized solutions.”

 “As part of our focus on maintaining positive mental health for employees at Jacobs, I am delighted we had the opportunity to participate in a leading program like Check-In,” said Jacobs Buildings and Infrastructure Asia Pacific Senior Vice President Patrick Hill.  “Looking out for our people and creating a mentally healthy workplace not only makes Jacobs a more enjoyable place to work, but it also positively impacts our projects.”

Jacobs’ participation in the program is part of the company’s culture of caring and its associated health and safety program called BeyondZero^®. Jacobs recognizes the challenges in maintaining good mental health in a geographically diverse workforce and focuses on the following goals:

• Move beyond creating awareness of mental health to offering personalised, private programs to improve it
• Take a proactive approach to maintaining positive mental health instead of waiting until people seek out support
• Build a transparent and supportive culture that consistently promotes positive mental health and early treatment by normalising any associated issues

Jacobs’ mental health strategy encompasses various programs initiatives for its more than 54,000 employees globally. Recent initiatives include the launch of Positive Mental Health Champions, use of the Employee Assistance Program offering free counselling services and a growing calendar of mental health awareness dates (like RUOK Day, Stress Down Day in Australia and the global Mental Health Week program)