Can We Have a Word?

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.

In today's episode, Tobba Vigfusdottir is joined by Rachel Murray, Director of People and Brand at ORS, an Irish multidisciplinary building consultancy recognised for its strong culture and commitment to employee wellbeing.
Rachel has played a key part in maintaining the company’s people-first focus through significant growth and multiple acquisitions. Her unique role spans both marketing and employee experience, giving her a distinctive perspective on aligning brand and culture in the workplace.
Rachel shares insights on sustaining a great workforce, embedding well-being into everyday work, and what it really takes to integrate diverse teams while staying true to core values. The conversation explores the practical challenges and the opportunities of scaling a values-led company.
Episode Highlights
Rachel’s top priorities: maintaining culture, recruitment & retention challenges, and scaling the brand during rapid growth.
Integrating acquisitions: respecting legacy cultures and aligning new teams without “one size fits all” approaches.
Practical approaches to wellbeing: employee-driven initiatives, the role of wellbeing committees, and leveraging platforms like Kara Connect.
Onboarding and embedding culture for new joiners – balancing information and support without overload.
Listening as the foundation: surveys, one-to-one conversations, and the “You Asked, We Actioned” initiative for building trust.
The evolving role of HR: moving from compliance to a strategic, people-and-culture focus.
Rachel’s personal wellbeing practices and the importance of role modelling self-care.
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rachel-murray-ors
Company website: www.ors.ie 
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.

In today's episode, Tobba Vigfusdottir is joined by Brian Samson, Head of Health Promotion at ESB, Ireland’s leading energy company. Host Tobba Vigfusdottir sits down with Brian to explore his unique journey from IT into the field of workplace health and wellbeing, and how he’s helping to create open, supportive environments across a complex and diverse organisation. 
Brian shares his experience developing proactive health and wellbeing programmes for a workforce of nearly 10,000 employees. The conversation covers approaches to addressing both mental and physical health at work, the challenges of supporting varied roles across multiple sites, and the value of direct employee input. Brian also reflects on leveraging technology for wellbeing and balancing the use of data with real stories.
In this episode:
Brian’s career shift from IT to workplace wellbeing, and what drew him to the field
The structure of health promotion and support at ESB, and why a balance of proactive and reactive approaches is essential
Building meaningful wellbeing initiatives by listening to employees’ needs
The importance of visible leadership support in wellbeing programmes
Navigating challenges of hybrid work, including isolation and disconnection
Using employee champions to scale wellbeing efforts within large organisations
Common pitfalls in organisational mental health strategies, including over-reliance on external EAP providers
The evolving role of technology in supporting workplace wellbeing
Personal strategies for managing stress, including silence and breathwork
Whether you’re just starting out with workplace wellbeing or looking to revitalise your current approach, this episode offers thoughtful perspectives and practical ideas for supporting mental health and fostering a culture of care.
Brian on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/brianjsamson 
Website: www.esb.ie 
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.
 

Something a little different for you in today's episode...
Tobba was recently a guest on the A Better HR Business podcast, and the host Ben Geoghegan has kindly allowed us to share their conversation with you here on the Kara Connect podcast.
In this interview, Tobba and Ben discuss:
The role leadership plays in creating a mentally healthy workplace culture.
What Kara Connect does and how it helps organisations improve workplace wellbeing.
The main or most common mental health and wellbeing challenges in workplaces today.
Ineffective ways companies try to address these challenges.
Approaches that actually work when it comes to supporting mental health and creating healthier workplaces.
What has worked well in terms of business growth and getting the word out about Kara Connect.
And much more.
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.

In today's episode, Tobba Vigfusdottir is joined by Brian Crooke, a dedicated wellbeing educator, consultant, and speaker who has been making a significant impact on workplace mental health and wellbeing in Ireland and beyond.  
Brian is the Founder of The Work Well Institute, the Course Director and lecturer for the Postgraduate Certificate in Workplace Wellness at Portal, Trinity College Dublin, and the Founder of Workplace Wellbeing Ireland.
As host of the Work Well Podcast, Brian empowers organizations with the tools and strategies to sustainably improve workplace wellbeing. 
In this episode, Brian shares his journey from a tech industry management consultant to a wellbeing advocate. He discusses the challenges and progress in implementing workplace wellbeing initiatives and offers practical advice for organizations aiming to embed a culture of health into their core.
Topics Discussed:
Brian's transition from the tech industry to workplace wellbeing and his initial challenges
The evolution of workplace wellbeing awareness over the past decade
The importance of a structured approach to implementing wellbeing initiatives
Insights on merging wellbeing with health and safety regulations
Common mistakes companies make when implementing wellbeing programs
The role of technology and digitalization in workplace wellbeing
Case studies: Successful implementation of wellbeing programs in Irish organizations
Advice for new graduates entering the workforce with a focus on lifelong learning
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.

In today's episode, Host Tobba Vigfusdottir is joined by Mary Cullen, the founder and managing director of Insight HR, a leading HR consultancy and outsourcing firm based in Ireland.
With over two decades of experience across industries, Mary is known for helping organizations navigate complex people challenges while keeping employee wellbeing front and centre.
Mary is also the host of The HR Room Podcast and webinar series, where she regularly shares insights on everything from compliance to culture - always with a focus on supporting HR professionals and leaders to build healthier, more resilient workplaces.
During the episode, Mary shares her passion for fostering employee well-being and discusses the evolution of workplace culture over the years. The conversation covers a range of topics, from the changing landscape of HR management to the role of data in communicating with the C-suite. Mary also emphasizes the importance of proactive strategies and sound management training in dealing with workplace conflicts, especially in increasingly diverse work environments.
Key topics discussed in the episode include:
The evolution of workplace well-being and its integration into HR strategies
The growing complexity of HR roles and responsibilities in Ireland and across Europe
The significance of aligning HR strategies with business goals and the challenges of communicating achievements to the C-suite
The impact of management style on workplace harmony and the importance of diversity
Examples of effective training techniques that lead to improved understanding and behaviour within teams
The potential stigma surrounding mental health discussions in the workplace, especially among senior leaders
The pressing issue of work-life balance and the influence of overworking on employee health
Tune in to gain a deeper understanding of how fostering open dialogue, providing smarter support, and employing fresh ideas can enhance workplace well-being and productivity.
Whether you're an HR manager, team leader, or anyone interested in improving your workplace environment, this episode offers practical advice and thoughtful insights.
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.

Welcome to episode 1 of "Can We Have a Word?" - the podcast from Kara Connect (hosted by CEO Tobba Vigfusdottir) - where we believe that better conversations create better workplaces.
In this episode, Tobba explains how she will be talking with HR leaders and other people managers to explore how open dialogue, smarter support, and fresh ideas can improve workplace wellbeing and bring out the best in people.
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 now at www.KaraConnect.com.