Today, September 10, is National RU OK? Day, and ADIA encourages our leaders and their teams to ask a friend, a colleague or a team member if they are OK. 

You might be surprised to learn that many people underestimate the power of an R U OK? Conversation. Research* conducted by RU OK? shows that a third of people don’t realise the difference they can make by checking in with someone they care about despite the fact that nine in ten of those who were asked, ‘are you OK?’, report feeling grateful, cared about, and supported.

One in four people hesitate to ask even when they think someone is struggling. Today is about reminding everyone that if someone's on your mind, trust your instinct and start a conversation. 

A lot can happen in a year, a month, a week. Whether it’s your friend, family member, colleague, partner, or teammate, the people you care about go through life’s ups and downs every day. With global unrest, the cost-of-living crisis and personal issues affecting everyone, it is important to regularly check in. 

If you’re thinking it, Ask R U OK? any day, because what people value most is trust, a sense of genuine care, and someone who really listens to them, without judgement. By having regular, meaningful conversations, you build trust and normalise talking about what’s really going on, so when the people in your world find themselves struggling, they know you’re someone they can talk to.

Ask R U OK? Any Day because life happens every day and the conversation you start could change a life.  

R U OK? have released resources, tips and ideas to help you drive genuine change in your workplace, school and community.  R U OK? is calling on all of us to let the people you care about know you're here, to really hear them.  By taking the time for an R U OK? conversation and genuinely listening with an open mind, we can all help the people in our world feel supported and connected.

*Research source: Verian (2026) R U OK? Impact Tracker. Australia