R U OK? Day 2023 is this Thursday 14 September.
R U OK? Day highlights that every day is the day to ask, ‘are you OK?’ (R U OK?).
The theme for this year’s R U OK? Day is: “I’m here to hear”. It’s an opportunity to let our loved ones and colleagues know you’re here, to really hear them. By taking the time for an R U OK? conversation and genuinely listening with an open mind, we can all help the people in our world feel supported and connected.
Join us for a special R U OK? Day Wellbeing Forum – Thursday, 14 September
Join us at 2pm on R U OK? Day (Thursday, 14 September) for our Employee Wellbeing Forum with special guests, Dr Dan Pronk and Ben Pronk DSC from The Resilience Shield. For R U OK Day, Dan and Ben will speak to us about a range of wellbeing topics and practices, including building resilience, social connection, breathing, mindfulness, locus of control, journaling and supporting the mental wellbeing of yourself and others.
Getting ready to ask “R U OK?”
Before you can look out for others, you need to look out for yourself. And that’s OK. If you’re not in the right headspace or you don’t think you’re the right person to have the conversation, try to think of someone else in their support network who could talk to them.
To help you decide whether you’re ready to start a meaningful conversation, ask yourself:
- Am I ready? – Am I in a good headspace, willing to genuinely listen and can give as much time as needed?
- Am I prepared? – Do I understand that the answer to “R U OK?” could be, “No I’m not”? Do I understand that I can’t fix someone’s problems? Do I accept that they might not be ready to talk or they might not want to talk to me?
- Have I picked my moment? – Is the space for the conversation relatively private and comfy? Is it a good time for them to chat and have I made sure I have enough time to chat properly?
And when you are ready to ask, “R U OK?”, remember:
- Ask, “R U OK?”
- Listen with an open mind
- Encourage action
- Check in
Check out the R U OK? website for the full conversation guide.
Share R U OK? Day with your team
Do you want to acknowledge R U OK? Day with your colleagues and teams and start the conversation?
You might want to don the R U OK? yellow in the workplace, share health and wellbeing tips, posters and guides, or simply check in with your colleagues individually or in a huddle. To get started with your team engagement, check out the official resources from the R U OK? website such as posters, conversation guides, activity sheets, videos and more. There is also a range of resources to support health and wellbeing in your team on our Health and Wellbeing page on the intranet.
If you are acknowledging R U OK? Day with your team, we invite you to submit your team photo and a description of your team and activity for the occasion. The photos and descriptions will be compiled together and shared on iNews. To make a submission, email the Wellbeing Team your photos and descriptions: Wellbeing_Team@MonashHealth.org.
While we recognise R U OK? Day in September, please remember that every day can be an R U OK? Day. These conversations can make a real difference to employees going through a tough time and support a safe and healthy workplace.
So, start today! Let the people in your world know you’re here, to really hear because a conversation could change a life.
Approved by Chris McLoughlin, Executive Director, People and Culture