Avoidable employee harm. What springs to mind when you hear that term?  I think it sums up brilliantly the damage that processes can have on organisations and individuals when they fail to focus enough on humans at the heart of them. And let's be honest, many processes have been shaped historically, or exist simply because that's what was put in place without much consideration of the big picture.  But is there a better way... One that cares for employees, the organisation as a whole, and...

Kathy Heath of the Healthy Minds Club, a personalised health and wellbeing platform that connects users with experts, products and services to achieve better wellbeing and lifestyle goals, joins me today. As one of the 'experts' at the club, I was excited to be talking with Kathy about proactive approaches to wellbeing in this episode of the podcast.  We cover everything from HSE to ESG, and wellbeing strategies that really make a difference.  This episode is very timely as Healthy Minds Club...

PRIME used to conjure up thoughts about the drink that appears to have become a fad (and that my son gets super excited about the prospect of seeing on a supermarket shelf) 🤦🏻‍♀️.  But then I met Dr Karen Cripps, Senior Lecturer in Leadership at Oxford Brookes University. Karen informed me about PRiME, an acronym for 'principles for responsible management education' and it's taken on a whole new (and much more helpful!) meaning. In this episode of the podcast, we uncover: the key...

Are you a popcorn fan?  You might rethink your love of it after hearing about Theran's experience. Role-modelling taking a sick day did not go as planned!  Aside from dealing with his popcorn damage, Theran Knighton-Fitt of mygrow is on a mission.  He is challenging the notion of culture as a means to an end when humans are turned into resources. Instead, Theran is redirecting the conversation to one that is more about being human in place of extracting value.  It will be no surprise then to...

The multi-award-winning, author and very awesome Roy Magara provides a legal perspective on putting the human factor back into business.  It was great being able to pick up the conversation from those that we had during the pandemic when we facilitated a number of webinars together.  Why is it that so many legal cases continue to be brought to Roy's attention? He outlines cases where employers have been called out for not caring enough. And the increasing number of cases associated...

Being ready for the future of work requires action. Now. Research clearly identifies that Individual performance has a causal relationship with wellbeing. So it doesn't take a psychologist to tell you that companies need to invest in getting wellbeing right.  But just what makes the biggest difference? And where do we begin? Start simple is my approach. Human connection is the building block of good relationships, mental wellbeing, psychologically safe environments, engagement, and...

This is one of the most frank, honest podcast conversations I've had and I'm so grateful to Gail Cohen of the GCVA for being so open with me about her leadership style. We explore if she is a good leader (her words!). Gail's honesty and vulnerability is powerful as we unpick: How our experience shapes usSelf awareness vs self evaluationGenerational differences within the workforceEmployee led culture Clarity of a leaders' strengths and areas for developmentLeadership, management and being an...

My podcast got hijacked!!! I loved this... the fabulous David Greenaway and Gemma Ellison did a takeover of Beyond the Water Cooler and put me in the hotseat to celebrate 50 episodes. Actually, to my relief, it was a great discussion involving all three of us, about what has changed in the world of work since my first episode. And importantly we get to grips with some of the challenges companies are grappling with right now, to help them move forward. Did you know... ‼️ 72% of leaders...

Forbes has put together 101 of the best customer experience quotes. Only 3 of them feature employees, despite the fact customer experience relies on your workforce.  Simon Sinek says:  👁️‍🗨️ “Customers will never love a company until the employees love it first.”  And that's exactly what Graham Hill, from insight6, and I talk about in this episode of the podcast. We refocus the lens, shifting away from simply the customer, to the people within organisations that determine CX. One thing that...

Nick Jemetta, founder of Stories Matter, joins me to discuss anxiety. He is passionate about creating connection, conversation, curiosity and change. And he takes a holistic approach to mental health.  Stress, anxiety and depression are thought to be responsible for almost half of working days lost in Britain due to health issues.  According to the Workplace Health Report 2022, 58% of employees are experiencing anxiety, and 34% of those experiencing anxiety are aged 25-34.  In the current...

Placi Espejo is a MH Champion, Coach and Mentor supporting innovative businesses to help them grow.  She is also a TEDx speaker, having taken to the stage to share her ideas about embracing mental health and the benefits of workplace policies. Placi talks from her own experience of struggles with mental health, and from her role within companies that means she has a wealth of insight into how to make the experience of work better. Poor mental health is costing UK employers up to £56 billion a...

How confident are you that every member of your team feels empowered and safe enough to contribute? That they are fully engaged? That their ideas are encouraged to emerge and germinate? That their experience day to day matches how they want to feel?  In this episode of the podcast, Sonali Kumarakulasinghe, People and Culture Consultant at SK Consulting outlines TWO PRACTICAL APPROACHES that enable people to become more aware of themselves and their colleagues, to engage with meaningful...

John Hibbs, Co-Founder of CoEfficient, joins me to explore organisational performance from the human perspective. We discuss: 🗣️ the Monergy Flow that links purpose with people, strategy, implementation and outcomes 🗣️ common factors in successful companies 🗣️ the disconnect between leadership perceptions and those of the wider workforce 🗣️ organisational measures and mental health; the vital link 🗣️ employee surveys: their limitations 🗣️ data - the devil is in the detail (and what we choose...

I was recently invited to guest on Get Radio‘s The Business Brunch with Ben Thompson & Mike Foster. Each week, business leaders from across Oxfordshire join them for interviews and a round table discussion sharing their expertise, knowledge and experience. During the show, I had the opportunity to talk about my business, It’s Time for Change, and the topic of resilience for business owners, whilst giving really practical advice to business owners listening. We were joined by the...

Gemma Ellison, Senior Leadership & Talent Manager at Macmillan Cancer Support, joins me in a productive 'rant' about some key issues in business, and most importantly, how to rethink them. I love the energy, inspiration and wisdom that comes from Gemma. She really knows her stuff. We get to grips with... 🗣️ The deliberate leader - an important distinction to a step up the career ladder 🗣️ Challenging common beliefs; is treating others how we want to be treated good enough? 🗣️ The...

March is B Corp month and so who better to join me than Chris Williams, Sustainability Champion and Commercial Manager at Jennings, where they have just been awarded the badge?! In this conversation, Chris helps us to understand: What B Corp is actually aboutWhat prompted Jennings to pursue the B Corp routeWhat a values-based culture looks likeWhat the B Corp certification process involvesThe benefits of the B Corp accreditationHow to inspire companies to do business better, regardless of B...

Carla Maroussas joins me today to explore overwhelm, and the all-important question - how do we reduce it? In a world where overwhelm feels normal, where many of us feel trapped with the only option being to push through, this is an important conversation.  We explore: the feeling of overwhelm that produces a real desire of wanting to retreat into a bubblethe pressure on leaders and managers to be seen to copethe need to align our lived experience with our valueshow emotional support from...

As we celebrate International Women's Day, I'm delighted to be joined by Dr Shawn Andrews, author of The Power of Perception: Leadership, Emotional Intelligence and the Gender Divide. I came across her book a few years ago and it was gripping - loads of jaw-dropping data, relatable case-studies and practical advice about women in leadership roles. She has so much to say that we split the conversation into two parts!  In the first episode, Shawn explains the 5 main barriers for women in...

As we celebrate International Women's Day, I'm delighted to be joined by Dr Shawn Andrews, author of The Power of Perception: Leadership, Emotional Intelligence and the Gender Divide. I came across her book a few years ago and it was gripping - loads of jaw-dropping data, relatable case-studies and practical advice about women in leadership roles. She has so much to say that we split the conversation into two parts!  In the first episode, Shawn explains the 5 main barriers for women in...

I know this guest really well, having worked with her over a number of years. Amanda Page of Change Tempo is a coach specialising in leading change.  We have supported a number of clients, from the NHS to recruiters, combining our expertise to lead change. Whether that's about navigating the unknown, anxiety about how to change people's behaviour, or overcoming push-back, Amanda and I have guided leaders through the turbulence. In this episode we discuss a number of issues and strategies that...

Having the "capacity to remain flexible in our thoughts, feelings, and behaviours when faced by life disruption, or extended periods of pressure" (Pemberton) is essential for resilience. It's fair to say that many of us still expect to come out the other side feeling like we've survived a storm.  Yet, when we get resilience right, we should emerge feeling "stronger, wiser and more able." How do we do that?  In this episode of the Beyond the Water Cooler podcast, Dave Greenaway and I discuss...

Mel Francis is an accomplished HR Director and she joins me to talk about Neurodiversity in the workplace. Mel supports HR, and Diversity and Inclusion professionals, on their journey through her company, NeuroinclusiveHR. We explore: What neurodiversity really isDifferent types of neurodiverse conditions and their common traits that may be evident at workBias, stigma, stereotypes and the use of languageThe power of ingroups and outgroups, The impact of culture and psychological safetyThe...

ESG is just about the physical world, right? Wrong. There is so much packed into this term that every business needs to consider what it means for them. Whether we're talking about values, opportunities in the workplace or recruitment, ESG needs to be a central driver if we are serious about investing in our future. We all need to be part of the change now, talking less, doing more.  Who better to join me to explain the benefits and how to approach ESG than Nicola Weir, Internal...

The fabulous David Saab, Mental Wellbeing Champion and Business Alliance Manager for the Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce, joins me to kickstart my new series of the podcast for 2023. In his role at the Chamber, David has a unique perspective into what's going on within companies across the Thames Valley. His observations about what's working and what isn't, David's insight into interpreting that, and his advice about what businesses should focus on during the year ahead, makes this episode...

In this final episode of the series, Lisa highlights some of the key principles for successful growth in life and business. She discusses the relevance of getting employee experience right at a time when so many employees are feeling emotionally drained and therefore simply don't have the capacity to perform well.  Lisa identifies key themes that have arisen from conversations with the guests and the over-arching messages about going back to basics regarding human relationships, and creating...