[SPEAKER_01]: It is all about mental health at the workplace, and for that matter, I'm being joined by Kristina Müller, who is a total expert on that front.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yes, they do.
[SPEAKER_01]: Probably the only one I've ever met, at least knowingly.
[SPEAKER_01]: Welcome to the show, Kristina.
[SPEAKER_01]: It's a pleasure to meet you.
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm happy to be here.
[SPEAKER_01]: Digital.
[SPEAKER_01]: Well, I think you identified a big problem, because there are issues at the workplace at many times, people.
[SPEAKER_01]: are not even aware that the problem that they are experiencing, the unhappiness, even downright depression, is linked to their workplace.
[SPEAKER_01]: Tell us a little bit about your profession, also, how did you get into that business?
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, absolutely.
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, you know, it started really in my childhood, growing up in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, seeing how hard people worked in my community.
[SPEAKER_00]: in my family.
[SPEAKER_00]: And I saw that they were getting burnt out.
[SPEAKER_00]: They were working themselves to the bone.
[SPEAKER_00]: And I said there has to be a better way.
[SPEAKER_00]: We have to really think about the workplace being a place where, yes, it encourages our livelihood, it helps sustain our lives.
[SPEAKER_00]: But it's also where we spend most of our time.
[SPEAKER_00]: So if the workplace is not built,
[SPEAKER_00]: to also consider our well-being.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's going to affect our well-being, right?
[SPEAKER_00]: And workplace mental health really is the bidirectional behavior of how the workplace impacts mental health and how we impact the workplace with our own mental health.
[SPEAKER_00]: So it's really important to take this all into consideration and in our understanding of what workplace mental health is.
[SPEAKER_00]: Because our leadership effects it, our work environment, the physical environment effects it.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I mean, it doesn't look really creative.
[SPEAKER_01]: It doesn't inspire creativity.
[SPEAKER_01]: You see these offices right now, most of them look like little boxes.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yes.
[SPEAKER_01]: And not much love went into the planning.
[SPEAKER_01]: It's like a bad hotel room.
[SPEAKER_00]: And that affects how we feel right we know when we're in a beautiful inviting room like this that that conjures up different emotions makes us feel invited and welcome and also inspires creativity like you said.
[SPEAKER_00]: So that also plays a big role.
[SPEAKER_00]: But, you know, not taking into account that, you know, people need to be recognized to be seen throughout their weeks, their months in the workplace.
[SPEAKER_00]: They can't just be a cog in the wheel.
[SPEAKER_00]: And as AI, especially advances, I think this is going to be a bigger issue because we don't want to lose the human touchpoints that really make connection, you know, worthwhile for everyone.
[SPEAKER_01]: And yeah, how do you see AI impacting the workplace?
[SPEAKER_01]: And also people in high position, how do you see that already making significant impact?
[SPEAKER_00]: Absolutely.
[SPEAKER_00]: So in my work, what I've been noticing a lot of high performers who also, by the way, tend to have more perfectionistic thinking, right, to help them get to that point, a lot of them are natural perfectionists.
[SPEAKER_00]: They are now not,
[SPEAKER_00]: only comparing themselves to others, but they're really comparing themselves to these LLMs, the output that AI is giving, and maybe even saying to themselves, well, I am not producing at the level that AI can produce.
[SPEAKER_00]: And what does that say about me and my ability to do my job?
[SPEAKER_00]: And people are asking the question, am I expendable?
[SPEAKER_00]: Am I going to be replaced by AI?
[SPEAKER_00]: And you know, that's a big question right now that people are having.
[SPEAKER_00]: and it really behooves companies to take it upon themselves to train people so that they can use AI as a tool alongside they're already great work.
[SPEAKER_01]: So what is important with regards to the human factor?
[SPEAKER_01]: What needs to be amplified?
[SPEAKER_01]: What needs to be focused on?
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_01]: Also people feel not replaceable.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_01]: And you know, I need to really work
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, absolutely.
[SPEAKER_00]: So what I've come up with is a framework called the C model.
[SPEAKER_00]: And I use it at organizations, which many times leaders will tell me, this sounds great.
[SPEAKER_00]: I'd love to have more connection points through the days and weeks, but I just don't have the time.
[SPEAKER_00]: So this is a way of kind of having a compounding effect, I would say, of connection.
[SPEAKER_00]: And it starts with S, which is spot, spotting the effort.
[SPEAKER_00]: So letting people know that you're seeing their hard work that is happening, not just their output.
[SPEAKER_00]: Empathizing, which is really important, especially in periods where it's really challenging time.
[SPEAKER_00]: There's a lot of change.
[SPEAKER_00]: Understanding that, you know, this is a really hard time.
[SPEAKER_00]: And I see that you're showing up and that really means a lot to me.
[SPEAKER_00]: And then also the last letter E, engaging in an actionable way.
[SPEAKER_00]: So whether it's somebody needs more support around something, if they're not working up to the standard that you're expecting, asking the question.
[SPEAKER_00]: What could, what could make this easier for you?
[SPEAKER_00]: What can I do to help you succeed in whatever that role is if they're falling short?
[SPEAKER_00]: So that's a really easy and simple way for leaders to remember these different human touch points.
[SPEAKER_00]: And it can be applied in at scale through different situations.
[SPEAKER_01]: Very interesting.
[SPEAKER_01]: Well, happy workplace, better work, better results.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yes.
[SPEAKER_01]: You definitely offer great solutions for that matter.
[SPEAKER_01]: Christina, I thank you so much for joining us and I hope you will come back absolutely thank you so much It was a pleasure.
[SPEAKER_01]: Thank you for the work that you are doing.
[SPEAKER_01]: Important one.
[SPEAKER_01]: Thank you.