Truffleduck: Fostering a mentally healthy workplace

For more than 38 years, Truffleduck has grown from a small café in central Geelong into a leading catering and events business known for exceptional service, high-quality food and strong relationships.

Behind that success is a commitment to people – both clients and staff – and a leadership approach that recognises the unique pressures of hospitality.

Business Manager Deb Nash’s journey reflects this culture. Starting as a dishwasher 37 years ago, she has worked across almost every role in the business before moving into business management and commercial leadership. This hands-on experience has shaped a workplace ethos grounded in responsibility and respect.

Hospitality and events place intense and often unpredictable pressure on teams. Weddings and large-scale functions require not only operational precision but emotional intelligence, as clients’ expectations can be complex and evolving.

Truffleduck staff often have to respond to last-minute disruptions, from extreme weather affecting outdoor events to supplier failures, while maintaining high service standards.

“These are situations you can’t predict,” Deb explains. “As a leader, you have to empower your team to solve problems, but also be there to support them.”

This balance between autonomy and support is central to maintaining both performance and wellbeing.

Joining Mentally Healthy Workplaces

Recognising these pressures, Truffleduck participated in the Mentally Healthy Workplaces program to gain a clearer understanding of how their team was feeling and where improvements could be made.

While the business had long prioritised culture and staff retention, as evidenced by decades-long tenures, leaders saw value in an external, structured assessment.

“The program gave us a snapshot of how our people were actually feeling,” Deb says. “We thought we knew, but this helped confirm what we were doing well and what we could improve.”

Insightful findings for the business

One key insight from the program was staff perceptions of job security, which were lower than expected. While leadership believed they were providing a stable environment, the results highlighted a need for clearer communication.

In response, Truffleduck reinforced messaging around business stability and staff value, ensuring employees fully understood their importance to the organisation.

The program also validated strengths in the business’s support structures. Despite leadership stepping back from day-to-day operations in recent years, staff reported feeling supported – a testament to the effectiveness of empowering managers and creating clear lines of responsibility.

As a result, leadership placed an even stronger focus on equipping managers with the skills and confidence to lead their teams.

Mental health: an everyday process

Building a mentally healthy workplace at Truffleduck extends beyond formal programs. Regular check-ins are embedded into everyday operations, replacing traditional six-monthly reviews with continuous conversations. Leaders are encouraged to be perceptive to behavioural changes and to engage early when issues arise.

The business also takes a firm stance on workplace behaviour. In one instance, a senior hire whose conduct did not align with company values created significant distress within the team. Addressing the issue decisively reinforced a clear message: respect and psychological safety are non-negotiable.

Owner Hugh Palmer reinforces this approach, noting that while leaders can empathise with staff, they must also acknowledge that each individual brings their own experiences and challenges into the workplace.

“You can’t always know what someone is going through,” he says, “but you can create an environment where they feel supported.”

Training and development are another key pillar. Truffleduck actively invests in leadership training and career progression, recognising that confidence and capability contribute directly to employee wellbeing. Many team members have progressed through the organisation, reflecting a long-term commitment to growth.

Importance of leadership

Ultimately, Truffleduck’s experience shows that mentally healthy workplaces are built through strong leadership, open communication and continuous improvement.

As Deb notes, even businesses with positive cultures can benefit from deeper insight: “If you think your people are happy, there’s always more to understand.”

Through its participation in the Mentally Healthy Workplaces program, Truffleduck has strengthened its approach, demonstrating that investing in people not only supports wellbeing, but drives sustainable business success.

Hugh adds: “If we need advice on something, let’s go somewhere where we can get good advice rather than making it up ourselves… we’re good at catering, but we’re not psychologists.”

About Mentally Healthy Workplaces Program

The Mentally Healthy Workplaces Program is a free initiative to help small and medium-sized Victorian businesses to identify and manage psychosocial risks. This will reduce the risk of mental injuries and build mentally healthy and high-performing workplaces.

Delivered by AP Psychology & Consulting Services in partnership with the Victorian Chamber, the program provides expert guidance and digital tools tailored to the needs of each business.

Find out more