At Work, Under Pressure

Jessi Beyer
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Management

Solve your workplace pressure point. At Work, Under Pressure is a podcast about the moments when work gets hard – when burnout rises, people get overwhelmed, conflict escalates, and mental health crises sneak into the workplace. Hosted by Jessi Beyer, a SWAT negotiator and licensed mental health professional, we take you behind the scenes of today’s workforce and show you what’s working and what’s not in workplace mental health, straight from the mouths of executives, HR professionals, safety/risk leaders, and corporate wellness experts who are seeing it firsthand. At Work, Under Pressure is for leaders who understand that people problems become operational problems when organizations are not prepared. If that’s you, pull up a chair, whip out a notebook, and settle in for real conversations about building workplaces that are safer, steadier, and better equipped for high-pressure human moments.

  1. 14h ago

    All About introverts: Work, Energy, and Playing the Corporate Game with Janice Chaka

    CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE! Introverts do not need to become extroverts to succeed at work. But workplaces do need to stop treating extroversion as the default path to leadership, visibility, and advancement. In this episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer sits down with Janice Chaka of The Career Introvert to talk about introversion, energy management, networking, imposter syndrome, leadership, meetings, systems, burnout, and why organizations need to design work for humans instead of machines. Janice explains why introversion is not about disliking people, but about how people spend and restore energy. She also shares how introverts can build relationships without forcing themselves into happy-hour networking, why organizations often push great individual contributors into management roles they may not want, and how imposter syndrome can quietly cost companies talent, creativity, decision-making, and retention. In this episode, Jessi and Janice discuss: Why introverts are more like rechargeable batteries than solar panelsHow workplaces financially reward management, even when someone is a brilliant individual contributorWhy networking should be reframed as relationship buildingHow introverts can build professional relationships with systems instead of forced small talkWhy imposter syndrome is not just an individual issue, but an organizational talent issueHow perfectionism, fear of being exposed, and self-doubt affect workplace performanceWhy rigid systems, burnout, lack of agency, and helplessness matter in workplace suicide prevention This episode is for HR leaders, people managers, introverted professionals, career coaches, L&D leaders, executives, and anyone trying to build a workplace where people can succeed without pretending to be someone they are not. Because all the best humans have limits. And the smartest workplaces design around them. CONNECT WITH JANICE: LinkedInThe Career IntrovertLimits by DesignPersonal WebsiteTEDx Talk

  2. 2d ago

    Second Chances, Systems Barriers, and the Cost of Redemption with Richard Bronson

    CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE! Richard Bronson’s story starts on Wall Street, moves through Stratton Oakmont and federal prison, and eventually becomes a mission to help people coming out of incarceration rebuild their lives. In this episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer sits down with Richard Bronson, founder of Commissary Club and 70 Million Jobs, to talk about The Real Wolf of Wall Street, white-collar crime, guilt, prison, humility, reentry, fair-chance hiring, AI, employment barriers, and what it means to build something useful after losing almost everything. Richard shares how he became a partner at Stratton Oakmont, why he knowingly stayed in a criminal environment, what prison taught him about humility, and how he later built technology to help people with criminal records access jobs. He also explains why employers need to stop treating fair-chance hiring as charity and start understanding it as a business case, especially when retention, loyalty, and workforce access are on the line. In this episode, Jessi and Richard discuss: How Richard became involved with Stratton Oakmont and the culture behind The Wolf of Wall StreetWhy money, status, camaraderie, and ego can pull people into unethical environmentsWhat cognitive dissonance feels like when someone knows they are doing wrongHow prison changed Richard’s life and gave him a dose of humilityWhy employment is one of the biggest barriers to successful reentryHow fair-chance hiring shifted when employers saw the business case, not just the moral caseHow Commissary Club uses AI to help people navigate job applications, housing, benefits, and bureaucracy This episode is for HR leaders, workforce development professionals, reentry organizations, criminal justice reform advocates, employers, founders, social impact leaders, and anyone interested in what second chances actually require. Because redemption is not just about telling people to do better. It is about removing the systems barriers that keep them stuck. CONNECT WITH RICHARD richard@commissary.clubLinkedInWebsite

  3. 5d ago

    Trauma Sensitivity at Work: What Leaders Need to Understand Before Crisis Hits with Adriana Leigh

    CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE! Trauma does not leave itself at the door when people come to work. And calling a workplace “trauma-informed” is not enough if leaders do not know how to embody that in everyday practice. In this episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer sits down with Adriana Leigh of ALG Consulting to talk about trauma, trauma sensitivity, psychological safety, nervous system responses, accountability, workplace conflict, leadership behavior, and why trauma-sensitive work is not about lowering standards. Adriana explains why she intentionally uses the language of trauma sensitivity, how trauma responses can show up as resistance, withdrawal, conflict, reactivity, or avoidance, and why leaders need to understand both the individual and structural sides of workplace safety. She also shares examples from high-pressure teams, healthcare environments, and international work where trauma-sensitive practices can change how people communicate, respond, and repair trust. In this episode, Jessi and Adriana discuss: Why trauma is not just the event, but the nervous system’s response to itWhy “trauma-informed” can become a checkbox instead of a real practiceHow trauma sensitivity builds on psychological safetyWhy trauma-sensitive leadership is not about lowering standardsHow ambiguity, unclear communication, and false urgency trigger reactivityWhat simple practices, like check-ins and clear agendas, can do for team safetyWhy trauma, mental health crises, and suicide risk show up at work whether leaders are ready or not This episode is for executives, HR leaders, healthcare leaders, nonprofit leaders, DEI professionals, legal teams, investigators, facilitators, and anyone responsible for creating safer, more accountable workplaces. Because trauma sensitivity is not softness. It is precision, safety, accountability, and better leadership. CONNECT WITH ADRIANA LinkedInWebsiteTrauma Sensitivity At Work: How To Lead Safe, Inclusive TeamsWorld Health Organization survey on lifetime trauma prevalence

  4. Sep 9

    Crisis Leadership and How to Get Out of the Basement of Your Brain with Dr. Leonard Marcus

    CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE! When crisis hits, leaders do not magically become ready. They either have the tools, relationships, and emotional discipline to respond, or they create a vacuum. In this episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer sits down with Dr. Leonard Marcus of Harvard’s National Preparedness Leadership Initiative to talk about crisis leadership, meta-leadership, emotional response, chain of command, swarm leadership, and what workplace leaders can learn from major disasters. Lenny shares how his work studying Hurricane Katrina, COVID, the Boston Marathon bombings, emergency response, public safety, healthcare, and national preparedness shaped his understanding of what leaders need when pressure is highest. In this episode, Jessi and Lenny discuss: What Hurricane Katrina taught Lenny about leadership vacuums in crisisWhy people go to the “basement of the brain” when they perceive threatHow leaders can regain agency by moving into concrete actionWhat meta-leadership means and how to lead down, up, across, and beyondWhy chain of command still matters while influencing beyond authorityHow emotional support after traumatic events helps responders keep doing the jobWhy leaders need trusted relationships before the crisis, not business cards during it This episode is for executives, HR leaders, safety professionals, public safety leaders, healthcare leaders, emergency managers, and anyone responsible for guiding people through moments when stress, trauma, uncertainty, and urgency collide. Because in a crisis, leadership is not just about being in charge. It is about helping people get out of the basement, rebuild agency, and move together. CONNECT WITH DR. MARCUS LinkedInNPLI at HarvardYou're It: Crisis, Change, and How To Lead When It Matters Most

  5. Sep 7

    The History of Suicide: Stigma, Criminalization, and How Prevention Changed Over Time (Solo Episode)

    CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE! Suicide Prevention Awareness Month gives us a chance to talk about saving lives, but to understand where suicide prevention is today, we also have to understand the long, complicated history that shaped the stigma, silence, punishment, and public health efforts surrounding suicide in the Western world. In this solo episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer walks through a rapid-fire history of suicide, from ancient Greece and Rome to early Christianity, medieval religious doctrine, English common law, colonial America, decriminalization, Durkheim’s sociological theory, and the rise of modern suicide prevention efforts. Jessi explores how suicide moved through multiple cultural frames over time: a sin against God, an act of cowardice, an honorable death in some Roman contexts, a crime against the king, a symptom of insanity, a social problem, and eventually a preventable public health issue. She also reflects on how ideas from Aristotle, Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, English common law, Durkheim, and modern prevention organizations continue to echo in the way people talk about suicide today. Jessi discusses: How ancient Greek, Roman, and Christian beliefs shaped early suicide stigmaHow suicide became tied to sin, morality, confession, burial rights, and criminal punishmentWhy mental illness became an “excusable” explanation for suicide, but often in limited and stigmatizing waysHow suicide was criminalized in England, Scotland, Ireland, and the United StatesHow Durkheim helped shift suicide from a purely individual or moral issue to a social problemHow modern suicide prevention efforts emerged through crisis centers, national strategies, awareness campaigns, and public health work This episode is for suicide prevention professionals, HR leaders, clinicians, educators, faith leaders, public health professionals, crisis responders, and anyone who wants to understand why suicide stigma is so deeply rooted. Because the way we talk about suicide did not come from nowhere. It was built over thousands of years, and if we want to dismantle the stigma, we need to understand the history we inherited. CONNECT WITH JESSI LinkedInFree Suicide Risk Readiness Diagnostic

  6. Sep 4

    Scrappy Leadership, Fair Pressure, and Building Ahead of the Industry with Larry Namer

    CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE! Before E! became a global entertainment brand, it started with limited money, limited credibility, and a team small enough to include 11 employees and 31 interns. In this episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer sits down with Larry Namer, co-founder of E!, to talk about building a 24-hour television network from almost nothing, leading through scarcity, taking creative risks, expanding internationally, adapting to technology, and why leaders need to balance toughness with fairness. Larry shares how E! grew from a scrappy cable startup into one of the fastest-growing networks in the world, why the team’s lack of rigid rules became an advantage, and how shows like Talk Soup and Fashion Police reflected a willingness to break from polished entertainment coverage and show audiences something more human. In this episode, Jessi and Larry discuss: What it was like building E! with far less funding than a traditional television network requiredHow scarcity, creativity, and a lack of rigid rules shaped E!’s early cultureWhy Larry believes tenacity and work ethic are harder to find todayHow leaders can tell the difference between conviction and stubbornnessWhy technology, including AI, should be embraced with guardrails instead of ignoredWhat the entertainment industry needs to do better to protect the humans behind the machineWhy return on investment should include social impact, not just shareholder returns This episode is for founders, executives, creatives, entertainment leaders, entrepreneurs, and anyone trying to build something meaningful in an industry that keeps changing. Because sometimes the best way to build the future is to stop following the crowd. CONNECT WITH LARRY LinkedInInstagramFacebookWikipediaE! Entertainment

  7. Sep 2

    Sincerely Human: Wholeness, Storytelling, and the Leadership We Need Now with Katherine Dudtschak

    CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE! Modern work often rewards performance, extraction, and fitting in. Katherine Dudtschak believes there is another way. In this episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer sits down with Katherine Dudtschak of Sincerely to talk about wholeness, storytelling, gender affirmation, psychological safety, leadership, trauma, hope, and what it means to build workplaces where people can be fully human. Katherine shares how her own journey through corporate leadership, affirming her gender, suicidal ideation, healing, and storytelling shaped the work she does today through Sincerely. She also explains why organizations cannot simply declare vulnerability as a value. They have to build the conditions, support, and leadership containers that make vulnerability safe enough to survive. In this episode, Jessi and Katherine discuss: Why modern systems often prioritize extraction, performance, and fitting inHow reconnecting with the inner child can help people reclaim wholenessWhy storytelling is one of the oldest and most powerful forms of learningHow Katherine’s gender affirmation shaped her understanding of hope, courage, and belongingWhy vulnerability at work requires professional support, psychological safety, and consentHow senior leaders can model self-awareness, compassion, and regenerative leadershipWhy leaders can either add to someone’s hurt or become part of the reason they find hope This episode is for executives, HR leaders, culture leaders, DEI leaders, mental health advocates, and anyone trying to build a workplace that values people beyond their productivity. Because people are not machines. They are stories, wounds, wisdom, longing, courage, and possibility. CONNECT WITH KATHERINE LinkedInWebsiteSincerely, Katherine: Life, Gender, Inclusivity, and Leadership for the Future

  8. Aug 31

    Thoughtload, Burnout, and the Invisible Tax on Performance with Dr. Liane Davey

    CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE! Sometimes the workload looks reasonable on paper, but your team still looks exhausted, distracted, reactive, and overwhelmed. Dr. Liane Davey says that is because leaders are often looking at the wrong load. In this episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer sits down with Dr. Liane Davey of 3COze to talk about thoughtload, burnout, conflict debt, emotional contagion, decision fatigue, workplace safety, and why the invisible cognitive and emotional burden people carry may be doing more damage than the visible workload itself. Liane explains why thoughtload follows us everywhere, how stress differs from burnout, why unresolved conflict compounds like debt, and what leaders can do to help teams reconnect to meaningful outcomes before overwhelm becomes a safety or mental health issue. In this episode, Jessi and Liane discuss: Why leaders misdiagnose burnout when they only look at workloadHow thoughtload creates cognitive, emotional, and physical safety risksThe difference between stress, distress, burnout, and quiet quittingWhy people need “no input” time to metabolize what they are carryingHow conflict debt compounds and travels home with employeesWhy teams need to reconnect to the outcome they are truly trying to createHow suicide loss affects an entire organization through emotional contagion This episode is for executives, HR leaders, managers, safety professionals, team leaders, and anyone trying to understand why people can be overwhelmed even when the work itself looks manageable. Because sometimes the work is not the problem. The thoughtload is. CONNECT WITH DR. DAVEY LinkedInPersonal WebsiteProfessional WebsiteThoughtload: Manage the Madness and Free Your Team to Do Great Work

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About

Solve your workplace pressure point. At Work, Under Pressure is a podcast about the moments when work gets hard – when burnout rises, people get overwhelmed, conflict escalates, and mental health crises sneak into the workplace. Hosted by Jessi Beyer, a SWAT negotiator and licensed mental health professional, we take you behind the scenes of today’s workforce and show you what’s working and what’s not in workplace mental health, straight from the mouths of executives, HR professionals, safety/risk leaders, and corporate wellness experts who are seeing it firsthand. At Work, Under Pressure is for leaders who understand that people problems become operational problems when organizations are not prepared. If that’s you, pull up a chair, whip out a notebook, and settle in for real conversations about building workplaces that are safer, steadier, and better equipped for high-pressure human moments.

Information

  • Creator
    Jessi Beyer
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    36
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Jessi Beyer
  • Show Website
    At Work, Under Pressure