Meet the community member: Leah Brown
To celebrate the launch of our new virtual community - it’s free! Request to join here - we’re also celebrating those brave souls standing up for workplace wellbeing and helping to build more mentally healthy workplaces.
Meet Leah Brown
Self-employed consultant, freelance lawyer, freelance writer
What brought you to the world of advocacy for improving attitudes to mental health at work?
I'm a keen mental health activist and think that workplace stress is one of the most significant causes of stress in our lives - employers and employees need to acknowledge this and take steps to make things better for everyone!
What do you think is the key to making a workplace great for mental health and wellbeing?
Openness and trust. We've all learned how to work without being seen and/or micromanaged. If we can communicate openly - what we need and what we expect from others - and if we learn to trust others to take responsibility for themselves, the workplace can be a fantastic place for mental health and wellbeing.
What’s one successful initiative you’ve seen in action when it comes to reducing the stigma of talking about mental health at work? Why do you think it worked so well?
Giving everyone in the business free Sanctus sessions where they can have a weekly or fortnightly counselling session with the same facilitator. Was an absolute lifesaver for me, and the expectation was that all individuals would benefit from this whether they had known mental health concerns or not.
What do you think is stopping workplaces from enabling more mentally-healthy business cultures right now?
Punishing to-do lists and unreasonable job specifications (a symptom of businesses constantly cutting costs or scaling quickly).
What would you say to your younger self as you embarked on your first job?
Believe in yourself - you have all the skills you need, all you lack is experience.
How can we discover more about you and your work?
Connect with me on LinkedIn
Visit my website: www.leahtalks.com
Instagram: @seenheardspoken
