With one month to go until the R U OK? in Trucks & Sheds National Day of Action on 14 May 2024 Healthy Heads in Trucks & Sheds and R U OK? are calling on the road transport, warehousing, and logistics industries to bring their teams together for a workplace event, focusing on the 2024 theme, ‘Ask R U OK? – No qualifications needed.’

The updated theme from “Drive Conversation” is in response to feedback from the sector with people still feeling they might not be qualified or feel confident to genuinely ‘ask are you ok?’

Ask R U OK? – No qualifications needed aims to break through this stigma and highlight that you don’t need to be qualified counsellor to check in with a colleague or friend. This industry-wide initiative intends to give people the confidence to meaningfully connect and ask, ‘are you ok?’, and highlights the signs to look out for that could indicate that someone needs some support.

This industry faces unique challenges, such as tight deadlines, long hours, shift work and isolation. Regular and meaningful conversations help us know our workmate’s routines and their behaviors, helping to spot the signs if they are not ok.

This Day of Action is more than a morning tea once a year. It encourages organisations across the country to hold workplace events to support connection amongst colleagues and provide free resources on how to have a conversation if they’re worried a workmate might be struggling, and reiterates that every day is R U OK? Day.

Naomi Frauenfelder, Healthy Heads in Trucks & Sheds CEO said, “One of Healthy Heads’ key ambitions is to continually raise mental health awareness across the sector. By teaming up with R U OK? our goal is to empower people in the road transport, warehousing, and logistics industries to build a supportive workplace culture where colleagues really look out for each other.

“Often, the best people to spot the signs that someone might be struggling are the people closest to them. That’s why the R U OK? message can be so effective in the workplace.”

 “Show your support and ask ‘R U OK?’ today and every time you spot the signs a workmate might be struggling. Together, let’s build our confidence to ask R U OK? – no qualifications needed, because a conversation could change a life.”

Visit healthyheads.org.au/ruok for FREE resources to help you have an R U OK? conversation and plan your R U OK? in Trucks & Sheds activities.