Murphy Pipe and Civil’s mental health app has been recognised by the Australian Pipeline and Gas Association, taking home first prize for the APGA’s annual Safety Award last week.
Last year, Murphy Pipe and Civil collaborated with app developer Mate Check to tailor and implement a mental health survey and employee feedback system to gauge the wellbeing of the company’s entire FIFO and BIBO workforce each swing.
Since rolling the app out to its 850-plus workforce in December 2014, the company has received more than 2000 employee feedback suggestions advising project management how it can improve work and camp life and improve the mental health of employees.
While the inflow of employee feedback has been strong, the company’s chief executive officer John Smith said the most successful outcome since the app’s introduction was that more than 50 of the company’s employees had used the app to reach out for help.
“It has been well-documented that there has been a significant increase in mental health stress being felt right across the construction industry, and sadly, our company is not immune to this,“ Mr Smith said.
“What has been clearly identified is that people undergoing this type of mental pressure often feel too overwhelmed to reach out for the help they need.
“What MPC wanted to do was to provide its employees with useful information on mental health, and also give them an avenue where they can very easily connect with the people who can give them help if needed.
“It’s saddening to realise that 50 of our employees were dealing with mental health issues, but I am buoyed by the fact that through this App they have been able to make contact with people who can help them, rather than feeling like they have to deal with their issues in isolation.”
Mental Health App Fast Facts
The mental health survey takes two minutes to complete on an iPad and ask employees about their levels of stress, anxiety, fatigue and overall wellbeing.
Employees participate in the App’s mental health survey at the start and end of their swing.
The mental health survey was developed by Mate Check in collaboration with clinical experts in mental health.
Employees can choose to remain anonymous but all mental health data is collected/collated into a graphical/statistical report to provide MPC with a clear view of workforce wellbeing.
Through the click of a button, employees can be emailed information from recognised counselling organisations such as Lifeline, Beyond Blue, Alcoholics/Gamblers Anonymous and Mates in Construction.
Through the click of a button, employees can request personal contact with the above organisations or be contacted immediately by one of MPC’s trained `Connectors’ located across the company’s project sites.
Employees can provide feedback on the App’s feedback pages and this is sent directly to project management for review.
All management actions related to feedback is communicated back to employees via Toolbox Talks and the Project Update pages that appear on the App each swing.
The App has been well embraced by the workforce with a 98.5% participation rate across the company’s projects.
The App’s developer Mate Check is now working with other company’s within the construction industry to develop similar Apps that are tailored to their workforce needs.
Image caption: Murphy Pipe and Civil CEO John Smith (right) accepting the APGA Safety Award from The Honourable Member for Surfers Paradise and LNP Deputy Leader John-Paul Langbroek.
Add Comment