Introduction

Taking care of your mental health and wellbeing is an important part of providing effective support. This guide will help you to do this by exploring the following:

• Workplace factors that could affect your mental health
• Tips for optimal wellbeing
• How and where to reach out for support if you need it
  
   

Your work and your mental health

Before getting into the details, it's important to understand that mental health, like a lot of things to do with health, has a very broad spectrum. At one end of the spectrum we experience positive and fulfilling emotions, while at the other end, we could experience a diagnosable mental health condition, like depression or anxiety. This doesn’t mean we can’t live fulfilling and productive lives - far from it - but it might mean we need to access support from time to time to help us get there.

Things that can impact your mental health while working include:

Fatigue and Exhaustion

You might find yourself providing support to a variety of people and families on Hireup. We understand that passionate and committed employees are driven to work hard, but this shouldn’t come at the expense of your own mental health and wellbeing. It’s important to know what your personal limits are when it comes to the hours you commit to working, as overcommitment can lead to fatigue and exhaustion. This can, in turn, have a negative impact on the level of job satisfaction, as well as compromising the quality and safety of the support being provided. Personal limits will look different for everyone based on factors like your experience and physical health, so we encourage you to find a balance that works for you and your lifestyle. Remember, it’s work on your terms.

When organising your shifts on Hireup it is essential that your roster meets the following:

• Shifts of no greater than 12 hours (excluding sleepover shifts)
• At least 10 hours break between shifts
• At least 2 full days off a fortnight, preferably one full day off per week.
• No more than 76 hours per fortnight as per your casual employment agreement.

Remember that shift intensity and demands matter as much as shift length. Different clients and support types carry varying physical, mental, and emotional demands. Be mindful of these differences when planning your schedule and deciding if you have the capacity to take on additional work.

Life isn’t always predictable and things can be going on in your personal life that can take a toll on your mental health and wellbeing. We encourage you to reach out for support when you’re experiencing challenging periods, whether this means chatting to a friend, family member,a professional or Hireup’s Employee Assistance Program; we’ll provide some helpful information on this later in this guide.

Challenging work relationships

If something is bothering you about a working relationship, we encourage you to have an open and honest conversation about it with the people you work with. We’ve developed a guide on Having Difficult Conversations but please don’t hesitate to reach out if you require further assistance by calling us on (02) 9113 5933, emailing hello@hireup.com.au or completing an Incident Report or Concern form.

Lived experience

You may be living with a mental health condition, disability, health condition or be a carer. We value lived or living experience and in these examples it’s even more important to understand your limits, self management and professional boundaries. Reaching out as needed and asking for support if things start to get challenging helps Hireup support you. 

Please keep in mind that while lived experience is highly valued and can enrich support relationships, Hireup is not a mental health peer support platform. Support Workers are not expected or qualified to provide specialised peer work or mental health clinical care.

Professional Boundaries

There are many ways to be a fantastic support worker; everyone brings their own strengths to the role. The role of a support worker is to build, support

and strengthen the existing social, family and community network of Clients. As a support worker you are there to assist your Client in building friendships, not to be the friendship. As such it is important to maintain healthy professional boundaries with your Client to ensure safety for both of you.

 Some risks related to not maintaining professional boundaries include:

• Burnout
• Increasing expectations outside of your job description
• Client grief and distress when a support connection ends
• Clients becoming over reliant on one Worker
• Inability to provide objective and professional support
• May prevent a person from engaging appropriate support services or health professionals
• Over-involvement makes it difficult to detach after work, leading to chronic stress, poor sleep, and fatigue
• Taking on extra responsibilities or communication outside agreed shift hours increases unpaid workload and mental strain

 Some strategies to maintain strong professional boundaries include: 

• Communicating honestly
• Don’t say you can if you can’t; clear communication is essential for an effective support relationship
• Don’t make promises you may not be able to keep, eg. I won’t leave / end support relationship, You can tell me I won’t tell anyone (This is not the case when you are a mandatory reporter)
• Only agree to provide support you are comfortable with and have the relevant experience / knowledge of
• If a Client indicates they need assistance buying items/ groceries, assist them with accessing support services. Do not buy the objects yourself. If you hold concerns for your Client’s wellbeing, report this to Hireup. 
• Be yourself but retain a professional relationship with the person / people you are supporting
• Only attend bookings booked through the Hireup system. Only provide support in line with Hireup’s Support Worker job description. 
• Do not disclose personal information to your Client or discuss your own personal problems with them
• Do not visit your Client outside of bookings
• Do not bring friends or family members to bookings with your Client
• Do not bring your Client to your home
• Provide 1:1 support with the client you are booked to support 
• Follow Hireup’s Statement on giving and receiving gifts 
• If you are unsure of a Client’s request check with Hireup before agreeing
• Ask for help from Hireup if you need it; as a Support Worker your role includes high levels of independence and responsibility. We are here to support you.
• If a romantic relationship develops after a Support Workers and Client meeting on Hireup, or between a Support Worker and a family member of a current Client, this will change the support dynamic. This support relationship is now defined as informal support and is not permitted without explicit NDIS approval. Please contact Hireup immediately for support if this occurs.
• Not proposing or accepting Client suggestions of an Offline Arrangement
  • As a Hireup support worker, you are a casual employee, meaning that we cover your pay, insurance, superannuation and tax. As such, all shifts must be booked through the Hireup platform. Connecting and working with clients without a Hireup booking is considered an Offline Arrangement, which breaches your employment agreement. Additionally, Offline Arrangements are not covered by Hireup’s insurance or payroll processes. You can read more about this here.

What to do if boundaries become blurred:

• Recognise the warning signs for example feeling overwhelmed by client demands outside work hours, feeling uncomfortable with personal questions or feeling pressured/guilted into extra shifts
• Politely reset and clarify your role by gently referring back to your Hireup job description
• Reach out for help from Hireup directly on 02 9113 5933 or hello@hireup.com.au or through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP). 

Incidents

If you experience an incident while working as a Support Worker, Hireup’s 24/7 team are here to support you through it. An incident can be defined as any event that resulted in, or had the potential to result in human injury or property damage. Incidents also include any event that was troubling or traumatic in nature. 

Please notify us of an incident using the online Incident Report. We’ll not just support you through resolving the incident but can also connect you with our Employee Assistance Program which includes free and confidential counselling or psychological services.

Common experiences

Navigating the demands of support work can sometimes take a toll on your psychological wellbeing. To help you recognise and understand these signs early, here is a look at some common mental health experiences.

Burnout

Support Workers can experience stress when the demands of their work exceed your ability or resources to cope. Support Workers can experience physical, mental and emotional burnout that can impact their work and personal lives. 

Burnout can look like: 

• Physiological symptoms (e.g., exhaustion, lack of sleep, high heart rate, panic attacks, headaches). This can include feeling anxious or stressed about going to work. 
• Frequently cancelling shifts or calling in sick to work
• A lack of focus at work or forgetting things. This can lead to more frequent mistakes and potential risk of harm to yourself and others. 
• Withdrawal from friends or family or having no energy for activities outside of work 

Some of the most common causes of burnout include:  

• unclear or unreasonable job expectations 
• Feeling unfulfilled at work 
• unreasonable workloads or taking on too many hours 
• work-life imbalance  

Ways to manage burnout: 

• Identify the stressors. Is the workload too high? Are you feeling unsafe at work? Do you need a break? And identify any actions you can take to manage those stressors. 
• Reach out to Hireup. As your employer we are here to support you, you can always reach out to us if you need support at work. We also have a Health, Safety and Wellbeing team who are here to support all workers. 
• Seek support through Hireup’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Through EAP you can access confidential, free counselling, medical advice and safety support. 
• Take breaks and make time for yourself. Ensuring you have time away from work is important for work-life balance and ensuring your wellbeing. 
• Maintaining professional boundaries. Maintaining professional boundaries at work is an important part of avoiding burnout. A lack of professional boundaries can lead to feelings over being overworked, under appreciated and unable to remove yourself from the situation. 

Depression

While we all feel sad, moody or low from time to time, some people experience these feelings intensely, for long periods of time (weeks, months or even years) and sometimes without any apparent reason. Depression is more than just a low mood, it's a serious condition that affects your physical and mental health.

Depression affects how you feel about yourself and makes life more difficult to manage from day to day. The encouraging news is that there is a range of treatments, health professionals and services available to help with depression, as well as information on what you can do to help yourself.

For more information on depression, please visit beyondblue

For more information on the treatment of depression, please visit beyondblue

Anxiety

Anxiety is more than just feeling stressed or worried. While stress and anxious feelings are a common response to a situation where we feel under pressure, they usually pass once the stressful situation is over, or when the ‘stressor’ is removed.

Anxiety is when these anxious feelings don't go away – when they're ongoing and happen without any particular reason or cause. It’s a serious condition that makes it hard to cope with daily life. Everyone feels anxious from time to time, but for someone experiencing anxiety, these feelings aren't easily controlled.

A range of health professionals and services offer information, treatment and support for anxiety conditions, as well as a number of things you can do to help yourself.

For more information on anxiety, please visit beyondblue.

Psychosocial Hazards at Work

Psychosocial hazards are factors in the design or management of work, the working environment, or workplace interactions that can cause psychological or physical harm. At Hireup, protecting your mental and emotional wellbeing is as important as ensuring physical safety. Key hazards to watch out for include:

• High Emotional Demands & Vicarious Trauma: Supporting individuals through complex distress, trauma, or crisis situations can take a cumulative emotional toll.
• Lone Working & Isolation: Working independently in client homes or community settings without immediate peer support can increase stress during unexpected or challenging situations.
• Challenging Behaviors & Aggression: Exposure to verbal abuse, unexpected physical behaviors, or conflict during a shift.
• Role Ambiguity & Boundary Creep: Feeling pressure to perform tasks outside your agreed support plan, work unpaid hours, or manage boundaries when professional relationships blur.
• Fatigue & Overcommitment: Working long shifts, insufficient breaks, or consecutive days without rest.

Your health and safety come first. If you encounter a situation where you feel physically or psychologically unsafe, you are empowered and expected to take action:

1. Use Hireup’s Stop, think, plan assessment tool to evaluate immediate risks.
2. Remove yourself from immediate conflict, aggression, or hazards if it is safe to do so.
3. If an environment becomes unmanageable or unsafe and cannot be mitigated, gently inform the client or family that you need to pause support, step into a safe area, and contact Hireup immediately. You do not need to remain in an unsafe environment.
4. Report via the Hireup platform or Help Centre as soon as possible (and within 24 hours). Reporting helps us support you and prevents future hazards for other workers.

Experiencing a difficult shift or managing cumulative work stress can affect you long after the shift ends. It is essential to debrief and access professional care if needed. Hireup provides free, confidential counseling sessions for all employees through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to help process stressful events, manage burnout, or resolve personal and work challenges.

You can also debrief with Hireup following a critical incident to request a formal debriefing by contacting us on 02 9113 5933 or hello@hireup.com.au. 

Other Supports

If you find yourself in a position where you feel comfortable reaching out for support, it’s important to know who you can turn to, no matter what is going on in your life.

• Through Hireup’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) you can access counselling and psychological supports
• The Better Access initiative provides better access to mental health practitioners through Medicare. If you’re eligible, you’ll receive Medicare benefits for up to 10 individual consultations with a mental health professional in a calendar year.

• Have a conversation with friends or family members
• Call Lifeline if you require crisis support: 13 11 14
• If you’re under 25 you can use Headspace for online and telephone supports: 1800 650 890
• Call the Beyond Blue support service: 1300 22 4636

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Hireup knows that the important work done by Support Workers can sometimes be challenging, both physically and mentally. That is why we have an Employee Assistance Program to provide free and confidential counselling and psychological support. Through the EAP you can:

• Connect with free, confidential counselling and psychology supports
• Chat or call with registered nurses 24/7 - you can even send pictures and videos to help with medical support and advice
• Access safety tools, when traveling or meeting new people.
• Access proactive, in-app resources, guides, and self-help tools, including articles, exercise videos, sleep sounds and meditations.