Episode 7 - The Role of Leadership in Building Supportive, Thriving Work Environments - with Fiona Mullan from Bloom and Wild

In today’s episode, Tobba Vigfusdottir is joined by Fiona Mullan, Chief People Officer at Bloom and Wild and member of the Kara Connect board.

With a career spanning HR leadership roles at Bloom and Wild, Facebook (Meta), and Accenture, Fiona shares her experience in shaping workplace culture and promoting employee wellbeing.

The conversation explores today’s changing workplace landscape, discussing the dual priorities of connection and flexibility, how AI is reshaping work, and practical insights on scaling organizations, supporting wellbeing, and building trust across diverse teams.

Episode Highlights

• Fiona’s top priorities as Chief People Officer at Bloom and Wild, including the opportunities and challenges of AI, balancing connection and flexibility, and enabling change within the people team.

• The impact of AI on workplace dynamics and how Bloom and Wild encourages employees to experiment with new tools for operational efficiency and job satisfaction.

• Fiona’s approach to adapting to fast-changing technology despite a non-technical background, and the importance of HR partnering with IT.

• Lessons learned from scaling organizations, managing through rapid growth or integration, and why “hiring more people and working harder” isn’t the solution.

• Insights on handling cross-cultural dynamics, particularly Fiona’s experience with HR work in China and the importance of building trust and followership.

• Strategies for fostering workplace wellbeing at Bloom and Wild, from promoting belonging and flexibility to formal supports like mental health first aid and accessible counselling.

• Why investing in people managers is crucial for employee wellbeing and creating safe, supportive environments at work.

• Practical tips for new HR managers on building culture and wellbeing: engaging champions, providing quality support, and manager education.

• The growing need for HR professionals to be comfortable with data and analytics to measure the impact of people initiatives.

Fiona’s approach to people strategy at Bloom and Wild combines curiosity about change with a steady commitment to practical wellbeing. Her advice: take the unknowns in stride, invest in people managers, and co-create a culture that balances connection with flexibility. With the right support, workplaces can help employees not just adapt to change, but genuinely thrive.

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/fiona-mullan-1911356 

Company website: www.bloomandwild.com 

About Kara Connect

Wellbeing at work begins with meeting your team’s needs on their terms. With Kara Connect's Wellbeing Hubs, your employees are free to choose from 3000+ expert practitioners to support their mental health and Wellbeing. Because when your employees feel better, your company does better.

Our mission is to make it easy for your employees to manage their wellbeing through direct access to best-in-class support. Whenever they need it.

Learn more at www.KaraConnect.com.

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