It makes sense that engaged employees are happier and more productive at work but - in this episode - you’ll hear concrete evidence that you can use in your business case that proves this link.
Jo Moffatt, who is Advisory Board member for not-for-profit Engage For Success shares the findings of recent research which highlights the impact of Health and Wellbeing initiatives, and the benefits of listening to and valuing employees.
Not only that, she gives you hard data (freely accessible) on the link between engagement and not only productivity but talent attraction, talent retention, reduced turnover, profitability and shareholder returns.
But the big question is - how do you engage your employees to reap these benefits? Well, don’t worry, Jo shares her 4 most important actions to achieve this. She also lots of practical tips along the way, many of which don’t cost anything except effort and consistency.
Timeline of podcast:
00:00 Introduction to the Leaders Podcast
00:35 This Week's Challenge: Engaging a Disengaged Team
01:06 Guest Introduction: Joe Moffitt from Engage for Success
01:39 Defining Employee Engagement
02:43 Engage for Success: UK Employee Engagement Survey
05:02 Key Findings from the Survey
11:23 The Four Enablers of Engagement
19:00 Survey Fatigue vs. Inaction Fatigue
20:35 Engaging Senior Management
25:32 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
It used to be enough to ask a couple of questions about how employees were feeling about their wellbeing in an annual, or twice yearly, survey and that was enough to assess 'engagement'.
But those days are over. With hybrid working, geopolitical uncertainty, increasing desire for purpose and a host of other factors, employee expectations have shifted.
To talk us through tackling this change, is Euromonitor's Global Director: Culture, Engagement and Inclusion, Adeife Onwuzulike, who is currently grappling with exactly this challenge.
She covers a huge variety of topics with practical and strategic advice such as: the importance of co-design and collaboration; the multigenerational workforce; measurement; intersectionality and much more!
One thing she makes crystal clear is that engagement today is all about participation two ways and employees want to be talked 'with' and not 'to'. She explains how she is doing this. She even sings at the end, so stay tuned for that, and, of course, the alien question....
Remember you can join our Leaders Club by emailling editor@makeadifference.media
Time line of conversation:
00:00 Introduction to the Leaders Podcast
00:35 This Week's Challenge: Employee Engagement
01:44 Guest Introduction: Aade Zalucki
02:34 Designing a New Employee Experience Survey
03:51 Measuring Employee Experience
08:35 The Importance of Wellbeing and DEI
11:52 Building Trust and Collaboration
13:45 Generational Differences in the Workplace
18:48 Effective Communication Strategies
23:28 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
With neurodiversity talked about so much more today in the media than ever before, many employees are diagnosing, not only themselves, but their family members too. This, coupled with the long NHS waiting lists for formal diagnoses, means employees are increasingly looking to employers to bridge the gap. But what should they do? And is it reasonable to cover employees' family members too?
This is what happened at BNP Parisbas and, in this episode, Health & Wellbeing Lead Lauren Lunniss explains what a 'wake up' call it was to discover so much demand - and how she systematically dealt with it. Lunniss is a self confessed lover of numbers and spreadsheets and, in this episode, shares some golden nuggets on this front on the link between uptake of services and productivity.
Remember you can join our Leaders Club by emailling editor@makeadifference.media
Time line of conversation:
00:00 Introduction to the Leaders Podcast
00:35 This Week's Challenge: Addressing Neurodiversity
01:19 Expert Insight: Lauren Lni's Experience
01:28 The Growing Awareness of Neurodiversity
01:48 Developing an Inclusive Program
04:11 Survey Insights and Initial Steps
07:18 Collaborating with Healthcare Providers
08:55 Creating a Comprehensive Support Pathway
09:47 The Importance of Follow-Up Care
13:58 Measuring Impact and Success
18:36 Building a Supportive Community
23:43 Final Thoughts and Future Plans
25:29 The Alien Question: Making the Case for Wellbeing
27:34 Conclusion and Call to Action
Today is a very special episode because, for the first time, we have two brilliant guests answering this question not just one - both of them specialise in the legal industry, which is a hot bed for this scenario where managers are under pressure to perform and so, at times, deprioritise people and, even, can lack humanity as well as endangering their own wellbeing.
One is Sam Jardine, Partner at Fieldfisher LLP and LawCare Chamption, and the other is Elizabeth Rimmer, CEO of LawCare, which promotes and supports good mental health in the legal industry across the UK and has just launched its latest report, Life in Law 2025.
This is a fascinating wide ranging conversation, with loads of practical ideas and tips, as well as a bit of philosophy, AI predictions and even poetry. Check out the conversation breakdown below to see just how much ground is covered!
00:00 Introduction to the Leaders Podcast
00:35 This Week's Challenge: Prioritizing People in High-Pressure Environments
01:29 Expert Insights: Sam Jardine and Elizabeth Rimmer
02:10 The Legal Industry's Pressure Cooker Environment
05:31 The Impact of Empathy and Humanity in Management
07:43 Positive Management Stories and Their Impact
08:34 Valuing People Management in the Legal Sector
09.35 Results of the recent LawCare study
12.04 How could line managers be encouraged to focus on better people management
17.25 The challenge hybrid working brings
20:35 The Role of Self-Awareness in Effective Management
26:27 The Importance of Human Skills in the Age of AI
29.00 Measuring Kindness
30.00 The Alien Question, and wrap up
Have you ever found yourself drawn into that trendy narrative that young people today are SO flaky, needy, impatient, demanding, challenging, obsessed with their mental health and not dedicated enough to their work? Or maybe the line managers you work with have said this to you?
Well, this is definitely the episode for you as our guest Alex Smith, Global Lead for Lifestyle, Leisure, and Wellbeing at Unidays, shares his unique and at-the-coalface insight into the mindset of young people today. You will have 'aha' moments and relate to younger generations differently in future.
Alex delves into the importance of self-awareness and understanding the different life experiences that shape team members' perspectives. He highlights practical strategies for fostering a supportive and inclusive environment.
The discussion touches on the evolving nature of the job market influenced by AI and the importance of creating opportunities for diverse talents. The episode closes with the usual ‘alien question'!
To join our Leaders Club click here: https://makeadifference.media/join-leaders-club/
Timeline of conversation:00:00 Introduction to the Leaders Podcast
00:35 This Week's Challenge: Managing a Multi-Generational Team
01:35 Guest Introduction: Alex Smith
01:48 Alex's Experience with Multi-Generational Teams
02:34 Understanding Generational Differences
03:43 Strategies for Effective Management
08:06 The Role of Empathy and Self-Awareness
09:32 The Impact of AI on Graduate Jobs
15:11 Addressing Mental Health in the Workplace
18:51 Final Thoughts and Takeaways
21:25 The Alien Question
22:22 Conclusion and Farewell
Getting the best out of tech suppliers when you are juggling both legacy suppliers you've been with for ages, and the newer, agile tech start ups entering wellbeing, is no easy task.
Karen Sancto, Microsoft's EMEA Benefits Consultant brings the benefit of her expertise here to this podcast, exploring this intricate process.
She gives us practical, instantly useable advice and, in an increasingly automated world, underlines the importance of human relationships.
Listen to the end to ensure you hear all of her strategies, and her answer to the 'alien question'!
To join our Leaders Club click here: https://makeadifference.media/join-leaders-club/
Time line of conversation:
00:00 Introduction to the Leaders Podcast
00:35 This Week's Challenge: Legacy vs. Agile Tech Companies
01:24 Expert Insights: Karen Santo from Microsoft
01:43 Navigating Supplier Relationships
02:41 The Role of Technology and Data Privacy
03:54 Building Effective Partnerships
06:48 Cultural Considerations in Supplier Management
13:16 Measuring and Scaling Supplier Management
17:20 The Human Element in Supplier Relationships
17:59 Fun and Creativity in Benefits Management
19:15 Final Thoughts and Alien Scenario
21:22 Conclusion and Call to Action
Matt Wilson, the UK Wellbeing Lead for Computacenter, talks candidly about the crisis of confidence he overcame working in the wellbeing industry. Not only because he felt, at times, insecure because he didn’t come from a traditional HR background, but also because he suffered a severe stammer.
He talks with refreshing honesty about his experiences and gives practical advice to anyone else experiencing any kind of confidence issues that are affecting work.
While his tips are applicable to everyone, his insight is particularly relevant to men who find it hard to talk about emotions or their struggles. He tells his story of how, after taking action, he ends up with more self-awareness and confidence, as well as a commitment to being authentic at work.
The conversation also touches on the significance of demonstrating the ROI of wellbeing initiatives (and how this can boost your confidence), the importance of good communication strategies and the need for formal training in the field.
00:00 Introduction to the Leaders Podcast
00:35 This Week's Challenge: Navigating Wellbeing Without an HR Background
01:54 Guest Introduction: Matt Wilson, UK Wellbeing Lead
02:03 Matt's Journey: Overcoming a Stammer and Building Confidence
04:02 The Importance of Authenticity in Wellbeing Roles
04:53 Men and Therapy: Breaking the Stigma
09:41 Proving the ROI of Wellbeing Initiatives
12:05 The Role of Commercial Skills in Wellbeing
14:25 The Need for Formal Training in Wellbeing
16:42 Final Advice for Wellbeing Professionals
18:09 The Alien Question: Making the Case for Wellbeing Investment
20:03 Conclusion and Call to Action
Balancing high performance with health and sustainability is a huge topic in workplaces currently, especially when the economy is under such pressure.
Dr Monika Misra, who is Group Head of Employee Health and Wellbeing at Mars knows this conundrum very well - so well, she’s even (co) written a book on it! It’s called ‘Healthy High Performance: unlocking business success through employee wellbeing’, with Sir Cary Cooper.
In this podcast, packed with practical and strategic tips, she talks us through step by step how she got a 30% uplift in employees’ energy levels and unlocked high performance under pressure.
And if you are listening when this podcast comes out - then you have two days to get yourself to hear her talk at the MAD World Leaders Summit in London on 9th October where she is doing a keynote on Healthy High Performance in an age of uncertainty. Go to madworldsummit.com for more info.
To join our Leaders Club click here: https://makeadifference.media/join-leaders-club/
To see the agenda for MAD World Summit on 9th October in London where Monika is speaking, see here: https://madworldsummit.com/
Timeline of conversation:
00:44 Meet Dr. Monica Misra: Expert in Health and Wellbeing
01:28 Understanding Employee Burnout
03:45 Building the Business Case for Wellbeing
06:36 Implementing Evidence-Based Solutions
14:13 Measuring Impact and Sustaining Change
17:43 Final Thoughts and Key Takeaways
21:07 The Alien Question and Closing Remarks
It's great when employees are passionate and enthusiastic about spreading the Health and Wellbeing message. But - what do you do if they're not quite the right people you want driving the agenda?
What if you need more influential people, especially those not working in Wellbeing or those who are personally invested to drive it?
Today's brilliant guest Dr Sabrina Robinson, Chartered Psychologist and Wellbeing Lead at Essex County Council talks us through this exact problem today and reveals some cunning tricks of the psychological trade to help us on our way.
And, of course, she answers the alien question in a truly novel way!
To join our Leaders Club click here: https://makeadifference.media/join-leaders-club/
To see the agenda for MAD World Summit on 9th October in London where Sabrina is speaking, see here: https://madworldsummit.com/
Time line of conversation:
00:00 Introduction to the Leaders Podcast
00:45 Meet Dr. Sabrina Robinson
02:08 The Challenge: Ensuring Consistency in Wellbeing
03:08 Renewing the Governance Strategy
04:20 Leadership Buy-In and Accountability
05:49 Engaging the Right People
14:30 Formalising the Governance Strategy
17:32 Achieving Consistency and Employee Experience
19:07 Final Thoughts and Advice
21:33 The Alien Question
22:48 Conclusion and Farewell
We know the theory: difference leads to innovation and, ultimately, profitability. But, in practice, working in multigenerational teams can be really challenging and lead to a lot of tension.
Patrick Dunne OBE has seen this situation numerous times in his vast experience of business and boards - he's also just co-written a book called 'Five generations at work; how we win together for good'.
This conversation covers everything from a maximising mindset, empathic leadership, dealing with conflict, 'microwaved' relationships and even dad dancing. It's peppered with practical tips and real-life solutions he's seen work.
To join our Leaders club see here
For more information on Patrick's keynote at MAD World Leaders Summit on 9th October 2025, see here
Time line of conversation:
00:00 Introduction to the Leaders Podcast
00:44 Meet Patrick Dunne, OBE
02:25 The Multi-Generational Team Challenge
03:42 Understanding and Communication Across Generations
05:46 Practical Tips for Managing Multi-Generational Teams
11:54 Conflict Management Techniques
20:18 The Importance of Trust in Teams
23:03 The Alien Question and Conclusion
We've chosen Dr Lia Ali, neuropsychiatrist and digital health innovation strategist for the NHS, as a launch interviewee because of her immense knowledge of being able to pinpoint what actually works - and what WILL work - based on the evidence.
She's faced this question numerous times, and talks us through how she tackled it - and her favourite model - the biopsychosocial one.
You'll leave this podcast inspired, and so if you want to hear more of Lia - she's doing a key note at the MAD World Summit on 9th October in London.
To find out more about the Make A Difference Leaders Club, click here.
If you like this episode, please like and subscribe and - even better - share it with someone to keep the workplace wellbeing conversation going!
And, if you have a burning issue you'd like discussed, or any feedback at all, email editor@makeadifference.media
A quick summary of the conversation:
00:00 Introduction to the Leaders Podcast
00:44 Meet Dr. Leah Ali: Digital Health Innovation Strategist
01:41 The Bio-Psychosocial Model for Better Health Outcomes
04:39 Case Study: Occupational Health in Australia
06:42 The Importance of Preventative Interventions
09:41 Embedding Health Strategies Across Organizations
12:21 Inclusive Design and Health Inequalities
15:24 Concluding Thoughts and Future Conversations
19:36 Outro and Call to Action
Stella Gavinho is Group Head of Wellbeing at Entain and we chose her as one of the launch interviewees for her honesty and warmth, as well as the energy and resilience she applies to problem solving.
She talks us through dealing with a significant drop in employee engagement in employee health and wellbeing, with lots of practical and strategic insight.
If you like this episode, please like and subscribe and - even better - share it with someone to keep the workplace wellbeing conversation going!
And, if you have a burning issue you'd like discussed, or any feedback at all, email editor@makeadifference.media
To find out more about the MAD World Leaders Summit agenda on 9th October, in London, and to register, click here.
To find out more about the Make A Difference Leaders Club, click here.
Key timings in the conversation:
00:00 Introduction to the Leaders Podcast
00:44 Meet Stella Gino: A Warm and Honest Wellbeing Leader
01:38 Setting the Scene: The Wellbeing Challenge
03:03 Facing the Wellbeing Crisis: Stella's Experience
04:42 Strategic Response: Data-Driven Solutions
08:57 Implementing Manager Training Programs
13:15 Results and Reflections: Positive Outcomes
19:12 Advice for Leaders: Embracing Wellbeing Initiatives
23:43 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Our launch guest today - Claire Farrow - founded the Make A Difference Media Leaders Club. In her role as Global Content Director at MAD, she gets to hear leaders from all different sectors and industries open up to her about their biggest challenges. So, she has huge industry-spanning knowledge of what's going on and where the future of work is headed.
Today she shares the struggles she hears most from leaders and what she thinks the industry can do to make the most impact going forward.
If you like this episode, please like and subscribe and - even better - share it with someone to keep the workplace wellbeing conversation going!
And, if you have a burning issue you'd like discussed, or any feedback at all, email editor@makeadifference.media
Relevant links:
Claire is currently organising the MAD World Leaders Summmit on 9th October in London. To find out more about the agenda and to register, click here.
To find out more about the Make A Difference Leaders Club, click here.
Episode timings:
00:00 Welcome to the Leaders Podcast
00:44 Introducing Claire Farrow
02:52 The Evolution of Workplace Wellbeing
05:31 Top Challenges in Workplace Wellbeing
12:05 The Importance of C-Suite Buy-In
14:47 Professionalization and Data-Driven Approaches
18:45 The Alien Question and Final Thoughts!
Workplace culture and employee health & wellbeing have never been more important — but leadership in the world of workplace wellbeing can feel lonely, messy and uncertain.
On the Leaders Podcast, you’ll hear candid conversations with workplace pioneers, who are shaping the future of work. Here they'll pick apart the real problems they’ve faced, and the lessons they’ve learned - warts and all!
This show is for you if you care about workplace health and wellbeing, whether you're in HR, Learning & Development, Health & Safety, DEI, Employee Engagement, Employee Experience, the C-suite or any role whose remit touches on culture and/or health and wellbeing.
Subscribe now to hear the stories, insights and inspiration that can help you create healthier, more human workplaces and elevate this topic to its rightful place on the C-suite agenda.