Explore empowering workplace strategies with Christopher Wojnar, emphasizing psychological safety and leveraging lived experience for effective interventions. Discover actionable insights for mental health and suicide prevention.
SPECIAL EPISODE Work-Related Suicide -- An Occupational Health & Safety Perspective: Interview with Dr. LaMontagne & Dr. King | Ep 28
A growing focus in the media, policy circles, and research is emerging on the correlation between work and suicide. Specifically, a growing body of robust evidence links various psychosocial working conditions and job stressors to suicide. Diverse perspectives exist on the current state of evidence concerning causality and intervention, as well as the most suitable policy and practice responses. In this podcast episode, I interview two global experts who share their views from an occupational health & safety (OH&S) standpoint concerning work-related suicide, with a primary emphasis on the potential for working conditions to serve as modifiable risk factors or protective elements in the context of suicide among the working population.
We define work-related suicide as a suicide death that is entirely or partially connected to work or working conditions. We also consider the working conditions of the individuals who died by suicide.
We discuss:
How is work-related suicide defined from an OH&S standpoint?
What are the potential work-related contributors to suicide?
Turning Pain into Purpose -- From Leadership Burnout to Mental Health Advocate: Interview with Justin Azbill | Ep. 24
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports record increases in quit rates, emphasizing the urgency of addressing manager burnout.
…on one hand, stress and burnout among managers not only negatively impact organizational culture but also hinder their ability to foster employee engagement in a highly competitive labor market. On the other hand, the manager’s voice in the workplace mental health movement is essential to it’s success.
In this podcast, I interview Justin Azbill, the Director of National Environmental Health and Safety for Milwaukee Tool and we talk about his experiences with life-threatening burnout and how he turned that pain into the purpose of helping others. His two takeaways for addressing burnout:
Be proactive, not reactive.
Start and end on a positive note.
Connecting the Dots - Inclusion and Mental Health Culture Change at Work: Interview with Dan Lester | Ep 12
In this episode, I speak with the Vice President of Field Culture and Inclusion at Clayco, Dan Lester. Dan is also a tireless mental health advocate. In our conversation, we start to connect these workplace challenges in meaningful ways and get comfortable being uncomfortable.
Three takeaways:
1. Work to see ALL of the people around you. Even the ones that push you out of your comfort zone.
2. Get in the game. Behave until you believe.
3. Don't forget about yourself. You are the answer to your problems.
The 6 "A"s of Advancing a Caring Culture at Work: Interview with Julius Rhodes | Ep 6
A when leaders are their authentic selves, they allow others to see more clearly their own self-identity. Isolating and concealing your true identity is exhausting – and wears on your well-being. When leaders are authentic and model their vulnerability through humility, they become more trustworthy. By building trust, they create psychologically safe teams.
In this podcast I speak with HR professional Julius Rhodes and how we can help drive a caring work culture.
Headspace for the Workplace -- Greetings from Dr. Sally | Ep 1
In our brain-based economy, we depend on fully engaged, mentally healthy teams. Organizations that have figured this out not only have a competitive advantage, they are awesome places to work. If you want to be able to recruit and retain emerging talent, this podcast will give you the tools that let them know their workplace cares about them.
Psychological safety goes beyond just a fear of making mistakes or suggesting new ideas — it’s really a deep feeling of trust. Psychologically safe environments are where people believe “you have my back” in all areas: when I am learning, when I feel different than others, and when I am having a very difficult time.
Psychologically safe and healthy workplaces actively seek to promote workers’ emotional health and prevent psychosocial hazards due to workplace factors.
Most people who die by suicide or overdose are of working age, making the workplace arguably the most cross cutting system for suicide prevention, addiction recovery and mental health promotion. And yet, workplaces are often underprepared and react rather than respond when faced with mental health emergencies.
Take a listen to the lessons learned and actionable take-aways to promote mental health and wellbeing and support people through tough times – at work.