Why should you ask your team, ‘R U OK’?
Christopher Whitnall: I think it’s important to ask people at work ‘R UK OK?’ because people spend a lot of time at work and a lot of times there are issues at work that are putting pressure on them. So to check in with people to see how they’re going with their day to day work challenges and stresses as well as the external challenges and stress is important.
Who is at risk?
Christopher Whitnall: Everybody is at risk of mental health or mental illness, whether it be episodic based on something that happens at that time, or whether it is long-term or ongoing and therefore it is something that we all need to be aware of because, as is often said, mental health or mental illness does not discriminate. So it is something that can impact anybody at any time and so we need to be aware of it.
What can you do to help?
Christopher Whitnall: Some of the things you can do to help is to take genuine interest in people. That is taking time, maybe away from the desk, outside of the office and to genuinely listen to what people are saying and what they’ve got happening in their world. Many times people ask the question, ‘how are you?’ or ‘R U OK?’ but they don’t really listen to the answer because they’ve moved onto the next thing. I think taking the time to genuinely show interest and listen and take the time and space for that to happen is crucial.
