New R U OK? online course encourages hospitality workers to look out for one another

Sydney, NSW: Allara Learning have teamed up with R U OK? to develop a new online course for the hospitality industry. 

A recent survey of hospitality workers commissioned by R U OK? revealed:

• 80 per cent of hospitality workers agreed that mental health issues, such as feeling depressed, anxious or manic, are a challenge currently facing those in the industry.
• While 50 per cent of respondents said they had been asked by someone at work in the past 12 months if they were ok when they really needed it.
• Around 40% had thought about asking someone if they were okay, but didn’t. When asked why, a third indicated that they didn’t feel it was their place to ask the question. 

R U OK? Campaign Director Katherine Newtown said that the survey results indicate there is more work to be done to help hospitality workers feel comfortable checking in with each other, but it is encouraging that at least half of those surveyed said they had been asked the question when they needed to talk.

In response to these results, R U OK? and Allara Learning teamed up to develop a new online short course. The interactive course is designed to help hospitality workers identify the signs of someone who may be struggling, determine the right time and place to ask the question and navigate a conversation is someone responds ‘No, I’m not ok’.

Allara Learning CEO Andrew Lewis said; “While many in the hospitality industry understand the value of compliance and skills training, the importance of staff’s mental health and well-being is sometimes overlooked”. 

Lewis added, “We hope this new R U OK? course encourages hospitality workers to look out for one another and provides them with the practical skills to help a colleague who may be struggling”.

Kate Tones, Group People Experience Manager of Australia’s premier hospitality group Merivale said she welcomes the addition of the new course to Allara Learning’s suite of online short courses.

The online course will be complemented by workplace resources, featuring the tagline ‘Chances are one of your work family need to talk’. Resources include display posters, stickers for roster boards and conversation guides available at https://www.ruok.org.au/hospitality. 

The R U OK? online course will be made freely available to the hospitality industry from the Allara Learning website.

R U OK?
R U OK? is a not-for-profit organisation that aims to inspire and empower everyone to meaningfully connect with people around them and support anyone struggling with life. R U OK?Day is a national day of action, held on the second Thursday of September each year. But every day is the day to start a conversation. Conversation tips and crisis numbers can be found at ruok.org.au.

Survey Results
The research was conducted on behalf of R U OK? by Colmar Brunton via Colmar Brunton’s fieldwork partner The Online Research Unit. A total of sample of n=199 Australian adults (aged 16+) were interviewed from all states and territories across the hospitality industry.