Happier At Work

‘’If you're asking employees, what it is that they want, it's really, really important that you need to listen to what they actually say.’’ – Aoife O’Brien. Welcome back to Happier at Work! In this week’s solo episode, Aoife will focus on the hot topic: the future of remote and hybrid work. In light of the global pandemic, many people continue to work from home or are now hybrid working. In this episode, Aoife shares insights into how businesses are operating today, highlights the importance of companies not following the crowd when creating strategies, and explains why companies should be listening internally to analyse what will work best for them. ‘’I think really bringing people on that journey with you, bringing people into it, getting their feedback, and really listening to what they have to say, is the crucial part of making this remote and hybrid future of work a reality and making it really work well for you!’’ – Aoife O’Brien. As we all universally continue to navigate and adapt to remote work o

‘’We are not machines; we actually need to re-energize ourselves. And if we invest in doing that, it comes back into work in a better way. Then you can apply the time that you have, to direct that energy towards the work that matters.’’ – Niamh Brady. Welcome back to Happier at Work! Joining Aoife this week is productivity coach, creator of the ‘A Better Workday’ programme and author Niamh Brady. Listeners are in for a treat as this week’s episode will resonate with so many as we focus on productivity and creating a better workday. Niamh’s mantra is ‘everyone deserves a better workday’ and we couldn’t agree more! Throughout this captivating discussion, Niamh will explore the importance of managing our time, energy and attention and will also offer productivity methods to help us conquer the balance between work and wellbeing. Key points covered throughout include:  Introduction to Niamh Brady.  What is productivity?  The key to managing time effectively.  How to analyse and protect your energy.

‘’The only people who get upset when you start setting boundaries are the ones who benefited from you not having them.’’ Welcome back to Happier at Work! Aoife recently conducted poll research on LinkedIn to gather feedback on what listeners would be interested in hearing in these future solo episodes. The results overwhelmingly steered towards the hot topic of hybrid work, along with setting boundaries at work. In this episode, Aoife will be diving into boundaries – what are they, and what impact weak boundaries have. Establishing and communicating healthy boundaries at work is vital from the get-go. Boundaries help set clear expectations and protect individuals from work overwhelm, stress, and burnout, which can quickly lead to job dissatisfaction. During this discussion, Aoife will share personal insights with listeners on setting clear boundaries from an individual and a managerial perspective. Further key points covered include:  What are boundaries?  The importance of boundaries and the impact t

‘’Your work is important, it is, but you are more important than your work!’’ – Nicole Mixdorf. Welcome back to Happier at Work! Joining Aoife this week is special guest Nicole Mixdorf – chief wellness officer at Balanced by Nature, who was recently crowned the most influential woman in Corporate Wellness Services throughout the US. Workplace stress is a topic many listeners will relate to, and today’s show will focus on why your wellbeing and mental health matter. In this episode, Nicole will share her transformational journey of climbing the corporate ladder for over a decade, experiencing intense feelings of burnout whilst juggling major stressors that ultimately led to debilitating health effects. After taking time to heal her mind and body, Nicole launched Balanced by Nature, a corporate health and wellness firm that offers award-winning programs that support employees physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. ‘’There's a reason our company is called Balanced by Nature. When we have all these stress

Welcome back! Did you know that the Happier at Work podcast is now two years in the running!? To mark this second solo episode, host Aoife O’Brien will exclusively focus on the podcast’s identity, discussing the true meaning of happiness at work. Throughout the episode, Aoife will share her first-hand experience of dealing with dissatisfaction at work and how it became the driving force behind her business today. Aoife will explore the significance of cultivating a positive work environment and will share fascinating insights from her dissertation research centred around values, needs and strengths. Key points covered throughout the episode include:  Staff turnovers: the costly impact on your business.  How happiness can boost your business.  Effects of a toxic work environment.  Aoife’s journey to unlocking true happiness at work.  What is Person-Environment Fit?  Aligning recruitment with company values.  Assessing and understanding strengths.  An insight into the three universal psych

We are switching things up a little in this latest Happier at Work episode! Instead of focusing on workplace psychological impacts, this week, we will be concentrating on workplace physical wellness with special guest Annette Cashell. Annette is an ex-corporate with a managerial marketing background of 10 years. Following harrowing health concerns and avoiding a neck fusion operation, Annette is now a distinguished Pilates teacher and movement coach, passionate about helping others undo and prevent any excessive sitting damages. Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic and to this day, many individuals across the globe are continuing to work from home or are adjusting to a hybrid working model. In this fascinating discussion, Annette will highlight the impact of excessive sitting and unsuitable office equipment and why we should allow ourselves permission to move. Annette kindly offers valuable tips on how you can boost muscle movement into your daily routine. Key points covered throughout include:  In

Welcome back to Happier at Work! Long-time listeners of the podcast will know that with each new episode, I interview business experts to discuss various topics, including leadership, diversity, well-being, inclusion, and unlock what ultimately makes each of our guests happier at work. To coincide with the launch of my new program, Imposter to Empowered, I will be releasing solo episodes throughout the podcast focusing on a range of business topics. Did you know that up to 70% of people experience Imposter Syndrome at some point in their career!? If you have ever felt out of place, felt like a fraud, or experienced an overwhelming sense of self-doubt, rest assured that you are not alone! In this episode, I explore what is Imposter Syndrome and share my personal experience with overcoming Imposter Syndrome and igniting empowerment. Key points covered throughout include: What is Imposter Syndrome?  The signs and triggers of Imposter Syndrome. New Level, New Devil.  Who experiences Imposter Syndrome? Impost

Welcome back to Happier at Work! After a lovely break, I am delighted to kickstart this brand-new series with Truthsayers CEO & Co-founder Simon Stapleton. Simon and his team are on a mighty mission to enable happier and more productive workplaces across the globe by helping leaders understand their employees at an emotional level via Truthsayers cutting-edge Neurotech® platform. In this episode, both Aoife and Simon offer their insights into workplace engagement and share their previous experiences of feeling a lack of psychological safety at work. Simon also shines a light on the importance of bringing authenticity to work and the positive impacts that doing so will bring. Main points covered throughout the show include: - An introduction to Simon Stapleton. - The importance of being honest. - Bringing authenticity to work. - How a lack of engagement and psychological safety can affect a business. - Taking responsibility for the business culture. - Aligning recruitment with company values. - Cre

Announcement: The Happier at Work podcast will return on Friday 1st October 2021. I have some great guests lined up between now and the end of the year. I'll be doing some solo episodes - if you have a topic you'd liked covered, please reach out! Also announcing the launch of my programme, Imposter to Empowered. More details can be found at https://www.impostersyndrome.ie

Welcome back to Happier at Work! Do you feel there is something missing from your work life? Have you ever let fear get in your way!? If so, you will thoroughly enjoy this discussion with Torch podcast host and social media & branding powerhouse Tiana Madera. Tiana has a deep passion for personal development, identifying wants and not allowing fear to limit any career or lifestyle moves. In this episode, Aoife and Tiana discuss how to let go of fear and craft your career. Tiana shares a beautiful insight into her world, including how she carved her professional path and shares how she successfully built a social media department for a $1 billion corporation through her self-belief and self-leadership skills. Main points covered throughout the show include: - An introduction to Tiana Madera. - Self-management: identifying our wants & needs. - The professional impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. - The importance of autonomy. - Tapping into your creativity and letting go of fear. - How to create psy

‘’The first time I came across the concept of values was as part of my executive coaching course, and it was one of those massive a-ha revelations that changed my life.’’ – Irial O’Farrell. Founder of Evolution Consulting, Irial specialises in delivering change, enhancing business performance, and building better companies. On this latest Happier at Work episode, host Aoife O’Brien and guest Irial O’ Farrell dive into the subject of values. We as individuals all hold values consciously and subconsciously. Throughout this episode, Irial discusses the values of business and the impact of identifying, defining, and reflecting values throughout the organisational culture. Irial also shares insights on conflicts in work as our values might not always be on par with others from time to time, and this disparity could lead to clashes and trust erosion throughout the workforce. Points throughout the show include: - An introduction to Irial O’Farrell. - The concept of workplace values. - The importance of defin

"If you haven't started focusing in as a leader on building trust, well, there's an old Chinese adage, right? The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, and the second-best time is to do it today." – Brenda Neckvatal. Joining Aoife on this latest Happier at Work episode is amazon bestseller and award-winning HR professional Brenda Neckvatal. Brenda will treat listeners to her HR perspective, discussing building workplace trust, how the time to make change is now and why leaders need to understand that their people are their greatest asset. Brenda's work and practices have impacted businesses on an international level, and whilst listening to the episode; you'll quickly understand why Brenda is often referred to as the "HR force of nature" by her clients. Key points throughout the show include: - An introduction to Brenda Neckvatal. - The influence of great leaders. - The powerful combination of leadership and HR. - Getting the people side of the business right. - The value of investment. - Sett

Ever wondered what the difference is between stress and burnout!? In this latest Happier at Work episode, Aoife chats to expert in hope Lindsay Recknell about burnout, her personal experience dealing with it and how it navigated Lindsay into her career today. Lindsay is a workplace mental health consultant, speaker, and podcaster with a passion for helping companies increase and embrace psychological health & safety in the workplace. In this episode, Aoife and Lindsay explore how burnout can impact us, why we need to normalise mental health conversations in the workplace, the power of being proactive and how we can close cycles of stress. Key moments throughout the episode include: - Introduction to Lindsay Recknell. - What is burnout, and how does it affect us? - How to close the cycle of stress. - The significance of having a creative outlet. - Creating Psychological Safety environments. - Normalising conversations about mental health. - Coping throughout a pandemic. - Vulnerability in the wo

‘’As long as you’re still producing the work and collaborating like you need to and hitting those key results, we can offer that flexibility.’’ – Karen Weeks. You are in for a treat! Joining Aoife on this latest Happier at Work episode is HR specialist Karen Weeks. Karen exited stage left from the world of theatre 20 years ago and has been a celebrated HR leader and coach ever since. With a drive for helping organisations create incredible cultures and a passion for guiding individuals to get unstuck from their careers and leading them to a professional path of fulfilment, it is no surprise that Karen was listed as one of the Notable Women in Talent by Crain’s New York Business in 2020. In this episode, you will get the perspective of an HR leader as Aoife and Karen dive into how HR can impact work environments and create happier employees, discuss why igniting employee experience matters, and review how the future of work is looking flexible. Key takeaways include: - Karen’s career journey from theatre

Jennifer Dowling is a Chartered Work and Organisational Psychologist and Director of Train Remote. She specialises in remote, flexible and hybrid working. Jennifer has a strong background in people development, psychometrics, selection, training and coaching. In this episode, Aoife and Jennifer discuss the future of hybrid-remote working in the wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic, the power of autonomy in work and the benefits of effective time management and self-observation. Main points covered throughout the episode include: - An introduction to Jennifer Dowling. - The future of work and flexibility. - Transitioning from an interactive environment to remote work. - The power of autonomy in work. - The importance of self-awareness and understanding your working needs and values. - Understanding individual differences. - Building, communicating and demonstrating trust in the workplace. - The impact of self-limiting beliefs VS empowering beliefs. - Temporal awareness and mastering time management at work. -

Duena is the author of “Emotional Banking” and “People Before Tech: The Importance of Psychological Safety and Teamwork in the Digital Age”. She is a doer, an entrepreneur, an industry influencer, a blogger with a cutting-edge opinion style, a writer for Forbes, an international keynote speaker and the creator of the Emotional Banking™ and Human Debt™ concepts. Duena is the Co-Founder and CEO of PeopleNotTech - a company designing a revolutionary team software solution measuring and increasing Psychological Safety for high performing teams. In this episode, Aoife and Duena dive into the hot topic of workplace Psychological Safety and discuss effective team dynamics. Duena also shares her drive for making teams and humans happier at work by increasing psychological safety and reducing human debt. Main points covered throughout the episode include: - An introduction to Duena Blomstrom and her professional background. - The concept of human debt. - The impacts of not speaking up and being heard. - Toxicity i

Listeners interested in psychology, sociology and leadership are in for a real treat with this special extended Happier at Work episode with father-son duo Edgar and Peter Schein. Ed and Peter co-founded the Organizational Culture and Leadership Institute (OCLI.org) in 2015. Ed and Peter have just completed their fourth collaboration, the upcoming 2nd Edition of Humble Inquiry. In this episode, Aoife O’Brien, Edgar Schein and Peter Schein discuss the importance of communication, the gentle art of Humble Enquiry and the benefits of moving forward with an open and curious mind to create a better culture. Key points covered throughout the episode include: - An introduction to Ed and Peter Schein’s backgrounds. - What is Humble Inquiry? - Why we should attack the culture of telling and promote a culture of inquiry. - The importance and influence of personal & trusting relationships. - Psychological safety and cultural evolution. - Encouraging people to speak up. - Rewarding courage in the workspace.

‘’In times of trauma, we look to our leaders to support us.’’ – Katharine Manning. Katharine Manning has over 25 years of experience training and consulting on trauma and victimization. She is the author of The Empathetic Workplace: 5 Steps to a Compassionate, Calm, and Confident Response to Trauma on the Job. As a senior attorney advisor with the Justice Department, for 15 years she counselled on victim rights in high-profile cases like the Boston Marathon bombing, the South Carolina AME church shooting, the Madoff investment fraud, and the case against Olympic Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar. In this episode, Katharine and Aoife discuss overcoming trauma at work, the psychological impacts of trauma and how best to practice empathy at work. Katharine and Aoife also explore trauma in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, looking at how everyone is simultaneously navigating through various levels of trauma and hardship right now. Key points covered in the episode include: - An insight into Katharine’s p

Susan Ní Chríodáin founded Beyond the Numbers to work with teams and individuals in organisations who recognise that putting people first generates the greatest return. Her experience and business acumen stems from a wide variety of commercial and non-profit roles. Putting people first and looking beyond the numbers is a significant contributor to happiness in the workplace. In this episode, Aoife and Susan explore how Psychological Safety at work has a profound impact on the work environment - it enhances trust, creation, innovation, and performance. Key points covered in the show include: - An insight into Susan’s career background. - Seeing beyond the numbers and putting people first. - How Toxicity and negativity can spread throughout the workplace. - How to identify & deal with being in a psychologically unsafe environment. - The benefits to communicating effectively on a human level. - Building courage to deal with difficult conversations. - Finding Calm with inner turmoil and being comfortabl

For more than two decades, Cali Williams Yost has been a leading authority on high-performance work flexibility. A visionary workplace futurist, strategist, and author, Yost is the Founder and CEO of the Flex+Strategy Group, a solutions company helping organizations unlock performance and engagement by reimagining how, when, and where work is done. In this episode, Aoife and Cali discuss how organisations have pivoted their businesses over the last year in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Cali shares insights into how businesses recalibrated, looks at the contingency plan for moving forward, and discusses why remote working and flexibility within the workplace shouldn’t be feared. Key points throughout the show include: - Cali’s introduction to workplace flexibility. - The benefits of optimising flexibility in the workforce. - What makes a forward-thinking leader? - New methods of working and retaining culture. - A look at how businesses have adapted, and how they will innovatively move forward. - The