‘R U OK Day’ is here again! As someone who deeply values the support of one’s friends, I love ‘R U OK Day’. Each year for me, it’s a nice opportunity to pause and reflect on the moments, big and small, where my friends have really been there for me, whether I’ve needed it or not.

This year, with a new and growing team at Athyna, ‘R U OK’ day not only has me thinking about how I can support my team on an ongoing basis by creating a great working culture, but also asking; how important is it? And, how do we do it?

Let’s start with the data…

Is a supported team a happy team?

Sure is. The Society for Human Resource Management reports that employees who have a supportive manager are 33% more likely to be happy at work.

What does a happy team mean for a business?

Better work. A study by the University of Warwick found that happy employees are 12% more productive than unhappy employees.

Better earnings. Deloitte suggests that companies with high employee wellbeing have 14% higher earnings per share than companies with low employee wellbeing.

Can’t argue with those facts. In summation-it’s very important.

So how do we create work environments for teams which make employees feel supported? R U OK have some tips in their deep library of resources- some simple ones which resonate with me:

Take an interest. Regularly check in with employees one-on-one to see how they are doing and offer support where you can. You won’t always be able to solve every problem, but showing you care goes a long way.

Be vulnerable. Create a culture of open communication and trust, where employees feel comfortable talking about their personal and professional lives. Often starts with sharing some of your own life.

Leverage resources from professionals. Provide employees with access to resources and tools to help them manage their stress and improve their overall health and wellbeing. You aren’t always an expert on these things but experts are out there- lean on them.

As we see the trend of return to office continue, we’re again spending so much time together. It’s my view that as managers it is our responsibility to ensure that our teams are having a good time and enjoying their work. If we want people in the office, then let’s set the tone that the office is a place where everyone is heard, supported and that is absolutely is OK to not be OK. And when you’re not OK- as managers, we are here to help.