Vulnerability – how Rosanna* turned it into a workplace force for good

Rosanna* works in a busy contact centre in Sydney and has done for the past 10 years.

She loves her job and in 2019 became an employee advocate and team leader in her centre.  The strong sense of community, the people, and the collegiate working atmosphere is the reason she loves coming to work every day.

However, it wasn’t always a happy time – for many years Rosanna had issues in her personal life.

She felt vulnerable.  She felt it would be a sign of weakness, if she let down her guard.  She would turn up to work, resolving to keep a ‘stiff upper lip’ and admits she would tell herself to ‘toughen up’ and get on with it, every day.

But in recent years, there has been a huge change in her workplace. Senior management launched a project to provide staff training and mental health support across the business.

They tapped into training programs provided by The Black Dog Institute and introduced an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – and the results have been very positive. (Research reveals that 1 in 5 Australians may be suffering a mental health issue in any one year.)

Rosanna is inspired by the difference it’s made to her life. Revealing her vulnerability was a strength – and she’s turned it into a force for good.  She is now supporting the people around her, as a staff advocate and ambassador.

Here are a few of her insights, shared with us recently:

• She discovered that when she was able to speak to the initial support person….it all came flooding out
• She was vulnerable. But the program gave her permission to reveal her true feelings
• She trusted that she was in a safe place – the support was real
• She wondered who else may feel the same as she did – she discovered there were many
• People are now more open to having the conversations
• People are understanding each other more – by knowing the lines of communication are open
• PEOPLE ARE TURNING UP TO WORK MORE (absenteeism is down, according to managers)
• Everyone has become more productive – it’s a happy team environment
• Rosanna, through this program, has become more mindful of others
• She says it has slowed her down – giving her more time to listen
• More people want to be staff advocates, and the EAP is proving a big success
• Everyone benefits!

*Rosanna – not her real name.

Article produced by Citrus Group after attending an Auscontact event in Sydney.