The Optimized Workplace

What are those organizational DEI initiatives really for? Where is your organization at with its DEI efforts?

Join us in this week’s episode of The Optimized Workplace as Melina Cordero, a former corporate executive turned DEI innovator and advocate, shares her transformative journey and insights on DEI and workplace wellness.

Today, we’ll dive into the complexities and importance of DEI in the workplace–emphasizing the need for continuous engagement and learning–and the connection between employee well-being, empathy leadership, and DEI efforts in creating a positive workplace culture.

Lastly, we also talk about the challenges leaders face in implementing effective DEI strategies at work, the importance of involving employees in these initiatives, and so much more.

Let’s jump right in!

Key Takeaways:

Introduction (00:00)

Meet Melina Cordero (00:59)

Discussion on DEI fatigue and new strategies for 2024 (02:37)

The leadership perspective on DEI challenges (05:58)

Connection between ESG, well-being, and DEI (09:29) 

How to start talking about workplace solutions with leaders (21:03)

Addressing the future of DEI in workplaces (28:06)

The P20 Workplace learning platform (30:16)

Melina’s personal approach to well-being in 2024 (33:53)

Final thoughts (35:32)

Additional Resources:

Connect with Fran on LinkedIn: Connect with Fran

Follow our LinkedIn page: Aerobodies

Learn more about WellTeamCulture here: Create a cohesive-healthy work culture 

Visit our website here: Aerobodies

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Follow Melina on LinkedIn: Connect with Melina

Visit Melina’s website for more: Melina Cordero

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The Optimized Workplace is a podcast with the goal of providing new and unique ways for you to help your organization thrive while providing an exceptional experience for your employees and nourishing their well-being.

–

Ready to optimize your workplace and create a culture of well-being for your team?

👉 Book a complimentary 30-minute call with Fran: Optimize My Workplace

Be sure to follow us so you never miss an episode!

With organizations requiring employees to return to work post-pandemic, how can you prepare your workforce to thrive through the changing complexities of today’s modern workforce?

Join me and Cheryl Brown Merriwether, Executive Director at ICARE or International Center for Addiction and Recovery Education, as we discuss transformative mental health strategies in the workplace.

This conversation delves into the unique challenges and needs that have emerged in the post-pandemic era, highlighting the concepts of psychological safety, the benefits of training non-clinical staff to handle mental health and addiction issues, and more.

Join the conversation now!

Key Takeaways:

Introduction (00:00)

Meet Cheryl Brown Merriwether and the role of ICARE (01:12)

The multi-faceted approach of ICARE in the post-pandemic workplace (02:30)

Importance of addressing mental health in various workplace roles (06:27)

A systematic approach for long-term sustainable change in organizations (14:29)

How to implement health risk assessments (16:43)

Episode wrap-up (24:53)

Additional Resources:

Connect with Fran on LinkedIn: Connect with Fran

Follow our LinkedIn page: Aerobodies

Learn more about WellTeamCulture here: Create a cohesive-healthy work culture 

Visit our website here: Aerobodies

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Follow Cheryl on LinkedIn: Connect with Cheryl

Check out ICARE for more information: ICARE

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The Optimized Workplace is a podcast with the goal of providing new and unique ways for you to help your organization thrive while providing an exceptional experience for your employees and nourishing their well-being.

–

Ready to optimize your workplace and create a culture of well-being for your team?

👉 Book a complimentary 30-minute call with Fran: Optimize My Workplace

Be sure to follow us so you never miss an episode!

Being healthy isn’t determined just by your body mass index (BMI). 

In this week’s episode of The Optimized Workplace, I sit down with Cameron Haines, the visionary behind the innovative technology called Mobile Body Scans.

Mobile Body Scans is an Australian-based health tech and service company dedicated to providing a comprehensive body composition analysis to health and fitness professionals, individuals, or offices looking to improve their clients, staff, or customer experiences.

Today, Cameron shares the technology behind Mobile Body Scans and the relationship between understanding body composition and longevity. We also talk about how consumers are adopting these health technologies and their significance to health preventive measures while highlighting the future of the health and wellness industry.

Let’s dive in!

Key Takeaways:

Introduction (00:00)

How the Mobile Body Scans works (01:50)

Prioritizing corporate wellness with Mobile Body Scans (04:37)

What does data tell you about your health? (07:19)

The adoption rate for consumers using health & wellness technologies (10:50)

What to look forward to in the health and wellness industry (13:29)

Keep up with Cameron Haines and Mobile Body Scans (14:58)

Episode wrap-up (16:45)

Additional Resources:

Connect with Fran on LinkedIn: Connect with Fran

Follow our LinkedIn page: Aerobodies

Learn more about WellTeamCulture here: Create a cohesive-healthy work culture 

Visit our website here: Aerobodies

–

Check out Mobile Body Scans for more information: Mobile Body Scans

–

The Optimized Workplace is a podcast with the goal of providing new and unique ways for you to help your organization thrive while providing an exceptional experience for your employees and nourishing their well-being.

–

Ready to optimize your workplace and create a culture of well-being for your team?

👉 Book a complimentary 30-minute call with Fran: Optimize My Workplace

Be sure to follow us so you never miss an episode!

How many of you feel like your dream job is taking away the life of you? Learning AND working take a lot of brain work. And doing it almost every day is a sure way to burn yourself out. So why not infuse creativity and fun at work?

In this week’s episode, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Monica Kang, founder & CEO of InnovatorsBox, author of Rethink Creativity and Have You Seen My Friends?, and host of Dear Workplace and Curious Monica podcasts.

She is on a mission to unlock creativity for all to reimagine how we thrive no matter how old we are or where we work. 

Today, Monica and I talked about her journey from being a nuclear non-proliferation policy advocate to workplace creativity and fun expert. We delve into how to infuse creativity and fun at work, why it matters for employees and leaders, and the power of collaboration and partnership in building a healthy, creative, and fun workplace.

Let’s dive in!

Key Takeaways:

Introduction (00:00)

From nuclear policy to workplace creativity expert (01:57)

How to infuse creativity and fun at work (08:35)

What the future looks like for InnovatorsBox (13:39)

The power of collaboration and partnership (17:22)

Episode wrap-up (21:19)

Additional Resources:

Connect with Fran on LinkedIn: Connect with Fran

Follow our LinkedIn page: Aerobodies

Learn more about WellTeamCulture here: Create a cohesive-healthy work culture 

Visit our website here: Aerobodies

–

Follow Monica Kang on LinkedIn: Monica Kang

Check out her website for more information: MonicaKang.com

Visit InnovatorsBox and see what they’re up to: InnovatorsBox

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The Optimized Workplace is a podcast with the goal of providing new and unique ways for you to help your organization thrive while providing an exceptional experience for your employees and nourishing their well-being.

–

Ready to optimize your workplace and create a culture of well-being for your team?

👉 Book a complimentary 30-minute call with Fran: Optimize My Workplace

Be sure to follow us so you never miss an episode!

In a busy modern workplace, unlocking the untapped human potential of employees is a transformative journey, and leaders have a more significant role to play in this endeavor.

So, in this week’s episode of The Optimized Workplace, I am joined by Ana Melikian, a human potential expert, keynote speaker, and cancer survivor.

With her extensive research, life experiences, and two decades of work in human potential, Ana shares the concept of human potential on the podcast today, highlighting what leaders can do to help their employees unlock that potential to start living healthier and purposeful lives.

Tune in now!

Key Takeaways:

Introduction (00:00)

The concept of human potential explained (02:08)

How does company culture influence human potential (06:10)

Four categories of burnout (11:08)

What leaders can do to ensure their employees aren’t burned out (18:02)

On mission statement and core value alignment (20:53)

The value of honoring rest, recovery, and restoration (24:20)

Additional Resources:

Connect with Fran on LinkedIn: Connect with Fran

Follow our LinkedIn page: Aerobodies

Learn more about WellTeamCulture here: Create a cohesive-healthy work culture 

Visit our website here: Aerobodies

–

Follow Ana on LinkedIn: Ana Melikian

Visit Ana’s website for more information: AnaMelikian.com

–

The Optimized Workplace is a podcast with the goal of providing new and unique ways for you to help your organization thrive while providing an exceptional experience for your employees and nourishing their well-being.

--

Ready to optimize your workplace and create a culture of well-being for your team?

👉 Book a complimentary 30-minute call with Fran: Optimize My Workplace

Be sure to follow us so you never miss an episode!

We all have a part to play when it comes to climate change and greenhouse gas emissions. But how can anyone and everyone be involved in solving these pressing environmental issues? 

Join me and Dr. Bryan O. Buckley, Director of Health Equity Initiatives at the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) and adjunct assistant professor at the Georgetown University School of Medicine, as we dive deep into what role people can play in solving climate change and building sustainable clean energy.

Dr. Buckley explains how we can start a conversation on climate change, the 5-framework journey to sustainable energy, how business leaders can contribute to this initiative, plus more.

Let’s dive in!

Key Takeaways:

Introduction (00:00)

Meet Dr. Bryan Buckley and his recent works (02:03)

On starting the conversation on climate change and greenhouse gases (04:20)

The 5-framework journey to sustainable clean energy (08:13)

Dr. Robert Livingston’s PRESS model explained (12:13)

Advice to leaders who are wearing multiple hats (15:22)

What gives Dr. Buckley hope (21:48)

Episode wrap-up (23:32)

Additional Resources:

Connect with Fran on LinkedIn: Connect with Fran

Follow our LinkedIn page: Aerobodies

Learn more about WellTeamCulture here: Create a cohesive-healthy work culture 

Visit our website here: Aerobodies

–

Follow Dr. Buckley on LinkedIn: Dr. Bryan O. Buckley

Check out his website for more information: BryanBuckley.com

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The Optimized Workplace is a podcast with the goal of providing new and unique ways for you to help your organization thrive while providing an exceptional experience for your employees and nourishing their well-being.

--

Ready to optimize your workplace and create a culture of well-being for your team?

👉 Book a complimentary 30-minute call with Fran: Optimize My Workplace

Be sure to follow us so you never miss an episode!

The pandemic underscored the importance of prioritizing health and well-being. However, how cities and state governments tackle the challenges of advancing health beyond traditional healthcare is a crucial question.

In this latest episode of The Optimized Workplace, we have the opportunity and pleasure to interview Dr. Shawnte Elbert. Dr. Elbert is a contributing faculty member for Walden University and Abilene Christian University and holds the positions of chief health equity officer and section chief for the Center for Public Health Innovation at the Columbus Public Health Department.

Today, Dr. Elbert delves into the state's strategies for promoting health and well-being, emphasizing three key elements: assessment, co-creation and collaboration, and developing high-quality custom solutions.

Moreover, Dr. Elbert provides insights into the state's plans for health and well-being in 2024, shedding light on how community engagement can be enhanced to implement these strategies effectively.

Let's dive in!

Key Takeaways:

Introduction (00:00)

How Dr. Elbert got into the health and wellness field (01:57)

The government’s approach to the health and wellness of its constituents (05:17)

Public health co-creation and collaboration defined (10:17)

What is Columbus' health and well-being strategy for 2024? (16:27)

Effective strategies in improving community engagement (22:21)

Episode wrap-up (25:35)

Additional Resources:

Connect with Fran on LinkedIn: Connect with Fran

Follow our LinkedIn page: Aerobodies

Learn more about WellTeamCulture here: Create a cohesive-healthy work culture 

Visit our website here: Aerobodies

–

Follow Dr. Shawnte Elbert on LinkedIn: Dr. Shawnte Elbert

–

The Optimized Workplace is a podcast with the goal of providing new and unique ways for you to help your organization thrive while providing an exceptional experience for your employees and nourishing their well-being.

--

Ready to optimize your workplace and create a culture of well-being for your team?

👉 Book a complimentary 30-minute call with Fran: Optimize My Workplace

Be sure to follow us so you never miss an episode!

How does mindful leadership impact today’s workplaces and organizations?

In this episode of The Optimized Workplace, I am excited to share the stage with Amy McCae, founder of Creative Wellness, who aims to help industry leaders reduce stress and overwhelm through mindfulness-based coaching and training.

Today, Amy shares her wellness journey and how she founded Creative Wellness after spending nearly a decade with chronic illnesses. She also delves into what is (and is not) mindfulness and how it shows up in countless people whose lives and careers she has helped transform.

We also discuss the importance of mental health and self-awareness, where to start with your wellness journey, Amy’s biggest win, and more! 

Let’s dive right in!

Key Takeaways:

Introduction (00:00)

The most exciting thing about mindfulness (02:12)

Amy’s creative wellness journey (03:44)

Where do people start with their wellness journey? (05:47)

What is mindfulness from an expert’s perspective? (09:49)

The little things are really the big things in life (13:31)

Self-observation defined (17:23)

What’s keeping Amy busy? (18:52)

Amy’s biggest win for 2023 (20:17)

Episode wrap-up (22:03)

Additional Resources:

Connect with Fran on LinkedIn: Connect with Fran

Follow our LinkedIn page: Aerobodies

Learn more about WellTeamCulture here: Create a cohesive-healthy work culture 

Visit our website here: Aerobodies

–

Follow Amy on LinkedIn: Amy McCae

Check out Creative Wellness for more: AmyMcCae.com

–

The Optimized Workplace is a podcast with the goal of providing new and unique ways for you to help your organization thrive while providing an exceptional experience for your employees and nourishing their well-being.

--

Ready to optimize your workplace and create a culture of well-being for your team?

👉 Book a complimentary 30-minute call with Fran: Optimize My Workplace

Be sure to follow us so you never miss an episode!

Culture is the most powerful tool in driving performance at work. But how can leaders be culture champions and effectively lead their teams?

In this episode of The Optimized Workplace, I’m excited and honored, at the same time, to speak with Mark Miller, former Chick-fil-A VP of High Performance Leadership, co-founder of Lead Every Day, and author of the bestselling book Culture Rules.

Today, Mark shares invaluable insights on what the leaders are today and what they can do to escape what he calls “quicksand”. He also talks about the power of organizational culture and how leaders can create a culture that serves the people through his 3 As of Culture Rules.

Let’s dive right in!

Key Takeaways:

Introduction (00:00)

Meet Mark Miller (00:59)

Mark’s insights about today’s leaders (02:34)

The quicksand analogy (04:03)

How leaders can escape the quicksand (07:42)

How to create an organizational culture that serves people (11:57)

The 3 As of Culture Rules (16:15)

Mark’s final piece of advice for leaders on building culture (20:07)

Episode wrap-up (23:31)

Additional Resources:

Connect with Fran on LinkedIn: Connect with Fran

Follow our LinkedIn page: Aerobodies

Learn more about WellTeamCulture here: Create a cohesive-healthy work culture 

Visit our website here: Aerobodies

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Grab a copy of Mark’s book Culture Rules: Culture Rules

Visit Lead Every Day for more information: Lead Every Day

Reach out to Mark: [email protected]

Connect with Mark: 678-612-8441

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The Optimized Workplace is a podcast with the goal of providing new and unique ways for you to help your organization thrive while providing an exceptional experience for your employees and nourishing their well-being.

--

Ready to optimize your workplace and create a culture of well-being for your team?

👉 Book a complimentary 30-minute call with Fran: Optimize My Workplace

Be sure to follow us so you never miss an episode!

Why is workforce well-being important? How does the WellTeamCulture© program impact workplace wellness?

In this special episode of The Optimized Workplace, Aerobodies’ Marketing and Business Development Manager, Courtney Fickes, interviews The Optimized Workplace host and Aerobodies CEO, Fran Dean-Bishop.

With over two decades of experience working with athletes and semi-pro athletes, Fran has turned her coaching skills into a thriving multimillion-dollar workplace wellness brand. She now assists global organizations and federal agencies in crafting wellness programs that revolutionize workplace culture and enhance the productivity and resilience of thousands of employees.

Today, Fran unveils the WellTeamCulture© Masterclass program and its profound impact on transforming workplace culture.

She also delves into key topics relevant to today’s modern workplace environment and how these interplay with the WellTeamCulture© program.

Let’s dive right in!

Key Takeaways:

Introduction (00:00)

Aerobodies’ most notable impact in the past 24 years (02:10)

The top 3 dimensions of health (06:29)

Why is workforce well-being important and how to successfully adopt it (09:48)

Advice to leaders on hybrid and remote work models (14:54)

Aerobodies’ biggest announcement of the year! (20:31)

What small business owners don’t realize yet (24:55)

Ways that Aerobodies has supported the business community (25:54)

How does leading with a well-being mindset impact organizational success (28:22)

What to expect in the WellTeamCulture© program (37:09)

Tips on how to proactively reduce workplace-related stress (51:15)

Who and what inspires Fran (56:02)

What’s keeping Fran busy (59:49)

Additional Resources:

Connect with Fran on LinkedIn: Connect with Fran

Follow our LinkedIn page: Aerobodies

Learn more about WellTeamCulture here: Create a cohesive-healthy work culture 

Visit our website here: Aerobodies

--

The Optimized Workplace is a podcast with the goal of providing new and unique ways for you to help your organization thrive while providing an exceptional experience for your employees and nourishing their well-being.

--

Ready to optimize your workplace and create a culture of well-being for your team?

👉 Book a complimentary 30-minute call with Fran: Optimize My Workplace

Be sure to follow us so you never miss an episode!