Rise Launches New Publication – The Real Care Playbook

A new publication, The Real Care Playbook, will be released at the Rise Leadership Action 2025 conference, which will be held at the new Macquarie Bank building in Sydney from April 10-11.

The Playbook is sponsored by Cloudstaff and promotes best practice for managing mental wellness in real estate agencies.

It emphasises the importance of creating a “heart-oriented culture”, where psychological safety is prioritised, benefiting both employees and the profitability of agencies.

The executive director and co-ordinator of The Rise Initiative, Kylie Davis, said: “This is a publication we have wanted to produce for a long time. It is a high-quality book that is ideal for real estate leaders as a reference for creating cultural change to benefit mental wellbeing in their agency.

“It also provides hands-on advice and techniques for leaders to manage staff who are under stress, or feeling overwhelmed by either their professional or personal circumstances.”

Ms Davis said she hoped the Playbook would be well-received at the Leadership conference.

While a limited number of copies had been printed for the event, Ms Davis said Rise would be able to take orders to print additional copies if requested by agencies. It would also be available as a digital download after the conference.

“With new legislation designed to protect workers from undue stress and workload, including the right to disconnect, I believe agency leaders will find our Playbook incredibly useful.”

The publication introduces the Real Care app, a free wellness coach designed for everyone who works in the real estate industry.

This app provides tools for managing overwhelming emotions, stress and tension, improving self-awareness and fostering better communication about mental and emotional health.

It also outlines the availability of three free and confidential phone counselling sessions with trained counsellors from Assure. This service is sponsored by Domain. Individuals can access this support by calling 1800 808 374 and mentioning their referral by Domain.

The app helps individuals cope with stress, build resilience and seek help when feeling overwhelmed. Its high user activity and return rates suggest its benefits are recognised by its users.

The Playbook also highlights the reasons why the real estate industry specifically needs to focus on mental health, including new laws that obligate employers to protect employees from psycho-social hazards. These laws carry potential penalties for breaches, extending accountability to franchise group directors.

Prioritising psychological safety is not just a moral imperative but also a strategic advantage, leading to a more engaged, productive, and resilient workforce. Common workplace hazards that can affect mental health are listed.

The new publication features practical advice for champions of wellbeing within real estate agencies, encouraging them to become "power users" of the Real Care app and promote its adoption.

Recognising that colleagues may be reluctant to disclose their difficulties, the Playbook details signals that might indicate someone is struggling, spanning verbal expressions, visual displays, behaviour changes and issues outside of work.

An article on “Four Steps to Check In” is based on the "R U OK?" framework – pick your moment, listen actively, encourage action, and check in later.

The publication distinguishes between a wellbeing check-in and a performance review, emphasising the importance of prioritising human connection and creating a safe space when discussing someone's mental and emotional state.

It provides examples of open-ended questions for wellbeing check-ins. Confidentiality is stressed as crucial in well-being check-ins, except for potential suicidal tendencies, which should be reported immediately.

The Playbook also shares "Sarah's 10 tips for handling your stress", including watching for stress signals, prioritising relaxation, managing time, cultivating connections, investing in physical health and practising self-compassion.

It also provides "one-liners that can mean the world" as conversation starters and empathetic responses. Finally, it offers examples of phrases individuals can use when they are "not OK" and need to ask for help.

If you’re interested in ordering printed copies of the Real Care Playbook, please Jamie Lou Laquindanum at jamie@riseinitiative.org.au