Events management company Arinex is focusing on mental health ahead of mental health awareness month, rolling out a number of initiatives to support its staff and encourage frank conversations about wellbeing.
Arinex shifted its monthly CEO lunch to the topic of mental health, which took place during Eventwell week and soon after R U OK? Day. It has also engaged renowned Australian mindfulness expert Peter Bliss to carry out a workshop.
The initiatives fall in the middle of the busy conferencing season for the Australian events industry, with Arinex managing major events such as the 19th International Microscopy Congress in Sydney and 3rd International Whitefly Symposium in Perth, as well as a number of other back-to-back meetings.
Arinex CEO Tamara Kavalec said: “Busy times make these discussions all the more relevant and important. The events industry can go at a million miles an hour and we want to remind people that feelings of stress and being overwhelmed are only temporary, and that it is important to just take a break, breathe and chat with someone if they need to.
“There is still a lot of work to be done to improve the stigma surrounding mental health. Too many people living with mental health issues do not feel confident or comfortable to talk about it.
“But not talking about it is the worst thing one can do. We need to look out for one another and for those who are struggling, we need to give them the confidence to reach out for help.”
The Arinex CEO Lunch is a monthly roundtable discussion led by Ms Kavalec and open to all staff, with inter-state offices streaming in. Previous topics include networking and achieving a work-life balance, and the discussion on mental health saw staff members open up about their own mental health experiences.
Ms Kavalec added: “It was heart-warming to hear people share their own stories and it reminded us all how important it was to look out for one another and to be aware of any signs of changes in behaviour. It could save someone’s life.”
