World Mental Health Day 2017 - asking RU OK?

On World Mental Health Day, we’re reminding ourselves to have the conversations that count.

Simple questions can help save lives and improve well-being. This year, members of our Brisbane team raised awareness for suicide prevention and donated $1,000 to the RU OK? charity.

RU OK? Day encourages everyone to check in with colleagues, friends and family and start a conversation. Asking RU OK? is a powerful question that can lead to a meaningful conversation and could change someone's life.

The theme of World Mental Health Day 2017 is "mental health in the workplace" and it's observed on 10 October every year, with the overall objective of raising awareness of mental health issues and mobilizing efforts in support of better mental health.

World Mental Health Day 2017 - asking RU OK?

One of the many important ways through which managers can offer psychological first aid is by simply asking questions – questions like those posed by RU OK? in Australia. At Grasstree mine, for instance, Anglo American employees and contractors were reminded to ask each other questions routinely and to provide the opportunity for their colleagues to speak up and ask for help.

A lot of our employees travel to site to work their rostered shifts and are away from their families for periods of time

Bruce Gavin Superintendent at Grasstree mine

At last year's event. “So they do not always have their immediate support networks around them.”

“This can be particularly isolating if they are going through a hard time”.

Starting the conversation

Tim Hobson, Grasstree’s General Manager and long-time supporter of the initiative, said the goal was to encourage everyone to regularly and meaningfully ask, “Are you ok?”

“Often people find it difficult to ask for help, so that’s why RU OK? is so great,” said Hobson. “It’s a safe, simple and informal way to start a conversation with your workmates about their emotional well-being and taps into our Anglo American value of Care and Respect.”

R U OK? was founded by marketing executive Gavin Larkin in 2009, who, following the unexpected death of his father, sought to find a way to spark encouraging and meaningful conversations with other people about their emotional state of mind.

Visit the R U OK? website at www.ruok.org.au or the Facebook page for more information.

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