Nicholas Bloom

Nic Bloom Pty Ltd, Australia

Title: Real Conversations, Real Change: The Check-In Framework

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Biography

Nic transforms how people navigate mental health conversations. After witnessing his mother's mental illness and a friend's suicide, he left corporate life and is now a leading voice in mental health. A seasoned speaker and Mental Health First Aid Instructor, Nic has been an MC, host and keynote presenter at major events including the Australian & New Zealand Mental Health Association’s AddictionZ conference alongside Australia's National Loneliness conference, with features on ABC Radio National and Australian Financial Review.

Abstract

Objectives & Scope: Depression and anxiety cost the global economy 12 billion working days and US$1 trillion annually in lost productivity (WHO). Across Asia, 82% of employees carry a moderate to high mental health risk (Aon TELUS Health Asia Mental Health Index). Yet the WHO also gives us the other half of the story: every $1 invested in mental health returns $4 in improved health and productivity. This session explores how a simple weekly practice can shift that trajectory.

Method: Drawing on personal experience leading team check-ins — both in person and online — this session role-models a structured practice built on seven key principles: choosing to opt in or out, confidentiality, using "I/Me/My" language, listening without fixing, being present & offering presence, mindful disclosures, and AQUAROK (All Questions U Ask R OK). Participants experience the process live and leave equipped to implement it immediately.

Results: In practice, this approach has moved teams beyond performative wellbeing culture toward genuine psychological safety — strengthening relationships, building resilience, and lifting productivity. Colleagues reported feeling more connected, more supported through struggles, and more able to celebrate wins authentically.

Conclusion: Putting humanity first paradoxically puts work first. A structured, opt-in check-in requires no major resource investment yet delivers measurable returns — reduced absenteeism and presenteeism, stronger team cohesion, and, in some cases, the potential to save lives.