Worker and manager perceptions of the utility of work-related mental health literacy programmes delivered by community organisations: a qualitative study based on the theory of planned behaviour

Abstract

Objectives Reluctance to seek help is a leading contributor to escalating mental injury rates in Australian workplaces. We explored the benefit of using community organisations to deliver mental health literacy programmes to overcome workplace barriers to help-seeking behaviours.Design This study used a qualitative application of the theory of planned behaviour to examine underlying beliefs that may influence worker’s intentions to participate in mental health literacy programmes delivered by community organisations and manager support for them.Setting This study took place within three large white-collar organisations in the Australian state of Victoria.Participants Eighteen workers and 11 managers (n=29) were interviewed to explore perspectives of the benefits of such an approach.Results Community organisations have six attributes that make them suitable as an alternative mental health literacy programme provider including empathy, safety, relatability, trustworthiness, social support and inclusivity. Behavioural beliefs included accessibility, understanding and objectivity. The lack of suitability and legitimacy due to poor governance and leadership was disadvantages. Normative beliefs were that family and friends would most likely approve, while line managers and colleagues were viewed as most likely to disapprove. Control beliefs indicated that endorsements from relevant bodies were facilitators of participation. Distance/time constraints and the lack of skills, training and lived experiences of coordinators/facilitators were seen as barriers.Conclusions Identifying workers’ beliefs and perceptions of community organisations has significant implication for the development of effective community-based strategies to improve worker mental health literacy and help seeking. Organisations with formal governance structures, allied with government, peak bodies and work-related mental health organisations would be most suitable. Approaches should focus on lived experience and be delivered by qualified facilitators. Promoting supervisor and colleague support could improve participation. Models to guide cross-sector collaborations to equip community organisations to deliver work-related mental health literacy programmes need to be explored.