The 12 Minutes of Workplace Health Podcast

In this episode of The 12 Minutes of Workplace Health Podcast, Mel interviews Alice Bagley-Harrison, Champion Health's Content Production Lead, who shares her deeply personal journey with grief. Having lost both parents at a young age, Alice discusses how grief intensifies during the festive season due to heightened expectations of family togetherness and joy. She also delves into how workplaces and colleagues can support bereaved employees during the holiday period and beyond.  Here's what Alice discussed with Mel:  How she has coped with grief during the holidays What workplaces can do to support bereaved employees How colleagues, friends and family can help  Self-care tips for those grieving a loss Connect with us on LinkedIn  

Joining us for this episode of The 12 Minutes of Workplace Health are Dr Anna Weller and Dr Katy Stevens, clinical psychologists with over 20 years of experience in trauma-focused work. Together, they founded Three Minds Psychology to promote the importance of compassion in the workplace. Here's what Katy and Anna discussed with Harry:  Compassion is defined as approaching and managing suffering with empathy, communication, and understanding, rather than avoiding it Human brains are wired for social connection and belonging, meaning can trigger threat-based emotions when individuals feel disconnected or judged Fostering compassion in the workplace operates at both individual and team levels, involving skills training in mindfulness and emotional regulation, and promoting compassionate communication and psychological safety Senior leaders play a crucial role in modelling and setting tone for a compassionate workplace, with their active involvement being essential for the successful implementation of compassion-focused practices Effective strategies for implementing compassion in larger organisations can involve both top-down approaches and breaking down hierarchies to foster genuine, cross-boundary conversations and relationships Links from this episode: Three Minds Psychology Connect with us on LinkedIn

In this special episode of the 12 Minutes of Workplace Health Podcast, we flip the script on host and CEO Harry Bliss to celebrate Champion Health's 6th birthday.  From starting Champion Health in Sheffield when he was only 23 years old to now - operating in over 120 countries and supporting over 2,000,000 lives globally - Harry opens up about the journey thus far.  He gives insight into the early days of Champion Health, the vision he saw from the very beginning of what employee wellbeing should encompass, the incredible development of the Champion Health platform and its people, and why the industry is moving into a more data-led and proactive approach to wellbeing. 

In this episode of the 12 Minutes of Workplace Health Podcast Harry Bliss, Co-founder and CEO of Champion Health, interviews Charlotte Lack, Employee Relations, Health & Policy Manager at E.ON UK.  Charlotte chats through what E.ON were looking for when it came to wellbeing - a product that brought all areas of wellbeing into one, easy-to-access and personalised space. Something that offered preventative measures and could demonstrate tangible impact.  Beyond that, Charlotte discusses the fun and inclusive ways in which E.ON have engaged their people - all their people - in wellbeing, from quizzes to bite-sized demos and taking the Champion Health platform 'on tour'.     

In this episode of the 12 Minutes of Workplace Health Podcast: Conversations with Champions, Harry Bliss, Co-founder and CEO of Champion Health, interviews Chief Growth Officer and wellbeing leader, Nick McClelland before he heads off on an exciting new adventure. Nick discusses the biggest focuses in wellbeing right now - from a huge (and sometimes distracting) emphasis on engagement to tangible impact, personalisation and global consistency in wellbeing strategies.  Together, they also explore how companies like E.ON UK have been so successful in driving engagement and adoption with Champion Health through senior leadership collaboration, an open culture and effective communications. 

In this episode of the 12 Minutes of Workplace Health Podcast, Harry Bliss, Co-founder and CEO of Champion Health, interviews Simon Blake OBE, Chief Executive of Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England. Simon shares his journey from a potential educational psychologist to his work in sexual health and wellbeing, ultimately leading him to his role at MHFA England. The conversation explores the evolving attitudes of organisations toward mental health over the past few years, with the global pandemic triggering a greater focus on mental health and wellbeing. They also discuss the popularity of MHFA training over the years including how to select MHFA trainers within organisations.  Simon also explains the significance of line manager training when it comes to supporting mental health at work.

In this episode of The 12 Minutes of Workplace Health Podcast, we're joined by Ryan Briggs, founder of FinWELL. Ryan, an experienced financial advisor, shares his expertise and passion for cultivating financial literacy and wellbeing. During the episode, Ryan shares his guidance for organisations aiming to develop robust financial wellbeing initiatives and explores the necessity for supporting mental health at the same time. The episode culminates with Ryan sharing actionable strategies for organisations looking to roll-out or improve their financial wellbeing initiatives.

In this episode of The 12 Minutes of Workplace Health Podcast, Harry Bliss, CEO and co-founder of Champion Health, sits down with Chris Donnelly, co-founder of Lottie. Lottie is an organisation dedicated to elevating later life and offers support to global companies in matching employees with the right care home for their elderly relatives. Chris shares the personal journey that led to Lottie's creation and the need for workplace support for caregivers facing care and responsibilities. The discussion delves into the significant impact of elder care in the workplace, with data revealing that more employees will have elderly dependents than children in the near future. Chris emphasizes the mental health challenges and overwhelming decisions caregivers face while searching for quality care options. The episode concludes with a glimpse into the future of elder care in the workplace, highlighting the macroeconomic implications and the urgency for organizations to develop strategies that address this growing societal challenge.

In this episode of The 12 Minutes of Workplace Health podcast, Harry Bliss, CEO and Co-founder of Champion Health, is joined by Nick McClelland, Chief Growth Officer at Champion Health. Nick shares his expertise in employee benefits and workplace health, discussing the importance of engagement and how wellbeing can improve in 2023 and beyond. Nick's extensive background in the industry, working for global organisations such as Mercer and JLT, brings valuable insights to the conversation. Plus, tune in to discover Nick's vision of the future of the sector: wellbeing 3.0

In this episode of The 12 Minutes of Workplace Health Podcast, Harry Bliss, Co-founder of Champion Health, talks with Dr Richard Heron, former Vice President of health at BP, about the future of workplace health, wellbeing strategies, and engaging senior leadership teams in wellbeing. The discussion focuses on the challenge of converting senior leadership teams to prioritise wellbeing and how Richard has achieved success in this during his career.

In this episode of The 12 Minutes of Workplace Health Podcast, Harry Bliss, CEO and Co-founder of Champion Health, is joined by Arti Kashyap-Aynsley, Global Head of Wellbeing and Inclusion at Ocado Group. Harry and Arti discuss the crossover between wellbeing and inclusion and how organisations can join these two areas up. Arti also talks about her role at Ocado and how she works directly with the D&I counterpart to effectively achieve their goals. 

In this episode, Harry Bliss, CEO and co-founder of Champion Health, talks with Sandy-lee Connolly, Group Head of Talent and Diversity at Keller, about moving the needle when it comes to men's mental health. Sandy-lee shares her backstory and the role she has in identifying future leaders at Keller and ensuring they have the right tools and know-how to make progress toward inclusion commitments. She also discusses her passion for wellbeing and how she developed a well-being strategy and framework for the business. The conversation focuses on supporting male-dominated industries like construction and how to effectively take care of ourselves as leaders in wellbeing, talent, and diversity.

In this episode of The 12 Minutes of Workplace Health podcast, Harry Bliss interviews Samuel Lathey, CEO and Co-founder of Bippit, an organisation that specialises in financial wellbeing. Lathey talks about his own struggles with money while a freelance musician, how he ended up sleeping in a warehouse, and the long journey he took to become a trusted financial advisor. He stresses that it is important to have professional support when it comes to finances, making sure everyone has access to resources when it comes to their financial future. 

Today we're going to be discussing the mental health of children and young people with someone the team at Champion Health really look up to: Simon Jay. Simon is Commercial Director at Tellmi, a social enterprise dedicated to supporting young people with their mental health, so he's the perfect person to discuss this important topic. Whether you're listening as a parent, leader, or someone passionate about mental health, this episode is for you.

Jonathan Gawthrop is an award-winning organisational change specialist currently working in the role of Executive Director, Wellbeing Sustainability and Assurance at EMCOR, an engineering firm of 30,000+ employees. In this episode, John talks to Harry about all things ISO 45003, including why his organisation achieved it, some of the many misconceptions, and benefits of the new standard.

Francis Goss is Director, People Experience Consulting at Gallagher, a global leader in insurance and risk management. He's an expert in people experience, engagement, mental, physical and financial wellbeing - amongst many other things. Today, he joins Harry Bliss, Co-founder of Champion Health, to discuss how organisations can highlight their purpose (even when it's not obvious) and boost their EVP, how to use communication to engage the workforce, and why personalisation is critical. Welcome, Francis.

Today we're joined by author and cybersecurity specialist, Gary Hibberd. This episode will delve into one of the areas of risk that we often don't consider when putting together our case for improving wellbeing: cyber security. Burnout, presenteeism and low employee wellbeing can all contribute to poor cybersecurity at work. This represents a huge risk for organisations and could lead to GDPR breaches, lost data or worse. In this episode, Gary will talk us through some of these risks, including what you can do to mitigate them.

Today we're joined by Catherine Knibbs, trauma psychotherapist, author and TEDx speaker. We'll be discussing some impactful topics that affect many people within our organisations: trauma. We'll also be talking about how to work with our own trauma as well as how to support those in our team in the most effective way.

Meet award-winning wellbeing practitioner, Hayley Farrell. Hayley is the Global Wellbeing and Resilience Manager at Arcadis, heading up the wellbeing strategy for 33,000 people across 70 countries globally. Listen in as Hayley and Harry talk all things workplace health - from psychological safety to ISO 45003 and how there must be more collaboration between wellbeing, HR, D&I and L&D.

Meet the inspirational Jaz Ampaw-Farr, TEDx speaker and CEO. Jaz will discuss her personal story of how she beat the odds, with the help of a few supporters throughout her life, to become a international speaker and 'resilience ninja'. Jaz will also explain how we can all be more human across our organisations, in what she terms as a 'human revolution'. Find out more about Jaz, including her amazing TEDx talk, on www.jazampawfarr.com Please note, this conversation contains discussions of domestic abuse.

With 1 billion users and a stratospheric rise to prominence, TikTok has grown quickly across the globe. And as the Global Wellbeing Specialist Lead, Tomas Quinn ensures wellbeing is prioritised through his work leading a team of multidisciplinary specialists across EMEA, LATAM & APAC. Tomas joins us to discuss the power of preventative wellbeing and what organisations can do to build robust preventative wellbeing strategies.

Charles Alberts was Head of Wellbeing Solutions at Aon before moving into his current role as Global Head of Wellbeing and Employee Experience at Clifford Chance, a "Magic Circle" law firm based in London. Join Harry and Charles on this fascinating episode as they discuss the effect of new generations entering the workforce, the role of technology and how we can focus on outputs versus clock-watching.

Matt Halsey is passionate about businesses that put people strategies at the core of their success - and he's founded several of them. But 18 months after starting his first company, he found himself at his lowest point. In this episode, you'll discover how Matt learnt to support himself as an entrepreneur with his mental health. Welcome, Matt.

Today we're joined by Craig Redihough, Belonging and Wellbeing Manager at Sky Group. Craig has an amazing story that demonstrates the simple, straightforward power of authenticity and role modelling when it comes to workplace health. With an incredible career at Sky, Craig makes for an exciting guest on the show. This is one not to be missed.

When it comes to supporting your people through the menopause, there's plenty you and your organisation can do, from building the right environment to fostering a culture of support. So, today on the podcast we're discussing the menopause. And there's nobody better placed to speak to than Julie Robinson, co-founder of MenoHealth. Welcome, Julie.

Theory F begins with a simple premise: People who feel they can bring their whole selves to work, do their best work. To encapsulate this new mode of working, global real estate and investment management firm, JLL, created the Theory F Whitepaper.  Joining to discuss Theory F workplaces, you'll meet Melissa Walker, wellbeing leader and previously Senior Director and Wellbeing Product Manager at JLL. Melissa's going to explain exactly what Theory F workplaces are and how you can build them. Welcome, Melissa!

Today we're announcing an exciting addition to the team at Champion Health: Dr Sands McCutcheon – our new Head of Mindfulness. Sands (short for Sandra) worked as a professional scientist for 18 years before discovering mindfulness. One chance experience not only transformed her own life but also paved the way for her to transform the lives of others. In this episiode, you'll discover Sands' evidence-based approach to mindfulness, and learn how you can benefit from it at work and at home. Welcome to the show, Sands.

Today we're joined by Laura Clark RD, a Registered Dietitian that specialises in providing a holistic approach to nutrition in the workplace and beyond. Laura will be talking to Champion Health Co-founder, Harry Bliss, as she explains what we can do as individuals and organisations to promote healthy nutritional behaviours. Laura is also an expert in the menopause and has recently launched The Menopause Dietitian, which she'll be discussing on the show.

Dr Sabrina Robinson is a Wellbeing Strategist, Chartered Psychologist and Wellbeing Lead at Essex County Council. At Essex County Council, Sabrina leads on all areas in relation to workplace health and wellbeing - she's seen as the subject matter expert for all things wellbeing across the organisation, from EAPs to occupational health. Today, Sabrina is going to be talking about wellbeing strategies and how you can make them more inclusive and engaging in organisations like yours. Welcome to the show, Sabrina.

Today we're joined by Jabbar Sardar, Global HR Director at BBC Studios. Jabbar is responsible for leading the global wellbeing, culture, D&I and leadership strategy across BBC Studios - a role which sees him taking care of over 4,000 people. Harry will be talking to Jabbar about how BBC Studios puts their people first, how they responded proactively to the pandemic and what their future plans are. Welcome, Jabbar.

The culture at Honest Burgers is unique, it's embedded across the organisation and it's led by Oli Cavaliero​, Head of Employer Brand. But as a growing founder-led eatery, how does Oli ensure the culture is consistent and successful? In this episode Oli shares his honest insights into the culture at Honest Burgers.

Nick Davison is the former Head of Wellbeing at John Lewis Partnership, where he spent just over 10 years supporting the organisation's 80,000 co-owners with their health. In this episode, you'll hear Nick's insight into just how he reached such a large population and learn how you can apply these learnings within your role - whatever the size of your business. So, take a seat and join Nick, now a freelance health and wellbeing strategist, as he chats to Harry Bliss, co-founder and CEO at Champion Health.

World Mental Health Day, Talk To FRANK, 5 A Day, Don't Give up Giving Up. If you recognise any of these national campaigns - and you probably do - you're already familiar with the work of today's guest: Louise Aston. In her role as Creative Director at the Central Office of Information (COI), the UK government's marketing and communications agency, Louise led on these award-winning campaigns. Now, in her role as Wellbeing Director at Business in the Community, Louise campaigns to establish employee health and wellbeing as strategic boardroom issues. We couldn't think of a better person to invite onto the podcast. Welcome, Louise.

Meet James Whittaker, Head of Reward at Simplyhealth, one of the UK's leading healthcare providers. James is a fountain of knowledge when it comes to implementing effective rewards, benefits and wellbeing strategies for Simplyhealth's three million customers. Harry sits down with James in this episode to discuss the future of wellbeing and reward, how to engage the disengaged and why wellbeing is more than EAPs.

Gethin Nadin is Chief Innovation Officer at Benefex. Gethin is not only an award-winning psychologist, he's also a best-selling author and global speaker on all topics relating to employee experience, wellbeing and benefits. Today he joins Harry to discuss the past, present and future of the employee experience. Welcome to the podcast, Gethin.

Andy Holmes is responsible for creating a culture of employee wellbeing for over 40,000 employees globally in his role as Group Head of Wellbeing at Reckitt Benckiser. Reckitt own brand like Gaviscon, Durex and Nurofen and turn over £13 billion globally. In this episode you'll hear Andy's journey into corporate wellbeing and what he's learnt along the way. We're extremely fortunate to be able to pick Andy's brain in this session. 

Dr Ally Jaffee is an award-winning entrepreneur and junior doctor within the NHS - or in her words a "Doctorpreneur". In this episode Ally joins us to talk about her favourite area of medicine: how mental health and nutrition is linked. Welcome to the show, Ally. Find Ally on Twitter and LinkedIn at Ally Jaffee and learn more about her work with nutritank_official on Instagram.

Harry Corin lost his father to suicide when he was 12. Now, 13 years on, he openly reflects on his story by delivering mental health training and public speaking alongside global brands like Mars and Lucky Saint. Harry is also a Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Instructor. Today, we're going discover where mental health training should sit within an organisation. Welcome to the show, Harry.

With over 20 years' experience in the corporate world, Bex has worked for many exciting and innovative brands including Nike and Converse, where she recently concluded her tenure as Head of Workplace Design and Creativity Director for UK & Ireland.  Now the founder of Invigorate Spaces, her own consultancy, Bex joins us to discuss role modelling, support for hybrid workers and why mental health is not the only pillar of wellbeing. Welcome to the show, Bex.

Welcome to an extra special episode of The 12 Minutes of Workplace Health Podcast, as we reveal the inside story of The Workplace Health Report: 2022 alongside Laura Dallas, our Head of Product - a self-confessed data geek. Laura has helped pull together hundreds of thousands of data points to compile this exciting report that explores the current state of employee health. And in this episode, you're going to learn how we built the report and find out what our key insights are. Welcome to the show once more, Laura.

Amy McKeown is an award-winning health, mental health and wellbeing strategist. Amy's an advocate for women's health, a thought leader and has worked with global brands, like EY. In this episode, you'll hear Amy's insight into what exactly a wellbeing strategy really is - and what it isn't.

Today we're joined by a friend, colleague and one of the most inspirational people in the field of suicide prevention and mental health. Steve is the founder of The Jordan Legacy CIC and in this episode he'll be sharing his story and experiences, including the tragic event that led to him creating the aforementioned organisation. Please note that this episode contains references to suicide and suicide prevention.

Today we're joined by Simon Collier, Head of Learning and Culture at Diabetes UK. Harry and Simon will be diving into all things L&D and staff engagement - including how Simon is building a proactive culture at one of the UK's largest charities. Please note, this episode was recorded in late 2021 at the onset of the UK's Plan B COVID-19 strategy.

“Thank you Vikki, for coming and looking after us all here and for looking after people in England as well” - Sir Richard Branson.   Wow, not many Doctors of clinical psychology can boast a testimonial from Richard Branson! Today we're welcoming Dr Vikki Barnes to the show. Vikki has designed leading national wellbeing programmes, holds 10 years' experience working within the NHS and has wowed some of the country's top entrepreneurs with what can be achieved with wellbeing.   Vikki is also a published author and we'd encourage you to check out "Free Happiness: The art and science of positivity".   Welcome to the show, Vikki.

In 2014, Jonny's campaign to #findMike, the man who talked him out of jumping off a bridge when he was suicidal, went viral and led to Jonny becoming a prominent spokesperson on the subject of suicide. Now, Jonny Benjamin MBE is a published author and founder of youth mental health charity Beyond. Kicking off 2022, Jonny joins Harry Bliss on this special episode of The 12 Minutes of Workplace Health Podcast. 

Rounding out season 1 of The 12 Minutes of Workplace Health Podcast, Jack Green OLY sits down with Chris Jones, CEO of England Athletics, the governing body for athletics in England. Chris is a fantastic role model for leaders looking to open up the mental health conversation in their workplace and in this podcast you'll hear his honest thoughts, challenges and successes. Welcome to the show, Chris.

Luke Kyte, Head of Culture at Reddico, changed the traditional business structure to one that empowers individuals through trust, accountability and responsibility. The result? They're now among the best places to work in the UK. In this practical episode, you'll hear how Reddico transformed their organisational culture and reaped the rewards.  

On this very special episode, Harry is joined by Laura Dallas, Champion Health's Head of Product. As someone intimately involved in the development of Champion's workplace health platform, Laura is packed with fascinating workplace health insights, particularly. Hear Laura's unique thoughts on building engagement with your employees, involving leaders and why you need to stop and listen before you do anything else.

With over 10 years' experience managing Saint Gobain's L&D functions, and now running his own coaching business, Will Shorten is no stranger to the importance of wellbeing. Will Joins Harry on today's episode to discuss the importance of authenticity, how organisations can actually walk the talk when it comes to wellbeing, and his views on the future of hybrid working.  Welcome Will.

Trenton Moss is a qualified coach and former Samaritan. He previously set up and exited (after a successful acquisition) one of the UK's leading product design and research agencies, Webcredible. He now runs Team Sterka, running training and coaching for teams. Trenton joins us to discuss the importance of emotional intelligence in your business - something he understands the value of first-hand.

Clown, published author, public speaker and mentor. It can be hard to define Em Stroud's incredible career. She joins Harry on this episode to discuss the importance of laughter at work (and how not to force it), how wellbeing leaders can improve their public speaking and why you must give yourself space to grow. Em Stroud, welcome to the stage!