Co-designing and evaluating evidence-based manager mental health training that builds connection, culture and leadership
Tracks
Prince Room and Virtual via OnAIR
| Tuesday, March 3, 2026 |
| 11:10 AM - 11:30 AM |
| Prince Room |
Overview
Dr Aimee Gayed, Black Dog Institute
Details
Three Key Learnings:
Manager behaviour is modifiable and with the correct intervention can help foster staff wellbeing Evidence-based manager mental health training can enhance managers confidence and increase their application of recommended managerial behaviours to support worker mental health. The value of the co-design process to ensure tailored programs are suitable for the intended audience.
Manager behaviour is modifiable and with the correct intervention can help foster staff wellbeing Evidence-based manager mental health training can enhance managers confidence and increase their application of recommended managerial behaviours to support worker mental health. The value of the co-design process to ensure tailored programs are suitable for the intended audience.
Speaker
Dr Aimee Gayed
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Black Dog Institute
Co-designing and evaluating evidence-based manager mental health training that builds connection, culture and leadership
Presentation Overview
Mental ill health is now the leading cause of long-term sickness absence in most developed countries. For some, the development and maintenance of mental ill-health may in part be due to specific psychosocial hazards or work-related mental health risk factors. Psychosocial hazards are mostly modifiable, and Australian organisations must by law remove or at least minimise impact or exposure for their workers. Managers, supervisors and team leaders play a key role in the mental health and wellbeing of employees through their management of psychosocial hazards, with research showing a strong association between higher levels of manager support and lower levels of psychological distress in employees. Manager behaviour can be modified, as demonstrated through trials conducted with various Frontline and other high-risk industries by the Workplace Mental Health Research Team at Black Dog Institute, UNSW, evaluating manager mental health training designed to upskill managers to better support employee mental health. This presentation will discuss the co-design process undertaken between Black Dog Institute and with key stakeholders and end-users from Ambulance NSW to tailor this evidence-based training for leaders supervising paramedics. This program aims to advance frontline mental health by creating connections with staff, improving culture to have conversations about mental health, and building leadership skills to support mental health in the workplace. The results from the pilot study, the movement towards a more scalable and sustainable model of delivery, and the implementation and evaluation of this training with all managers across the organisation will also be discussed.
Biography
Dr Aimee Gayed is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow on the Workplace Mental Health Research Team at Black Dog Institute. Aimeeās research focuses on investigating the benefits of evidence-based workplace interventions designed to address psychosocial risk factors and promote mentally healthy workplaces. She has particular interest in evidence-based manager mental health training designed to empower managers with the skills to discuss mental health topics with their team and implement managerial techniques to effectively support employee mental health.