Mental Health & Resilience
Leadership Development
Physical Wellbeing
Workplace CultureR U OK? Day programs for your workplace
Asking ‘Are you okay?’ is most effective when people know how to listen.
R U OK? Day falls on the second Thursday of September each year. It’s Australia’s national day of action, a reminder that a simple question can change a life, and that connection is one of the most powerful protective factors for mental health.
For employers, R U OK? Day matters, but it can easily become just a poster or a morning tea. The difference between a meaningful day and a forgettable one is whether employees gain real skills, not just good intentions. Holistic Services Group provides facilitated R U OK? Day programs that move beyond awareness, using practical activities such as role-plays, scenario discussions and guided conversations to give staff hands-on experience in starting supportive conversations and responding when someone isn’t okay.
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Why R U OK? Day matters for your organisation
Almost one in five Australians experience some form of mental illness in any given year (Productivity Commission, Mental Health Inquiry Report, 2020). Many are in your workforce, and many will not proactively seek help. Peer connection and early intervention are widely recognised protective factors for mental health, and a supportive workplace culture can help reduce risk. R U OK? Day is a national platform to normalise these conversations and show employees that mental health is a genuine priority.
Australia’s Work Health and Safety Regulations also require employers to proactively manage psychosocial hazards, including factors such as low support and unclear roles. Building the skills for honest mental health conversations supports that duty, though it does not replace a formal psychosocial risk assessment. See Psychosocial Risk Programs for the compliance picture.
What HSG delivers on R U OK? Day
HSG offers two dedicated workshops for R U OK? Day, both available as lunch-and-learn sessions, 90-minute workshops, or half-day formats, onsite or via live webinar.
R U OK? Looking after your mental health
Equips employees with the skills to prioritise their own mental health at work. Led by a mental health professional, it covers mental wellbeing basics, signs of distress, and tools for managing mental health, reducing stigma and building a supportive environment. By the end, participants can better recognise signs of distress and respond supportively to themselves and others.
R U OK? Empowering others through active listening and support
For those who want to better support colleagues and team members. Through discussion and exercises, participants learn the R U OK? framework, active listening, offering help, connecting people to resources, and self-care. By the end, participants have practical skills in active listening and supporting others through difficult conversations.
Both programs can run on the same day for different cohorts, or combine into a half-day program for smaller teams. A leadership-specific version of the support session is available for managers and team leaders, who are often an employee’s first point of contact when they are struggling. If your goal is personal wellbeing strategies, choose the first; if it’s practical peer-support and listening skills, choose the second. Many organisations run both.
What a well-designed R U OK? Day looks like
Effective R U OK? Day programs are facilitated, provide a conversation framework rather than just encouragement, and create space for honest reflection without forcing participation. HSG facilitators are experienced mental health professionals who handle these conversations with sensitivity, help safeguard psychological safety, and leave teams with tools they can use well beyond the day itself.
How to plan your R U OK? Day program
R U OK? Day falls on the second Thursday of September, and facilitators book out quickly around that date — aim for four to six weeks’ notice. Sessions run from 45 minutes to half a day, onsite or online, with multiple sessions possible across shifts, sites and time zones. A manager-specific session strengthens your mental health culture year-round, and the day works best as a starting point, continuing through Mental Health Month in October and into a broader Annual Wellbeing Program.
What organisations are saying
HSG has done it again!
Having worked with HSG before I had high expectations of what I knew they could deliver and they didn’t disappoint! We put on a couple of wellness webinars for our staff and each was organised promptly, with full details and without any stone left unturned. Lisa was a fabulous help and always responded to my queries in a quick and very friendly manner. Even when one webinar didn’t quite go to plan she was quick to respond and help smooth things over which just further increased my appreciation of her and the wider HSG team. 10/10 service and would definitely recommend! A big thank you to everyone involved, including Merv and Leonie for the knowledge and tips they shared, and the general friendliness that was felt from the entire HSG team. Great job as always!
Penny Sandercock
Domain Group, Sydney NSW
Frequently asked questions
R U OK? Day is held on the second Thursday of September each year. In 2026, R U OK? Day is Thursday, 10 September.
HSG offers two workshops: ‘R U OK? Looking after your mental health’, focused on individual awareness and self-care, and ‘R U OK? Empowering others’, which teaches peer-support and active-listening skills. A leadership version of the support session is available for managers and team leaders. All are available onsite or online, from 45 minutes to half a day.
Yes. HSG’s national network of specialist facilitators can deliver sessions across multiple locations, including simultaneously on the day, with live-webinar delivery available for remote and hybrid teams.
Book at least four to six weeks before R U OK? Day to secure your preferred facilitator, format and time, as sessions fill quickly near the day. Contact HSG as early as possible.
Australia’s Work Health and Safety Regulations require employers to manage psychosocial hazards, including factors such as low support and unclear roles. Structured programs like HSG’s R U OK? Day sessions are one proactive measure that supports the management of those risks, alongside a broader psychosocial risk management approach.
Book your R U OK? Day program
September comes around fast, and facilitators are booked early in the weeks leading up to the day. We recommend reaching out four to six weeks ahead to secure your preferred date and format. Tell us about your teams, and we’ll recommend the right session, or combination of sessions, for your workplace.
Book now — R U OK? Day sessions fill quickly.
Call us: 1300 889 073
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HSG has supported more than 1,600 organisations across corporate, government, healthcare, education and not-for-profit sectors, including Microsoft, Telstra, Commonwealth Bank, BHP, the Department of Defence, St Vincent’s, the University of Sydney, Deakin University, The Smith Family and headspace National Youth Mental Health Foundation.
Start the conversation
More than 1,600 organisations have trusted HSG to deliver practical workplace wellbeing programs across Australia. Tell us what your team needs, and we’ll help you identify the right next step.
We respond to all enquiries within 12 hours.