Roberts Co Case Study
Breaking down mental health stigma in construction requires authentic leadership. Discover how Roberts Co achieved remarkable utilisation rates using Foremind's services and lived experience storytelling
Foremind helped Roberts Co launch their Employee Assistance Program by combining comprehensive mental health services with powerful lived experience storytelling that challenged industry stigma and achieved remarkable utilisation rates in a traditionally high-stigma sector.
Roberts Co recognised that the construction industry faces unique mental health challenges, with workplace stigma often preventing workers from seeking support when they need it most. Rather than simply rolling out another corporate wellness initiative, Roberts Co decided to tackle these cultural barriers head-on through authentic conversation and genuine leadership commitment to mental health awareness.
Construction workers navigate physically demanding environments alongside project pressures and industry cultures that can discourage vulnerability. Roberts Co understood that breaking through these barriers required more than just providing services - it demanded changing perceptions about seeking help.
Leading with Lived Experience and Authenticity
Roberts Co partnered with Foremind to implement a comprehensive EAP featuring professional counselling services, wellbeing resources, and critical incident support. The launch strategy centred on R U OK? Day, where Joel Anderson, Foremind's founder, shared his personal mental health journey with workers during a morning tea session.This approach went beyond traditional corporate communications, using authentic storytelling to normalise conversations about mental health and demonstrate that seeking help is a sign of strength rather than weakness. The combination of accessible services and genuine leadership advocacy created an environment where workers felt permission to prioritise their wellbeing.
Breaking Barriers in a High-Stigma Industry
The launch delivered exceptional results, with Roberts Co achieving successful utilisation rates across their construction workforce - a significant accomplishment in an industry where mental health services typically face low engagement due to stigma.
"At Roberts Co, we take mental health and well-being seriously. On our sites we held a morning tea session to acknowledge R U OK? Day and promote the importance of mental health awareness. A special thank you to Joel Anderson, founder of 'Foremind,' our Employee Assistance Program provider, who shared his personal journey and offered valuable insights on how to navigate tough conversations. It was a truly inspiring session, reminding us that checking in and asking, 'Are you OK?' isn't just reserved for R U OK? Day, it's something we should be mindful of every day." - Renee Adams, HR Manager Roberts Co
The combination of Foremind's accessible platform and Roberts Co's commitment to open dialogue has created a workplace culture where mental health conversations happen naturally, extending far beyond designated awareness days.
Pioneering Change in Construction Industry Wellbeing
Roberts Co's approach demonstrates how authentic leadership and strategic service delivery can overcome entrenched industry stigma. By combining comprehensive mental health resources with genuine conversation, they've not only supported their current workforce but established a new benchmark for mental health leadership in the construction sector.
Hello 👋 I’m Joel the founder of Foremind.
Are you ready for simplified support & compliance?
Answers to the frequently asked questions.
Email us at enquiries@foremind.com.au and we'll get back to you quickly with a response
No. An EAP is a control measure, and a valuable one, but it only addresses harm after it has occurred. It doesn't identify hazards, assess risk, or evidence that controls are working.
Australian WHS law requires you to identify psychosocial hazards, assess the risk, control it so far as is reasonably practicable, and review whether those controls are working — with documented evidence at each step. Offering counselling on its own leaves three of those four steps undocumented.
Foremind covers both in one platform. See how the compliance side works in our product tour.
Yes. Psychosocial risk obligations apply regardless of organisation or business size, and Foremind is built to make compliance simple without enterprise-level complexity.
Not counselling — making sure people are safe, communicating honestly, connecting staff to support, and monitoring the team over following weeks. Managers are affected too, and are often overlooked in the response.
Nothing that could identify anyone. All counselling is completely confidential and all reporting is anonymous - you'll never see who booked, when, or what was discussed.
What you do see is the aggregated picture: how many people are using it, what psychosocial risks are prevalent in the business, and which teams are under pressure. Enough to know the investment is working and where to act, never enough to identify a person. Reporting thresholds mean small teams can't be reverse-engineered from the data.