Happier At Work: Leadership, Culture, Performance

In this bonus episode of the The Happier at Work Podcast, host Aoife O’Brien reflects on her recent conversation with Leanne Elliott, unravelling the growing sense of overwhelm affecting both individuals and organisations.
Together, Aoife and Leanne explored practical ways to reduce stress, foster genuine connections, and build psychological safety at work, all while linking these priorities to commercial success and organisational values.
Here are the key takeaways:
How to manage overwhelm at work
The impact of organisational culture and psychological safety
Simple strategies for building healthy team relationships and fostering civility
The role of job crafting, understanding strengths, and the importance of recovery activities
The effect of AI and technology on workplace wellbeing
Practical steps for leaders to create thriving, high-performing teams and set boundaries that work
Why understanding your own workplace "vitals" leads to fulfillment and happiness at work

Connect with Aoife O’Brien | Host of Happier at Work®:
Website
LinkedIn
YouTube

Connect with Leanne Elliott | Chartered Psychologist & Podcast Host:
Podcast
LinkedIn

Related Episodes You’ll Love:
234: From Overwhelm to Intentional Fulfillment with Cherylanne Skolnicki
About Happier at Work
Happier at Work is the podcast for business leaders who want to create meaningful, human-centric workplaces. Hosted by Aoife O’Brien, the show explores leadership, career clarity, imposter syndrome, workplace culture, and employee engagement — helping you and your team thrive.
If you enjoy podcasts like WorkLife with Adam Grant, The Happiness Lab, or Squiggly Careers, you’ll love Happier at Work.
Join Aoife O’Brien for weekly insights on leadership, workplace culture, career clarity, imposter syndrome, and creating work that works for you.
Editing by Amanda Fitzgerald.
Website: https://happieratwork.ie LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aoifemobrien/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HappierAtWorkHQ
Mentioned in this episode:
Thriving Talent book - out now
Book

Are you struggling with overwhelm at work and wondering how to create a thriving, positive environment?
In this episode of the Happier at Work podcast, Aoife sits down with Leanne Elliott, occupational psychologist and host of Truth, Lies and Work, to unravel the growing sense of overwhelm affecting both individuals and organisations. Together, they explore practical ways to reduce stress, foster genuine connections, and build psychological safety at work, all while linking these priorities to commercial success and organisational values. The conversation covers actionable strategies to address overwhelm from both individual and leadership perspectives, and highlights the importance of rest, recovery, civility, and creating conditions where people can truly thrive.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:
How practical communication strategies, like honest conversations about preferred message formats, can reduce stress and nurture relationships.
Why civility is essential for team happiness and a positive workplace culture.
The key recovery activities that are essential for preventing burnout at work.
The role of AI in both driving burnout but also creating opportunity.

Related Topics Covered:
Strengths at Work, Burnout, Workplace Expectations
Connect with Aoife O’Brien | Host of Happier at Work®:
Website
LinkedIn
YouTube

Connect with Leanne Elliott | Chartered Psychologist & Podcast Host:
Podcast
LinkedIn

Related Episodes You’ll Love:
234: From Overwhelm to Intentional Fulfillment with Cherylanne Skolnicki
About Happier at Work®
Happier at Work® is the podcast for business leaders who want to create meaningful, human-centric workplaces. Hosted by Aoife O’Brien, the show explores leadership, career clarity, imposter syndrome, workplace culture, and employee engagement — helping you and your team thrive.
If you enjoy podcasts like WorkLife with Adam Grant, The Happiness Lab, or Squiggly Careers, you’ll love Happier at Work®.
Join Aoife O’Brien for weekly insights on leadership, workplace culture, career clarity, imposter syndrome, and creating work that works for you.
Editing by Amanda Fitzgerald.
Website: https://happieratwork.ie LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aoifemobrien/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HappierAtWorkHQ

Are you struggling to balance resilience with realistic workplace expectations?
In this solo episode of the Happier at Work podcast, Aoife O'Brien takes a deep dive into the concept of resilience at work. Challenging the traditional view that resilience is purely an individual trait, Aoife explores the systemic factors that shape our need for resilience, and makes a compelling case for addressing both personal practices and organisational structures. Through personal stories, frameworks from her book "Thriving Talent," and live audience reflections, Aoife highlights the importance of psychological safety, values alignment, and sustainable workplace cultures.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:
The pitfalls of treating resilience as only an individual responsibility.
How organisational culture, values alignment, and psychological safety affect resilience and well-being.
The necessity of open dialogue about workload.

Related Topics Covered:
Self Care, Burnout, Psychological Safety
Connect with Aoife O’Brien | Host of Happier at Work®:
Website
LinkedIn
YouTube

Related Episodes You’ll Love:
Episode 297: Creating Space for Talent to Thrive
Episode 258: How to be More Resilient with MH Pelletier
About Happier at Work®
Happier at Work® is the podcast for business leaders who want to create meaningful, human-centric workplaces. Hosted by Aoife O’Brien, the show explores leadership, career clarity, imposter syndrome, workplace culture, and employee engagement — helping you and your team thrive.
If you enjoy podcasts like WorkLife with Adam Grant, The Happiness Lab, or Squiggly Careers, you’ll love Happier at Work®.
Editing by Amanda Fitzgerald.
Website: https://happieratwork.ie LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aoifemobrien/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HappierAtWorkHQ
Mentioned in this episode:
Thriving Talent book - out now
Book

How can leaders and organisations create truly thriving and happier workplaces in today’s ever-changing world?
In this milestone 300th episode of the Happier at Work podcast, recorded live at PwC in New York, host Aoife O’ Brien swaps seats and answers insightful questions from Bhushan Sethi about her new book, “Thriving Talent.” Together, Aoife and Bhushan dig into practical ways individuals and organisations can drive performance, foster well-being, and build resilient cultures where both people and business results thrive, even amid global disruption, generational shifts, and the rise of AI.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:
The importance of setting clear expectations and frequent feedback for performance and well-being
Why thriving workplaces benefit both people and the bottom line, supported by research showing significant gains in profitability, engagement, and retention
The difference between “being nice” and true kindness as a leadership strength
Understanding the cost of turnover and the business case for investing in people

Related Topics Covered:
Cost & Turnover, Transparency at Work, Thriving Talent
Connect with Aoife O’Brien | Host of Happier at Work®:
Website
LinkedIn
YouTube

Connect with Bhushan Sethi | Partner at PwC:
TikTok
LinkedIn
Website
Twitter

Related Episodes You’ll Love:
Episode 50: Bhushan Sethi on the Future of Work
Episode 150: Navigating the New Business Landscape with Bhushan Sethi
Episode 200: Reskilling Diversity and Building a Happier Workplace with Bhushan Sethi
Bonus Episode: Bhushan Sethi on Building a Happier Workplace
About Happier at Work®
Happier at Work® is the podcast for business leaders who want to create meaningful, human-centric workplaces. Hosted by Aoife O’Brien, the show explores leadership, career clarity, imposter syndrome, workplace culture, and employee engagement — helping you and your team thrive.
If you enjoy podcasts like WorkLife with Adam Grant, The Happiness Lab, or Squiggly Careers, you’ll love Happier at Work®.
Join Aoife O’Brien for weekly insights on leadership, workplace culture, career clarity, imposter syndrome, and creating work that works for you.
Editing by Amanda Fitzgerald.
Website: https://happieratwork.ie LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aoifemobrien/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HappierAtWorkHQ
Mentioned in this episode:
Thriving Talent book - out now
Book

How do you use marketing to achieve success?
In this solo episode of the Happier at Work podcast, host Aoife O’Brien offers an honest and practical deep dive into the realities of publishing, writing, and marketing “Thriving Talent.” From deciding to create a dedicated website to navigating the emotional journey of seeking endorsements and handling criticism, you’ll hear how success depends on much more than just writing the book. Aoife also pulls back the curtain on the hard work and resilience it takes to market a book, building relationships, orchestrating publicity, and celebrating community support.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:
The strategic process of building a dedicated book website and the value of collaborating with professionals for web development and copywriting.
Insights into reaching out for endorsements, the importance of having credible voices support your work, and tracking outreach efforts with methodical organisation.
The emotional challenges of putting yourself out there: Facing judgment, criticism, and the importance of focusing on feedback from those who are “in the arena.”

Related Topics Covered:
Writing a book, Idea development, Personal Goals
Connect with Aoife O’Brien | Host of Happier at Work®:
Website
LinkedIn
YouTube

Related Episodes You’ll Love:
Episode 297: Creating Space for Talent to Thrive
Episode 293: Recognising and Understanding your Drivers at Work
About Happier at Work®
Happier at Work® is the podcast for business leaders who want to create meaningful, human-centric workplaces. Hosted by Aoife O’Brien, the show explores leadership, career clarity, imposter syndrome, workplace culture, and employee engagement — helping you and your team thrive.
If you enjoy podcasts like WorkLife with Adam Grant, The Happiness Lab, or Squiggly Careers, you’ll love Happier at Work®.
Editing by Amanda Fitzgerald.
Website: https://happieratwork.ie LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aoifemobrien/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HappierAtWorkHQ
Mentioned in this episode:
Thriving Talent book - out now
Book