The development and evaluation of an online training program to improve supervisors’ management of common mental disorders in the workplace

Abstract

Managers are in a unique position to implement changes to work-related mental health risk factors and positively impact the mental health and well-being of the staff they supervise. Recognition of the critical role managers hold has led to the implementation of specialised training focusing on mental health. However, to date, there has been limited consensus regarding whether this type of training is effective and how it should be delivered. The overall aims of this thesis were to determine whether training managers about mental health can help create a more mentally healthy workplace for their staff, and whether this type of training can be delivered effectively via an online format. These aims were met through four studies, each of which are described in a peer-reviewed paper. Paper 1 involved a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled studies evaluating mental health training developed for managers. Paper 2 detailed the development and pilot testing of HeadCoach, a manager training program delivered entirely online that addresses both preventive and responsive managerial techniques. Paper 3 evaluated, through a randomised controlled trial, the effectiveness of HeadCoach delivered to managers from three organisations within Australia. Finally, Paper 4 compared the ability of online and face-to-face manager training to improve managers’ confidence in addressing workplace mental health matters. Results indicated that manager mental health training was effective in altering managers’ knowledge, attitudes and behaviours to better support the mental health needs of the staff they supervise. HeadCoach was found to be a feasible and effective means to improving managers’ confidence and generated significant changes in responsive and preventive behaviour important in creating a mentally healthy working environment for staff. The observed changes in managers’ confidence was comparable to findings from similar content delivered through face-to-face training. Given the personal and financial burden that common mental illnesses can have upon the working population and the logistical difficulties of delivering face-to-face training, the findings from this thesis can impact the direction of mental health training for managers and should lead to managers being better able to support the mental health needs of the staff they supervise.