The HR Room Podcast

Embedding workplace wellbeing takes more than good intentions and one-off initiatives. It requires people across the organisation who are willing to champion it every day. In this episode of the Wellness Works mini-series on The HR Room Podcast, Dave Corkery and Laura Barry, Head of People Development at Insight HR, are joined by special guest Brian Crooke, Founder of Workplace Wellbeing Ireland and The Work Well Institute, to explore how wellbeing champions can bring strategy to life on the ground.

Together, they unpack what a wellbeing champion really is (and what they’re not), why peer-led influence is so powerful, and how champion networks help bridge the gap between wellbeing policy and everyday employee experience. The conversation covers how to select, train and support champions, the importance of role clarity and leadership backing, and how to avoid common pitfalls such as overload, lack of structure or tokenism.

Drawing on practical examples from organisations across Ireland, including Irish Life and ESB, this episode offers clear, actionable guidance for HR professionals and leaders who want to embed wellbeing in a sustainable, credible and inclusive way - not just as an initiative, but as part of organisational culture.

Guests

Brian Crooke – Founder, Workplace Wellbeing Ireland & the Work Well Institute

Topics include:

What wellbeing champions are, and how they differ from mental health first aiders

Why peer influence is critical to embedding wellbeing

Selecting champions through voluntary, inclusive processes

The importance of role clarity, expectations and boundaries

Training champions to take ownership and shape their role

Supporting champions without overwhelming them

Governance, structure and leadership sponsorship of champion networks

Measuring impact without turning wellbeing into a tick-box exercise

Common mistakes organisations make, and how to avoid them

What “good” looks like when a champion network is working well

Useful Links & Resources

Workplace Wellbeing Ireland – Wellbeing Champion Programmes

Workwell Institute – Postgraduate Certificate in Workplace Wellness

Insight HR – Workplace Wellbeing Consulting & Support

Wellness Works Live Webinar – Designing Your Wellbeing Strategy (February 17)

Get in touch
If you’re not already following us on LinkedIn, please do. If you have suggestions for future episodes, or if you’d like to join us as a guest, reach out to Dave Corkery at [email protected] or connect with him on LinkedIn.

If today’s episode has you thinking about introducing or strengthening a wellbeing champion network in your organisation, you can arrange a confidential consultation with Laura Barry by emailing [email protected].

About The HR Room Podcast
The HR Room Podcast is brought to you by Insight HR — where we speak with HR leaders, experts and practitioners across Ireland about the issues shaping the world of work today.

If you’re enjoying the podcast, please share it with colleagues or friends and leave us a review.
We love your feedback and we’re always here to support you with your HR challenges.

📞 Immediate HR support: 056 770 1060
📧 [email protected]

Workplace investigations sit at the heart of fairness, trust and accountability in organisations. But when investigations involve high-profile individuals, external parties, or allegations of serious misconduct, the scrutiny can be intense and the risks for employers multiply rapidly if fair procedures are not followed.

In this episode of The HR Room Podcast, Dave and Mary are joined by Rebecca Bowman, Head of Investigations at Insight HR, to examine a recent high-profile UK case involving HarperCollins and allegations made against author David Walliams.

Using what has been publicly reported about the case, they whether the investigation process itself may have been flawed and what HR leaders can learn when managing allegations involving contractors, public figures and non-employees.

They unpack the principles of natural justice, the importance of fair procedures, and why speed, secrecy or outcome-driven approaches can expose organisations to legal challenge, reputational damage and loss of trust. The discussion offers practical guidance for HR professionals navigating complex investigations under intense pressure.

Guest

Rebecca Bowman – Head of Investigations, Insight HR

 

Topics include:

Why workplace investigations must be handled with care — especially in high-profile cases

The HarperCollins / David Walliams case and what has been publicly reported

Investigating allegations involving contractors, consultants and external parties

Employers’ duty of care when employees interact with non-employees

What “natural justice” and fair procedures mean in practice

Why the right to respond is fundamental to any defensible investigation

The risks of outcome-driven or rushed investigations

Reputational damage caused by flawed investigation processes

Protecting employee wellbeing while ensuring procedural fairness

When to involve external investigators in complex or sensitive cases

Key non-negotiables for a fair, impartial and robust investigation

 

Useful Links & Resources

Media coverage of the HarperCollins / David Walliams investigation

Workplace Investigation Services - Insight HR

Workplace Investigations Guide - Insight HR

 

Get in touch
If you’re not already following us on LinkedIn, you can do that here.
If you have suggestions for future episodes, or if you’d like to join us as a guest, reach out to Dave at [email protected] or connect with him on LinkedIn.

For confidential HR support, contact [email protected]
📞 Immediate HR support: 056 770 1060

We love your feedback and we’re always here to support you with your HR challenges.

 

About The HR Room Podcast
The HR Room Podcast is brought to you by The HR Room Podcast, produced by Insight HR — where we speak with HR leaders, experts and practitioners across Ireland and beyond about the issues shaping the world of work today.

If you’re enjoying the podcast, please share it with colleagues or friends and leave us a review.

Workplace wellbeing is often talked about as an HR initiative – but without leadership ownership, even the best programmes struggle to succeed. In this second episode of the Wellness Works mini-series on The HR Room Podcast, Dave and Laura are joined by special guest Stacey Machesney, Head of Health & Wellbeing at Irish Life, to explore why leadership is the true foundation of sustainable workplace wellbeing.

Together, they discuss why wellbeing cannot sit with HR alone, the dangers of box‑ticking, and how leadership behaviour, culture and work design shape the real employee experience. They examine the ethical, legal and business risks of getting wellbeing wrong, the growing impact of mental health claims, and the modern challenges leaders now face – from hybrid work and loneliness to neurodiversity and inclusion.

From practical guidance on influencing senior leaders to the importance of empathy, training and role‑modelling healthy behaviours, this episode offers clear insights for HR professionals and leaders who want to move beyond surface‑level initiatives and build workplaces where people can truly thrive.

Guests
• Laura Barry – Head of People Development, Insight HR
• Stacey Machesney – Head of Health & Wellbeing, Irish Life

Topics include:
• Why leadership ownership is essential for effective workplace wellbeing
• The risks of leaving wellbeing with HR alone
• Box‑ticking and the limits of one‑off initiatives
• Leadership behaviour, culture and work design as drivers of wellbeing
• Ethical and legal responsibilities around psychological health and safety
• The business cost of poor mental health, burnout and presenteeism
• Equipping leaders with the skills and confidence to support their teams
• Neurodiversity, inclusion and the future of workplace supports
• Hybrid work, loneliness and rebuilding social connection at work
• How HR can build a strong business case for wellbeing with senior leaders

Resources and Links
- Wellness Works Webinar: Designing a Wellbeing Programme That Works

- Irish Life's Health of the Nation Report 2025

Get in touch
If you’re not already following us on LinkedIn, please do. If you have suggestions for future episodes, or if you’d like to join us as a guest, reach out to Dave Corkery at [email protected] or connect with him on LinkedIn.

If today’s episode has you thinking about leadership and wellbeing in your organisation – whether you’re starting from scratch or strengthening an existing approach – you can arrange a confidential consultation with Laura Barry by emailing [email protected].

About The HR Room Podcast
The HR Room Podcast is brought to you by Insight HR — where we speak with HR leaders, experts and practitioners across Ireland about the issues shaping the world of work today.

If you’re enjoying the podcast, please share it with colleagues or friends and leave us a review.
We love your feedback and we’re always here to support you with your HR challenges.

📞 Immediate HR support: 056 770 1060
📧 [email protected]

Redundancies are one of the most sensitive and high-risk moments in the life of any organisation. When they are mishandled, the consequences can be profound - from reputational damage and industrial action to long-term impacts on trust, morale and employer brand.

In this episode of The HR Room Podcast, Dave and Mary are joined by employment law specialist Adrian Twomey, Partner at Jacob & Twomey Solicitors, to unpack what happens when redundancies go wrong. Using a recent high-profile Irish case as a starting point, they explore the legal obligations, human realities and organisational risks involved in collective redundancies.

Together, they discuss why empathy matters as much as compliance, how consultation processes shape outcomes, and what HR leaders and managers can do to avoid the worst-case scenario - including strike action, reputational harm and unfair dismissal claims.

Guest
• Adrian Twomey –Partner, Jacob & Twomey Solicitors

Topics include:
• Why redundancies are one of the toughest moments for any organisation
• What went wrong in the recent Covalen case and what HR leaders can learn from it
• Statutory vs enhanced redundancy payments - expectations and realities
• What a “good” consultation process really looks like in practice
• The legal requirements under collective redundancy legislation
• Common risks: unfair dismissal, discrimination claims and reputational damage
• The impact of redundancies on morale, trust and organisational culture
• Managing anger, fear and resistance during consultation
• Supporting managers who must deliver difficult messages
• Why empathy, transparency and professionalism are critical to outcomes
• How organisations can recover their employer brand after redundancies

Useful Links & Resources
• Irish Times article on the Covalen redundancy case
• Protection of Employment Act 1977 – Collective Redundancies
• Insight HR – Redundancy & Restructuring Services

Get in touch
If you’re not already following us on LinkedIn, please do. If you have suggestions for future episodes, or if you’d like to join us as a guest, reach out to Dave at [email protected] or connect with him on LinkedIn.

Head here for more info on our confidential Redundancy and Restructuring Services. 

For confidential HR support, contact [email protected]
📞 Immediate HR support: 056 770 1060

We love your feedback and we’re always here to support you with your HR challenges.

About The HR Room Podcast
The HR Room Podcast is brought to you by Insight HR — where we speak with HR leaders, experts and practitioners across Ireland about the issues shaping the world of work today.

If you’re enjoying the podcast, please share it with colleagues or friends and leave us a review.

Workplace wellbeing is a phrase we hear all the time - but what does it actually mean in practice? For some, it’s fruit bowls and yoga mats. For others, it’s leadership, culture, and how work is really experienced day to day. In reality, true workplace wellbeing goes far deeper than perks and initiatives.

In this first episode of a new four-part wellbeing mini-series on The HR Room Podcast, Dave is joined by Laura Barry, Head of People Development at Insight HR, to explore what effective workplace wellbeing really looks like, and why so many organisations struggle to get it right.

Together, they unpack the difference between reactive wellbeing supports and preventative, strategic approaches. They discuss why culture and work design matter more than one-off initiatives, the risks of treating wellbeing as a “nice to have”, and how organisations can build sustainable systems that support people to thrive - not just cope.

From the impact of hybrid work and social disconnection to the growing importance of employer brand and psychological safety, this episode sets the foundation for leaders and HR professionals who want to move beyond surface-level wellbeing and embed it at the core of how their organisations operate.

Guests
Laura Barry – Head of People Development, Insight HR

 

Topics include:
• Why “workplace wellbeing” is often misunderstood - and what it really means
• The limits of perks, programmes and one-off initiatives
• The difference between reactive and preventative wellbeing approaches
• The “triangle of support” model for sustainable workplace wellbeing
• Why culture, leadership behaviour and work design matter most
• The risks of getting wellbeing wrong - burnout, disengagement and talent loss
• Employer brand, reputation and the growing importance of wellbeing in recruitment
• The WHO Healthy Workplace Model as a practical framework for HR teams
• Hybrid work, isolation and the rise of emotional fatigue in modern workplaces
• What good looks like: embedding wellbeing into strategy, not just activities
• Questions HR leaders should be asking about the real employee experience

 

Useful Links & Resources
• World Health Organization – Healthy Workplace Framework
• Workplace Wellbeing Ireland

 

Get in touch
If you’re not already following us on LinkedIn, please do. If you have suggestions for future episodes, or if you’d like to join us as a guest, reach out to Dave Corkery at [email protected] or connect with him on LinkedIn.

If today’s episode has you thinking about how wellbeing is working in your organisation - whether you’re starting from scratch or refining an existing programme - you can arrange a confidential consultation with Laura Barry by emailing [email protected].

 

About The HR Room Podcast
The HR Room Podcast is brought to you by Insight HR — where we speak with HR leaders, experts and practitioners across Ireland about the issues shaping the world of work today.

If you’re enjoying the podcast, please share it with colleagues or friends and leave us a review.
We love your feedback and we’re always here to support you with your HR challenges.

📞 Immediate HR support: 056 770 1060
📧 [email protected]