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Are they really OK?

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R U OK? Day · Thursday 10 September

Are they really OK?

Four steps worth knowing, and the numbers worth having. We’re not selling anything on this page.

Comstel ICT · September 2026

You see colleagues more than most people see their own families. Which means you’re often the first to notice when something’s off — someone quieter than usual, shorter than usual, staying later or turning up less.

You don’t need training to ask about it. You just need to ask.

The four steps

  1. AskBe relaxed and open. “How are you travelling?” or “You haven’t seemed yourself lately — everything alright?” Mention what you’ve actually noticed, without turning it into a diagnosis.
  2. ListenTake what they say seriously and resist the urge to fix it. Don’t interrupt, don’t compare it to your own situation, and let silences sit. Being properly heard is most of it.
  3. Encourage actionAsk what they’ve already tried and what might help. If they’ve been struggling for more than a couple of weeks, gently suggest speaking to their GP or a mental health professional.
  4. Check inPut a note in your calendar and follow up in a week or two. The follow-up is what turns a moment into support — and it’s the step most people skip.

If the answer is “no, not really”

You don’t have to have an answer. You’re not expected to counsel anyone. Staying with them, taking it seriously, and helping them find someone qualified is the whole job.

R U OK? has free conversation guides for exactly this at ruok.org.au, including what to do when someone says they’re not okay.

Where to get support

  • Lifeline — 13 11 14, 24 hours a day, seven days a week
  • Beyond Blue — 1300 22 4636
  • 13YARN — 13 92 76, for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
  • Suicide Call Back Service — 1300 659 467
  • MensLine Australia — 1300 78 99 78
  • In an emergency, call 000

A note on doing this at work

R U OK? Day works best when it isn’t only one day. A poster in the kitchen on 10 September and nothing on 11 September doesn’t build the kind of workplace where people actually speak up.

What does help: managers who ask in one-to-ones and mean it, workloads that aren’t quietly impossible, and knowing that saying “I’m not doing great” won’t be held against you.

Ask someone today. — The team at Comstel ICT