Translational Research Institute

About the client

The Translational Research Institute (TRI) is a leading Australian medical research institute translating laboratory discoveries into better patient outcomes. Home to world-class researchers and health professionals, TRI is committed to innovation, collaboration, and creating a healthy, high-performing work environment.

 

The Challenge

TRI recognised that supporting mental health at work required more than awareness alone. While earlier strategic plans emphasised collaboration, capability, and a positive workplace environment, there was an opportunity to take a more structured and proactive approach to psychological safety and wellbeing.

Key challenges included:

• Building confidence in leaders and staff to have meaningful mental health conversations

• Reducing stigma and normalising help-seeking behaviours

• Creating visible and accessible support across a diverse workforce

• Shifting from reactive responses to proactive psychosocial risk prevention

TRI’s goal has been to embed a culture where mental health is understood, supported, and owned as a shared responsibility across all levels of the organisation.

 

Our Approach

Since mid-2022, Well-Led Workplaces has partnered with TRI to deliver a structured, multi-layered program focused on capability building, leadership development, and cultural change.

This has included:

• Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Training & Refreshers: Building practical skills and confidence to recognise and respond to mental health concerns

• Mental Health Champions Community of Practice: Establishing and supporting an internal network of trained champions to provide visible, peer-based support

• Engaging Leaders (MHFA Australia) & Compassionate Conversations Training: Equipping leaders with the skills to respond with empathy, set expectations, and support their teams effectively

• Psychological Safety Workshops: Facilitating open discussions about what makes people feel safe, supported, and able to contribute

• Self-Leaders Program: Supporting emerging leaders to understand the impact of mental health and their role in shaping team culture

• Ongoing Coaching & Advisory Support: Supporting TRI’s internal initiatives, including RU OK? Day and broader culture-building efforts

Together, TRI and Well-Led Workplaces have delivered 20+ sessions with consistently strong attendance, reaching leaders, champions, and the broader workforce.

 

Results & Outcomes

Since commencing the partnership, TRI has seen both measurable and cultural shifts in how mental health is understood and supported.

• Increased confidence and capability: Staff and leaders report greater confidence in recognising and responding to mental health concerns, supported by practical tools such as the MHFA framework (ALGEE)

• Visible, peer-led support network: The OneTRI Mental Health Champion Network has created a strong, visible layer of support across the organisation. Champions are helping to normalise conversations, build confidence in others, and set the pace for cultural change

• Leadership engagement and accountability: Mental health is increasingly understood as a leadership responsibility. This is reflected in strong executive support, including the CEO’s active backing and multiple ELT Directors trained in MHFA

• Stronger engagement in wellbeing initiatives: Participation in initiatives such as R U OK? Day has grown significantly, with over 200 staff attending, indicating increased openness and willingness to engage

• Shift toward prevention and culture: TRI is embedding mental health into leadership expectations, recruitment, and everyday practices – moving from reactive support towards proactive psychosocial risk mitigation and prevention

• Alignment of behaviours and expectations: The programs have helped establish a shared language and consistent behavioural expectations that align with TRI’s organisational values

 

A Sustainable, Embedded Approach

Over time, TRI’s approach has evolved from individual advocacy to a more embedded, organisation-wide strategy. This includes stronger leadership accountability, a visible champion network, and systems to better identify and understand emerging psychosocial risks.

This focus has continued to build over time and is now embedded within TRI’s 2026 – 2028 Strategic Plan, reinforcing wellbeing, mental wellness support, and a leading safe work environment as core to delivering world-class research outcomes.

This work is further supported by the establishment of a dedicated Culture and Wellbeing Business Partner role, reflecting TRI’s ongoing commitment to embedding psychosocial safety and wellbeing into core business practice.

 

Client Testimonial

“I found the MHFA training with Julie a really valuable session, firstly as it has left me with some valuable and simple tools (such as ALGEE) to enable me to initiate action when the situation calls for it, but also as the session itself was delivered in such an immersive, and at times confronting, manner so as to really breakdown preconceptions around the topic and give participants a sound education in mental health itself and how it can present itself. Without Julie investing the time to do this, and bring it to life so impactfully, it would be like learning the skills to administer CPR without being able to recognise if a person was breathing or not.”

Simon Preston,

Director of Finance