In this episode of Inside Out: Mental Health at Work and in Life, I'm joined by Andy Coley, leadership development trainer & keynote speaker, and experienced NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) Trainer.

We explore what makes a mentally healthy workplace when leadership, communication, and emotional intelligence are at the centre. Drawing on Andy's work supporting teams and leaders across multiple industries, this conversation unpacks why emotional intelligence matters more than frameworks, how difficult conversations become easier when approached proactively, and why culture is defined by the lowest tolerated behaviour, not the values on your website.

We talk about the four pillars of emotional intelligence, why learning equals knowledge plus experience, and how feedback culture determines whether teams grow or stagnate. Andy shares practical tools from NLP and why deep breathing and state management are some of the most underused resources people already have.

🔑 Key Topics

• Emotional intelligence and its four pillars
• Why culture is the lowest tolerated behaviour
• Having difficult conversations sooner, not later
• State management: breathing, movement, and perspective
• Why leadership is a skill, not a superpower

💡 Did You Know?

You can access your body's parasympathetic nervous system through deep breathing: breathe in for four, out for eight. Just three to five repetitions can shift you from fight-or-flight to calm.

📝 Actionable Takeaways

• Give feedback in real-time, not just at annual reviews
• Approach conversations future-focused, not blame-focused
• Change your physical state (walk, breathe, music) before tackling frustrating tasks
• Ask "Why am I talking?" (WAIT) before jumping in with solutions

🗣️ Join the Conversation

What would change in your workplace if leaders approached every interaction as a chance to learn, not just to direct? Share your thoughts and connect with us on social media.

Connect with Andy: LinkedIn | Website | Buy the Book (Signed Copies)

1. https://www.linkedin.com/in/andycoley/
2. https://www.leadershipisaskill.com/
3. https://www.leadershipisaskill.com/book

In this episode of Inside Out: Mental Health at Work and in Life, I'm joined by Jane Gill, Manufacturing Technician in the Biopharma industry.

We explore what mentally healthy workplaces look like across very different industries, from the high-pressure, fast-paced world of hospitality to the structured, process-driven environment of biopharmaceutical manufacturing.

Drawing on Jane's career journey through both sectors, including her experience during COVID-19, this conversation examines why wellbeing language resonates more than mental health terminology, and how stigma still shapes whether people engage with workplace support.

We talk about the basics that get overlooked, from breaks and advance notice of shift changes, to the physical demands of clean room work and the isolation of office-based roles. Jane reflects on the gap between leaders listening and leaders acting, and why normalising struggles early during onboarding could shift culture faster than one-off initiatives.

From framing wellness without medical language, to discovering Mental Health First Aid training as a potential career pivot, this episode challenges tick-box approaches and asks what it really takes to move from performative support to cultures where well-being is woven into daily work life.

🔑 Key Topics

• Reframing mental health as wellbeing to reduce stigma
• Hospitality vs. manufacturing: different pressures, similar patterns
• Why leaders listen but don't always act
• Basics that matter: breaks, shift notice, fair pay, natural light
• Mental Health First Aid as a gateway to deeper learning

💡 Did You Know?

Reframing workplace initiatives around "wellbeing" rather than "mental health" can significantly increase engagement, particularly in industries where stigma remains strong.

📝 Actionable Takeaways

• Frame well-being initiatives around general health, not just mental health language
• Get the basics right first: fair pay, breaks, advance notice, and access to natural light
• Use onboarding to normalise well-being conversations from day one
• Follow up listening with visible action, not just acknowledgment

🗣️ Join the Conversation

What would it look like if your workplace normalised wellbeing conversations from the first day someone joined? Share your thoughts, connect with us on social media, and help us keep questioning what real support looks like beyond the policies.

Connect with Jane: LinkedIn

In this episode of Inside Out: Mental Health at Work and in Life, I’m joined by Dr Luis Soares, Science Communicator and Research Impact Lead, based in the School of Health in Social Science at the University of Edinburgh.

We explore what a mentally healthy workplace really looks like when you strip away slogans, policies and performative wellbeing initiatives. Drawing on Luis’s experience in academia and public health research, this conversation looks at why mental health so often remains invisible at work, and how pace, pressure and output-driven cultures quietly undermine wellbeing.

We talk about slowing down work, shifting from outputs to outcomes, and why relational awareness matters more than another framework. From universal design and everyday adjustments, to the overlooked power of small human behaviours, including attention, presence and even a smile, this episode challenges the idea that mental health is an individual issue to be managed privately.

Instead, it asks what responsibility organisations and leaders carry for designing environments where people can function, connect and stay well, without having to push beyond their limits.

🎧 Key Topics

• What makes mental health invisible in workplaces
• Pace, time pressure and productivity culture
• Outputs versus outcomes in leadership and academia
• Relational work, universal design and anticipation
• Why small everyday behaviours shape workplace wellbeing

🚨 Did You Know?

Mental health challenges at work often go unaddressed not because they are rare, but because they are built into fast-paced systems that prioritise delivery over human connection.

🔑 Actionable Takeaways

• Treat pace and workload as wellbeing issues, not personal failings
• Design work in anticipation of difference, not crisis
• Focus on outcomes that improve people’s experience, not just output metrics
• Pay attention to small, everyday behaviours that shape culture

💡 Join the Conversation

What would change in your workplace if slowing down and paying attention were taken seriously? Share your thoughts, connect with us on social media and help us keep questioning how work is designed and who it is really serving.