In this episode of A Minute with Maxwell: Mission in Motion, host Heather Maxwell sits down with clinical psychologist Dr. Rachel Toledano to explore how workplace mental health has transformed since COVID-19. They discuss the most common mental health challenges facing today’s workforce, why supporting mental health is now a business imperative, and how organizations can create psychologically safe cultures. From no-cost strategies like flexibility, trust, and daily recognition, to paid supports such as enhanced benefits and EAPs, Rachel shares practical, actionable ways leaders can better support their teams.
- Post-COVID shift in mental health: From stigma to normalization; “everyone was struggling” so the conversation opened up.
- Common workplace mental health challenges: Burnout/adjustment disorders, depression, anxiety, and especially substance use concerns.
- Evolution of EAPs and access to care: From a few in‑person sessions to ongoing, flexible, remote and tech-enabled support.
- Role of technology & AI: Tele-mental health, AI-driven matching with therapists (language, culture, identity, role-specific needs).
- Psychological safety at work: Reducing stressors like workload, role overload, and poor work-life balance; clear responsibility between employer and employee.
- Organizational responsibility & ROI: Mental health as a business imperative with clear return on investment.
- Leadership behaviors: Empathy, active listening, non-judgment, openness, and having real human conversations about struggle.
- No-cost / low-cost supports: Flex work where possible, reduced micromanagement, autonomy, trust, and everyday recognition and gratitude.
- Paid supports: Benefits for mental health, improved EAP structures, ergonomic and practical supports, dedicated mental health roles.
- Workplace culture & energy: How toxic versus positive cultures impact energy, engagement, productivity, and burnout.
- Burnout and return-to-work: Need for real accommodations and dialogue to prevent relapse, not just box-ticking.
- Using data for action: Turning engagement and satisfaction surveys into concrete, visible changes and closing the feedback loop with employees.
The conversation also looks ahead at trends like AI-driven care, tele-mental health, and holistic wellness approaches that are reshaping how we think about work, well-being, and burnout prevention.
About Maxwell Management Group
This podcast is brought to you by Maxwell Management Group, a national executive search and education firm specializing in the continuing care sector. For nearly two decades, they’ve partnered with organizations to build values-driven leadership, vibrant workplace cultures, and purpose-led employer brands.
What is Mission in Motion: A Minute With Maxwell?
Mission in Motion: A Minute with Maxwell is a bold new podcast and a leadership companion for mission-driven organizations and changemakers across the care sector and beyond. Hosted by Heather Maxwell, founder of Maxwell Management Group, each episode delivers transformative insights through candid conversations with renowned leaders, innovators, and trailblazers who are redefining what it means to lead with purpose.
In every short, powerful episode, listeners will uncover “aha” moments in leadership—those pivotal insights that shift perspectives, spark innovation, and drive meaningful change. From navigating people and culture to leading through uncertainty, challenge, and change, the podcast is designed to offer real value to executive leaders, HR professionals, and visionaries who are seeking meaningful conversations and lightbulb moments that both inspire and challenge the status quo.
Whether you're looking for inspiration, strategy, or just a moment to reflect, A Minute with Maxwell - Mission in Motion brings the voices and stories that matter most—amplifying the lessons and leadership breakthroughs that can move your mission forward.