the mentl space

#BeTheChange at Work | Reducing Stress, Burnout and Rebuilding Engagement

For many teams, stress is no longer a spike. It is something that sits in the background of everyday work. It shows up in different ways. Slower thinking, reduced focus, more tension in conversations, and a sense that work takes more effort than it should. In this episode of our Workplace Harmonics series, supported by Viatris, mentl founder Scott Armstrong is joined by Dr Valentina Faia, Specialist Psychiatrist at the BioPsychoSocial Clinic, and Andy Fieldhouse, Team Relationship Coach at The Team Space, to explore the real drivers of stress, burnout, and disengagement in today’s workplace. Together they unpack how stress shifts from a short-term response into a chronic condition, how team dynamics influence how people cope, and why clarity, communication, and trust are critical to maintaining performance. Key Highlights • How chronic stress changes how people think and perform • Burnout is not just about working too hard • Team culture determines performance under pressure • Clarity and communication are critical psychological buffers If work feels harder than it should right now, this conversation will help you understand why, and more importantly, what can be done about it. Whether you lead a team or are part of one, this session gives you practical ways to reduce friction, improve focus, and create a more sustainable way of working. This session is part of our Workplace Harmonics series focused on practical well-being tools for leaders and teams navigating pressure and uncertainty at work. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and context for Stress Awareness Month 02:00 The cost of disengagement and why it matters now 03:30 What chronic stress does to the brain and body 08:00 Early warning signs of stress and burnout 10:45 How stress shows up in team dynamics 13:40 The role of leadership behaviour and trust 18:00 Why burnout is about more than workload 20:00 Poll: What is driving stress in teams right now 23:30 Communication, clarity and cognitive overload 25:50 How to improve meetings and reduce friction 29:00 Psychological safety and team performance 33:30 Poll: What changes teams are willing to make 36:30 Practical tools for leaders and teams 50:50 Supporting people through uncertainty 53:10 Actions leaders can take immediately 55:55 Final reflections and key takeaways

Supporting Colleagues Under Pressure | Practical Workplace Tools

In times of high pressure and uncertainty, stress can show up quickly in the workplace, as distraction, irritability, withdrawal, conflict, or reduced performance. In Episode One of our new Workplace Harmonics webinar series, supported by Viatris, mentl founder Scott Armstrong is joined by Dr Robert Chandler, clinical psychologist and Managing Director of The Lighthouse Arabia, to explore practical ways leaders and colleagues can support one another during challenging periods while maintaining healthy professional boundaries. Together they discuss how uncertainty affects behaviour at work, how to check in with colleagues without escalating anxiety, how to manage difficult conversations respectfully, and how to recognise when someone may need additional support. The conversation also explores simple, practical actions leaders and teams can take to restore stability, focus, and psychological safety during uncertain times. This webinar is part of our Workplace Harmonics series, supported by Viatris, focused on practical wellbeing tools for leaders and teams. Across three sessions, the series explores how to support colleagues during challenging moments, address the drivers of stress and burnout, and build neuroinclusive workplaces where different ways of thinking are supported. The focus throughout is on simple, actionable approaches that strengthen communication, psychological safety, and resilience across teams.

What Working Underground in a Gold Mine Taught Me About Psychological Safety at Work

What does good work actually feel like and what should it never feel like? In Episode 72 of the mentl space podcast, Scott Armstrong is joined by Mark Rix, Group Managing Director of Sonus Group and the driving force behind the global Wellbeing at Work World Summits, for a deeply personal and wide-ranging conversation about leadership, psychological safety, and why wellbeing must be embedded into how organisations truly operate. Mark shares the formative experience that shaped his entire leadership philosophy, from working underground in a South African gold mine at just 18 years old, to leading global conversations on mental health and workplace culture today. Together, Scott and Mark explore: Why wellbeing is often talked about but poorly implemented The real impact of untrained managers on employee mental health Why younger generations are struggling more at work than ever before How leadership, listening, and psychological safety affect performance Why wellbeing is not “soft”, but foundational to long-term success Across the region, leaders are being asked to deliver higher performance while building more human organisations. As the finalists and winners of the mentl awards 2025 demonstrated, workplace wellbeing is no longer a side programme. It is now a core part of business strategy, performance, and culture. That is why Scott is proud to be chairing the Wellbeing at Work World Summits again in January 2026, marking his third year chairing in Dubai and Riyadh, and a return to Muscat as the summit travels to the Sultanate. As a mentl follower, you can access an exclusive summit discount: 50% off tickets using code MARK50 An even larger discount is available by joining the mentl community at mentlcommunity.com Riyadh: Thursday 22 January 2026, Alfaisal University, Riyadh - Click here for more information and tickets https://wellbeingatwork.world/summit/wellbeing-at-work-summit-middle-east-2026-riyadh/#Tickets [https://wellbeingatwork.world/summit/wellbeing-at-work-summit-middle-east-2026-riyadh/#Tickets] Muscat: Tuesday 27 January 2026, Omantel, Muscat - Click here for more information and tickets https://wellbeingatwork.world/summit/wellbeing-at-work-summit-middle-east-2026-muscat-2/#Tickets [https://wellbeingatwork.world/summit/wellbeing-at-work-summit-middle-east-2026-muscat-2/#Tickets] Dubai: Thursday 29 January 2026, Standard Chartered, DIFC - Click here for more information and tickets https://wellbeingatwork.world/summit/wellbeing-at-work-summit-middle-east-2026-dubai/ [https://wellbeingatwork.world/summit/wellbeing-at-work-summit-middle-east-2026-dubai/] 🎧 Also available on Spotify, and Apple Podcasts 🔔 Subscribe to the mentl space for conversations that change how we think about work, leadership, and mental health. Chapter List: 00:00 – Welcome to the mentl space podcast 01:20 – How Mark Rix personally defines mental health 02:43 – The gold mine story: “This is not how work should feel” 04:45 – Psychological safety, belonging, and being human at work 07:02 – Leadership lessons learned underground 10:18 – Why dangerous work exposes bad leadership faster 11:44 – How attitudes to wellbeing at work are changing globally 18:24 – Performative wellbeing and untrained managers 22:23 – Loneliness, younger workers, and psychological safety 27:59 – Leading across generations and the future of work 40:48 – What judging the mentl Awards revealed about real progress

Women Still Don’t Feel Safe Discussing Mental Health at Work

How well are women really doing in the workplace today? In this powerful episode of the mentl space, host Scott Armstrong sits down with Maya Rafii, Managing Director and Purpose, Culture & Inclusion Leader at Deloitte Middle East, to explore the findings of the new Women @ Work 2025: A Global Outlook - Deloitte’s fifth annual deep dive into the lived experiences of 7,500 women across 15 countries. Together, they unpack a picture that is both hopeful and deeply concerning: 🔹 51% of women say their mental health is good, yet 🔹 43% say they’re very concerned about it, and 🔹 Almost 90% believe their manager would think negatively if they disclosed a mental-health challenge. We also dig into the “always-on” culture where 29% feel unable to switch off, and those regularly working beyond contracted hours report drastically poorer well-being - only 15% rate their mental health as good, compared to 58% among those who can disconnect. Maya shares her 20-year journey building Deloitte’s inclusion culture, the hard truths about psychological safety, and what leaders must do next — not as a box-ticking exercise, but as a business imperative. We also explore: ✨ The mental load and why it’s silently draining women’s productivity ✨ The confidence-shaking impact of menopause and menstrual health at work ✨ Why flexible work boosts mothers’ mental wellbeing, productivity, and retention ✨ Why only 5% of women see themselves staying with their employer long-term This conversation is essential listening for leaders, HR professionals, DEI champions - and anyone who believes a better workplace is possible. Chapter List: 00:00 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvJXWrAnPUU] Welcome & Why This Conversation Matters 02:30 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvJXWrAnPUU&t=150s] What the Women @ Work 2025 Report Reveals 05:00 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvJXWrAnPUU&t=300s] Maya’s Journey & Deloitte’s Inclusion Evolution 07:00 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvJXWrAnPUU&t=420s] A Mixed Picture: Progress vs Rising Pressure 09:00 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvJXWrAnPUU&t=540s] The “Always On” Culture & Mental Load 11:00 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvJXWrAnPUU&t=660s] The Hidden Cost of Stress & Overwork 13:00 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvJXWrAnPUU&t=780s] Psychological Safety: The 90% Challenge 15:00 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvJXWrAnPUU&t=900s] What Leaders Must Do Differently 17:00 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvJXWrAnPUU&t=1020s] Building a Wellbeing-First Culture 19:00 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvJXWrAnPUU&t=1140s] Women’s Health Challenges at Work 21:30 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvJXWrAnPUU&t=1290s] The Care Burden & Its Economic Impact 24:00 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvJXWrAnPUU&t=1440s] Flexibility as a Catalyst for Retention 26:30 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvJXWrAnPUU&t=1590s] Neurodiversity & Disclosure in the Workplace 29:00 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvJXWrAnPUU&t=1740s] The Retention Crisis: Only 5% Plan to Stay Long-Term 31:00 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvJXWrAnPUU&t=1860s] Microaggressions & Non-Inclusive Behaviours 34:00 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvJXWrAnPUU&t=2040s] Closing Insights & Call to Action

Burnout, Boundaries & Belonging in PR | Why There Is an ‘I’ in Team

In this special episode of the mentl space, host Scott Armstrong, founder of mentl, sits down with Sinead O’Connor and LuAnne D’Souza from Current Global MENAT - joint winners of the mentl awards 2024 in the PR category and finalists again for 2025. Fresh from a powerful team workshop led by Scott from mentl, and organizational psychologist Sarah Christensen, the trio unpack the realities of agency life - constant connectivity, blurred boundaries, burnout, and the drive to create belonging in a 24-hour news culture. They explore the central theme: why there really is an ‘I’ in team - and how embracing individuality, vulnerability, and trust can transform wellbeing, creativity, and business performance. 🎥 Recorded at Current Global MENAT, Dubai, following a mentl × Christensen Consultancy joint workshop on resilience and team connection. Chapters 0:00 – Welcome from Scott Armstrong: “There is an ‘I’ in Team” 1:29 – Sinead O’Connor on global pressures and lived experiences at work 2:36 – LuAnne D’Souza on being “always on” and struggling to switch off 3:18 – The WhatsApp culture and blurred client boundaries in PR 4:31 – Sarah Christensen on rapid change, burnout, and lost human connection 6:22 – PRCA data and worsening mental-health trends in the communications industry 7:09 – Inside the 24-hour news cycle: constant deadlines and client demands 9:08 – WhatsApp anxiety and learning to set boundaries 10:15 – Tone from the top: creating safety and respect in agency culture 12:00 – “PR not ER”: leadership philosophy and wellbeing at work 13:52 – The business case for wellbeing and performance 14:58 – Why individuality drives innovation: “There is an ‘I’ in Team” 17:10 – Celebrating differences and learning across disciplines 18:27 – Inclusion vs fitting in: vulnerability and authentic leadership 22:00 – Psychological safety and unleashing creativity 24:25 – Turning conflict into constructive challenge 26:25 – The power of reflection and team sharing exercises 27:46 – Seeing colleagues in a new light: human connection in action 28:36 – Why conversations and “water-cooler” moments fuel belonging 30:33 – Turning pressure into opportunity: culture change from within 31:39 – Reflection rituals and red-orange-green check-ins 33:45 – How to measure success: belonging you can feel 35:16 – Culture as reputation: when people want to work with you 36:10 – Sinead’s takeaway: kindness and role-modelling from the top 36:47 – Sarah’s takeaway: authenticity and heart in leadership 38:06 – LuAnne’s takeaway: individuality and accountability 38:39 – Scott’s close: individuality + collective = healthy team