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With the hospitality industry suffering pandemic disruption more than most, IHG Hotels & Resorts has been investing in its people and working with experts in the field to boost mental health and wellness, and is honoured to announce it is collaborating with R U OK? to support with their rollout of the Hospitality Mateship Manual.  

IHG Hotels & Resorts around Australia will rollout R U OK’s Mateship Manual which is targeted specifically to those in the hospitality industry and addresses issues that frequently arise in the space.  

The rollout of the R U OK? Hospitality Mateship Manuals across the IHG network comes in succession of the group providing accredited Mental Health First Aid training to its hotel General Managers. The training was designed to build awareness of mental health problems in the workplace, and equip General Managers with the knowledge, skills and confidence to provide appropriate support to others who may be distress.   

Leanne Harwood, Managing Director of IHG Japan, Australasia & Pacific, said, “We are so proud to be working with R U OK? and pleased to be the first to rollout their Mateship Manual across the Australian hospitality landscape. Our hotel teams have all experienced varying degrees of anguish over the last 12-18 months and it is times like these that we need to do everything we can to support our people.   

“Initiatives such as the R U OK Hospitality Mateship Manual will have an enormous impact. We recognise acutely that each of our colleagues are on their own journey, but the most important thing they can do right now is check in on each other and open up a conversation around if they’re ok. With the support of R U OK and these manuals, we are ensuring our teams are equipped with the knowhow to be able to have these conversations, and for that we are truly grateful.”   

R U OK? CEO Katherine Newton said COVID-19 has affected the hospitality industry (one of many) and placed additional pressure upon hospitality workers. In response to the current state and in support of the hospitality industry, R U OK? has developed a new hospitality industry specific Mateship Manual to encourage people to have meaningful conversations and to provide support when someone is struggling.  

“We are really pleased that IHG is supporting the amplification of the R U OK? Hospitality Mateship Manual and sharing this resource with all of their staff, this is the manor for which this resource was developed and intended. This action is providing a direct pathway for the R U OK? message and tools to reach members of the hospitality industry to provide them with the tools to help one other during challenging times as the look for the signs and know what to do when someone says that they are not okay.”

“This work by IHG has enabled this R U OK? resource to reach thousands of members of the hospitality industry and we thank them for their support. We hope this encourages other organisations within this sector to consider a similar approach to making these resources accessible to their teams.”  

In conjunction with the rollout of R U OK Hospitality Mateship Manual, IHG’s HR and Operational leaders will now also be completing Mental Health First Aid training and will be fully qualified by the end of 2021.