Sydney football club promotes workplace mental health

NSW workplace health and safety regulator SafeWork is partnering with Sydney football club Sydney FC to promote workplace mental health awareness and provide free coaching to businesses. Minister for Fair Trading Eleni Petinos said nearly one in six Australian workers experience a mental illness.

"I'm delighted that Sydney FC has partnered with SafeWork NSW to help raise mental health awareness in the workplace with the new campaign – Coaching, Training, and Success!" Ms Petinos said.

"Sydney FC understands how training and coaching play a vital role on and off the field, and take proactive measures such as flexible work arrangements, workload management and ensuring staff and players have a work-life balance."

"There is an urgent need for small business owners to create sustainable, mentally healthy workplaces, especially as more workers head back into the office."

Why This Partnership Matters for Workplace Support

Football clubs carry influence far beyond match day results. By lending their profile to this initiative, Sydney FC helps normalise conversations around mental health that many workplaces still find difficult to start.

Employers seeking practical guidance can strengthen their approach with a documented workplace mental health and psychosocial policy, which gives staff clear pathways to seek support when they need it.

Building Sustainable Support Structures

Small businesses often lack dedicated resources for mental health support, unlike larger organisations with in-house wellbeing teams. This gap makes external support initiatives, like the one Sydney FC and SafeWork NSW have launched, particularly valuable.

Practical steps employers can take to offer meaningful support include:

• Introducing flexible work arrangements that reduce unnecessary pressure
• Reviewing workload management practices regularly
• Providing accessible support channels for staff experiencing distress
• Training managers to recognise early warning signs

A formal bullying policy also supports a psychologically safer environment, addressing behaviours that often undermine mental health at work.

Related Industry News

This campaign follows other recent news highlighting government commitment to mental health support. Similar news includes a funding boost to improve workplace mental health and a grant scheme targeting workplace mental health in WA.

For a deeper look at building psychologically safer workplaces, see our article on emphasising mental health in the workplace, which explores occupational health beyond the basics.

Safety professionals following this news can also review broader industry updates at the Workplace Health and Safety Show, where mental health support remains a recurring topic across sessions.

Read the full news story on the SafeWork NSW website.