R U OK? Day is an important reminder to pause, look beyond the surface and start a conversation with someone who may be struggling.
Mental health challenges are real, and they reach into every profession, workplace and community. The marine industry is not immune.
Ours is an industry built around the outdoors, the water and the freedom that boating provides. It is also an industry sustained by people working under pressure, running businesses, meeting deadlines, managing seasonal demands and dealing with the financial and personal uncertainties that accompany working life.
Although the COVID-19 lockdowns ended less than a handful of years ago, their effects should not be too quickly forgotten. For people whose livelihoods and wellbeing were closely connected to the outdoors, boating and personal interaction, the restrictions were particularly difficult.
Businesses faced uncertainty, workplaces were disrupted and families were separated. The boat shows, regattas, club activities and industry gatherings that ordinarily brought people together disappeared for a time. For some, the isolation and uncertainty continued to affect them long after the restrictions were lifted.
During that period, the sentiment behind R U OK? became a godsend for many of us. It reminded us that we did not need to be mental health professionals to show someone that we cared. Sometimes, what was needed most was simply another person prepared to notice, ask a genuine question and listen to the answer.
Thursday 10 September 2026 is R U OK?Day. It is an opportunity for everyone across the marine industry to take a moment, look around and consider whether someone in their workplace, business, club or wider community might need a conversation.
That person could be an employee, employer, colleague, supplier, customer, competitor, friend or family member. They may appear to be managing perfectly well. The truth is that we cannot always see what another person is carrying.
If someone is on your mind, trust that instinct and ask: “Are you OK?”
The question should be genuine rather than passing. Choose an appropriate time and somewhere relatively private, and be prepared to give the person your full attention. If the answer is no, you do not need to have all the answers.
R U OK? recommends four straightforward steps:
- Ask R U OK?
- Listen with an open mind.
- Encourage action.
- Check in.
Listening without judgement or interruption can be enormously valuable. Where appropriate, encourage the person to speak with someone they trust or seek professional support, and remember to check in again afterwards.
The R U OK? website provides practical guidance for starting and continuing these conversations. It also offers free workplace materials, conversation guides, posters, videos and digital resources to help businesses and organisations share the message. Anyone uncertain about what to say, or concerned about what to do if someone says they are not OK, can visit the organisation’s detailed conversation guide.
R U OK?Day provides the reminder, but care and connection should never be limited to one date on the calendar.
This Thursday, take a moment. Look around. Ask the question, and make time to properly hear the answer.
You have no idea how helpful it could be.
If someone’s life is in immediate danger, call 000. For crisis support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
