Peace at the Water Cooler

After the unprecedented circumstances of the last two years, working people are on the brink of change once again as offices reopen with full force. Coming out of the work-from-home vacuum, stress levels are skyrocketing. The returning workforce will, on the whole, require assistance and reassurance from their employers on their return to the office.

Saranne talks with Lissy Abrahams about how to reduce the stress of returning to the office, and Lissy offers some valuable advice for anyone dealing with these emotions. Lissy believes getting out of our tracky dacks and into a new routine with our colleagues can bring benefits to our mental and physical health.  But she also suggests employers should be easing us into it. They have a responsibility to rebuild and re-negotiate our relationship, take things slow and remind us why being face to face is a good thing. 

Lissy is a leading individual and couples psychotherapist whose mission is to help as many people as possible transform their lives by creating happier and more loving relationships.

 Lissy’s book ‘Relationship Reset’, How to break the cycle of conflict and create secure and lasting love, has just been released and is a must-read. 

Thanks for listening to Peace at the Water Cooler.

Conflict doesn’t fix itself, but it can shift, with the right conversation. If you’ve got a story, a question, or a workplace dilemma you'd like me to explore, connect with me on LinkedIn or send me an email at ([email protected]) 

Life is richer when you care about people.

Perhaps not something you expect to hear from an Ivy-league career executive and former CEO of Westpac. But that’s what industry leader and author Brian Hartzer believes.

Saranne has the pleasure of discussing employee engagement, going back into the office Elon-style, and Brian’s book, The Leadership Star which contains so much practical value and advice for emerging leaders and those struggling with a poor workplace culture or lack of engagement. 

 Listen to learn more about Brian's five C’s framework and how to apply it practically to your leadership style.

Thanks for listening to Peace at the Water Cooler.

Conflict doesn’t fix itself, but it can shift, with the right conversation. If you’ve got a story, a question, or a workplace dilemma you'd like me to explore, connect with me on LinkedIn or send me an email at ([email protected]) 

Have you ever worked with a person so awful that you can hardly bear going to work?

Jerks at work are found in most workplaces and can cause all sorts of problems for the company, such as high staff turnover, absenteeism, conflict, and toxic workplaces. For the employee, they commonly cause stress, anxiety, low motivation and a whole host of other issues.

Saranne talks with Tessa West about jerks at work. Tessa has written a book called Jerks at Work which provides a hands-on guide to tackling everyday problems with difficult people in the workplace. Her book has been recommended by the Financial Times and Forbes.   

Tessa is an Associate Professor of Psychology at New York University and is a leading expert in the science of interpersonal communication.

Tessa & Saranne discuss dealing with the different types of jerks at work. We have all come across them, and we don't have to tolerate their behaviour. This is a very practical and informative conversation that will hopefully help many people in their dealings with jerks. 

Thanks for listening to Peace at the Water Cooler.

Conflict doesn’t fix itself, but it can shift, with the right conversation. If you’ve got a story, a question, or a workplace dilemma you'd like me to explore, connect with me on LinkedIn or send me an email at ([email protected])