Revolutionaries of Wellbeing: Breaking Burnout Culture

Episode 51: Stronger after the storm - leadership, wellbeing, and navigating challenges

What if the key to ending burnout culture is in the stories of those who’ve lived it and come out the other side?

In this powerful episode of the Revolutionaries of Wellbeing podcast, three prominent New Zealand leaders open up about their personal journeys through crisis and recovery.

In this episode, we're joined by:

• Joanna Sinclair, Chief Wellbeing Officer (then National Clinical Lead for Employee Wellbeing) at Te Whatu Ora Health NZ and Consultant Anaesthetist, 
• Rob Beard, Owner of Beard Brothers Smallgoods, and
• Matthew Tukaki, Chair of the National Māori Authority

This is a real and honest conversation about the toll of burnout, mental health struggles, and physical challenges on leadership. Our guests share their personal experiences, what helped them recover, and why self-care matters - especially for leaders. We’ll also talk about practical ways to support employees through tough times.

We also touch on suicide in this episode, so if anything feels heavy, please reach out to your trusted people or call a local support helpline. As our guests say, these conversations matter.

 

Share your thoughts: We'd love to hear from you! Leave a review and let us know what you enjoyed most about this episode.

 

Get more: For episode chapters, highlights, and key takeaways, head to rowwellbeing.com/podcast

 

Boost your wellbeing and make a difference at work:  Join ROW - together, we can break burnout culture for good.

Episode 50: Body image at work - the silent issue holding your people back and what to do about it

When it comes to wellbeing at work, body image isn’t often (ever?) at the top of the priority list. Yet, it can have a profound impact on how people perceive themselves and their abilities in the workplace.

Our relationship with our bodies doesn't stay at home when we go to work. It comes with us and can affect our confidence, willingness to contribute and speak up, and ultimately, our career growth.

Years of research have linked body image to factors such as self-esteem and mental health. Emerging research has linked it to workplace factors like job satisfaction and social engagement.

In this episode, we’re joined by advocate, speaker, and coach Emma Wright to discuss body image, its impact on work, and some key differences we need to be aware of. We’ll also discuss practical steps organisations can take to support healthy body image discussions and reduce harm, and the steps we can all take to foster a healthy body image for the next generation.

This is an important conversation - and one that’s long overdue.

 

Share your thoughts: We'd love to hear from you! Leave a review and let us know what you enjoyed most about this episode.

 

Get more: For episode chapters, highlights, and key takeaways, head to rowwellbeing.com/podcast

 

Boost your wellbeing and make a difference at work:  Join ROW - together, we can break burnout culture for good.

 

And make sure you subscribe so you don't miss an episode!

Episode 49: Getting past puppies and popsicles: Building wellbeing in a safety-focused workplace

If your workplace thinks wellbeing is puppies and popsicles, then this episode is for you.

Getting your colleagues engaged in wellbeing at work can be hard. Even in organisations where safety is a huge focus, it doesn’t always mean they actually get what wellbeing is all about. So, what can you do?

Today, I’m joined by Leora Hornstein, an award-winning wellbeing specialist at Cenovus Energy in Canada. For the record, Leora and I often catch up, over time zones and continents to share ideas and chat all things wellbeing. She is an absolute superstar.

Leora started as a nurse before moving in a dedicated wellbeing role. In this episode, we’ll dive into what wellbeing looks like in the energy sector, explore the unique challenges of embedding wellbeing in a safety-focused organisation, and discuss her incredible advocacy for mental health awareness. Plus, we’ll unpack emerging trends in workplace wellbeing.

No matter your workplace or location, this conversation is packed with insights you won’t want to miss!

 

Share your thoughts: We'd love to hear from you! Leave a review and let us know what you enjoyed most about this episode.

 

Get more: For episode chapters, highlights, and key takeaways, head to rowwellbeing.com/podcast

 

Boost your wellbeing and make a difference at work:  Join ROW - together, we can break burnout culture for good.

 

And make sure you subscribe so you don't miss an episode!

 

Episode 48: The mind-body-mouse connection: How to build a happy space at your desk

Today’s podcast guest shared a startling statistic: we spend a whopping 82,000 hours of our lives at work. While many of us are great at prioritising our physical health outside the office - going for runs, eating well, walking in nature - we often forget about our physical wellbeing in the place where we spend most of our waking hours – especially if we’re desk-bound. It's a bit of a disconnect and it could be harmful in the long run.

In this episode, we’re joined by Agnes Lisowska Masson from Logitech. Agnes is an expert in human-computer interaction, working in the lab to discover what really works. 

We explore how to make our workspaces work for us, not against us, and we look at how small changes in our daily routines can make a big difference.

No matter where you're working - from home, in a shared office space, or in a traditional office setting - this episode is packed with useful tips to help you work smarter and create a happy desk space that will boost your wellbeing.

 

Share your thoughts: We'd love to hear from you! Leave a review and let us know what you enjoyed most about this episode.

 

Get more: For episode chapters, transcript, highlights, and key takeaways, head to rowwellbeing.com/podcast

 

Be a champion for change in your workplace: Join ROW - together, we can break burnout culture for good.

Episode 47: Case study - How NZTA Waka Kotahi tackles psychosocial safety

Psychosocial safety is the latest buzzword in health, safety, and wellbeing circles, and for a good reason. Australia has led the charge in bringing psychosocial hazards into the spotlight, sparking important conversations about why every business must address them.

But when it comes to understanding what psychosocial hazards are, and how to manage them, things can get confusing. There’s a lot of jargon and a lot to get your head around.

So, how do big organisations handle this? Today, we’ll explore a case study from the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) Waka Kotahi, looking at how they structured their approach to psychosocial hazards.

Our guests are Shelley Easton and Ryan Young from NZTA Waka Kotahi, who will walk us through how their organisation used ISO 45003 as a framework. They’ll share how they secured senior leader buy-in, implemented effective controls, and set up systems to continuously monitor their impact. It’s all about making real, meaningful progress - because perfect isn’t the goal.

If you’re a wellbeing champion, HR professional, or health and safety manager, you’ll want to stick around for this one. There’s so much to learn from Waka Kotahi’s experience and plenty of practical takeaways to bring back to your workplace.

 

Share your thoughts: We'd love to hear from you! Leave a review and let us know what you enjoyed most about this episode.

 

Get more: For episode chapters, transcript, highlights, and key takeaways, head to rowwellbeing.com/podcast

 

Be a champion for change in your workplace: Join ROW - together, we can break burnout culture for good.

Episode 46: Supporting team wellbeing with trust, psychological safety, and honest feedback

Imagine a workplace where giving feedback feels completely safe and normal - a place where you can share your ideas or concerns without worrying that things might go badly. Unfortunately, many of us hold back from speaking up because we’ve either felt dismissed before or experienced situations where it all went wrong. But what if we could change that?

In this episode, we’re diving into psychological safety with executive leadership coach and author Suzi McAlpine. She explains why it’s essential for team engagement and decision-making, and how to foster trust within your team to combat burnout and enhance wellbeing and performance.

We’ll also cover the telltale signs of low psychological safety, the role of vulnerability in leadership, and the simple shifts that can make feedback a natural part of your team’s culture. This one is great for people leaders!

 

Share your thoughts: We'd love to hear from you! Leave a review and let us know what you enjoyed most about this episode.

 

Get more: For episode chapters, transcript, highlights, and key takeaways, head to rowwellbeing.com/podcast

 

Be a champion for change in your workplace: Join ROW - together, we can break burnout culture for good.

Episode 45: Sleep easy - Understanding sleep, wellbeing and the workplace

Sleep is something we all do, and yet it’s a bit of a mystery. How much do we really need? What happens when we sleep? And why is it sometimes so hard to achieve, no matter how hard we try? These questions affect millions of people worldwide, impacting their health, life satisfaction, and productivity. 

In this episode, we explore sleep with Bernice Tuffery, a sleep health advocate and author of "Sleep Easy". Bernice's journey from struggling with insomnia to becoming a sleep health coach is both inspiring and full of useful insights for anyone looking to improve their sleep. We also discuss how workplaces can support their employees' sleep health, creating a more productive and healthier work environment.

Whether you're a night owl, an early bird, or somewhere in between, this episode is packed with practical strategies and interesting insights to help you rethink your approach to sleep. 

 

Share your thoughts: We'd love to hear from you! Leave a review and let us know what you enjoyed most about this episode.

 

Get more: For episode chapters, transcript, highlights, and key takeaways, head to rowwellbeing.com/podcast

 

Be a champion for change in your workplace: Join ROW - together, we can break burnout culture for good.

Episode 44: Trauma in the workplace - the silent challenge leaders need to address

In this episode, we’re exploring the profound impact trauma can have on people, teams, and organisations, and how workplaces can better respond and be more trauma-aware. We’ll unpack the difference between stress and trauma, and look at how events like the COVID-19 pandemic have reshaped our sense of wellbeing.

To better understand the effects of trauma, we’re joined by Ross Anderson, an Australian-based registered psychologist, executive coach, and leadership development expert. Ross has led complex change initiatives across sectors like Defence, Health, and Utilities, and formerly served as Director of MBS Mt Eliza executive education.

He brings extensive experience in trauma management, having served as Director of the National Trauma Clinic. Ross has been on the ground responding to critical incidents like the Queen St., Hoddle Street, and Port Arthur massacres, workplace injuries, and fatalities. His deep understanding offers invaluable insights into creating trauma-informed workplaces.

Here’s what you’ll take away from this episode:

• A better understanding of what trauma is and how it’s different from ongoing stress
• Key signs to look for in team members who may be experiencing trauma
• How different generations might respond to trauma
• The link between burnout and trauma—and why it’s important to recognize
• Practical steps for fostering a trauma-informed workplace

Whether you’re a leader, an HR professional, or simply looking to understand trauma in the workplace better, this episode provides valuable tools and insights to help you create a healthier, more supportive environment for your team, even during the toughest of times.

 

If anything in this episode feels a bit close to the bone, we encourage you to reach out to someone you trust or your national helpline. 

 

Share your thoughts: We'd love to hear from you! Leave a review and let us know what you enjoyed most about this episode.

 

Get more: For episode chapters, transcript, highlights, and key takeaways, head to rowwellbeing.com/podcast

 

Be a champion for change in your workplace: Join ROW - together, we can break burnout culture for good.