R U OK? Day 2023
Every day is an R U OK? Day
Intermain is committed to promoting mental health and wellbeing. We believe in the power of communication and have therefore appointed mental health champions to start the conversation about mental health and provide support within the workplace. We provide opportunities for our employees to share their thoughts and feelings, with access to an online Employee Assistance Program (Foremind) where individuals can seek help and find resources they need to navigate their mental health journey whenever they require it.
With a focus on connection, Intermain plans regular team-building events that open opportunities for genuine engagement. We encourage our employees to develop their skills and confidence in how to have effective conversations around mental health, which in turn will build strong levels of trust and empathy within our teams.
This morning we were joined by Pippa Baker, Foremind’s training and development manager. Pippa shared her journey into the mental health space, from her background in stock broking to her current role. She spoke to us about the importance of seeking help, and how mental injuries are just as real as physical injuries and require treatment and time to heal. She also talked about the services offered by Foremind, and how they are different from other EAPs. All Intermain staff and their families are entitled to 6 sessions with Foremind, and Pippa encouraged us to use this resource if we need it. She also talked about the importance of early intervention, and how to identify characteristics or unusual behavior in our colleagues. Finally, she emphasized the importance of listening when someone asks “are you okay?”, even if you can’t solve their problems. Just talking about it out loud can be helpful.
Intermain encourages everyone to reach out for help if they need it. We are committed to fostering a compassionate and stigma-free environment around mental health and wellbeing. We organised RUOK Day themed cupcakes at each of our offices (NSW, VIC, SA, ACT) and some of our colleagues took cupcakes around to people on site as well.
