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 why wellness extends both inside and outside the office. Highlights: (11:39) Grief is messy! (41:26) ...
Jun 01, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 17
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 rest of the year. Highlights (5:08) Why mental health awareness week is important. (10:33) The limi...
May 25, 2023•32 min•Ep. 16
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 today! Highlights (08:53) Who’s going to step up? (15:05) Personalised approach (17:18) Leading the ...
May 18, 2023•42 min•Ep. 15
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 Mental Health and the workplace. Highlights (02:27) The barriers that black people face in society (04:...
May 11, 2023•25 min•Ep. 14
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! Highlights: (10:49 ) Happy people at work (14:07) Recognise the signs (18:07) Sense of belonging (24:13) Em...
May 04, 2023•34 min•Ep. 13
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 impact of poor mental health in your workplace, how to train your managers in mental health matters an...
Apr 26, 2023•28 min•Ep. 12
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. Highlights (14:32) What do we want to change (18:21) Leaders modeling wellbeing (20:58) Value happi...
Apr 20, 2023•42 min•Ep. 11
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 realistic (25:53) Know what your budget is! Take the Aurora 360 Quiz: How Effective Is Your Company's Wellbeing Strat...
Apr 13, 2023•30 min•Ep. 10
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 mental health and wellbeing work for everybody. Highlights (1:43) Phil’s struggle with mental health ...
Apr 06, 2023•36 min•Ep. 9
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 (10:05) Enhance staff morale (11:52) It’s okay not to be okay (25:09) The wellbeing puzzle Take the Aur...
Mar 30, 2023•31 min•Ep. 8
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 label on disability (19:24) What can we learn from the experience of the organisation? (21:29) The im...
Mar 22, 2023•34 min•Ep. 7
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 (7:14) Five signs that your workplace may be reactive (9:16) Approach mental health just like physic...
Mar 16, 2023•30 min•Ep. 6
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 problems (18:56) Incorporating mental health into a wider strategic plan (22:44) Don’t do it all by yo...
Mar 13, 2023•29 min•Ep. 5
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? (21:35) Toxic culture in the workplace (24:15) How to increase employee input and build a healthy culture (2...
Mar 10, 2023•36 min•Ep. 4
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 the people at home (18:02) The world today doesn’t respond to the old tried-and-true (19:54) The secre...
Mar 09, 2023•31 min•Ep. 3
There is so much talk about employee wellbeing, mental health and workplace culture. It seems everybody has jumped on the bandwagon of “it's okay not to be okay”. In this episode, we look at why mental health and wellbeing is something that organisations have to consider in 2023, along with trends which are becoming more prominent. Highlights (08:07) Company culture is the new buzzword for 2023 (09:28) Creating engagement and connection among our employees (14:43) Businesses have an increased re...
Mar 08, 2023•34 min•Ep. 1
There is so much talk about employee wellbeing, mental health and workplace culture. It seems everybody has jumped on the bandwagon of “it's okay not to be okay”. In this episode, we look at why mental health and wellbeing is something that organisations have to consider in 2023, along with trends which are becoming more prominent. Highlights (6:31) Bridging the gap between what is publicly available and what is required (08:31) Normalising the mental health conversation (12:29) Mental health is...
Mar 08, 2023•24 min•Ep. 2
We are Ngozi & Obehi. The founders of Aurora, a corporate culture consultancy that specialises in creating psychologically safe workplaces that enable employees to thrive. For us. Wellbeing is personal. Our podcast is specifically for the HR or business leader who wants to implement wellbeing strategies that ACTUALLY make a difference to their employees. Your employees want to work in a place where they feel comfortable to bring their whole selves to work. We can help you to create a culture...
Mar 02, 2023•3 min
