How can HR help leaders prioritize their mental and emotional health while balancing the demands of their role?
Having been an HR leader for nearly two decades, I’ve seen so many in caregiving roles struggle to balance giving to others while taking care of themselves. In HR, we’re often the go-to for everyone else’s wellbeing, but it’s equally important to prioritise our own mental and emotional health. The demands of working across teams, addressing employee concerns, and supporting leadership can easily become overwhelming.
What always amazes me is how skilled we are at advising others on self kindness, yet we often neglect our own. The “I’m so busy” mindset and the feeling that “everyone needs a piece of me” are common in HR and often, unfortunately, can lead to burnout.
One strategy that’s helped me maintain balance is intentionally building self kindness into my daily routine. This includes scheduling regular “self kindness micro breaks,” taking mental health days, and making sure I access the same support systems I offer others, like employee assistance programs and debriefing with trusted mentors. I’ve also found that practices like short meditation sessions or quick nature walks during the day (barefoot on grass if possible!) help me reset and recharge.
Balancing the demands of our roles is tough, but when we take care of ourselves, we set a positive example for others. Prioritising your wellbeing shows other leaders that self kindness is essential, helping to foster a healthier, more sustainable workplace culture.
What role can HR play in creating a culture that empowers leaders to set and maintain healthy boundaries?
Boundaries are something that so many of us struggle to set and maintain and the only way to get better is to practice. It takes time to feel comfortable to say ‘no’ or ‘not yet’ or ‘let me have a think about it’. However, setting boundaries are essential for our wellbeing. As HR leaders, we have a unique opportunity to cultivate a workplace culture that truly values and respects these boundaries. I’ve witnessed the positive impact of encouraging remote work and flexible hours. These options help reduce commuting stress and allow employees to balance their work demands with personal commitments. Personally, as a mother of two young boys and a wife to a First Responder, the flexibility of a hybrid work schedule enables me to thrive doing the work I love while being present for my family and myself.
Understanding the types of boundaries—physical, emotional, time-based, and mental—is key to setting and reinforcing them. Once we clarify what we do or don’t want and why, we can determine which boundaries will support our wellbeing and happiness. For example, respecting personal time and avoiding work-related messages outside business hours is vital, particularly in Australia where new legislation has been passed recently around the right to disconnect, not only is it good practice, its law. It’s all too easy to expect availability around the clock, but we must lead by example. Time-based boundaries, like limiting meeting durations, also play a crucial role in preventing burnout.
Promoting boundary-setting starts with training leaders to communicate their limits clearly and modelling these behaviours ourselves. When leaders confidently set their boundaries, it empowers their teams to prioritise work-life balance. Encouraging practices like taking mental health breaks, scheduled reflection time and offering workshops on time management and assertiveness are effective steps.
By fostering a culture that values boundaries, we not only take care of ourselves but also create an environment where everyone can thrive, leading to healthier teams and improved productivity.
What specific practices can HR implement to support leaders in applying these principles to improve team engagement and productivity?
Applying neuroscience and positive psychology can truly transform team engagement and productivity. I absolutely love incorporating these into not only my own leadership but encourage others to do the same. As HR leaders, we have a vital role in helping our organisations incorporate practices like mindfulness, gratitude, kindness and strengths-based leadership into daily routines. Where once they used to be seen as ‘soft skills’ and non-essential, they’re now being touted as ‘human skills’ and essential to thriving organisations.
Advocating for work practices and flows that allow for staff to pause, slow down and reflect - such as 10 minute mindfulness sessions during the workday — we can significantly enhance our teams' productivity and mental clarity. These are low cost and high yield changes we can easily implement within our teams.
Gratitude exercises are another powerful tool that HR can help champion. We can create gratitude-based recognition programs where employees are encouraged to share what they appreciate. I have helped implement gratitude walls in lunch rooms and staff are encouraged to add what they are grateful for as part of their annual wellbeing programme. Neuroscience shows that positive feedback stimulates dopamine production, which boosts morale and motivation. I’ve seen firsthand how recognising efforts and achievements, no matter how small, can create a ripple effect of positivity within a team.
Strengths-based leadership is another principle rooted in positive psychology that can yield remarkable results. Empowering leaders to understand their own strengths and those of their team members can enhance engagement and cultivate a culture where individuals feel valued and motivated. It’s about creating a space where everyone can thrive and contribute their best. By integrating neuroscience and positive psychology into our leadership frameworks, we set the stage for increased productivity, wellbeing, and ultimately, a more successful organisation.
What are some unique challenges female leaders face, and how can HR teams better support them through policies and initiatives?
Female leaders face a unique set of challenges, from gender bias and imposter syndrome to balancing work and family life. As an HR leader, I’ve not only seen how these obstacles can hold women back, but I’ve experienced them myself. One thing that helped me break through was mentorship. Early in my career, I was stuck in middle management, feeling unsure about how to take that next step into senior leadership. It wasn’t a lack of skills or passion for my work —it was the confidence to show up authentically and ask for what I deserved.
Having a mentor, someone who had walked the same path, made all the difference. She helped me see my strengths and encouraged me to take ownership of my leadership style. With her support, I learned how to advocate for myself, clearly communicate my value, and back it up with consistently achieving the required strategic outcomes. That experience was pivotal in helping me step into a senior leadership role. It showed me the power of having someone in your corner who believes in you and pushes you to go further.
This is why mentorship programs are so important, especially for women in leadership. Pairing senior female leaders with those looking to advance can be transformative. These relationships provide guidance on navigating career development and help break down barriers like gender stereotypes.
Beyond mentorship, flexible working policies are key. Offering remote work options or flexible hours enables women to manage their professional responsibilities while being present for their families. Leadership programs tailored for women are also essential in overcoming imposter syndrome and fostering confidence.
By creating leadership connection circles/groups we can cultivate an environment where women feel supported to thrive. When we prioritise these initiatives, we empower female leaders to show up authentically, advocate for themselves, and succeed in their careers.
How can HR create programs that foster holistic leadership development?
Holistic leadership development is about nurturing leaders as whole humans—emotionally, mentally, physically, and professionally. I’ve seen time and again that when leaders are supported in all these areas, not only do they thrive, but their teams do as well. As HR leaders, we have the ability to shape this approach by creating programs that prioritise self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and mindfulness.
For me, nature has always played a big role in my own wellbeing. Science shows that spending time in nature reduces stress, improves mood, and enhances focus. When we incorporate nature-based mindfulness practices, like taking a walk outdoors, grounding exercises and allowing the outside to come inside in the form of office plants and fresh air, we give leaders an opportunity to reconnect with themselves and the world around them to help reduce burnout. These practices need to be part of a larger, more human-centric approach to wellbeing.
What’s crucial is that we avoid the one-size-fits-all model for wellbeing programs. We are all different, and our paths to wellbeing will look different too. Some leaders might benefit from coaching focused on emotional intelligence, while others may need stress management workshops or mindfulness apps. It’s essential to consult with and collaborate closely with leaders to tailor these programs to their unique needs.
Regular check-ins that focus on wellbeing, offering access to wellness resources, and creating spaces for personal reflection should all be integrated into leadership development. Female leaders, in particular, benefit from this personalised approach. It allows them to align their leadership with their personal values and emotional health, leading to more sustainable and authentic leadership.
When we design wellbeing programs that truly see leaders as whole individuals, we build healthier, more empathetic, and engaged teams. It’s about giving people the tools they need to grow—both in their careers and in their lives.
