Organizations know that DEI work is important work, and it is. But not just because of the racial reckoning in these last two years. One of the biggest challenges diversity, equity and inclusion professionals face is helping organizations to see how far the DEI work actually stretches.

This is especially true right now, as some employees are back in the office while others are still working remotely--maybe with no plans to return to the office at all. Workplaces are remote and yet everyone wants to feel like they belong.

At the same time, DEI work doesn’t happen in a silo and one human resources professional can’t be expected to do all the work. It requires buy-in from the executive level, as well as a full time person who has the power to make decisions and make things happen.

This week on the podcast, I’m talking with Andrea Tatum, a DEI disruptor and consultant who supports organizations in doing the work and trains other DEI professionals to do the same. We talk about the importance of the DEI role being a top-level role and how to show other executives what work actually needs to be done. Andrea also shares how DEI pros can take care of themselves during this important work and some of the pitfalls that organizations may face if they don’t have the right people in these roles.

I hope you’ll tune in!

About Andrea Tatum:

Andrea spent her early career as a marketer in non-profit arts organizations including theaters, ballets, & symphonies. She was named one of the most influential women in Atlanta by Rolling Out Magazine for her focus on diversifying audiences.

Shortly after moving to the Bay Area, she pivoted into Tech as a product marketing and events manager.  And while her entire career has been about creating more diverse and inclusive spaces, she pivoted into a full-time DEI Career after running several of Tableau’s DEI programs. Connect with her on LinkedIn and follow her on Instagram.

Mentioned in This Episode of Mental Health in Minutes:

• DEI Career Center
• Join the monthly digital subscription

Does your organization scoff at the price of investing in the mental health and wellness of your employees? It happens often but yet when you look at the numbers, there’s a big advantage to making the investment.

Just ask Laura Bechard, founder of ProVision Business Advisors, an organizaiton that works with business owners who want to create more work-life balance--for themselves and their teams. On this week’s episode, we talk about the valuable resource of human capital and why investing in them can increase the valuation of your organization.

And there are so many ways to do this in a way that’s flexible for employees and reduces risk for the company, on top of creating some really great perks for scouting new team members!

Listen in and learn more!

About Laura Bechard:

Laura Bechard, CPA, MBA, M Ed is an experienced business, learning and certified change management professional with a unique background that combines finances and people. ProVision Business Advisors is committed to helping leaders align their human resource initiatives with the organization’s strategic goals. As a Certified Exit Planning Advisor, Laura specializes in building valuable businesses, helping leaders effectively examine human performance constraints, identify performance improvement initiatives and more effectively communicate the ROI on investment in people. The impact on financial performance and in accelerating the value of the organization provides the business case to support human resource initiatives. Laura's career has provided her with experience in public and private sectors; large global companies and small businesses. Laura enjoys taking in adventures with friends and family and loves to bake. Connect with her on LinkedIn.

Mentioned in This Episode of Mental Health in Minutes:

• ProVision Business Advisors
• Join the monthly digital subscription

Psychological health and safety is a hot topic but one that many leaders struggle with addressing. Thankfully we have leaders like Mary Ann Baynton to help create standards and frameworks that leaders and organizations can use to ensure their workplace is one where everyone can thrive.

Mary Ann has done so much work in workplace wellness and has helped countless organizations and government agencies in Canada develop standards to support employees, leaders, and organizations in this area.

On this episode of the Mental Health in Minutes podcast, we talk about creating a dialogue around coping with work stress, approaching a standard of wellness, what happens when leaders are overwhelmed and frustrated, and more. And Mary Ann shares three big things that can help during times of overwhelm and why we can’t blame a single event for our burnout.

About Mary Ann Baynton:

Mary Ann is a consultant in the field of workplace mental health and psychological health and safety. She helped develop the National Standard of Canada on Psychological Health and Safety in Canada and serves as the Director of Collaboration and Strategy for Workplace Strategies for Mental Health which provides free resources compliments of Canada Life. Mary Ann is the author of several books including Mindful Manager, Keeping Well at Work and The Evolution of Workplace Mental Health in Canada. She strives to reduce unnecessary suffering by helping people get unstuck and improve working lives. Connect with her on LinkedIn.

Mentioned in This Episode of Mental Health in Minutes:

• Join the monthly digital subscription
• Psychologically Safe Leader
• Workplace Strategies for Mental Health
• Saundra Dalton-Smith

Some organizations just rise above others when it comes to supporting their people. This week on the podcast, we’re talking to Taylor Roa, talent acquisition leader at one such organization.

What’s so amazing about this company, Wistia, is that they’ve made very few changes to their people policies and benefits during the pandemic. Other organizations have sprinted to try to catch up to what their people needed during the last two years; Wistia has essentially gone on with business as usual. That’s how robust their culture and focus on wellness has been.

As Taylor shares, Wistia doesn’t have much of a wellness journey because it’s been baked into the company’s DNA.

On this episode, we talk about employee experience, how Wistia stands out, the different phases of the talent market over the last two years, why cash for team members isn’t the answer, and so much more.

It’s such a great conversation and you’ll be amazed at how simple it can be to put people first

About Taylor Roa:

Taylor Roa is a talent acquisition leader in the tech industry who puts a heavy focus on leveraging a hyper-human experience in hiring to achieve better outcomes, as well as keeping DEI at the core of recruitment strategy. He has specialized in growing startups and building hiring functions and DEI initiatives from the ground level.

Mentioned in This Episode of Mental Health in Minutes:

• Follow Taylor on Twitter and connect with him on LinkedIn
• Start mental health conversations in your organization

There hasn’t always been a lot of mindfulness in the workplace; you’d go to work, do your job, then go home. With the pandemic, people have recognized that there’s an incredibly deep connection between home and work. Partly because we’ve literally been working from home, but also because we’re not one-dimensional creatures. We bring our whole selves to work. As it should be.

As a result, it’s important for leaders to be empathetic. Team members aren’t going to check themselves at the door when they walk into work, and we can’t expect them too. Instead, leaders can show more compassion and empathy by encouraging their team members to talk about feelings and emotions when they arise. And they will arise.

These days, people are reevaluating what’s important to them and what their priorities are because what was working before isn’t going to work in the future. And how you show up as a leader matters. A workplace that doesn’t feel psychologically safe for you or your teams isn’t going to support the work or the humans involved the way it should.

This week on the podcast, Amy McCae, a mindfulness leadership coach, shares this and more in an effort to help you to demonstrate more mindfulness at work. Because if you’re practicing it, your employees are more likely to follow suit.

About Amy McCae:

Amy helps leaders find more time for fun, family, and even themselves without costing productivity. She spent nearly a decade ill with chronic diseases until she found healing through fitness, nutrition, and meditation. Through that experience Amy rediscovered a passion for healing and now holds over 16 certifications related to mind-body wellness. She offers coaching and training to reduce stress and overwhelm. Amy focuses on mindfulness, leadership, and wellbeing

Mentioned in This Episode of Mental Health in Minutes:

• Connect with Amy on LinkedIn
• Join the monthly digital subscription

Your values aren’t just what you believe in; they’re the actions you take toward those beliefs. And sometimes those values change because of new experiences, transitions, life stages, and so on.

Values in business can change too, because of world events and new knowledge available. One only has to reflect on the last two years to understand the need for company and personal values to shift and change.

When thinking about your organization’s current values, did your team members have buy-in in creating them? Do their personal values align with your organization’s values? What about the leaders in your organization?

It’s incredibly important for there to be alignment in values because those values inform the actions we take. And if leaders don’t showcase their values consistently, everyone suffers.

This week on the podcast, I’m talking with Lindsay Harle-Kadatz about how to talk to team members about values so everyone is on the same page. Because when organizations care about values, it has a big (positive) impact on the bottom line. And surely that’s something that you care about!

About Lindsay Harle-Kadatz:

Lindsay Harle-Kadatz is known as the Values Vixen (that…and a quirky human). As a team brand and mindset consultant with Quirky Lindsay Harle, she supports leaders who want to have an immediate and lasting impact on their people - and it starts with values. Values are the tasty mental prune juice that teams need to create a culture of flow, enthusiasm and joy to produce better quality bottom-line results. A Neuro Change Method™️ Master Certified Practitioner, branding specialist, and listening student, she uses a different lens for connecting values to actions that matter to gain real traction in business and life. For Lindsay, breathing life into a team goes beyond a pretty branding document. It goes to the core of engaging individual beliefs and accountability. Follow Lindsay on Instagram or connect with her on LinkedIn.

Mentioned in This Episode of Mental Health in Minutes:

• Businesses Are People Too podcast
• Visit Lindsay’s website
• Start the mental health conversation in your organization

We spend most of our time at work, even today when so many of us are working remotely. It makes sense that we want to feel connected to our teammates and coworkers. 

But often, we don’t know how to do that. We’re not sure what to say when we see a coworker struggling so we remain quiet. That’s not helping them, and it’s not helping us to create real connections. Connections that go beyond work friends to true friendships.

This week on the podcast, guest Daniel O’Shea and I discuss the stigma around mental health conversations at work and how we can create a language of support so that everyone feels safe.

In the age of mental health tools, there’s support out there. But unfortunately many organizations don’t allow for vulnerability. Daniel has a tool to help with that!

About Daniel O’Shea:

Daniel is a consultant working in the social innovation space - developing unique solutions to social issues. He combines the threads of an ecclectic education and career, and in exploring the benefits and challenges of a digital-nomad lifestyle, has found a passion for the purposeful work he undertakes. Predominanty working with the increadible minds and souls that make up The Social Impact Lab and The United Way of Calgary and Area over the last few years, Daniel is grateful to have been given the opportunity to deep dive the larger questions about who we are and how we organize ourselves on his quest to find a more human human. Connect with Daniel on LinkedIn.

Mentioned in This Episode of Mental Health in Minutes:

• Steps to Support
• Hope Motivates Action podcast
• Ishmael by Daniel Quinn
• Join the monthly digital subscription

How we approach mental health in the workplace matters, especially in the beginning. Do you find that your people roll their eyes when you introduce wellness programs? Or are you struggling to get upper leadership on board with making employee mental health a priority?

You’re not alone. Alex da Silva joins me today to talk about why obstacles like this occur, and I don’t think you’ll be surprised to hear that a big factor is fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of being vulnerable, and fear that you’re doing it wrong. But, he also brings some actionable tips to the table that you can use and implement in both your daily life and your organization.

We also discuss the responsibility leadership has when it comes to mental health, and the importance of leadership buy-in in the success of any wellness programs. Tune in and learn how you can successfully put practices into place that are going to be effective for your organization.

About Alex da Silva:

Alex da Silva, co-founder of Happy As Larry Group and TEDx Speaker, is helping individuals solve the problems caused by mental illness. He brings a wealth of personal and professional experience in emotional intelligence, mental health and addiction. Alex is an established Breathwork & Wellbeing Facilitator with a passion and unconditional love for people.

To learn more you can find Alex on YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

Mentioned in This Episode of Mental Health in Minutes:

• Happy As Larry Group
• Expert in Hope
• Join the monthly digital subscription

Do you feel like you’re being pulled in all directions, without enough time, energy, or motivation to get it all done? Not only are you missing deadlines and meetings, but you are feeling physically ill and emotionally detached from those around you.

That, my friends, is burnout. And it’s the biggest issue I see leaders and employees facing today.

I get it. I’ve been there, and it’s why I love having these conversations. So, today I want to talk about the warning signs of burnout so that you can recognize it before it hits you (or your team) full force, as well as tactics you can use to come back from the edge once you find yourself there. The warning signs are more prevalent than you probably realize, but the secrets to closing the stress cycle may be easier than you think.

Tune in and let’s talk about it. Don’t let burnout linger where it’s not welcome.

Mentioned in This Episode of Mental Health in Minutes:

• Download your FREE Training Tryout!
• Mind Tools
• Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Amelia and Emily Nagoski
• Join the monthly digital subscription
• Follow Mental Health in Minutes on Facebook

In the past, Occupational Health and Safety has mostly been focused on physical aspects, such as harassment, preventing accidents, and violence. But in more recent years, there’s been a push to include psychological safety in their responsibilities as well.

And according to OH&S consultant, Dave Ferro, there’s good reason for this. When organizations create an environment where people feel both mentally and physically safe to come to work, they see improved profitability, better employee retention, and improved productivity. Dave explains the benefits of proactively supporting employee wellbeing, as well as how to start enacting change in your organization even if you don’t have support from your upper management.

It’s time to start normalizing conversations about mental health the same way we do with conversations about physical health. Tune in!

About Dave Ferro:

Dave Ferro is your support system. Dave is an OH&S consultant that provides his clients the tools they need to be assured in their procedures and confident in business. He believes in building collaborative relationships and fully understanding his client’s needs. 

Dave is a strong believer in looking after the best interests of his clients. Having an OH&S Management System in place protects employers and their livelihood, as well as employees who have their boots on the ground.

To learn more, you can visit his website and connect with Dave on LinkedIn and Facebook.

Mentioned In This Episode:

• Bell Let’s Talk Day
• Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins
• Join the monthly digital subscription
• Follow Mental Health In Minutes on Facebook