Mental Health First Aid: Protect Your Small Business Under Victoria’s New Laws

Running a small business in Victoria is like juggling flaming torches while riding a unicycle. You manage clients, cash flow, compliance and the occasional staff crisis. The last thing you need is another law – yet here it comes. New psychosocial hazard regulations mean that from 1 December 2025 you must provide a work environment that is safe and without risk to psychological health. In other words, mental wellbeing is now as important as making sure no one slips on a wet floor.

Understanding Victoria’s Psychosocial Hazard Laws

The Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 and the new Psychological Health Regulations require every employer – even if you only have one or two people on payroll – to identify psychosocial risks such as stress, bullying or unrealistic workloads and actually do something about them. If someone on your team is struggling and you turn a blind eye, you could be on the hook. There is no “but I’m just a small business” excuse.

Key obligations

• Spot the problems. Look for issues like job insecurity, high stress or workplace bullying. If you hear your team referring to a project as “Hunger Games”, that is a hint.
• Reduce the risks. Adjust workloads, set reasonable deadlines and encourage breaks. Coffee is not a coping strategy.
• Teach people what to look for. Train managers and staff to recognise early warning signs of burnout or anxiety.
• Keep a paper trail. Document what you do so that if WorkSafe asks, you can show you were on top of it.

What Mental Health First Aid Training Does

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training is not about turning your staff into therapists. It is practical, plain-English training that shows them how to:

• Notice when a colleague seems off their game.
• Start a conversation without sounding like a robot.
• Offer support and point someone toward professional help without playing doctor.
• Feel confident talking about mental health instead of avoiding it like a weird aunt at Christmas.

Research shows that MHFA training makes employees feel better prepared to handle mental health crises and more likely to refer colleagues to professional help. It removes the awkwardness around the topic by giving people a simple plan.

Employer-sponsored programs have been linked to less depression and anxiety, fewer sick days and even a positive return on investment.

Why It’s Worth Every Dollar

1. Save money on headaches. Stress-related absenteeism and turnover cost businesses a fortune. MHFA training helps spot and stop burnout early so you can keep good people.
2. Stay on the right side of the law. The new rules expect you to take reasonable steps to manage psychosocial risks. A certified MHFA course is an affordable way to tick that box.
3. Be the workplace people want. Talented workers look for employers who care about more than just productivity. Offering mental health training sends the right message.
4. Grow leaders who listen. Good leadership means creating a space where people feel safe to speak up. MHFA equips managers with the listening skills and empathy that fancy MBA courses forget.

Consequences of Doing Nothing

Ignoring mental health is like ignoring a leaking roof – sooner or later, you will have a mess. Without training, you risk:

• High absenteeism and turnover.
• Psychological injury claims and WorkSafe penalties.
• A disengaged team that checks out mentally long before they hand in their notice.

WorkSafe’s position is clear: if you know there is a risk and you do nothing, you are liable. That is not a fun letter to receive.

Start Here: Growth Training Group’s MHFA Course

Ready to tick the compliance box and actually help your team?

Consider an accredited Mental Health First Aid course designed for small businesses. We have partnered with Growth Training Group to offer flexible sessions that combine self-paced online learning with a live, no-jargon workshop. Upcoming dates and pricing:

• 30 October 2025 – $220 (inc. GST) per person
• 12 November 2025 – $220 (inc. GST) per person
• 10 December 2025 – $220 (inc. GST) per person

Each course includes about five hours of self-paced learning plus an interactive online session with experienced trainers who will not bore you to tears. Booking now shows your team and WorkSafe that you are serious about psychological wellbeing in the workplace.

👉 Book a session with Growth Training Group here.

Written by Jessy Warn, Commercial Director, HR Gurus.