HR is supposed to support everyone else. But who is supporting HR? In this episode of Wired to Work, Jess Chapman sits down with clinical psychologist and Ultimate Resilience co-founder Dr. Jo Burrell to unpack some deeply concerning data about the mental health of HR professionals — and the workplace systems helping drive it. Dr. Burrell’s research found extraordinarily high levels of burnout, anxiety and depression among HR professionals, with many reporting that they feel poorly supported ...
Aug 27
48 min
What if creating a trauma-informed workplace actually led to higher performance—not lower expectations? Many leaders worry that supporting employees through difficult circumstances means compromising accountability. Angela Crockwell, Executive Director of Thrive, argues the opposite. In this episode of Wired to Work, Jess Chapman sits down with Angela to unpack what trauma-informed leadership really means, why every workplace—not just healthcare or social services—should be thinking about it,...
Aug 14
43 min
A stressful week is not the same as burnout. Stress usually has an end point. Burnout develops when overwhelm becomes chronic, recovery disappears, and your brain and body no longer have the capacity to keep up with what is being asked of them. In this episode of Wired to Work, Jess Chapman sits down with burnout and resilience coach Cherri Forsyth to explore how burnout develops, what it looks like before someone reaches a breaking point, and why pushing through is not the same as being resi...
Aug 6
50 min
Most organizations invest heavily in workplace wellness and still end up with teams that feel flat, disengaged, and exhausted. The problem may not be the programme. It may be what we're aiming for. In this episode of Wired to Work, Jess Chapman sits down with behavioural neuroscientist Dr. Paul Zak to explore what actually helps people and teams thrive—and how leaders can measure it in real time. They discuss: • Why wellness may be too low a bar • What a thriving brain actually looks like...
Jul 29
45 min
Most people are not at their best under pressure. Put a group of highly pressured people together, and unhealthy workplace behaviour can quickly become the norm. In this episode of Wired to Work, Jess Chapman is joined by leadership coach Kate Franklin to explore why workplace relationships become so difficult—and why a challenging boss is not necessarily a bad person. They discuss how stress changes the way we communicate, why relational skills matter just as much as technical expertise, and...
Jul 23
53 min
Your brain is changing all the time, whether you realize it or not. In this episode of Wired to Work, Jess Chapman breaks down one of the most important concepts in neuroscience: neuroplasticity. From habits and learning to performance and leadership, understanding how your brain forms and strengthens neural pathways can completely change the way you think about personal growth. You’ll learn: Why “use it or lose it” is literally true for your brainHow habits are created through repetitionWhy ...
Jul 16
16 min
In this special season finale, Jess Chapman looks back at the five conversations that challenged her thinking the most - and the ideas that every leader, HR professional, and workplace designer should be paying attention to. From the hidden burnout crisis facing HR professionals to what healthcare can teach us about designing better systems, this episode explores the themes that kept resurfacing all season: cognitive load, psychological safety, technology, boundaries, climate anxiety, menopa...
Jul 10
28 min
Healthcare workers are asked to make high-stakes decisions in fast-moving, overloaded systems. But what happens when the systems around them make the work even harder? In this episode of Wired to Work, Jess Chapman sits down with Jennifer Woodland, experimental psychologist and Associate Professor at the University of New Brunswick, for a fascinating conversation about healthcare, burnout, cognitive load, technology, and the real-world messiness of clinical environments. They explore why heal...
Jul 3
1 hr 44 min
Meditation still gets dismissed as “woo-woo” in a lot of workplaces. But the science tells a different story. In this Wired to Work summer repost, Jess is joined by Tina Pomroy and Roz Mugford for a practical conversation about meditation, mindfulness, and why slowing down may be one of the most useful tools we have for modern work. They explore how meditation can support focus, memory, emotional regulation, stress management, decision-making, and the ability to respond instead of react. This...
Jun 26
44 min
Most people aren’t afraid of feedback.
They’re afraid of the awkwardness, defensiveness, tension, and fallout that often comes with it.
In Part 2 of Jess Chapman’s feedback series, she shares the N.I.C.E.R. framework — a practical, brain-friendly approach for having difficult conversations without triggering defensiveness or damaging relationships.
You’ll learn: • Why most feedback conversations fail • How to reduce threat responses and defensiv...
Jun 17
17 min
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