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The Work Well Podcast

The Work Well Podcast

By Brian Crooke

The World Health Organisation has identified the workplace as a priority area for health promotion. Why then, does the word “work” have such a negative and unhealthy connotation for so many? We spend so much of our adult lives “at work”, why should it be in a role or in a place that doesn’t support our health and wellbeing?

Join Brian Crooke on The Work Well Podcast as he interviews workplace wellbeing thought leaders to discuss how employers, employees and entrepreneurs can lead the way by creating and sustaining the healthy, safe and well workplaces of the future.
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Improving Digital Workplace Wellbeing - Chris Flack

The Work Well PodcastSep 11, 2020

00:00
47:13
parkHIIT - Resistance is Worthwhile!

parkHIIT - Resistance is Worthwhile!

Welcome to the final episode of season 5 of The Work Well Podcast! Today we’re doing a deep dive on parkHIIT, a social enterprise that promotes the importance of resistance exercise in local parks.

In this episode, Anne Farrell, Health Promotion Executive at Irish Rail and CIE Group and parkHIIT Community Leader is in conversation with The Work Well Podcast host and parkHIIT founder, Brian Crooke. Listen in as they discuss what parkHIIT is, how it started and the different ways people and organisations can get involved.

I hope you enjoy this very special episode of The Work Well Podcast!

Jul 25, 202233:53
Policies and legislation supporting a healthy work environment with Senator Emer Currie

Policies and legislation supporting a healthy work environment with Senator Emer Currie

Welcome to The Work Well Podcast! Today, we welcome Senator Emer Currie. Emer has become a voice for flexible and remote work in the Oireachtas. She left the corporate world when her second child was born, because of a lack of flexible working options. This led her to become more involved with grass roots organisations like Grow Remote and to campaign for flexibility in the workplace.

Emer ran in Local Elections in 2019 securing a seat on the first count and was appointed to the Seanad in 2020 as Fine Gael Spokesperson for Employment Affairs, Work Life Balance and Northern Ireland.

If you’re interested in the recent and imminent employment legislation that’s coming thick and fast through the Oireachtas then you’re about to get an update in our conversation with Senator Emer Currie. I know you’ll enjoy this conversation.

Jul 11, 202236:11
Building a True Community Through Remote Work with John Riordan

Building a True Community Through Remote Work with John Riordan

This week on The Work Well Podcast, we welcome John Riordan. John is Chairman of Grow Remote, a not for profit organisation on a mission to enable us to work, live and participate locally. He recently retired as Director of Support for Shopify, having also served as Chairman of Shopify International Ltd.

As we’ll hear during the conversation, the majority of teams John has managed worked from home, a business model he has been an evangelist for over the last 20 years in the US, UK and Ireland. In addition to chairing Grow Remote, John also serves on the board of the Sanctuary Runners, the IRFU Commercial & Marketing Committee and he’s also on the board of three start-ups.

So much value to be found in this episode, so enjoy our conversation with John Riordan.

Jul 04, 202246:07
Diversity, inclusion and wellbeing in the workplace with Kelly Metcalf

Diversity, inclusion and wellbeing in the workplace with Kelly Metcalf

This week on The Work Well Podcast, we welcome the Head of Diversity, Inclusion, and Wellbeing for Fujitsu Europe, Kelly Metcalf. In our conversation today, Kelly gives us her unique perspective on how to develop strategies that combine inclusion and employee wellbeing, creating a culture in which people feel themselves.

Kelly started her career as a HR Graduate at BAE Systems and later on she joined Fujitsu and progressed through a variety of senior HR roles during her career, including Head of Organisation Design and Change and European-wide HR Generalist roles, also spending time in global client management and responsible business.

I hope you enjoy my conversation with Kelly Metcalf!

Jun 27, 202251:49
Bonus Episode: Alive and Kicking with Clare McKenna!

Bonus Episode: Alive and Kicking with Clare McKenna!

For the first time on The Work Well Podcast, Brian is not the one asking the questions today. We are excited to feature our recent conversation on the Alive and Kicking Podcast with host Clare McKenna.

In her podcast, Clare looks at ‘health’ in the widest sense of the word, from mindfulness to skin problems, from personal health journeys to tips for better exercise, Clare tries to bring you a dose of happy and healthy living every single week. This conversation was part of a special Workplace Wellbeing episode.

I hope you enjoy our chat with Clare McKenna.

Jun 20, 202218:57
Exploring the benefits of lifestyle medicine with Dr. Robert Kelly

Exploring the benefits of lifestyle medicine with Dr. Robert Kelly

Welcome to the latest episode of The Work Well Podcast! Today, we invited Dr. Robert Kelly, cardiologist and Lifestyle Medicine Physician. 15 years ago, Robert realised that his challenge as a cardiologist was not just to treat the presenting illness but to fix the reasons why people are getting sick in the first place. This is when his journey in lifestyle medicine started.

Robert is a certified Tiny Habits Coach and a Behaviour Designer, which means he helps people and patients design ways to successfully break through in their own life: to help find their true happiness and success in life, career, relationships, family, self-care and health. Through his website, he offers information and programmes related to healthy habits and nutrition for patients and organisations.

Enjoy our conversation with Dr. Robert Kelly.

Jun 13, 202257:24
A People Mindset in Human Resources with Tony Vickers-Byrne

A People Mindset in Human Resources with Tony Vickers-Byrne

Welcome to The Work Well Podcast! Today, we welcome Tony Vickers-Byrne, who has 30 years of experience as HR director and board adviser. Tony was Public Health England's first HR Director as well as serving as CIPD's Chief Adviser for HR Practice.

One of the most interesting aspects of Tony’s journey is the change of mindset he underwent in how he approached his work fairly late in his career thanks in large part to a couple of inspirational leaders who happened to cross his path.

Enjoy our conversation with Tony Vickers-Byrne.

Jun 06, 202248:53
Large scale wellbeing programmes with Dr. Stephanie Fitzgerald

Large scale wellbeing programmes with Dr. Stephanie Fitzgerald

In this episode of The Work Well Podcast, we have the pleasure to welcome Dr. Stephanie Fitzgerald. Stephanie is a Chartered Clinical Psychologist, Neuropsychologist, keynote speaker, and author. She is also the founder of Soyo Ltd, a company designed to help individuals and organisations achieve their highest and happiest potential.

Stephanie has experience as a Health and Wellbeing Consultant in multiple organisations, such as Deloitte, the NHS, emergency response teams through to a Premier League football team. More recently, she developed the Global Mental Health strategy for Rolls-Royce, an organisation with over 50,000 employees worldwide. Her specialty is delivering practical, evidence-based interventions that provide a base for sustainable improvement, in a safety-critical environment.

I know you’ll enjoy this conversation with Stephanie!

May 30, 202241:48
Giving Voice to Men's Mental Health with Adrian Yeates
May 23, 202244:53
Ron Goetzel: The Godfather of Workplace Health Promotion

Ron Goetzel: The Godfather of Workplace Health Promotion

In this episode of The Work Well Podcast, we are privileged to be joined by the godfather of workplace health promotion, Ron Goetzel.

Ron is a Senior Scientist and Director of the Institute for Health and Productivity Studies (IHPS) at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and is responsible for leading innovative projects for healthcare purchase, managed care, government, and pharmaceutical clients interested in conducting cutting-edge research focused on the relationship between health and wellbeing, medical costs, and work-related productivity.

Ron is globally recognised for his research on health and productivity management (HPM), return-on-investment (ROI), program evaluation, and outcomes research.

I hope you enjoy our chat with Ron!

May 16, 202245:48
The past, present and future of workplace wellbeing with Professor Sir Cary Cooper

The past, present and future of workplace wellbeing with Professor Sir Cary Cooper

Today on The Work Well Podcast, we have the great privilege of being joined by Professor Sir Cary Cooper.

Cary is the 50th Anniversary Professor of Organisational Psychology and Health at the ALLIANCE Manchester Business School in the University of Manchester and the President of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. He is also the author and editor of countless scholarly articles and books, with which he contributes to expanding the knowledge on management, organisational behavior, and social sciences.

Cary's curriculum is extensive, so I'm excited to have him here to talk about the evolution and the future of mental health and wellbeing in the workplace.

Take a listen!

May 09, 202249:11
The process of creating ISO45003 and more with Stavroula Leka

The process of creating ISO45003 and more with Stavroula Leka

Welcome to The Work Well Podcast! Today we kick off season 5 of the podcast with an amazing guest: Stavroula Leka, Stavroula is a Professor of Work Organization & Well-being at University College Cork and very recently co-chaired the working group that developed the ISO45003 standard.

Stavroula is a Chartered Psychologist, Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society, Fellow of the Academy of Social sciences, President of the European Academy of Occupational Health Psychology (EAOHP), and Board member of the International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH).

I’m delighted to share our conversation with Stavroula to start our 5th season. Take a listen!

May 02, 202248:32
Working Towards Better Financial Wellbeing with Gwen Harris

Working Towards Better Financial Wellbeing with Gwen Harris

In our last episode of this season of The Work Well Podcast, we are delighted to welcome Gwen Harris, regional manager of MABS (the Money Advice and Budgeting Service). Gwen has 25 years of experience in client and community advocacy and education roles and is the perfect person to discuss the importance of financial planning and wellbeing with.

Today’s episode is all about financial wellbeing, firstly from an individual employee perspective, secondly we look at how an organisation could support the financial wellbeing of their colleagues and thirdly there’s advice for those who are self-employed.

Enjoy the conversation with Gwen Harris.

Jan 24, 202240:51
Healthy Nutrition as a Wellbeing Strategy with Aramark’s Director of Dietetics and Wellbeing, Elbha Purcell

Healthy Nutrition as a Wellbeing Strategy with Aramark’s Director of Dietetics and Wellbeing, Elbha Purcell

Today on The Work Well Podcast we have a fascinating conversation with Elbha Purcell, Director of Dietetics and Wellbeing for Aramark Northern Europe. Elbha and her team at Aramark contribute to the provision of dietetic support to all of the company’s healthcare units across Ireland and the UK, as well as the creation and implementation of health and wellness programmes across the region.

Elbha has over 18 years experience and holds memberships for the UL Health Professional Council, the British Dietetic Association, the Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute, and CORU: Ireland’s multi-profession health regulator.

I hope you enjoy my conversation with Elbha Purcell.

Jan 17, 202230:37
A Conversation with the New Head of Healthy Ireland, Tom James

A Conversation with the New Head of Healthy Ireland, Tom James

Welcome to the latest episode of The Work Well Podcast. Today, I’m delighted to welcome the Head of Healthy Ireland, Tom James. Prior to taking the lead at Healthy Ireland, Tom worked with the Revenue Commissioners for 19 years in various roles ranging from representing Ireland at EU level, specialist tax legislation roles, project management and a number of senior operational leadership positions.

Tom has a Postgraduate Certificate in Workplace Wellness from Tangent, in Trinity College, Dublin and chaired Revenue’s National Wellbeing Network before moving to Healthy Ireland in June 2021. Tom’s impressive career journey actually started with a degree in Computer Science where he first crossed paths with our host Brian.

Enjoy our conversation with Tom James.

Jan 10, 202234:52
Implementing Reduced Work Hour Models with 4 Day Week Global founder Charlotte Lockhart

Implementing Reduced Work Hour Models with 4 Day Week Global founder Charlotte Lockhart

This week on The Work Well Podcast, we are delighted to welcome the founder and CEO of 4 Day Week Global all the way from Auckland, New Zealand, Charlotte Lockhart.

Charlotte is a business advocate, investor, and philanthropist with more than 25 years of experience in multiple industries around the world. She works to promote internationally the benefits of a productivity-based and reduced-hours workplace. She’s on the board of the Wellbeing Research Centre at Oxford University and the advisory boards of the US Campaign and the Ireland campaign for the 4 Day Week Programme.

A few episodes back, Joe O’Connor introduced the 4 Day Working Week Movement to us and we talked about its impact in Ireland with Breann McGarry also. Now, we can have a closer look at the project with the founder of the movement.

Nov 22, 202140:53
Supporting Mental Health in the Construction Sector with Richie Butler of SISK Group

Supporting Mental Health in the Construction Sector with Richie Butler of SISK Group

Today on The Work Well Podcast, we welcome Richie Butler, Head of Occupational Health and Wellbeing at global construction company, SISK Group. Richie is responsible for building the health and wellbeing function and setting a strategic plan to achieve health protection and management objectives within SISK Group.

Richie previously worked with Bord Gais Energy for five years, driving their health and wellbeing agenda, and also spent more than five years working in the health and social care industry, which helped him realise his interest in positive mental health promotion.

In this episode, we talk about SISK Group, who we at The Work Well Podcast believe, are the first organisation in Ireland that has made ISO45003 a strategic priority, so I know you’ll get great value from our talk.

Nov 15, 202153:21
The Canadian Standard on Psychological Health and Safety with Mary Ann Baynton

The Canadian Standard on Psychological Health and Safety with Mary Ann Baynton

Welcome back to another episode of The Work Well Podcast. Today, we are delighted to talk to Mary Ann Baynton, principal of Mary Ann Baynton & Associates and Director of Strategy and Collaboration at Workplace Strategies for Mental Health.

Mary Ann has contributed to many committees and was co-chair of the technical committee for the development of the National Standard of Canada on Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace, the first national standard for Psychological Health and Safety in the world.

Mary Ann has been referred to as the Godmother of Psychological Health and Safety, and in this episode, she shares with us her thoughts on the growing interest from companies and governments in improving the psychological safety of workers. We also discuss her work with Workplace Strategies for Mental Health and the potential impact of ISO 45003 on the Canadian market and the world.

Take a listen!

Nov 08, 202146:15
The 4-Day Week Global Programme with Joe O'Connor

The 4-Day Week Global Programme with Joe O'Connor

This time out on The Work Well Podcast, we've invited Joe O'Connor to join us and talk about the 4-Day Week Global Programme and the studies that support it, including his one-year research fellowship on working time reduction with Cornell University in New York City.

Joe is on a sabbatical year from his role as the Director of Campaigning with Fórsa Trade Union, where he coordinates Fórsa’s national campaigns. In Ireland, he works as the chairperson of the 4-Day Week campaign, having coordinated the formation of the coalition in 2019, and the successful launch of a pilot programme and government-funded research project in 2021.

Nov 01, 202139:50
The Scandinavian Approach to a Healthy Work Environment with Paul Tynan

The Scandinavian Approach to a Healthy Work Environment with Paul Tynan

This time out on The Work Well Podcast, we’re delighted to welcome Paul Tynan, Managing Director of AJ Products, a company that is leading the way in ergonomic and active workplace furniture solutions.

Paul has a strong background in Fast Moving Consumer Goods and B2B sectors, especially in the areas of management, business development, and strategic planning and execution. He graduated in Business and Politics from Trinity College Dublin and was an early pioneer in Ireland’s booming craft beer industry.

I hope you enjoy my conversation with Paul about the future of the work environment and his experience as a business owner and manager.

Oct 25, 202132:07
The Workplace Wellbeing Landscape in the U.S. with Jen Arnold

The Workplace Wellbeing Landscape in the U.S. with Jen Arnold

In this episode of The Work Well Podcast, we are joined by Jen Arnold. Jen is the founder of Redesigning Wellness, a company and podcast that aims to improve traditional wellness programmes by supporting other companies' wellbeing through training, writing, and speaking.

Her podcast, Redesigning Wellness, was one of the first independent podcasts discussing workplace wellbeing and was a huge influence on the creation of this podcast. Jen is a TEDx speaker and storytelling fanatic who uses humor to keep people engaged episode after episode.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Jen and her family have embraced the digital nomad lifestyle by traveling around the US in an RV while also managing her business!

Oct 18, 202144:23
The 4-day work week in practice with ICE Group HR Manager Breann McGarry

The 4-day work week in practice with ICE Group HR Manager Breann McGarry

This time on The Work Well Podcast we’re delighted to have Breann McGarry with us to talk about her role at ICE Group and the development of the 4-day working week initiative.

Since 2011, Breann has been part of the HR team at ICE Group, the first company in Ireland to introduce the 4-day working week back in 2019. Now a little over two years into this initiative, we talked about the impact it has had on the company’s productivity and wellbeing.

Oct 11, 202133:09
Addressing Gaps in Workplace Mental Health Programmes with Emily Pearson

Addressing Gaps in Workplace Mental Health Programmes with Emily Pearson

In this episode of The Work Well Podcast, we’re speaking with Workplace Mental Health Programme expert Emily Pearson. Emily is the co-founder of Our Minds Work, a company that provides consultancy, training, and education to companies looking to create a mentally healthy work environment.

Emily has a lot to say about existing workplace mental health programmes. In this episode, she challenges our understanding of mental health in the workplace and takes a closer look at the training some organisations offer their employees in this area (including Mental Health First Aid) and outlines the safeguards that should accompany these types of training programmes.

Oct 04, 202156:44
The benefits of ISO45003 on Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace with Jason van Schie

The benefits of ISO45003 on Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace with Jason van Schie

Welcome to the first episode of Season 4 of The Work Well Podcast! Today we are very excited to have Jason van Schie, psychologist and podcaster, as our guest. Based in Perth, Western Australia, Jason has focused on developing technological solutions in an attempt to make psychological health, safety, and wellbeing accessible at scale and globally.

He is the founder of People Diagnostix, a health technology company that provides psychologically-based solutions internationally to improve health, wellbeing, productivity, and safety outcomes. Jason is also the co-host of one of Brian’s favorite podcasts on workplace wellbeing, the Psych Health and Safety Podcast.

Take a listen!

Sep 27, 202136:58
We are back for Season 4!

We are back for Season 4!

We're going international for this season of the podcast! 

That's right. For this season we have lined up thought leaders from Canada, UK, Australia, the US and of course closer to home, to tell us more about the health promotion landscape in their jurisdictions and what we can learn from them.

Not only that, but we'll be discussing more about hybrid working, the return to the workplace and the first standard on psychological health in the workplace, the ISO 45003. 

For this exciting fourth season I’m delighted to welcome AJ Products as our sponsor. They are paving the way in ergonomic and active workplace furniture solutions.

See you next Monday!


Sep 20, 202104:27
Understanding Wellbeing as an Enabler of Business Success with Sharon O’Connor

Understanding Wellbeing as an Enabler of Business Success with Sharon O’Connor

Today on The Work Well Podcast, we welcome Sharon O’Connor, Global Wellbeing Lead at Novartis. Sharon is an amazing example of an intentionally non-linear career path that has enabled her to work in different fields and industries, collecting insights on how wellbeing strategies work within each of these fields.

Sharon has worked in communications in the US, she was the Campaign Director for the 20x20 campaign, a movement promoting women and girls in sport, and she was in the first cohort of graduates from the Postgraduate Certificate in Workplace Wellness at Tangent, Trinity College Dublin.

Besides her job as wellbeing lead, Sharon is also a certificated yoga instructor, which compliments her interest in exercise and wellbeing in her personal and professional life.

May 19, 202137:48
The Open Doors Initiative and DEI strategies with Siobhan Sweeney

The Open Doors Initiative and DEI strategies with Siobhan Sweeney

In this episode, we have the Open Doors Initiative’s Director of Development, Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion, Siobhan Sweeney with us to discuss DEI and DEI strategies in the workplace. Siobhan previously worked at AIB as Group Diversity and Inclusion Lead, developing strategies to further the DEI mindset and to break down biases, raise awareness and deliver support initiatives across the group.

Siobhan is an award-winning expert in DEI and her work at the Open Doors Initiative has allowed her to help over 90 companies from all sectors to implement strategies and policies to empower diverse teams to perform at their best, fulfilling companies’ statutory equality and diversity requirements.

Currently, Siobhan is undertaking an MSc in Work and Organisational Behaviour/Psychology at DCU to complement her skills.

May 12, 202154:06
Policies that Promote Work-life Balance With Lisa Finnegan

Policies that Promote Work-life Balance With Lisa Finnegan

In today’s episode of The Work Well Podcast, we welcome recently promoted VP of International HRBP for LinkedIn, Lisa Finnegan. Lisa has worked at LinkedIn for 5 years and has over 17 years of experience in HR within the technology sector in Ireland. In this episode, Lisa shares her thoughts on remote work and wellbeing based on her own experience of working from home over the past year.

In addition to her role at LinkedIn, Lisa is also a wellness ambassador and a gym and fitness enthusiast, mom to a golden cockapoo named Bear and a self-proclaimed building project manager and interior design expert having recently renovated her home in the midst of a pandemic.

Those details will have to wait for another time. What we discuss in this episode is how to promote well-being in a large company such as LinkedIn in creative and applicable ways that can work for small and large teams.

May 05, 202145:42
Overcoming Any Addictive Behaviour

Overcoming Any Addictive Behaviour

Today on the show, we’re delighted to welcome back Brian Pennie. Listeners to the podcast and the Work Well Community members will be familiar with Brian’s story from 15 years of chronic heroin addiction to PhD at Trinity College. For more on that story, you can listen back to Episode 4 of Season 2. We asked Brian back today to speak about a specific area, alcohol, and our relationship with it. As always, Brian had some really powerful advice and real-life experiences to share. There’s so much value in this episode.

Apr 28, 202155:48
 Developing Inclusive and Decentralised Workplace Wellbeing

Developing Inclusive and Decentralised Workplace Wellbeing

Mary works for Permanent TSB and is responsible for Engagement, Wellbeing and Diversity and Inclusion initiatives across the bank, supporting over 2,500 colleagues, who in turn look after 1 million customers. She has had a varied career over the years, from her first job at 12 in the local hardware shop to serving pilgrims in Lough Derg, working in bars, barbershops and Burger King. Once she finally settled down and found her ideal career path, she has worked for Grafton Recruitment, PricewaterhouseCoopers and now in Permanent TSB. In her personal life, Mary is married to Marc and mother to three kids under the age of six. In between juggling her family and working life, she likes to fit in some trips back home to Monaghan – something that has been limited over the past year, but she’s looking forward to getting back to – and eventually giving her elderly mum a long-overdue hug.

Apr 21, 202142:45
Retraining Behaviour So That It Works For You And Not Against You

Retraining Behaviour So That It Works For You And Not Against You

Yvonne has been a highly successful academic and clinician with a strong track record in teaching, training, publishing and presenting for the last 20 years. She has published over 150 scientific articles and book chapters and given over 500 presentations and workshops internationally. She was an Associate Professor in Behaviour Analysis and a Senior Research Fellow at Ghent University before establishing Perspectives Ireland. She is a world leader in behavioural science and has co-developed the Process-based Behaviour Therapy technique (PBBT).

Apr 14, 202131:49
An Inclusive Environment That Supports Wellbeing With Hollen Spatz
Apr 07, 202140:51
Setting zany goals and eliminating self-limiting beliefs

Setting zany goals and eliminating self-limiting beliefs

As the world’s leading TV hypnotist, mentalist, and brain hacker Keith Barry has been blazing a trail across the globe for many years. His mind-blowing skills have been showcased in over forty international television shows. Keith also worked as chief mentalist and hypnotist consultant for the blockbuster movies Now You See Me 1 & 2. He has written, produced, and performed many of his live shows over the last 15 years and has sold out venues worldwide. Keith’s TED Talk is in the top twenty-five TED Talks of all time, currently boasting over twenty-five million views.

Mar 31, 202149:46
The Keys to a Successful Wellness Programme With Helen Gallagher

The Keys to a Successful Wellness Programme With Helen Gallagher

Helen is Global Head of HR for Morgan McKinley, a recruitment and talent solutions business. She supports teams across Europe, Canada, India, and 5 Asia PACific offices. Helen and her team have been instrumental in developing a great culture in Morgan McKinley with a solid reputation as a Great Place to Work. Morgan McKinley also holds a platinum status as a Deloitte Best Managed Company and is the only recruitment company in Ireland to have been awarded a silver standard for Diversity and Inclusion from the Irish Centre for Diversity.

Morgan McKinley is a company with 700 employees globally and offices across ten countries. Rolling out global wellbeing initiatives is based on flexibility and the feedback of their employees. Helen tells us they never assume to know what people want, but they instead reach out and find out how their employees feel and what their real needs are.

Mar 24, 202141:38
Nutrition for performance and wellbeing - With Kate McDaid

Nutrition for performance and wellbeing - With Kate McDaid

Hello and welcome to the latest episode of The Work Well Podcast. Today on the show I’m delighted to welcome Kate McDaid.

Kate is a well-established health and performance nutritionist and founder of NutriKate, a Dublin-based nutrition consultancy that specialises in high-performance. Kate works closely with individuals, elite teams and corporations to help them achieve their health and performance goals. She recently appeared in Sport for Business' 30 under 30 list where she was recognised as one of Ireland's emerging business leaders working in the business of sport.

This episode is brought to you with thanks to The Fruit People. You will actually hear in this episode Kate mentioning the importance of fruit in our diet. 'The Fruit People are Leading the way in workplace nutrition both in office and remotely!' Check out thefruitpeople.ie for more.

It’s with thanks to The Fruit People we have a delicious Fresh Fruit & Healthy Snack Pack to give away to one lucky listener to this episode.

To find out how to enter go to workwellpodcast.com, find the link to this episode with Kate and you’ll find the competition details at the bottom of the article.

Now sit back and enjoy my chat with Kate McDaid.

Mar 17, 202147:14
Is your organisation ready for a workplace wellness programme? Interview with Fania Stoney

Is your organisation ready for a workplace wellness programme? Interview with Fania Stoney

Fania Stoney is a co-founder and consultant with Healthy Place to Work. Healthy Place to Work takes a holistic view of health in the workplace; they help companies implement a wide-ranging and evidence-based health strategy. Fania works closely with organisations, maintaining collaborative relationships across multiple stakeholders to create healthy workplaces and high performing environments for employees. This involves analysing data, investigating existing programmes, identifying current strengths and opportunities, and embedding new programmes.

Healthy Place to Work was founded as a response to a need in the Irish workplace environment. A few years ago, there was a boom in workplace health and wellbeing in Ireland, but many organisations didn’t offer much beyond the usual fruit basket and yoga session. Fania wanted to look deeper, look at the individual within the organisation. How can this individual be supported to flourish at work and beyond?

Mar 10, 202151:11
Meditation is much more than the perfect lotus pose - With Dermot Whelan

Meditation is much more than the perfect lotus pose - With Dermot Whelan

Dermot Whelan is a radio and TV presenter and a public speaker. He’s a certified master of wisdom and meditation teacher and a stand-up comedian. He’s perhaps best known for co-presenting the hugely popular Dermot & Dave Show on Today FM but he’s had a rich and varied career.

Dermot describes his career path as more of “a bizarre trail through a forest”. As a kid, he was interested in the media, but he was passionate about ancient Egypt and Greece, so he went to Trinity College Dublin to study archaeology at third level. He soon discovered archaeology wasn’t precisely as he imagined, and after graduating, he started working as an assistant director for TV and film. He drifted into radio in his late 20s when he discovered the creativity behind it. Stand-up comedy came as a side to his radio job, but it soon evolved more than he expected. The stress and anxiety he felt before comedy shows turned into panic attacks. That was when he realized he needed to make a change and went towards a wellness path.

“To be honest, I just needed to find something that would help me manage stress better than a pint of Guinness. So meditation opened that door for me. And I found it was far healthier and way cheaper.”

Mar 03, 202153:42
Season 03 - Trailer
Feb 24, 202108:11
Workplace wellness initiatives in the public sector

Workplace wellness initiatives in the public sector

Lynsey Perdisatt is the Director of HR and Change at the HPRA (Health Products Regulatory Authority) since 2014. Lynsey is a senior HR professional with over 18 years' experience in HR and organisational development both in the private and public sector.

As Director of Human Resources and Change, Lynsey is responsible for the design and delivery of the Human Resources and Change strategy for the HPRA, which has a significant focus on employee wellbeing and engagement. The HPRA were the first public sector organisation to attain the KeepWell Mark and demonstrate their ongoing commitment to wellbeing. A board member of the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), Lynsey also is Chair of HIQA's Resource Oversight Committee and Non-Executive Director for the charity One in Four.

With the latest challenges in mind, Lynsey is working on ways to support the HPRA staff working from home and also reflecting and planning for what the longer term' future of work' will look like. She is also looking to find a balance personally with two kids, three dogs and working remotely!

Want to find out more information about Lynsey Perdisatt's wellbeing programs at HPRA? Reach out to her on LinkedIn.

Are you interested in learning more about workplace wellbeing and educating yourself in this area? Head on over to www.workwellinstitute.org, where I'm launching my online education programmes. You can learn all about my 8-step framework for developing a workplace wellness programme that lasts.

If you have any suggestions for future topics you'd like to hear on the show, email me directly, brian@workwellpodcast.com

Nov 20, 202054:35
What does the future of work look like for HubSpot?

What does the future of work look like for HubSpot?

Kate is HubSpot’s EMEA Culture Manager, managing a Culture Team across European offices in Dublin, Berlin, Paris, and Ghent to create a remarkable remote 1st employee experience. The Culture team is on a mission to inspire people to do their best work, how, when, and where they work best.

Kate is also one of HubSpot’s Global ‘Energy Project’ facilitators where each quarter, she helps teach employees how to make the most of their time and energy at home and work. In the last ten years, she has established four successful businesses in property, leisure, childcare, and coworking.

Want to find out more about Kate Moran’s initiatives at HubSpot? Follow her on LinkedIn and take a look at hubspot.com. Their careers page talks about the different programmes they are running and their diversity and inclusion initiatives. It’s a great, great place for resources and information.

Are you interested in learning more about workplace wellbeing and educating yourself in this area? Head on over to www.workwellinstitute.org, where I'm launching my online education programmes. You can learn all about my 8-step framework for developing a workplace wellness programme that lasts.

If you have any suggestions for future topics you'd like to hear on the show, email me directly, brian@workwellpodcast.com

Nov 13, 202037:17
Creating a Culture that Encourages Wellbeing at All Levels
Nov 06, 202041:07
Debunking the Myths behind Workplace Wellbeing With Janet Buckley

Debunking the Myths behind Workplace Wellbeing With Janet Buckley

Janet Buckley is Head of Organisational Development with the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC). In this role, she is responsible for all elements of OD, HR, L&D, including wellbeing.

She has over 24 years' experience across the civil and public service with additional expertise in the private and charity sectors. She has been in OD roles for the last 16 years, where her passion for workplace wellbeing emerged. As Head of L&D in her previous Civil Service position, she became very interested in making work life more rewarding and fulfilling for her colleagues.

During the recession, she realised that it was the perfect time to bring wellbeing front and centre. It was essential, and it was necessary. She set about achieving an ambitious challenge of creating a wellbeing culture in a civil service organisation with a minimal budget. By her own admission, her ambition was for the organisation to be able to stand up and hold their own next to the googles and facebooks.

Her passion for wellbeing continued in her current role where she is overseeing the final year of their 3-year strategy (on a budget). The foundations created by the strategy in the first two years has advanced them in responding to Covid-19. With the assistance of the Wellbeing Committee, they have provided ongoing support and engagement initiatives to help people find their way through the pandemic.

She joins us today to debunk the myths that wellbeing is expensive and time-consuming and that it's HR's responsibility.

Are you interested in learning more about workplace wellbeing and educating yourself in this area? Head on over to www.workwellinstitute.org, where I'm launching my online education programmes. You can learn all about my 8-step framework for developing a workplace wellness programme that lasts.

If you have any suggestions for future topics you'd like to hear on the show, email me directly, brian@workwellpodcast.com

Oct 30, 202035:35
The Wake-Up Call the Work Environment Needed - Tracey Carey
Oct 23, 202030:38
Fitbit’s fight against COVID-19 With Clodagh Logue
Oct 16, 202032:49
Employee Engagement While Working Remotely With Sheila Greaney

Employee Engagement While Working Remotely With Sheila Greaney

A born-and-bred Galway woman, Sheila Greaney has had a lengthy career working in the engineering space. Her role as Site Engagement Lead for Cisco Systems Galway is all about the 'people experience'. She makes sure that all employees are happy, content, productive and most of all, maintain a healthy work/life balance. At Cisco, giving back to society is seen as equally important and is celebrated as much as their contributions in work itself. Sheila has worked hard on many aspects of the Cisco Culture and helped enormously to get Cisco Ireland to where it is now. Cisco ranked Number 1 in the Great Place to Work for 2016, in the top 3 after that, and is now back in the number one position in 2020.

Cisco globally is well known for its 'giving back' culture. Sheila takes pride in running the CSR team at the Galway office. The site has raised over €25K a year on average for the last 12 years for local charities from a working population of fewer than 200 people. One of her most recent projects was setting up an on-site gym for the site, turning what was once an unused data-centre into a daily used space for anyone and everyone on-site to exercise and improve their overall fitness and wellbeing. It has given everyone a huge added benefit of being able to work out at their convenience. Ensuring people are happy and enjoy coming to work is something Sheila takes very seriously.

Oct 09, 202038:41
The Impact of Nutrition at the Workplace With Clare Kelly
Oct 02, 202033:22
Self-Awareness is the Opposite of Addiction - Brian Pennie
Sep 25, 202034:34
Managing Family Time During Lockdown With Dr. Malie Coyne

Managing Family Time During Lockdown With Dr. Malie Coyne

As we are all aware by now, working remotely carries a lot of challenges. One of the most topical right now is how our work life has become so intertwined with our personal life as we are forced to transform our homes into a working space. On this episode of the podcast, Dr Malie Coyne discusses how the lockdown has changed the way we relate with our family and how we can manage our working day and home life.

Dr. Coyne is a Clinical Psychologist and N.U.I.G. Lecturer with 20 years experience of working therapeutically with children and families. She is very passionate about promoting wellbeing and increasing awareness of mental health issues, which she achieves through her work on the A Lust for Life mental health advisory panel, public speaking and media contributions. Dr. Coyne believes that the solid foundations for emotional and mental wellbeing begin in early childhood and that staying well involves looking after your mind on a daily basis.

In this episode, we’ll discuss the most frequent questions parents have during lockdown, how we can manage time with family, how to deal with children’s fears and anxiety, and how the future will look in terms of the balance between working hours and family time.

Sep 18, 202039:49
Improving Digital Workplace Wellbeing - Chris Flack
Sep 11, 202047:13
Transitioning back to the workplace - Su Carty
Sep 04, 202041:35