2 hours ago
3
April 17, 2026 — 5:01am
I have been thinking a lot about mental health at work and, although I love my workplace and don’t want to be too harsh, I think their efforts to address this problem are insufficient. They make a big thing of R U OK Day, but apart from a nicely worded email from our chief executive, it doesn’t seem to amount to much. It’s usually forgotten the next day.
I thought rather than whinge about it, I should do something, but I don’t want to impose ideas or offer suggestions that are unhelpful or do not apply to everyone. What’s the best place to start to make some kind of difference?
I think your first two instincts are spot on. Having a moan is unlikely to bring about the cultural shift you want. And prescribing remedies based strictly on your own experience may not make things much better – or may only be useful to a small group of colleagues.
I asked Dr Andrew Arena to give his advice on how you might work with your employer to find a happy medium between those two approaches. He’s a research fellow at the Black Dog Institute, an Australian medical research institute that investigates mental health.
“One-off awareness initiatives like recognising R U OK Day can be a great entry point for workplaces to begin conversations around mental health, or to maintain awareness of its importance” he says. “However, when they’re undertaken in isolation, they often come across as tokenistic rather than meaningful engagement.
“Ideally, leadership in an organisation would supplement this with additional initiatives showing that they are taking action to support workplace mental health – for example, how they are supporting mentally healthy workplace conditions, or growing a safe, supportive workplace culture where workers are genuinely cared for.”
You alluded to the fact there’s no such thing as a blanket formula when it comes to mental health, and Arena says it’s important for leaders in your organisation to keep that in mind.
“What’s needed in each workplace will be different, so if you’re unsure where to start, perhaps it’s best not to make assumptions about the right solution straight away,” he says. “A good way to begin could be to ask questions about what is currently in place to support mental health for workers.
“And whether there is anything in place to help manage any challenging conditions that are common in your setting – for example, highly demanding work, shift work, low manager-colleague support, unclear job roles.
“Asking these questions can help open conversations around any gaps, and perhaps identify some low-hanging fruit that could serve as a first initiative to make a visible impact in the workplace. Starting on something small but visible can begin showing employees that the organisation is taking steps in the right direction, and momentum can build from there.”
You might go to management with these ideas, but Arena says you and your peers can also effect change without going through official channels.
“Something that every worker can do is to model the supportive culture you’re aiming for,” he says. “Regularly check in with how your employees or colleagues are doing, take notice if their demeanour or behaviour has changed, and if so, have a private conversation with them about this change and whether there’s anything they need.”
If the bosses you speak with show enthusiasm for doing more than they currently are, Arena says organisations such as the Black Dog Institute offer training specifically for workplaces. It might be worth investigating.
