Return To Workplace Guide For Adland

RETURN TO WORKPLACE GUIDE FOR ADLAND

FOREWORD

Many of you have been coming to us for advice on how to manage the challenges that come with returning to the workplace. We’ve seen a huge amount of change, a high expectation of adaptability and an increased level of uncertainty. This has left some of us feeling anxious, nervous or fearful about the return of face to face interactions.

It is absolutely normal to be feeling a combination of emotions, remember to respect, listen and understand that this experience is different for everyone. Look out for each other and hold space for one another over this period of adjustment.

Your concerns are valid and we hear you. With the help of some talented industry people and clinical experts, we hope this Return To Workplace Guide helps you feel more equipped.

Thank you to all those who contributed to the creation of this guide.

Mentally Healthy Co-Chairs ANDY WRIGHT Managing Director, Streamtime & Creator of Never Not Creative KATE HOLLAND Account Director, UnLtd

INTRO

Over the past year we’ve witnessed an astronomical change to what we once perceived as our normal working week.

Our meetings became virtual, we had more time back in our homes, and much less time interacting with people face to face.

We all reacted in our own unique ways throughout this time. For some it was a positive experience and for others it was challenging.

As the industry begins to return from all this change, many of our industry partners are asking what this new ‘normal’ looks like. There are questions around how we return to offices safely, how do we look after staff mental wellbeing in this new world of work and how do we create a culture of creativity in a hybrid environment?

The purpose of the book is to normalise the conversation around mental health, learn from each other and acknowledge the fact that these concerns impact everyone and that there isn’t a magical ‘one size fits all’ solution.

Perhaps the question remains whether this is a time to address the ‘challenges’ that this new environment has created or whether this is an opportunity to look at the way we work in a new light. A clean slate to foster mentally healthy workplaces and culture.

Mentally Healthy is a movement to enhance our industry’s capacity to cope with and improve levels of mental health. We’re driven by the Mentally Healthy Change Group, a collective of passionate volunteers who are focused on empowering the creative, media and marketing industry to smash the stigma around mental health. It’s guided by Never Not Creative and UnLtd who provide resource, leadership and facilitation.

To find out more about the Mentally Healthy Change Group visit www.mentally-healthy.org If you need help urgently call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

INDEX

1 2 3 4 5

How is our industry feeling?

Helpful tips on returning to work in real life How to engage in a challenging conversation What we already know about our industry Mentally Healthy Minimum Standards

1

HOW IS OUR INDUSTRY FEELING?

Q&A HOW ARE OUR INDUSTRY LEADERS FEELING?

PAUL SIGALOFF

MANAGING DIRECTOR ANZ INSEA, VERIZON MEDIA How are you personally feeling about returning to work?

Our offices reopened at the end of 2020 at 25% capacity, and while we haven’t mandated a return to the office we’ve seen teams organically coming together two days per week. This level of engagement between department heads and the teams has been phenomenal to see.

I get a lot of energy from my people, so getting back to in-person catch-ups, team meetings and corridor conversations has been invigorating. I initially thought I’d return two days a week max, but I’m already doing four because of how much I’m enjoying these human connections.

I’m also excited about the greater flexibility within our working structure and hours going forward, balancing deep work at home with collaborative in office sessions. I still find certain tasks easier face to face - strategy work being one example.

As a leader I know some people are very happy and safe in their cocoon working from home, so a big challenge for me is showing a good value exchange in coming back to the office, and creating a space where people feel really comfortable in what’s still a dynamic COVID situation.

What’s the one thing that’s changed for you personally or that you’ve learnt from the pandemic that you will continue to do differently?

I confess that pre-pandemic I was sceptical as to how productive people were when ‘working from home’. I was a strong believer that people needed to be in the office together and that client meetings should always be face to face. If you’d asked me in January 2020 if we could run our business with everyone working remotely I’d have said absolutely not. But I’ve been proven 100% wrong.

We’ve been fortunate to experience massive growth over the last year, and our people have been phenomenal in adapting and working over and above. They’ve shown how deeply they care for the business and for each other. We’ve united as a whole to be human and helpful - internally with our people and externally with our customers. And certainly, we want to maintain that same level of trust, support and empathy into our future of work.

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On a more practical level - what does a return to the workplace look like for your organisation?

Whilst we’re still defining what our workplace looks like post-pandemic on a global level, at a local level we envisage flexibility to play a key role. I think there will have to be some in-office time for everyone, we see teams are able to collaborate better when that’s the case. However, whether it’s three days a week in the office and two at home, or vice versa, remains to be seen. Given the organic patterns emerging now, that seems a likely place for us to end up. Making sure everyone feels comfortable and safe returning to the office is of the utmost importance, and we’re taking every precaution to practice safety, hygiene and sustainability in our workplace.

Thinking from a more mental wellbeing perspective - what are your biggest concerns or challenges in terms of creating a mentally healthy workplace for your staff and how are you addressing those challenges?

Not being in the office together makes it harder to spot signs of struggle. So it’s important for our managers and leaders to have frequent and regular check-ins to talk to people when they’re not in the office.

I start every leadership meeting asking the team how they’re feeling in terms of energy and mental health. It’s basic check-ins like this which make mental health and showing vulnerability part of the vernacular. So when you’re having an off day, you can actually talk to people about it without being judged.

To that end we’ve rolled out a number of comprehensive training programs across the business, and we provide a whole raft of free mental health and wellbeing initiatives and guides through our Mental Health Hub, as well as encouraging people to share their own tips in company forums. There’s no silver bullet in this area, so it’s great to showcase best practice among peers.

PAUL SIGALOFF

One of my 2020 highlights was a Mentally Healthy accreditation course. It’s given me a much greater understanding of the issues, how to be a positive force to remove the stigma around mental health, be more solutions-focused as a leader and recognise the signs before they can become big issues for my employees. One sign we’ve been trained to recognise is overly high productivity can be a mask for people covering up other mental health issues.

Have you changed your approach to workplace mental health at all since returning to work post COVID? During lockdown we all felt a sense of isolation - the social norms of office life and those day-today conversations were gone. After gaining Mentally Healthy training and accreditation last year, we created and launched a number of initiatives to help stimulate these conversations and create a safe space for people to share, talk and learn from each other.

One example is our open and honest Real Talk series - a monthly live interview series with a purpose to engage our employees on pressing and current worldwide issues through conversations from a diverse range of voices including activists, scholars, authors and public figures. These initiatives aim to enable and encourage tough conversations by educating our people through listening, learning and conversation. Whilst we’ve had great growth and success in the business in the last year we recognise this comes with a lot of people working incredibly hard in unfamiliar circumstances, so making sure we have regular check-ins is key. We’re committed to maintaining a human and helpful approach in everything we do, and this extends to our staff’s families and our partners as well. Ensuring people are mentally healthy is a top priority for me - there’s no reward worth that price.

Our employee-volunteer Culture Force Team works hard to create positive shared experiences through a variety of virtual and in-person events including a Curry Club to raise funds for COVID support in India, trivia Fridays and virtual “work-ins” where we provided a PT twice a week to help people ‘plug in and move’ wherever they are. Within our Corporate Social Responsibility program our people have garnered a great deal of energy through helping our causes of digital inclusion, human prosperity and climate protection whilst working with our charities and partners to make a meaningful impact in these areas.

PAUL SIGALOFF

How do you keep the team connected and create a culture of collaboration, innovation and creativity in a hybrid environment?

It’s always a work in progress, it’s a constantly evolving situation and we’re still learning. However, based on what we’ve learnt, you have to pay attention to people’s needs and energy levels. We’re committed to creating and maintaining a strong company culture of collaboration, creativity and connectivity. We do this through frequent and transparent communication which we’ve maintained and strengthened over this period by taking our monthly company Open House events virtual, creating ‘Ask Me Anything’ and Q&As with our whole leadership team and the introduction of circle work.

KURT BURNETTE

CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER, SEVEN WEST MEDIA

How are you personally feeling about returning to work?

My circumstances meant that I was able to return to the office very early on. There were only a few of us here at a time, which made me appreciate the days of having a full workplace more. The vibe, the people, the energy that an office, even only partially full, can bring - that was what I was looking forward to the most. I very quickly concluded that people react to and want different things based on their own situation or mindset. What we think about and are trying to solve is getting the balance right between meeting the needs of the team and their safety, with the needs of the business and keeping the culture.

What’s the one thing that’s changed for you personally or that you’ve learnt from the pandemic that you will continue to do differently?

That flexibility in office and work from home can work, but a framework of expectations and aligned agreement is needed. What works for some will not work for others at home and the workplace.

On a more practical level - what does a return to the workplace look like for your organisation?

Given we are a TV content company and always on, the return to work looks different by department.

As an example, the newsroom looks different to other departments and never really stopped or changed due to the nature and needs of live TV. We have adopted flexible options within our business units to have any three days in the office and two days working from home, with each team and each market around the country working out among themselves which days work best for them.

Thinking from a more mental wellbeing perspective - what are your biggest concerns or challenges in terms of creating a mentally healthy workplace for your staff and how are you addressing those challenges?

We have made a concerted effort on several fronts to ensure that we strike the right balance and maintain a mentally healthy work environment. We have created ways to assist employees, for example The SWM (Seven West Media) Wellness program. This was created to promote and support our people to engage in healthy lifestyle activities, both at home and in the workplace. The program focuses on physical, financial, and mental health wellbeing.

Have you changed your approach to workplace mental health at all since returning to work post COVID? We have increased support programs across SWM and have created content for people to access through The SWM Wellness program. As a business, we are learning to be more aware of the signs of mental-ill health and when someone may be suffering. There is always more to do in this area, however SWM is committed to learning and adapting to be better in this area as a business and as people.

How do you keep the team connected and create a culture of collaboration, innovation and creativity in a hybrid environment?

We have aligned set days for teams to be physically together in the office and when working from home, we encourage our people to pick up the phone or jump on a video call to stay connected. We also host our Town Hall meetings virtually, so all employees can now attend from wherever they choose to work. Innovation in particular can happen and in fact has been accelerated as we all are forced to look for new ways to solve problems and identify opportunities. But there is no substitute for being together to get the very best out of everyone, not just for work but for mental health. It’s something we are all encouraging to continue. We also know that what works today may not work over the next few weeks, months or years. We need to be fluid in our approach to hybrid working and ensure we adapt and change as we learn more about this new working environment.

TIM STUART-HARRIS COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR, ASHTON MEDIA

How are you personally feeling about returning to work?

We (Ashton Media) are in a slightly different position to most businesses as we returned to the workplace in July 2020, albeit three days a week. However, I remember being very apprehensive about going back to work, which is strange because I am a co-owner of the business! I put this down to two things: 1) People get comfortable and are reluctant to change. I’d been working from home for four months and I live by myself. I’d become used to solitude.

2) Being in the events industry we were obviously severely hit, and being honest, in the early days of the pandemic there were times where I didn’t have a full day’s work. As the commercial director, I didn’t want my business partners and team to see this. Everyone’s work and personal lives were hard enough already.

However, at the time I was very much looking forward to being around “people” i.e. my colleagues again.

What’s the one thing that’s changed for you personally or that you’ve learnt from the pandemic that you will continue to do differently?

The big takeaway from the pandemic and behavioural change for me is to “only focus your time and energy on what you can control.” Obviously easier said than done.

One of the hardest things for me during the pandemic was the uncertainty. How long would lockdown go for? With restrictions can we run our planned events in H2? Our cashflow? I spent so much time and energy focusing on what we couldn’t control, it was exhausting. So, I made a conscious effort to shift my focus to what I could control, both personally and professionally. I set myself an exercise calendar, and living alone, I made a conscious effort to see my sister and her family or close friends once a week. Professionally, I turned to what we could do – we could produce podcast series, virtual roundtables and eventually hybrid events.

Long story short, by focusing on what I could control meant I could make positive steps forward in a challenging time, versus all that time spent worrying about things where I had no influence over the outcome.

On a more practical level - what does a return to the workplace look like for your organisation?

We’ve returned to the office three days a week; Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Personally, I think this is the ultimate balance and for our business one of the silver linings to come out of the last 18 months.

My WFH days are what they used to be, a treat almost. I save on my commute, work from cafes, can do my washing then versus the weekend.

Our days together in the office, I feel everyone is more energised, more creative, we bounce off each other. There’s just a better energy and it feels like we enjoy each other’s company more.

That said, I totally appreciate everyone, their role and personalities, require a different level of social interaction. I would say that everyone in our team would be on the more social side of life.

Thinking from a more mental wellbeing perspective - what are your biggest concerns or challenges in terms of creating a mentally healthy workplace for your staff and how are you addressing those challenges?

Our work ethos has always been work smarter not harder. There’s no reason to be at your desk at 7pm just because. Work/life balance has always been a high priority for our business.

We are a reasonably small and tight-knit team and most of us have been working with each other for years. However, we’re growing so the challenge for us will be around bringing new team members on board and making sure we maintain an environment where they belong and feel comfortable being open with their manager. Where they feel comfortable saying “I’m not OK and why” or “they need help for XYZ reason.”

As a manager and - outside of the regular sales pipeline and one-on-one meetings, I’ve begun earmarking time in my diary to go for a walk with my reports to just chat about them. Ask if they’re OK, ask how they are feeling and if there’s anything I can do to make their work life easier. And I share a bit more about myself and where I’m at so that hopefully they feel comfortable doing the same back.

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Have you changed your approach to workplace mental health at all since returning to work post COVID? As someone who has anxiety myself, mental health has and always will be a big part of my life, and something (eventually) I had to be open with my business partners about. They both have been very supportive of me and the various initiatives I’ve pushed for us to support as a business, for which I’m very thankful. They’re both good eggs.

If anything, the stress and challenges that we went through as an industry (events) and as a team has given everyone an insight into mental health challenges more broadly and has made everyone more understanding.

How do you keep the team connected and create a culture of collaboration, innovation and creativity in a hybrid environment?

We have three days of energy and collaboration together in the office each week. That’s where we have our one-on-ones, our WIPs and our ‘war meetings’ around new launch events and ideas. Anything important or a meeting that requires creativity we save for when we’re together.

Virtually, we stay connected on “Teams” and we’re all very active. Being a smaller team, we’re able to have a (manageable) office chat group where we share all out wins and nice moments, no matter how big or small - whether it’s securing a new speaker, a new sponsor, a new marketing design, a speaker posting about their upcoming session on LinkedIn etc. Then we obviously have other chats for each department.

TIM STUART-HARRIS

Whilst Ashton is our baby, we aren’t precious, we’re open to any way we can improve what we do.

There’s no such thing as a bad idea and we encourage anyone in the team to let us know if they think they can improve a process or event.

NICKIE SCRIVEN CEO, ZENITH MEDIA AUSTRALIA

How are you personally feeling about returning to work?

I have already returned to working in the office and I am feeling positive about it. It is great to reconnect with colleagues. I also think it is important to get the balance right and provide flexibility for employees so they can maintain better work/life balance which I believe will come with work both in the office and from home. My only concern is people coming into the office when they are unwell – stay at home if you are sick and keep your germs contained for the sake of everyone’s health!

What’s the one thing that’s changed for you personally or that you’ve learnt from the pandemic that you will continue to do differently?

Connect regularly with the entire agency across all markets via Zoom / Teams calls.

On a more practical level - what does a return to the workplace look like for your organisation?

3 days in the office and 2 days from home.

Thinking from a more mental wellbeing perspective - what are your biggest concerns or challenges in terms of creating a mentally healthy workplace for your staff and how are you addressing those challenges?

We have a range of health and wellbeing programs, initiatives and support services in place that employees have access to, along with a very connected people and culture team that help to monitor and support our people’s mental health and wellbeing.

Have you changed your approach to workplace mental health at all since returning to work post COVID? We actually implemented more services throughout COVID and these remain in place to support our people.

How do you keep the team connected and create a culture of collaboration, innovation and creativity in a hybrid environment?

Through a variety of face to face and online initiatives. We have mandatory days in the office (Tuesdays and Thursdays) and work from home Wednesday, with flexibility on Mondays and Fridays. This provides people with balance. Face-to-face meetings are always scheduled on Tuesdays and Thursdays to bring our people together.

PETER BARRY

REGIONAL DIRECTOR, ANZ & HEAD OF AUDIENCE APAC, PUBMATIC

How are you personally feeling about returning to work?

My team and I have been back in the office since just after the New Year, on a pretty flexible basis. The thing I am loving most on the days when we are all in together is the energy and banter that I’ve missed so much since the beginning of last year. You don’t actually realise how much you’ve missed the team until you see them all again. I wouldn’t say I’m worried about anything specific, but I do want to ensure that the team retain some of the good habits picked up while we worked remotely. I try to walk my step-daughter to school every day, and I plan on continuing that. Some people get to do exercise, spend more time with their family etc. The time you don’t spend commuting can be time spent bringing more balance to your life.

What’s the one thing that’s changed for you personally or that you’ve learnt from the pandemic that you will continue to do differently?

During deep lockdown I was really struck by how simple life became, and actually loved that element of the change. We couldn’t do much, so we just did stuff together like walks, picnics etc. I don’t think it will be possible to keep this as the treadmill begins to accelerate again, but I think it’s good to remember that when everything else was removed the important things like family and friends were what mattered. The car you drove or the watch you wore meant nothing. I think this is worth remembering.

On a more practical level - what does a return to the workplace look like for your organisation?

Some parts of our business have already seen some return to “normal” life, especially in Australia and places like Singapore and China. Other regions are very far away from that point, like in India, where our colleagues and their families are dealing with an extremely difficult situation. So there is no “onesize-fits-all” solution. That said, HR has been regularly distributing Back to Work surveys to understand how our employees are viewing work-life post COVID, so the team can ensure the right framework is in place well in advance. Using this information, along with global best practice, they have put together our Future of Work Plan.

This plan is designed to meet both the challenges and opportunities of the “new” business that will evolve uniquely for each region, as well as afford our employees flexibility to customise their times in offices by creating a hybrid work schedule that is based on maximising team and cross-functional collaboration.

Thinking from a more mental wellbeing perspective - what are your biggest concerns or challenges in terms of creating a mentally healthy workplace for your staff and how are you addressing those challenges?

The biggest issue I have seen and heard about from other organisations is the inability to clearly demarcate work life and family life. In order for our staff to be mentally healthy they need to be disciplined about switching off from work life and being present for their families and down time. This has obviously been a real challenge since the beginning of the pandemic, and I have heard a lot about occurrences of burnout and things like “Zoom fatigue”. Personally, I like to keep at least one day free of any meetings (this can be challenging) so that I can catch up on admin and follow ups. From a wider company perspective, PubMatic has company-wide leave days to ensure that people are stepping away and re-charging. Locally, we are signed up to initiatives like the Mentally Healthy Minimum Standards.

We also try to have some fun days where possible, and recently took time out to go Go-Karting (I won’t talk about the collisions…..)

Have you changed your approach to workplace mental health at all since returning to work post COVID? PubMatic has always put employee experience at the top of our priorities. It is the first thing our CEO brings up at the beginning of every all-hands meeting. This prioritisation has meant that we are well equipped to meet the needs of our teams as they return to the office. Across the organisation we have recognised that this level of disruption and change can create anxiety in people, and so we have become better at listening to our employees and supporting them through these changes.

How do you keep the team connected and create a culture of collaboration, innovation and creativity in a hybrid environment?

The global business has done a great job of maintaining that feeling of connectedness during the pandemic. Virtual team events (pizza making, quizzes, a virtual version of our Global Sales Conference), along with regular swag or goodies drops to the door have been fantastic at reminding people that they are part of a wider organisation and cause. Here in Australia, we have been fortunate in that we are already back in the office part time, and that has enabled us to again collaborate in person on the days that we are in. It’s also meant that the team can hear my best-in-class dad jokes over and over and over again without being able to hang up and claim their internet connection dropped. Let the good times roll!

MARK COAD

CEO, IPG MEDIABRANDS, AUSTRALIA

How are you personally feeling about returning to work?

I’m loving getting back into more presence in the workplace. This is ultimately a people industry, and it’s the people I’ve missed most. Sure, we can see each other on screens and that works well – but it’s not the same as seeing other teams in action, or meeting new people, or hearing smart conversations happen across the floor. The one thing I am looking forward to is the value of small talk. Often the best discussions take place before and after a meeting – on your way in or out. The LEAVE MEETING button brings all meetings to a very abrupt end.

What’s the one thing that’s changed for you personally or that you’ve learnt from the pandemic that you will continue to do differently?

‘Work isn’t where you go, it’s what you do’ - this phrase has been used well, but it’s rung true for me.

This whole episode has taught us all that – and for the better. It has demonstrated that you can get your job done regardless of location, and the fact that we all used up the best part of an hour at each end of the day getting to/from work makes no sense. I plan my days now accordingly. I can do a meeting in the morning from home, and head to the office after that, in half the time. It has changed my travel patterns for the better.

On a more practical level - what does a return to the workplace look like for your organisation?

Right now, we have teams on rotation – week on/week off, with exceptions given where needed. We’ve recently provided access five days a week, so teams can attend together in the pattern that best suits them, as most of our teams are in together three days a week. It has also accelerated the changes we were making in the way we actually use the office. I can tell you due to the clean desk policy we had to introduce, there are very few personalised workstations – no more family photos and personal effects – because people are attending to hub (flowing) in their teams, and therefore getting very used to sharing their space on rotation with others.

Next is our Future of Work model – what shared-office and home-office ways of working will look like after a vaccine roll out. This is underway, and it will set us up for the lessons we learned during COVID and beyond.

Thinking from a more mental wellbeing perspective - what are your biggest concerns or challenges in terms of creating a mentally healthy workplace for your staff and how are you addressing those challenges?

We uphold strong standards on mental health support and education for our leaders and people. The biggest concern for us now is making sure we establish strong standards and tell our people early how their flexibility and team dynamics will work for them– our Future of Work model. We need to establish clarity, and commitment about in-office practice and at-home work practices, so we keep awareness up for what serves our people, teams and business the best.

Research shows us that both office and home work has a wellbeing trade off: stress of commute needs to be balanced with an office environment that assists teams to attend with purpose and making the most of their social and work connections while in. At home-office, the research shows us we’ve got greater life-balance but that we are over-productive, and that concerns us for people’s wellbeing.

Have you changed your approach to workplace mental health at all since returning to work post COVID? As mentioned, we ensure we keep the standards pretty high on mental wellbeing, and offer alwayson access to our Employee Assistance Program, as well as keeping our Mental Health First Aid officers publicised so our people know whom is qualified. Recently, we’ve been discussing how we can encourage our teams to use days for mental recuperation or rest, and formalise that for them. We’ll be considering how that is advocated for as we start to build out our Future of Work.

How do you keep the team connected and create a culture of collaboration, innovation and creativity in a hybrid environment?

It’s pretty easy! We’ve become experts in the how our teams create settings to connect and achieve together – that’s virtual, in-person, and a mix of both. If there’s work that is achieved best in person – pitch, strategic work, client meetings, team-building sessions - that’s when we are seeing the teams in together. That’s not obliged though, and we’ve invested in technology to allow our meeting rooms to better cater for the hybrid. The teams are inclusive, they ensure lots of notice for attending the office, and support those who prefer not to attend. Our big team meetings are done all remotely so everyone’s in the same setting. Also, slowly we’re returning the more social parts of how we work – whether that’s the games room, or lunch rooms, or having events – we do need to get some of the fun back.

BEN SHEPHERD

GENERAL MANAGER OF MEDIA, THINKERBELL

How are you personally feeling about returning to work?

I’m enjoying it. Generally I’ve returned four days a week. That’s my experience - in that I enjoy an office generally and find both working from home and working from a site enjoyable. I am looking forward to more pragmatic thinking around flexibility generally, where people can balance other demands with work and still deliver really good outcomes and energy. Some people are more cautious in their return and that’s also fine. Everyone is different and the results people delivered during the stages of COVID demonstrated to me that location isn’t the requisite massive productivity factor many thought it was.

What’s the one thing that’s changed for you personally or that you’ve learnt from the pandemic that you will continue to do differently?

It was a good reminder that we are all more adaptable than we probably think we are. The other element was during the really dark, unknown parts of COVID in April/May different parts of the advertising ecosystem really rallied together and showed great flexibility and accommodation for others.

On a more practical level - what does a return to the workplace look like for your organisation?

I think we’re all still working it out. So far it’s a lot of communication and lot of discussion around what suits people both collectively and individually. This is something that hopefully continues and we become more comfortable adapting working environments to the individual and not trying to industrialise one way of working to an entire workforce.

Have you changed your approach to workplace mental health at all since returning to work post COVID? Personally no. I’ve had mental health issues in my life, and had family members who have had them, so it’s always been something that’s been front of mind and it’s always something that can impact you.

The one thing that I am trying to be proactive about is any latent impacts of some of the issues that we have faced over the past two years but maybe not had the requisite time to really process. The fires impacted everyone considerably, and then we went straight into COVID, which was accompanied by some of the most heated and partisan political situation many of us had encountered. At the same time there were loads of job losses in our industry and many people saw mandated pay cuts. At some point these will all be processed and for some people they will be challenging. So the longer term mental effects of COVID and the year are things we need to be aware of and equipped to be proactive on.

Thinking from a more mental wellbeing perspective - what are your biggest concerns or challenges in terms of creating a mentally healthy workplace for your staff and how are you addressing those challenges?

My view has been, and remains, that giving work away for free is the greatest contributor to mental health issues in our industry. Scope creep (where an agency may charge for 4 hours but require 8 hours) or over-servicing is a practice where the entire cost is borne by the staff and the benefits are entirely taken by the employer. It creates chronic overwork in terms of hours, stress and uncertainty, and this fuels pressure, exhaustion, worry and anxiety. If this one issue was solved, and staff could comfortably work 38 hours a week it would be the single greatest contributor to significant mental health gains in our industry. This is an industry-wide issue and one where for many, labour and hours are infinite and there’s no cost incurred to obtain this excess labour. We address this challenge by seeking to price fairly and also scope accurately. Plus you need people in your business who can manage a project to scope, and not be tempted to go over in terms of hours or be content to ‘take as long as it takes’.

How do you keep the team connected and create a culture of collaboration, innovation and creativity in a hybrid environment?

We are learning as we go on this I think as an industry. These characteristics are inherent in good people regardless of the site they do their work in. Some people struggled to collaborate and be innovative and creative in an office, and those same people may have found it easier at home, and vice versa. COVID has for the industry forced us all to be more honest and pragmatic about the cultures within the industry and some of the norms we had around collaboration and creativity, and that’s a really positive thing. As managers and practitioners we will learn a lot about our teams and ourselves in the next few years.

NIK KONTOULAS CEO, JUSTEGGS DIGITAL

How are you personally feeling about returning to work?

I feel fine returning as long as the flexibility is there. The team also feels the same way as we have very open chats around how every individual is feeling on coming back in. I am looking forward to seeing the team again and having those face-to-face relationships back as I believe a positive work culture needs this. There is really nothing I am worried about as the decision will be made together.

What’s the one thing that’s changed for you personally or that you’ve learnt from the pandemic that you will continue to do differently?

Flexibility in the workplace - we have become more effective and efficient when giving employees an autonomous working environment. We have learnt that our work can be done from anywhere as long as everyone knows the task at hand. Our clients have also become accustomed to video calls so we feel that if there is a day full of video calls there is no need to come into the office.

On a more practical level - what does a return to the workplace look like for your organisation?

It is gradual, we are not going to force individuals to come in at a set date, we’d rather assess an individual’s personal situation and make decisions based on this. As a leader I am back in the office first to show employees that it is still our core place of work, I do however insist on the team making the decision for themselves based on their own situation and workload. The effect of the pandemic impacted individuals differently so I don’t see why we would apply a blanket approach.

Thinking from a more mental wellbeing perspective - what are your biggest concerns or challenges in terms of creating a mentally healthy workplace for your staff and how are you addressing those challenges?

I am definitely worried about throwing the team back into what we were doing pre-pandemic, long hours, in early etc. We have really focused on staff over the past year, we have given staff a better working environment and flexibility around work hours. We don’t want staff to be overwhelmed or feeling down, so that they make a decision on their mental health when it comes to work hours.

Have you changed your approach to workplace mental health at all since returning to work post COVID? Yes 100%. We are now focusing on staff development more than ever, we are having more one-onone meetings with individual staff members and they all now know where they stand on career development. We have an open line of communication on how the team is feeling and I feel this has made the team way more happier. Staff members now have an optional gym membership if they decide to come into work, can expense coffees and transportation, if they are worried about public transport.

How do you keep the team connected and create a culture of collaboration, innovation and creativity in a hybrid environment?

It is quite easy with a small team, we have increased our team meetings to 3 per week to make sure we are not only on top of our work but connecting the team together. Obviously a huge take up of communication technology with Google Meets and Slack. We have a set week every month we all come into the office, we not only work during this week but we always go out for lunch as a team and do something fun so we can connect outside of work.

PRUE COX

DIRECTOR ENTERPRISE, MARKETING SOLUTIONS, LINKEDIN

How are you personally feeling about returning to work?

I am looking forward to returning to a hybrid way of working two to three days in the office and two to three days at home. Whilst working from home has ticked many boxes for me on the personal front, I am craving the face-to-face interaction of my team and clients. I can’t wait for the ad-hoc conversations, the banter about weekend plans and just the general buzz of working in a busy office.

The big thing that worries me is moving back to a hectic work/life schedule. Over the last 12+ months the morning schedules haven’t been a mad rush out the door, I have had a lot more time for fitness and I have been able to be more present for my kids.

What’s the one thing that’s changed for you personally or that you’ve learnt from the pandemic that you will continue to do differently?

I definitely slowed down over the last 12 months. Whilst I have never been as productive as I have working from home, I have learnt a lot about burnout and how it impacts my mental wellbeing. I will continue to focus more on my mindfulness and making sure that I have the right framework in place to focus on my fitness and overall health.

On a more practical level - what does a return to the workplace look like for your organisation?

The Sydney LinkedIn office is currently open with restrictions including capacity and limited external visitors. Globally, LinkedIn has a WFH policy until 7th September, until this date no one is required to be physically in the office unless they want to. Post 7th September all employees have the choice to work up to 50% from home without approval, they simply need to inform their manager.

Have you changed your approach to workplace mental health at all since returning to work post COVID? I have never been so aware and conscious of workplace mental health than I have over the last year. I have undertaken a number of mental health first aid courses and it has really allowed me to be better equipped as a leader. An area that I have been working on is vulnerable leadership and this has helped me be more open with the team on my own challenges. Creating an environment of inclusion and belonging without judgement is a key priority for me as a leader.

How do you keep the team connected and create a culture of collaboration, innovation and creativity in a hybrid environment?

It’s been really important to create different types of team touch-points especially social and learning opportunities. We have created space in our sales meetings to have personal shares each week so that we stay personally connected. Gratitude and recognition have been important areas that we make sure that we build into our regular cadence of collaboration. We have also just launched an initiative focused on mindset and skill set to ensure that we continue to focus on the team’s learning and development, this is one area that a lot of people feel has been on hold during the WFH period.

WHAT QUESTIONS ARE OUR EMPLOYEES ASKING?

Questions and Answers from the Asking For A Friend Series

We all know that “asking for a friend” is an easier way to ask a tough question.

Asking For A Friend is an initiative by Never Not Creative, Youngbloods Australia and Mentally-Healthy. It exists to make it easier for creatives to ask the unaskable. Wherever you are, tune in on the first Thursday of each month to get help, or just listen to the answers to your friends, colleagues and peers’ questions.

Throughout COVID there have been many questions in relation to returning to the office and negotiating flexible working conditions. We’ve collated some of the best questions and answers from industry leaders and psychologists from the Asking For A Friend series.

Q- How do I bring up feeling anxious in the office?

“Just going back into that office environment where there are so many people can cause anxiety. Here’s the evidence of how I’ve been working and my productivity hasn’t fallen, in fact it’s gone up! How can I negotiate what works for the company and also what works for me?”

Nonie Carr, Psychologist - April 2021

Q- I am more productive working from home, how to I bring this up with my manager?

“I recommend reading about the 4 F’s of workplace re-entry…Fears, Fantasies, Flexibilities and Fun. We need to preserve the skillsets that we’ve mastered in working from home and working with more flexibility. Sit with your manager calmly and share the benefits of the flexible work arrangement that you’ve had.”

Luke Foster, Psychologist - Nov 2020

Q- How do I have a difficult conversation at work?

“I’ve said, I know it might not be your intent, but this is how it’s made me feel. I just want to give you a window into how this feels for me, so that we can work together better – and most people will go…

Ohhh. I had no idea.”

Laura Aldington, CEO, Host/Havas - Sept 2020

Q- It can be more efficient for me to work from home but my team doesn’t see the benefits.

“We’ve proven that we’re all responsible enough to do our jobs from home, that we can connect in lots of different ways, we don’t have to be in the office 100% of the time… you have to share how you have benefitted and how you can do some things better at home. Demonstrate how it’s beneficial to everyone. This way of working has to move with us into the future.”

Jess Lilley, Co-Founder, The Open Arms - May 2020

Q- How do I define the role of WFH and working in the office?

“The role of our studio changed. It’s for collaboration only. My developers are far more productive at home. My designers need synergy. The office becomes about time for us to be together...It can be daunting to have the you vs me discussion. It’s better when you change the focus to the shared purpose.

If we have a shared outcome of great work, for me to be able to do that, I’ve found that this works for me – so we move from being adversarial to finding common ground.”

Tarra Van Amerongen, Managing Director, ustwo - April 2021

WHY INVOLVING YOUR EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR IS ESSENTIAL TO DESIGNING YOUR RETURN TO WORK “Re-onboarding your entire team through a consistent experience will deliver the greatest ROI of any investment you’ll make this year. I guarantee it.”

- Sean Hall | CEO Energx

A Letter from Sean

Hey there! The product of the creative industry is creativity, so it makes sense as leaders that we should do everything we can to ensure creativity is thriving. Our existence as an industry depends on it.

The first Mentally-Healthy results in 2018 confronted us with the fact that we’d been failing to do that, and, understandably, in 2020 the number of your people who were free from mental health issues didn’t significantly improve.

Arguably the person who cares most about creativity is the ECD. That’s why it’s essential they are involved in designing your return-to-work experience.

Designing an award-winning re-onboarding experience is your chance to create a legacy that saves and improve the lives of your people.

As a leader you’ll know that providing workplaces where people are free from psychological harm is your legal obligation and responsibility. Research also shows psychologically safe workplaces are the foundation for psychological trust, the breeding ground for high performing teams and innovation.

I really believe COVID has handed us an opportunity for a reset. You have a choice, either approach returning to work as a series of problems and inconveniences or as a once in a career opportunity to correct past mistakes.

Do you believe it’s possible to come out of this better than we went in?

Publicis, Facebook and Energx proved this with Thrive – a bespoke program that simultaneously reduced the number of employees with mental health concerns by 53%, reduced burnout warning signs by 40% and increased the number of healthy employees by 213%, all in just 100 days.

Check out the case study here.

How to do a good job at re-onboarding • Focus on creating the conditions for creativity to thrive. When creativity thrives, everything thrives.

• Collaborate with experts using tools designed to collect the right data to understand what your people need, want and value.

• Benchmark yourselves against other industries.

• Use your creative superpowers to make your onboarding a cultural symbol and benchmark.

• Get your planners involved too. This time your people are the brief!

• Leaders are burned out too. Be aware of that and take a systems thinking approach.

This means bottom up as well as top down.

• Invest on keeping your people vs replacing them.

• Build a repeatable experience that becomes an asset, makes you famous and is irresistible to talent.

• Get creative with your KPIs. What if by the end of your onboarding every newbie had referred two new potential hires? What if every newbie was more well, more engaged and more creative than the day they arrived?

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HELPFUL TIPS ON RETURNING TO WORK IN REAL LIFE

POSSIBLE SIGNS OF CHANGING MENTAL HEALTH

Member of the Mentally Healthy Change Group and Qualified Mental Health First Aid Trainer Chloe Hooper

“

2020 was the year that affected us all, in one way or another.

There’s no doubt the increased isolation caused by COVID-19 was detrimental to the nation’s mental health. However, it also helped to raise awareness of the impact of mental health within the workplace. I spoke with many people who never experienced ill mental health in their lives before the pandemic, whose mental health struggled in 2020. I found this increased awareness meant that everyone was looking out for each other a little more than they were before. The empathetic leaders shone through, we appreciated over-communication more than ever and we took the time to genuinely ask ‘how are you?’ – well, that was my personal experience at least.

My worry as we move through new stages of the pandemic and beyond, is that we forget what we have learnt. I don’t just mean the side hustles, baking and time with our loved ones. I mean the prioritisation of checking in with people. Sadly, from what I have seen, 2021 has not been any easier for many. In fact, I have frequently heard Q1 of 2021 be referred to as Q5 of 2020.

As we reach the halfway point of 2021 many of us now sit in a hybrid WFH model – there has never been a more important time to be looking for the signs that people may be struggling with their mental health. In mental health first aid we teach ‘POSSIBLE SIGNS OF MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS IN THE WORKPLACE’ which can be seen on the following pages. So, my ask to you is to take a moment and think – has there been any change in anyone you know recently? If so, I urge you to check in with them.

And don’t just look for people who are visibly showing signs. Check in with the people who you may not have seen for a while, as one of the biggest signs is often that someone has become withdrawn.

I am constantly receiving emails from people who have helped people suffering from mental ill-health and those that have been helped by others. The difference it can make by letting someone know you see them, can be life changing.

POSSIBLE SIGNS OF MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS IN THE WORKPLACE BEHAVIOURAL not getting things done erratic behaviour withdrawing from others reduced participation in work activities indecisive difficulty in memory loss of confidence conflict with team members/manager excessive fear or worry increased errors, accidents

PHYSICAL tired all the time sick and run down headaches persistent/resistant muscle aches and pains moving more slowly or appearing agitated changes in sleep patterns weight loss or gain dishevelled appearance gastro-intestinal problems inability to concentrate

MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID FOR THE INDUSTRY Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) and MOOD tea have partnered to bring the industry a training course that not only equips you with knowledge and practical skills to recognise signs of mental ill-health, but also gives back to youth at risk.

MOOD Tea is a social enterprise committed to fighting the number one killer of young Australians: youth suicide. They sell life-enhancing teas that fit in with your mood, with all profits going towards funding mental health projects to save young lives.

The course will be delivered by Chloe Hooper who is an active member of the Mentally Healthy Change Group and a qualified mental health first aid trainer.

If you or your company is interested in getting involved, please fill out an expression of interest form here.

X “Participating in the Mental Health First Aid course helped me focus on my role of de-stigmatising mental health in our office and play a role in beginning to normalise its treatment and the support we provide those with physical health concerns. Learning the skills to help someone suffering from mental health issues is incredible in gaining the confidence and knowledge in an area that is so prevalent and common among us all.”

Margie Reid – CEO, Thinkerbell

MOOD x MHFA package • 5 hours online learning • 2 x 2.5 hours with instructor • Virtual call • 12-14 people per group • $1k worth of MOOD tea Cost: $5,000 per session

ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGES OF RETURNING TO THE WORKPLACE

Dr Erica Crome | National Mental Health Commission

Dr Crome is a Clinical Psychologist and Project Director of the National Workplace Initiative at the National Mental Health Commission.

COVID-19 has disrupted the way many of us work.

Last year, organisations and businesses adapted quickly to working remotely and navigating collaboration and connection in virtual environments. As restrictions ease, the focus is shifting to returning to the workplace. Returning to face-to-face interactions with colleagues and clients may have benefits such as improved collaboration, deeper connections and spontaneous conversations. However, as another period of change and transition, it can also increase uncertainty, fear and concern. To help ease this transition, there are some things that both individuals and leaders and managers can do to manage the return to the workplace more effectively.

For individuals Just as the change adjusting to working from home was a challenge, there are also challenges returning to the office. Here are some ideas for managing some of the common concerns about the return to the workplace: Reframing the commute One of the advantages of working remotely is less time commuting each day, making more time for things like exercise, hobbies and family. As we return to the workplace, invariably we are also returning to commuting as well. Although this might mean a disruption to routines you have established while working remotely, time commuting does not need to feel like wasted time. Commuting can help create a boundary between work and life, allowing our minds to transition and switch off from work. It can also provide an opportunity for exercise or reflection on ideas away from computers and desks. It may even be an opportunity to learn a new skill or get up to speed with trends in the industry through online courses, podcasts or publications.

Adjusting to being around others Humans are wired to notice new things in our environment, it helps us respond quickly to things that might pose a threat to our survival. After a long time interacting with colleagues and customers through screens, it is unsurprising that the buzz and immediacy of a room of people can feel unnerving. If you are finding yourself uncomfortable presenting in-person or interacting with colleagues in the office, remind yourself that it will take a while to readjust. Small tips include practicing your pitch with friends to get used to talking in front of others, finding a quiet space to recharge if you are feeling overwhelmed or using headphones to block out noise to help you focus.

Fear of infection We have spent over a year being vigilant about physical distance and personal hygiene.

Even as restrictions ease, the need for us all to play our part in stopping the spread of COVID-19 still remains. Workplaces have the duty to follow public health directions, as well as taking reasonable steps to protect your health and safety at work. If you are feeling unsafe at work or on your commute, raise this with a manager. If you are not comfortable with how others are acting around you, you can politely express your concerns or move away from the situation.

Negotiating flexible work Each organisation and business may take a different approach to flexible arrangements and returning to the workplace. Customers and clients may also differ in their preference for in-person or virtual meetings. Many owners and leaders are navigating what the future of work looks like, trying to balance what works best for the organisation or business and what works best for individuals.

If there are elements of flexible work that you want to retain, it is important to communicate these early and often with your manager. Some workers also have the right to request flexible working arrangements under the Fair Work Act. Your manager will need to consider how flexible working arrangements could impact projects, deliverables and the team more broadly. You can help contribute to this conversation by considering how flexible work may also help achieve broader organisational objectives.

Reaching out for support There are times in all our lives where we can benefit from some additional support. It may be because of symptoms of mental ill-health, feeling burnt out after long periods of change and uncertainty or even worry for family and friends in other countries. Some organisations have Employee Assistance Programs that provide free and confidential support. You can also confidentially discuss any impacts that COVID-19 is having on your mental health with services such as the Coronavirus Mental Wellbeing Support Service, Lifeline or your GP. If something is weighing on your mind, reaching out for support early can prevent concerns escalating.

For owners, leaders and managers It is also important to acknowledge that every person adapts to change differently and returning to the workplaces can be stressful for some workers. The Mentally Healthy Workplace during COVID-19 employer guides provide an overview of ways to protect mental health at work and support people in distress. These guides also provide tips for identifying people who may need additional support and support services that can help.

Checking in on people, keeping communication open and listening to what people need is likely to help smooth the transition back to the workplace. Leading by example and taking time to prioritise your mental health can set an important example to others.

PRODUCTIVITY HACKS FOR WHEREVER YOU ARE WORKING “The single best thing you can do to improve your life is to improve how you start your morning.

Based on the premise that how you start your day largely determines the quality of your day, your work and your life.”

Fleur Marks Chief Wellbeing Officer

The Power of the Power Hour A ‘Power Hour’ is one dedicated hour, without distractions, where you put 100 per cent effort into one dedicated task or project. Ideally, your single most important task to do that day. By limiting the time we have to complete a task, we work faster and more efficiently. And furthermore, by completing the task so quickly, we don’t allow ourselves time to freak out about what we have to do, which only exaggerates its complexity and importance.

1.

Keep a Power Hour task list. Create a Power Hour list to capture these tasks in advance. Ideally, choose the Most Important Task (MIT) of the day – and nothing else.

2.

Plan your Power Hour. Before you start, take five minutes to choose your Power Hour task and prepare what you need to complete it.

3.

Respect your scheduled Power Hour. Stay focused, shut off email and other notifications. Get to work.

4.

When distractions pop up. Have a blank sheet of paper and a pen next to you to write down all the things that pop into your head during your Power Hour.

5.

Celebrate your accomplishments. Note what you achieved in that hour and cross the tasks off your to-do list as you complete them.

6.

Repeat. The Power Hour works best when it is a regular, recurring event to get you into practice and flow.

Working From Home Productivity Hacks 1.

Set up your workstation. Where possible, set up an area from which you can work consistently every day while working from home. Ideally, replicate your work set-up to be similar to your home set-up. Make it a space you want to go to.

Whether you’re working from the kitchen table or in a dedicated home office, your workspace should be free of clutter, comfortable and inspiring. It should be free of distractions, have proper lighting and perhaps feature a few things that spark your productivity and make you feel good.

2.

Pretend like you are going to work. When working from home, do all the things you would normally do to prepare for an office role. Set your alarm, get up as you usually do, and wear your work clothes as opposed to your PJ’s (no matter how tempting that may be). It will help you get ‘in the zone’ and be more naturally in your work mode.

3.

Keep to your usual work schedule. Stick to waking up at your usual time and start your daily routine as you would normally, without the commute. Plan out your schedule each day and write a to-do list to stay on track. When you are at work, work. Have lunch as you normally would, away from your work area, and remember to grab some fresh air and move around during the day as you would in the office.

4.

Respect your boundaries. Set clear boundaries for yourself so work doesn’t blend into your personal life. Be careful to retain your boundaries in terms of where and when you work. Set a clear start and finish time each day. Keep your workstation as the area for work, not your bedroom, lounge or wherever else is comfy, otherwise after a while you may find you are not able to separate work from home life

5.

Play some ‘focus’ music. A little background noise or music can actually help you to focus. Having the TV on is generally not recommended though. Background music will also help if you miss the office buzz and find your mind wandering. Try productivity-style music like low-f beats, classical music or apps like brain.fm with music specifically designed for the brain to enhance focus.

6.

Schedule breaks. It’s tempting to get distracted with social media, the washing, or household chores when working from home. Treat these activities as break times rather than letting them distract you from work. Break up what you are doing throughout the day to avoid the tendency to sit and stare at your screen all day long. Take micro breaks at regular intervals and do your chores then. Your brain needs short periods of rest so that it can regain focus and recharge.

Top tip: schedule alarm reminders in your calendar or use a kitchen timer to signal break time.

7.

Set social media and email check-in times. Unless your job involves staying connected to social media, schedule only specific times to check your social media accounts and emails. Otherwise, you’ll be constantly distracted whenever you receive a notification. Check social channels and emails only at these set times.

Choose two to three times during the day, for example 10am, 1pm and 4pm.

8.

At the end of the day. Switch off your computer, tidy your desk and leave your ‘office’ as you would if you were at your workplace. Close all your tabs and clear your work area for the next day. If you’re new to working remotely, it can take time to adjust. It requires extreme focus, independence and reliability. If you thrive in a busy environment and require social interaction to get through the day, it’s possible you’ll struggle. Give it some time, and consider these hacks to help you find ways to make your home-work-life transition easier.

Content has been provided by Fleur Marks, the Chief Wellbeing Officer and the founder of WellYou and The Wellbeing Store. Fleur shines a light on the importance of wellbeing within the industry, changing lives daily. If you or your workplace are interested in hearing more about WellYou and their Corporate Wellbeing Strategy, Training and Coaching, you can email: fleur@wellyou.com.au. Or you can check out the new Corporate Wellbeing Gifting Guide a unique considered way to reward your team/clients.

3

HOW TO ENGAGE IN A CHALLENGING CONVERSATION

HOW TO START A CONVERSATION WHEN THINGS DON’T SEEM RIGHT Content has been provided by Heart On My Sleeve who are a mental health social movement and service provider that empowers people to be real about how they feel, to create connections that heal.

What are some of the warning signs that may indicate someone might not be coping at work?

• Deteriorating performance at work • Spacey, vacant or indecisive • Low spark

• Withdrawal and avoidance • Irritability or outbursts • Unusual skepticism

It is just as important in a virtual world to keep an eye out for how these signs appear.

For example - someone may be responding slower than normal to emails, declining many or all non-mandatory meetings and important touchpoints. They may seem distant in meetings and not participate as readily as usual, or using the mute and camera off functions, so that they can disengage.

Ways to enter a conversation when you notice there are warning signs There are two main entry points into a wellbeing conversation with someone. The first is active. Active means that we, as the supporter, are driving that conversation. Basically this is when we approach the help seeker to see if they are OK. This can either be done reactively or proactively: • Reactive: You’ve observed something in a person’s behaviour that isn’t quite right, and you are using this context to prompt a check-in with them • Proactive: You reach out regardless of anything you’ve observed, you may already talk about mental and emotional wellbeing as a natural part of your dialogue The other way a wellbeing conversation may begin is passive, where the help seeker approaches the supporter to tell them they’re not OK. This is called passive.

• Passive: Someone is approaching you to tell you that they are not OK There is no right/wrong or better/worse way to start a conversation. All have their own benefits. It really depends on the situation.

Helpful techniques to engage conversation when you are the supporter Effective listening can drive connection and understanding for the help seeker so that they feel safe enough to discuss what’s impacting them.

Techniques of effective listening 1. Questions: When we ask open questions, we are looking for answers that help us understand, not solve. Don’t be afraid to enquire how someone is doing.

Some helpful sentence stems to get you started: “What’s been going on for you recently?”

“How are you feeling at the moment?”

“What’s the hardest part for you about all this?”

2. Summarising: Used to recap the themes or macro points of a conversation. It’s often used throughout to consolidate and solidify what’s been said.

Some helpful sentence stems to get you started: “What I’m hearing is… did I get that correct?”

“You’re saying that… am I understanding that properly?”

“So what’s happened is… is that right”?

3. Reflecting: Validating response to someone that you see and appreciate their perspective. It’s also a really great way to explore their emotions or bring to the surface what may or may not be said explicitly.

This could include: “That sounds like it’s been really hard for you”, “I can see you’re quite frustrated”, “That must be overwhelming”

How to start a conversation if you are the help seeker Find 1 person you trust and who can listen non-judgementally.

Don’t expect everything to be solved straight away. Not everyone will get it, and that’s OK. In fact, it might take a few people before you feel heard. That’s OK too!

Focus on 1 main issue, the #1 thing that is bothering you the most. Tell the facts, but make sure you tell the feelings too.

Don’t neglect them. State why this is important to you (i.e. why it is affecting you so much). Healing may be painful, but it doesn’t mean something is going wrong, so long as you feel supported and you don’t go beyond your “edge”.

Flag 1 helpful idea by clarifying what you want them to do - are you sharing just to get it off your chest, or because you want advice/suggestions? Bring a possible solution of how that person could help (or tell them you just want them to listen).

Below is a framework you can use as a help seeker to share with a supporter what is going on

1

2

3

4

5

SHARE YOUR FACTS

SHARE YOUR FEELINGS

SHARE YOUR MEANING

SHARE YOUR COPING

ASK FOR HELP

What’s happening?

How it’s impacted you?

Why it’s affecting you?

What are you doing to manage?

What has worked for others?

“The situation for me is...”

“It has made me feel...”

“The hardest part about all this for me is...”

“Things that have helped are...”

“Can you support me with... ?”

WHEN THE CONVERSATION IS TOO BIG, WHO CAN I TALK TO?

Sometimes it can be difficult to start a conversation. If you are struggling and need professional help, there are some great services and resources you can access. See below:

Lifeline provides confidential crisis support that is accessible 24 hours a day. We encourage any person in Australia who is contemplating suicide, experiencing emotional distress, or caring for someone in crisis to call or text Lifeline.

You can call Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636, chat online, email or join a forum to chat with community members. They also have a Coronavirus Support Service which provides information, advice and strategies to help people manage their wellbeing and mental health during this time.

Local GP GPs can provide treatment for mental health problems and offer long-term care and support.

Employee Support Program Ask if your company has an EAP. This program assists employees with personal and/or work-related problems.

You can see a list of further resources inclusive of helplines, websites and government mental health information services here.

4

WHAT WE ALREADY KNOW ABOUT OUR INDUSTRY

56% OF OUR INDUSTRY DISPLAY MILD TO SEVERE LEVELS ON THE DEPRESSION SCALE 42% MODERATE TO SEVERE

52% OF OUR INDUSTRY DISPLAY MILD TO SEVERE LEVELS ON THE ANXIETY SCALE 44% MODERATE TO SEVERE

20% SHOW SEVERE SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION VS 12% NATIONAL AVERAGE

24% SHOW SEVERE SYMPTOMS OF ANXIETY VS 11% NATIONAL AVERAGE

Never Not Creative, UnLtd and Everymind undertook a survey in 2020 to check in on the mental health and wellbeing of the media, marketing and creative industry in Australia.

There is still a perceived stigma about speaking up within the industry

There are many factors attributing to the stress of the industry

5

MENTALLY HEALTHY MINIMUM STANDARDS

WHAT STAFF WANT

The minimum standards are the bare minimum that Mentally Healthy believe are reasonable for organisations to provide a safe and supportive workplace for the mental wellbeing of its people.

We don’t expect our people to be connected to work when on annual, sick or carer’s leave, this includes sending or responding to emails or taking calls. When on leave, you should be having a break and truly disconnecting from work.

If you do have critical matters to respond to or be involved in, be disciplined about only engaging in what is necessary.

Our industry can be unpredictable at times. We may ask our people to work on weekends for exceptional projects/pitches. However we don’t expect our people to do so consistently and will offer time in lieu should this happen.

The same goes for significant and continued overtime.

We support people who disclose mental health issues and commit to not victimising them, discriminating against them or making them feel less for it.

We support people who disclose mental health issues and understand where to direct people to benefit from more help.

We commit to protecting our people’s privacy if they disclose a mental health condition and to respect an appropriate level of confidentiality.

We commit to ongoing discussions about mental wellness to ensure that it is a normal part of our everyday.

We provide clarity on priorities and goals so that our people understand how they contribute to the organisation’s success and progress in their role.

We commit to providing workplaces that are psychologically safe and supportive of individual differences.

If our people disclose a mental health concern at work, we commit to providing reasonable adjustments to their role or working environment to make allowances for their mental health condition.

We have zero tolerance for people who do not abide by these standards.

WHO HAS SIGNED THE MINIMUM STANDARDS? Accenture ADLINE AFTRS AGDA AIMIA AnalogFolk Apparent Ashton Media Atlas Digital Agency Bashful Bastion Collective BCM Group Bench Bohemia Boldinc Born & Raised Brand Opus Bright Yellow Burning Love Creative Carat Catch the sun CHE Proximity Colenso BBDO Creaytive DDB Deepend Design Business Council Edelman EnergyX Enigma Facebook Five By Five

FJORD Future Boy Future Friendly Gotcha4Life GPJ Half Dome Hatched Havas Media Hearts & Science History Will Be Kind Hoopla How To Impact Hoyts IAB Australia IE IGNITE Impact INC Digital Media Interbrand Jack Morton Jacky Winter Lateral Aspect Life at the Bottom Magnum & Co McCann Media Precinct MediaMath Medium Rare Content MFA MKRST Mo Partners Mother Bird Neopop Imaginaria

Never Sit Still Nomad OMD oOh! Media Palin Communications Paper Moose Pennybridge PHD PubMatic Quiip Resolution RGA Risk Collective ROMEO Ronnoco Ruck Scout Frontier Six Black Pens Special Group Streamtime Studio Hoopla Studio Vertigo Synergy Taboo Tank TC Pin Point Tel Me Future Boy The CEO Magazine The Media Precinct The Media Store The Monkeys The Projects The Trade Desk

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Sign the Minimum Standards and find how to create a mentally healthy business here.

HELPFUL RESOURCES

Helpful resources What are companies doing to define the future of work for their orgainsation?

The PwC May Changing Places Future of Work Report looks at how businesses go beyond simply acknowledging that there’s no going back and instead fully realise the enormous opportunities hybrid work presents.

Report here.

Can you talk about why everyone is quitting?

A great return to work article that addresses a big shift in people resigning or choosing not to return to work.

Article here.

Tips for managing back to work anxiety There are many concerns for people as they return to work, Beyond Blue have some helpful information and tips on how to manage the anxiety that these changes may bring.

Tips here.

Trauma caused by COVID-19 How to heal the ‘mass trauma’ of COVID, an article which addresses the trauma many will have faced and how to address and process these memories.

Article here.

THE END. mentally-healthy.org