In the fast-paced world of recruitment, where we’re constantly connecting with people, it’s easy to forget to pause and look beneath the surface when it comes to the wellbeing of others. Today, on R U OKAY Day, it’s a timely reminder that taking a moment to check in with one another can be a game-changer.
Today’s morning tea was a chance for us to come together as a team and I took the opportunity to speak openly about my own struggles with mental health – something I know I’m far from alone in – with almost 44% of Australians having experienced a mental health disorder at some time in their life. I hope that by being open about my own experience, it helps to remove the stigma that can be associated with mental health and highlights how important it is to check-in with people’s wellbeing, not only on days like today, but any and every day of the year.
Encouraging Honest Conversation Through Listening
“I’m Here to Hear” – this year’s R U OKAY DAY theme, is a powerful mantra to remind us of our shared responsibility to foster a culture of care, empathy and support. Whilst it’s important to ask the question, it’s equally important to spend the time to listen, as R U OK? research (fiftyfive5, 2023) found that when asked if they were OK, two in five people (38%) who said they were OK actually were not OK.
These respondents said that important factors to encourage an honest conversation are:
- Trust: they need to know the person they speak to is someone they trust, and, for many, someone they are close to
- Authenticity: they want to know the person asking them genuinely wants to hear answer
- Environment: people would prefer to have these conversations in a relatively private space with enough time to share what they want to say.
Extending the Conversation Beyond the Office
Mental health and connection aren’t confined to the office walls. “I’m Here to Hear” is a reminder that our role extends beyond our own teams; we’re also members of a broader community. By actively participating in initiatives like R U OK? Day and promoting mental health awareness beyond our workplace, we contribute to a healthier, more compassionate society.
Candice is highly customer focussed, with solid experience in a range of professional, office support and administration roles covering a broad variety of sectors. She compliments her recruitment industry experience with over 20 years experience in professional service roles. Candice has worked on a diverse range of major client accounts, and has recruited and managed temporary, contract and permanent staff. As Manager of the Interchange Bench, she manages the consulting team and provided resources on large recruitment projects, designed and facilitated assessments centres, screened and shortlisted a large volume of candidates, planned and overseen weekly and monthly rosters.