Newcastle, NSW, AusSteel partnered with Top Blokes to support seven men through an eight-week Workplace Program designed to build communication, confidence, emotional regulation and stronger team connection.
AusSteel is a busy workplace with more than 110 employees and a strong team culture. Like many manufacturing workplaces, it is also male-dominated.
For Emma Tonkinson, General Manager of AusSteel, that was part of why the Top Blokes Workplace Program felt like the right fit.
“I do have quite a male-dominated workforce out there, and sometimes that’s quite challenging to be able to support those guys.”
Emma had followed Top Blokes for some time before connecting with Daniel from the Top Blokes team. She was interested in what the program could offer her workforce, particularly for men who may be navigating pressures both inside and outside of work.
For Emma, this was never about ticking a box. It was about giving men practical tools they could use in real life.
Supporting men at work and in life
Workplaces have rules, policies and procedures for good reason. But for Emma, supporting men well also meant looking at the whole person.
The Top Blokes Workplace Program helps men build skills in communication, emotional regulation, conflict management, leadership, healthy relationships, mental health and positive decision-making.
At AusSteel, the program gave participants a space to slow down, reflect and talk about the bigger picture. It created an opportunity for men at different stages of life to learn from each other, share experiences and have conversations they might not normally have on the factory floor.
Participants reflected that the group felt comfortable and non-judgmental, which made it easier to speak openly. They valued hearing from others, recognising different perspectives and having time to think about how they respond to pressure, conflict and change.
“We’re all at different stages of our lives. We could come together as a group and learn from each other’s experiences,’ said one participant.
Another shared, “It’s been a really good experience to help you think differently – think a bit more before doing something and use the strategies we learned to help us.”
The impact started showing on the factory floor
Within five weeks of the program starting, Emma was already seeing changes in the men taking part.
“I’ve seen more reliability from them, which is really good, accountability and some changes.”
She noticed her employees on the program communicating more, working better together and beginning to show more initiative in their roles.
“For the guys that are in the program, we’re seeing a lot more teamwork; they are communicating more with one another, which is fantastic as well.”
For Emma, one of the biggest changes was seeing team members start to think differently. Some were bringing forward ideas, thinking about how to improve the way people worked together and challenging the “same old” ways of doing things. That matters in a workplace like AusSteel. When people feel more confident to speak up, manage conflict and support each other, culture starts to shift. It becomes easier for teams to work through pressure, handle frustration and stay connected.
The Top Blokes facilitators saw this too. “The biggest change I saw was a group of men who became more willing to have honest conversations and make intentional choices about the lives they want to lead. Over eight weeks, I watched the group become supportive, opening up, challenging each other, and making more deliberate choices. ’ said Dan.
Stronger connection. Better conversations. Practical tools.
The program results reinforced what Emma was seeing.
Among the seven men who participated:
- 100% felt more connected to their colleagues after participating in Top Blokes
- 100% said Top Blokes showed them how to manage disagreements and conflict
- There was a 25% improvement in participants feeling they had people in their life they could reach out to for their mental health
- There was a 13.89% improvement in participants’ feeling optimistic about the future
- Participants also reported improvements in knowing what to do to have good mental health, confidence managing finances, speaking up during disagreement and managing anger and emotional responses
For a workplace, those changes are significant.
They speak to something bigger than a single session or conversation. They show what can happen when men are given practical tools, the right environment and permission to talk honestly.
Learning to pause before reacting
Emma also noticed a change in how some participants were managing frustration at work.
In the past, if someone was frustrated or not coping well, the solution may have been to send them home or ask them to take a breather away from the workplace.
Through the program, participants were learning to recognise what was happening for them, pause and continue with their day in a calmer way.
As Emma explained, “they’re able to take that breather and continue on whilst in the workplace.” That is a practical workplace outcome. It means fewer moments escalating unnecessarily. It means men having better tools to manage pressure. It means the team can keep working together, even when the day gets hard.
AusSteel leadership saw the program as an investment in both people and culture. By supporting the men to build stronger communication, self-awareness and confidence, the business also created the conditions for a more connected and engaged team.
What Leadership noticed
For AusSteel, the Top Blokes Workplace Program did not create a new culture from scratch. It strengthened the culture the business had been building for almost two decades.
The business was founded 19 years ago on a simple belief: when you help people grow personally and professionally, the business grows too.
Darren Onley, AusSteel President and CEO, reflected: “What Top Blokes has done is give our team the tools to actually live that out — not just talk about it.”
That showed up in real moments on the factory floor. When a conflict recently arose with a labour hire team member, the AusSteel team stepped in before it escalated. They de-escalated the situation maturely and supported the person through it.
For Darren, that was a clear sign the program was having an impact. “That’s not an accident. That’s blokes who’ve learned how to sit with discomfort and deal with it properly instead of avoiding it or letting it blow up.”
AusSteel also noticed team leaders speaking up more actively around workplace safety. They were putting their hand up, calling things out and backing themselves in moments that mattered.
The program reinforced the values AusSteel had always tried to build the business on: Simplicity, Efficiency, Growth, Authenticity and Respect. “The program hasn’t changed our culture – it’s sharpened it,” added Darren.
By supporting the men to build stronger communication, self-awareness and confidence, the business also created the conditions for a more connected and engaged team.
Shared Darren, “Any business, no matter how strong the culture already is, will get a return on investing in Top Blokes. It’s not a soft add-on – it’s a genuine investment in the people who build your business every day.”
Building a stronger workplace culture
For Emma, the most exciting part was not just what the men achieved individually, but what those changes could mean for AusSteel as a business.
“I think it’s exciting for us as a business just to be able to see those changes and improve the culture that we’ve had out there.”
That is the real power of the Top Blokes Workplace Program. When men are supported to understand themselves, communicate better and manage challenges earlier, the impact does not stay with one person. It flows into teams, workplaces, families and communities.
At AusSteel, seven men took part in an eight-week program. The result was stronger connection, better conversations and visible change on the factory floor.
Could your workplace benefit from stronger communication, better team connection and practical support for young men?
Top Blokes works with businesses to deliver practical, engaging workplace programs that help young men build confidence, resilience, communication skills and healthier relationships at work and in life.
