Working on a project like Sydney Metro or any project, it’s very easy to get caught up in the size, excitement and shear work load of being involved in a significant project. The pace of work means it’s easy to forget how you, your team or your family are being affected. This constant strain, combined with personal issues, health concerns, financial worries or any of a hundred other anxieties, can have a serious effect on the well-being of the people around you. That’s why it’s important to take time to ask:
RUOK?
This year, we are more likely than ever to hear a “no, I’m not ok”. If you are feeling well and able, check in with the people around you that might be doing it tough. It’s not always easy to keep the conversation going when someone says they’re not OK, but it could change a life. If they say they are not ok, you need to listen, encourage action. Try and help them find strategies to manage better, plan a follow up and check in to see if they have found a way to cope. They might not be feeling better, but genuine care and concern can make a real difference. On the other hand, if they are ok, that person will know you’re someone who cares enough to ask.
Do you feel that someone you know or care about isn’t behaving as they normally would? Perhaps they seem out of sorts? More agitated or withdrawn? Or they’re just not themselves. Trust that gut instinct and act on it. You don’t need to be an expert to reach out to the people around you – just a friend and someone willing to listen.
Thomas Lee | MCE Leadership Team | CSW Engineering Director | Stations, Sydney Metro
