MAD Leaders Podcast: workplace culture, employee health and wellbeing

Make A Difference Media
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Got a workplace culture challenge you just can’t crack? Or an employee health and wellbeing problem that seems messy and overwhelming? But you really want to make a difference to individuals thriving at work? You’re not alone, even though we know it may sometimes feel like it working in this field. This is the show where ambitious professionals share real stories, real mistakes and real solutions to the toughest culture and wellbeing problems. Think of it like your own personal agony aunt. Let’s make a difference, together :)

  1. 5d ago

    How do I set up a Domestic Abuse Strategy that actually makes a differences to employees? With Dawn Dallas at Allianz

    In this podcast episode, Dawn Dallas, Director of People Experience at Allianz Insurance, talks about the practical steps involved in creating a Domestic Abuse Strategy that actually works. As she says, statistics for England and Wales show that one in four women and one in six men will experience domestic abuse and the majority (51%) will not talk about it due to stigma. She believes it’s employers’ role to support employees in dealing with this issue, particularly line managers faced with a colleague experiencing it. Topics covered include: psychological safety, face to face connection, engaging senior management, consistency, line manager training, mental health first aiders with specialist expertise, an online hub and the importance of communicating about the strategy. Time stamp of the conversation: 00:00 Welcome to Leaders 00:35 The Workplace Challenge 01:37 Why Allianz Acted 02:34 The Support Gap 04:04 Lived Experience First 05:19 Building the Policy 08:09 Resources and Hub 09:10 Iterating the Strategy 10:10 Launching the Campaign 13:40 Challenges and Buy In 15:36 Employee Response 17:02 AI and Policy Writing 19:57 Top Tips to Start 21:36 Breaking Shame and Stigma 22:43 The Alien Question 25:13 Closing and Subscribe

  2. Jul 29

    Leading with Humanity in an AI-Driven Workplace: Wellbeing, Fear & Burnout with Cisco’s Global Wellbeing, People & Communities Head

    With AI transforming the workplace so rapidly, it has huge implications for not only employee productivity, but also health and wellbeing. For this week’s episode we’re joined by Sheila Champion-Smeeth, Cisco’s Global Head of Wellbeing, People, and Communities, who calls on professionals to “take a beat” and consider these implications carefully. She argues AI should build capability and free time, but leaders and individuals must consciously use that space for strategy, skill-building, wellbeing, and human connection, rather than simply producing more.  She also talks about burnout - a topic close to her heart, having suffered personally - as well as the need for leadership role modelling and balancing automation with key human skills.  Fear of AI taking jobs is also addressed, with many practical tips for managers on how to lead constructive conversations. 00:00 Welcome to the podcast 00:35 This Week’s AI Challenge 01:06 Meet Sheila from Cisco 02:48 AI as Capability Builder 04:00 Using Freed Time Wisely 07:53 Recovery Like Athletes 09:51 Fear and Mindset Shifts 13:15 Automation vs Augmentation 17:38 Protecting Human Connection 21:44 AI and Burnout Risks 24:57 Hiding Struggle at Work 26:31 Happiness Summit Takeaways 28:10 The Alien Budget Pitch 29:57 Final Thanks and Wrap Up

  3. Jun 29

    How do you create a consistent workplace culture with multiple sites & hard-to-reach employees? With Ruth Jackson

    In this episode, Ruth Jackson, Chief People Officer at The Gym Group, discusses workplace culture and how to engage frontline staff across 260 UK sites and over 2,000 employees - most of whom aren't desk based. She covers a raft of practical strategies such as centring on the employee life cycle, which is at the heart of the government's Keep Britain Working approach - of which the Gym Group is a vanguard. She also touches on communication formats and the importance of managers cascading messages and anchoring to company purpose. Time line of conversation: 00:00 Welcome to the podcast 00:44 The Multi Site Challenge 02:41 Reaching Frontline Teams 04:09 Managers as Comms Hubs 04:54 Female Health First Pilot 07:08 Grassroots Channels That Scale 09:38 Life Cycle Wellbeing Strategy 12:02 Running ERGs Across Sites 13:19 Face to Face and Tech Blend 14:49 Purpose Brought to Life 19:55 Measuring Culture and Retention 22:24 Mentoring and Reverse Mentoring 24:19 Future Culture Priorities 26:18 The Alien Question Finale 27:54 Wrap Up and Subscribe

  4. Jun 2

    How can employers boost social wellbeing at work? With Welcome Break's Nic Marshall

    In this latest MAD Leaders Club Podcast, Nic Marshall, People Director, shares how Welcome Break has cultivated connection between employees - especially different generations, and made people feel valued and recognised. She also explains the importance of employees getting behind the values and purpose of the organisation and how she's done this.  And she covers why success depends heavily on approachable managers who recruit for attitude and guide younger workers while enabling reverse mentoring across generations.  This focus on building social wellbeing has led to teams that have a sense of pride and camaraderie, and that work better together. She shares, too, how Welcome Break encourages employees to take part in community volunteering and how those that do are more engaged at work. Nic touches on practical steps she's taken to embed social wellbeing as well as reward and recognition. Time stamp of conversation: 00:00 Welcome to Leaders Podcast 00:44 The Connection Challenge 01:19 Meet Nic Marshall 03:32 Connection Through Purpose 05:17 Creating Space on Site 06:41 Recruiting for Attitude 07:59 Generations and Mentoring 11:27 Volunteering and Community 13:35 Peer Recognition Postcards 17:01 Little and Often Rewards 19:36 Unlimited Budget Ideas 21:17 Hybrid Work and Inclusion 24:09 Are We All Social 25:28 The Alien Pitch Finale 26:34 Wrap Up and Subscribe

  5. May 11

    How & why senior dads must parent more visibly for true culture change, with Elliott Rae

    In this episode, we discuss how family-friendly employers can encourage senior dads to be visible as parents with Elliott Rae, Founder of Parenting Out Loud, Equal Parenting Week and Working Dads Summit.  Rae argues senior leaders strongly shape workplace culture and dads’ willingness to take enhanced paternity leave or work flexibly, and explains how fear of judgement and presenteeism drives concealment of caregiving.  He links equal parenting to reducing the motherhood penalty and gender pay gap, and outlines practical actions employers can take across policy, culture and leadership. This wide ranging conversation also touches on traditional masculinity,  the ‘masculinity crisis’, creating safe spaces for male leaders through storytelling, and proposes societal investments such as shared parental leave, a four-day week, affordable childcare and cost-of-living reforms. Time Stamp of Conversation 00:00 Welcome to Leaders 00:49 The Senior Dads Challenge 01:55 Why Leaders Shape Culture 04:34 The Case for Equal Parenting 05:58 Policy Fixes That Work 07:38 Flexible Work Beyond Hybrid 09:21 Culture and Manager Influence 11:35 Why Men Stay Silent 13:11 Stories That Shift Leaders 17:08 Make the Business Case 18:39 Tailor and Measure Actions 21:11 Progress Takes Time 22:05 Is There a Masculinity Crisis 25:19 Alien Budget Big Ideas 28:56 Final Thanks and Subscribe

  6. Apr 14

    How can I make Rewards & Benefits something that changes culture, not just transactional? With BA's Josephina Smith

    If you’re in any doubt that Reward & Benefits can transform culture, or how, and looking for creative inspiration to replicate BA’s success at your organisation, then this episode is a must-listen. Josephina Smith is Reward and Recognition Director at the airline and has boundless enthusiasm for this topic. A former CPO, she sees herself as not a “reward professional” but as a “reward change professional”. This distinction informs the way she operates and, particularly, her drive to communicate the discipline’s strategic advantage across the company, from function to function.  Time stamp of conversation: 00:00 Welcome to Leaders Podcast 00:44 This Week’s Challenge 01:06 Meet Josephina Smith 03:18 Reward as Culture Change 04:50 Cost Conscious Not Cutting 06:57 Trends Shaping Benefits 09:21 BA Global Benefits Overhaul 11:11 Trust Through Face Time 12:16 Reward Psychology and Creativity 13:18 Cross Functional Influence 14:54 Comms Clarity and Personalization 18:11 Personalized Total Reward Video 22:04 Digital Buzz and Suppliers 24:27 AI Powered Benefits Future 26:42 Advice for Reward Pros 28:04 The Alien Budget Question 29:28 Wrap Up and Subscribe

  7. Mar 25

    Working parents are more stressed than ever, but how can employers genuinely support them? With Carly Stanley

    New figures released on Parent Mental Health Day on January 30th confirmed the hunch that working parents are feeling the strain more than ever. (We wrote about the findings, here, on www.makeadifference.media). But it can be tricky for employers to know how to support working parents, and how involved to get. Today's podcast guest is trailblazing HR professional Carly Stanley, Chief People Officer at outdoor advertising company, JC Decaux. In this episode, she talks us through - with her trademark honest how her company - shifted from a hierarchical, presenteeism culture to one focused on psychological safety. As she explains, this starts with listening, building trust with leaders, understanding the business and using data plus coaching to unblock difficult conversations (something she believes employers who want to effect real culture change must embrace, however uncomfortable). She emphasises there is no 'magic pill'  but shares her experience and the actions she's taken, including a raft of progressive benefits. 00:00 Welcome to Leaders Podcast 00:44 Working Parents Under Pressure 01:29 Meet Carly Stanley 04:29 Building Trust First 07:33 Listen Then Use Data 09:15 Coaching for Safety 11:15 Support in Practice 13:27 Policy Versus Culture 16:29 Fertility and Pregnancy Benefits 21:38 Return to Work Program 23:26 Milestones and Impact 24:16 The Alien Budget Question 26:07 Wrap Up and Subscribe

  8. Mar 2

    I need to understand our employees.... but what is the best way to REALLY do this?

    Our podcast guest today, Charles Alberts, Global Head of Wellbeing and People Experience at law firm Clifford Chance, tells us why his answer to this question is reverse mentoring. In this episode he explains, alongside his mentor Giulia, why reverse mentoring has been such a powerful experience for both of them, which has built their empathy and understanding of one another 'hugely'. In fact, it even gets quite emotional at times! If you've ever been curious about reverse mentoring, then this episode could be the nudge you need. Charles now describes it as one of the "genuine joys" of his career and it's clear how much he learnt from the experience which has helped him in his job. Remember you can find out more, and join the Make a Difference Leaders Club here: https://makeadifference.media/join-leaders-club/ Time line of podcast conversation: 00:00 Welcome and Leaders Club 00:35 This Week’s Challenge 01:19 Meet Charles and Giulia 02:17 What Reverse Mentoring Is 03:36 Nerves and First Impressions 05:48 Giulia’s Lived Experience 06:38 Building Psychological Safety 08:53 Intentional Structure vs Coffee 11:09 Key Learnings and Assumptions 16:32 Calling Out Behavior 17:50 Disability Inclusion and Language 19:48 How to Make It Work 22:27 Why Leaders Should Make Time 26:22 Alien question 28:06 Wrap Up and Subscribe

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Got a workplace culture challenge you just can’t crack? Or an employee health and wellbeing problem that seems messy and overwhelming? But you really want to make a difference to individuals thriving at work? You’re not alone, even though we know it may sometimes feel like it working in this field. This is the show where ambitious professionals share real stories, real mistakes and real solutions to the toughest culture and wellbeing problems. Think of it like your own personal agony aunt. Let’s make a difference, together :)

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