Beyond awareness – where looking out for each other is part of how we work
This November, Movember partnered with LSKD to release a video that has already achieved more than 20 million views on TikTok. The video aims to reshape how we talk (and don’t talk) about men’s mental health: it’s not just about “open up and speak more” – the message is: if we’re going to move the dial, we need more nuance, more connection, and more substance behind the words.
This is an important moment for workplace wellbeing leaders. The “mo” may get attention, but what drives real change is the culture behind it. At Get Mentally Fit, our experience supporting organisations to contribute positively to their employees’ psychosocial wellbeing, for many years, shows that to embed lasting change we need to go beyond awareness campaigns.
Let’s unpack three (3) critical themes this video raises, according to Dr Zac Seidler, and three (3) solutions to help organisations effectively respond to these common challenges.
1. Awareness without impact isn’t enough
A media article linked to the video reports that despite increased mental-health awareness among men, key outcomes remain stubborn: about 45% of men drop out of therapy prematurely, and in Australia approximately 7 of 9 suicides each day are men. In other words, awareness is high, but behavioural and system-level change is lagging.
Dr Seidler points out: “Movember’s been around for over two decades now and mental health is showing up in the workplace. Everyone’s kind of seeing it. But we’re actually not moving into improving the day-to-day lives of lots of these guys on the street.”
GMF solution 1:
1. Six Strategies to Build a Mentally Fit, High-Performing Workforce – supercharge your workforce and still protect your bottom line while upholding your obligation to protect everyone’s psychosocial safety – even on a modest budget.
What to do in the workplace:
Encouraging positive workplace relationships
Supporting emotional regulation
Building self-awareness, optimism, and adaptability
Equipping leaders to have psychologically safe conversations
2. Control Psychosocial Risks Before They Harm: A Practical Guide reminds us that identifying hazards is only step one – the real value lies in employing appropriate control measures and embedding culture change.
What to do in the workplace:
Move from “we know men’s mental health matters” to “we strategically do something about it regularly”.
Offer check-in systems, peer supports and rituals (weekly team mate-ups, buddy systems) that normalise conversation (not just one-off campaigns).
Train leaders to skilfully recognise when someone is presenting with signs of not coping or disengaged – not just when something is “broken”.
2. Men want meaning, connection & value — not just “talk more”
Dr Seidler says: “The state of men’s mental health in Australia is pretty dismal if we’re honest, we’re not seeing a lot of positive news stories here and in my eyes more problematically, we’re not seeing trends shift in the right direction, despite the fact that we’re now having more conversations than ever”. He highlights:
many men are aware of the issues, but feel disconnected from purpose, value, and meaningful relationships. The cultural expectation to “just man up” remains pervasive.
GMF solution 2:
Resource: Creating a Mentally Healthy Workplace: Guide to Psychosocial Safety. Learn why today’s workplace wellbeing landscape is about much more than offering an EAP or running the occasional resilience workshop. Employees expect more – and workplace regulators do too.
What to do in the workplace:
Beyond “we have an EAP” or “we talk about mental health this month” – embed genuine conversations about “What matters to you?” and “What’s your purpose here?”
Foster environments where men can show vulnerability without feeling less capable: e.g., structured reflection sessions, peer-led forums, or male interest groups via the EAP.
Recognise that meaningful connection and role clarity (what I contribute, why it matters) are strong protective factors.
3. normalise a collective care culture, not just individual fixes
Dr Seidler highlights that mental-health statistics are not shifting, even though more men are talking about it. Platforms are shifting but the systems (support, connection, early intervention) are not keeping pace. Overcoming this challenge is not insurmountable.
He said it’s simple strategies applied early which can have the biggest impacts. He adds, we need to be regularly cultivating meaningful connections between employees, otherwise psychological injuries can come out of the blue. For men in particular… it can be strange, awkward, uncomfortable, or embarrassing, which prevents them from talking about this stuff.
GMF solution 3:
Resource: Psychosocial Risk Management: A Shared Responsibility: Explore a collective approach to building a mentally fit, high-performing workforce” and discover how mental fitness initiatives become protective when they’re embedded in culture, leadership and team norms – not just a one-off training.
What to do in the workplace:
- Champion psychosocial safety as a core organisational value.
- Allocate resources for training, wellbeing programs, and risk management systems.
- Ensure policies and procedures comply with WHS laws regarding psychosocial risk management.
- Model open, supportive behaviour, signalling that psychosocial WHS is a priority.
Final thoughts… From moustache to meaning
The consensus is that the “mo” is a brilliant conversation starter. But as discussion around the LSKD × Movember video shows, conversation alone doesn’t shift culture. The challenge for workplace leaders and HR/people-&-culture professionals is to orchestrate the ecosystem: the day-to-day culture, the micro conversations, the team rituals, the systems that back up help-seeking.
If we only encourage men to talk – without changing what happens after the talk – we risk awareness fatigue. But if we build environments where talking, connection, purpose and support are normal, then we really start to shift the curve. For your organisation: use this Movember to grow something deeper than a moustache – grow and normalise a culture of collective care. Where every team member knows they belong, are valued, and are seen.
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