The Wellbeing Rebellion

Who do we have for you on today's episode? A true ‘well-being rebel’ and friend, Erin Hallett. Erin is an experienced senior leader in higher education. With a specific interest in mental health in the workplace, Erin is committed to developing teams that are both high-performing and healthy. So, join us today to hear this week’s powerful mental health advocate. Here are the highlights: (2:10) Men...

Have you ever heard of productivity paranoia? It’s become a big issue among many employers because of hybrid working.  Leaders need to be aware of this so that they understand how to support their employees through new ways of working. In this episode, we go through the three pivots that can get business leaders on the right track and how to achieve them. Highlights: (02:26) When your employe...

Today, Frances Darlington-Pollock joins me to talk about people who constantly dedicate themselves to helping others. I'm talking about volunteers, charity workers, and others. Basically, the well-being superheroes! Frances is the Head of Strategic Development at the Greater Manchester Mayor's Charity that works to stop homelessness in Manchester. So who helps the people who help everyone else? Fi...

In today's fast paced work environment, resilience has become a key component for both employees and businesses to succeed. This episode takes a deeper look at how culture plays an important part in helping employees build resilience and deal with the challenges they encounter at work. We’re giving you five tips to improve your work culture and help encourage resilience in your team. Highlights: (...

In this episode, I'm thrilled to have Sam Booth, the Chief Executive Officer at Pro-Manchester, the largest business development organisation in Greater Manchester and the North West of England. Their mission is to provide effective solutions for businesses' development needs. Sam is a firm believer that good employment practices lead to strong business outcomes. Today she shares insights on prior...

If any of you saw Glastonbury, or were lucky enough to attend, you would have seen the outpouring of love and support towards Lewis Capaldi, as his tourettes took hold during a set and he couldn’t go on.  This is a high profile example of what millions of people struggle with every day in the workplace. Mental health can be debilitating and, without the right support, result in poor productiv...

In this episode, I am delighted to be joined by Jimi Okubanjo. Jimi is a documentary filmmaker. She makes films to celebrate and advocate for black women in the workplace. But in reality, her impact and interests are deeper and broader than that. Jimi is on a mission to make the world reckon with unfairly treating women of colour in the workplace, both historically and currently. Jimi talks about...

In this episode we are going to talk about trust in the workplace.  Spoiler alert: it’s a two way thing. This means employers need to trust their staff just as much as employees need to trust their boss for a healthy, productive working relationship.  We are going to look at how employers can build trust with their teams and wider workforce, and the benefits trust can add to your company...

This week I'm joined by two knowledgeable guests: David Gibson and Ann Lovett, senior members of Burnetts Solicitors.  They’re experts in the legal profession who help businesses understand the changing nature of work and provide practical, solution-based advice, respectively.  Today, we’re looking at how SMEs can make workplace wellbeing work and the responsibility employers have. Here...

In this episode, we are diving deep into a topic that really matters to us, and should matter to you too: psychological safety.  This isn’t about hard hats and goggles, but the stuff that happens inside the head: the worry, the stress, the anxiety. A healthy work culture built on trust and honesty is crucial to creating an environment where people don’t just look their best, but feel it too.&...

In this episode, I'm joined by my friend and writing partner Kirsty Collins. Kirsty is a wellbeing ambassador and has bravely shared about her experience of losing her partner to suicide as well as having her father be diagnosed with psychosis and dementia. Her goal is to drive to change perceptions around mental health, grief, and suicide. Today, we'll be talking about the impact of suicide and w...

Mental Health Awareness Week is a great way for HR leaders to create events, open up discussions and get their people talking about mental health. However, a single week isn’t enough to improve anybody's mental health. In this episode, we look at why mental health awareness weeks are positive. However, we also address how we can do more to make a positive impact on our mental health throughout the...

This week we’re joined by Mark Rix, Director of the Wellbeing At Work World. Mark is a fellow mental health rebel who is championing for a holistic approach to the wellbeing strategies developed by companies. Mental health is affecting everyone across the world and workplaces are all using different approaches to it. Listen as he gives us insights on global wellbeing trends and how they affect us...

I felt compelled to admit that I had been a victim of systemic racial discrimination and unconscious bias in the workplace. I felt like because I couldn't prove anything and because it was too easy to argue against any different treatment of me based on my race, I couldn't lay claim to that. So, that's why in this episode of The Wellbeing Rebellion, we're going to take a deeper dive into Black Men...

This week I'm joined by Nick Shepherd, the Business Development and Partnerships Manager at GC Business Growth Hub, which is an award-winning, commercially driven enterprise that supports small businesses. Nick knows small businesses! He knows all about their challenges and concerns. Today, we'll be discussing how SMEs can create a culture of wellbeing, even if they don't have big budgets! Highlig...

When I started my corporate career, I’d been taught that a good manager was someone who recognises and nurtures the potential of their employees and understood that employees were individuals, rather than numbers or roles. But unfortunately, my expectations turned out to be a little idealistic. In this episode, we're going to explore why line managers have a secret weapon in the war against the im...

This week we’re talking to Ruth Kudzi. Ruth is the founder of Optimus Coach Academy, has her own coaching business and is a bestselling author and podcaster. Her goal is to help people understand themselves and live a more fulfilling life. In this episode, we’ll share some honest and practical insights into why the modern workplace needs to embrace and create sustainable cultures around wellbeing....

If you want to invest in your team's wellbeing, you’ll need to employ the right experts to support you with your mental health strategy. But how do you do that? In this episode, we’ll help you understand how to identify the best suppliers for your business. Highlights (07:20) Managers become internal champions  (08:42) Real culture change  (11:01) First impressions count (12:20) Be reali...

Today, I’m joined by Phil Jones. Phil is the managing director of Brother UK, an Information Communication and Technology Business, supplying products and services to hundreds of thousands of UK enterprises. Phil is an accomplished speaker who regularly shares his views around leadership and workplace culture. He also has many practical ways in which companies can engage their employees and make m...

Should employers be legally required to offer mental health first aid training? It sounds pretty straightforward but wellbeing experts are doubtful about the effects this will have on people in the long run. Today, we’re going to discuss the pros and cons of MHFA training for a company and its employees. Highlights (03:17) Empathy! (05:51) Remove the stigma (06:14) Acceptance and understanding (10...

In this episode, I am joined by Kate Headley. Kate is a co-founder and director of The Clear Company. She has been instrumental in leading a proactive practical approach to disability inclusion throughout her career. Kate has so much experience and expertise to share on the subject of disability inclusion and how this intersects with mental health and well being. Highlights (9:52) Stop putting a l...

In this episode, we are looking at how you can develop a wellbeing strategy for your organisation that has both a preventative and pervasive impact on your employees. We're talking transformational versus the transactional. We’re going to look at why you should be looking for long term culture change, as well as those quick wins. Highlights (1:58) The impact of poor mental health in the workplace...

We believe HR professionals are some of the most caring, hardworking, self-sacrificing and misunderstood people within organisations. So in this episode, we explore how HR professionals can leverage their leadership position to better serve their employees. Highlights (7:40) What is your job as a HR manager or HR director? (10:46) Courses just aren’t going to cut it (16:44) Pitch solutions, not pr...

Do your employees feel valued? Do people tell the truth to each other? Do they give honest feedback?  In this episode, we're going to take a look at why culture counts in the wellbeing rebellion and what organisational culture actually is. Highlights (1:11) The importance of company culture (8:53) The importance of culture in mental health organisations (13:28) Is my company culture toxic? (2...

Spending on employee wellbeing is often seen as discretionary and even if you have got money for a wellbeing budget, it's usually too small to do the work that you know you need to do. In this episode, we're going to look at how workplace wellbeing can be your secret weapon to employee retention. Highlights (04:12) The financially responsible thing (08:34) It’s not just the people at work, it’s th...