Slow Starts, Strong Foundations: Why Settling In Matters

In this episode of Inside Out: Mental Health at Work and in Life, I'm joined by Carolina Uggenti, Research Fellow at the MRC Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, working on innate immunity and rare genetic diseases.

Carolina shares a perspective shaped by major life transitions, from moving countries to navigating cancer, and how those experiences have changed the way she thinks about mental health at work. She describes a workplace, the Institute of Genetics and Cancer (IGC) in Edinburgh, where saying "I'm not OK today" isn't penalised, and explains why that kind of environment makes people more reliable, not less.

We talk about what happens when someone relocates for work and everything is unfamiliar, the language, the humour, the customs. Carolina recalls her own move from Italy to the UK, how it took six months before something clicked, and how close she came to quitting during that period. Her point is direct: if you invest time in helping someone settle at the beginning, they'll perform better in the long run. Go slower now, go faster later.

There's an honest conversation about the career structure in academia, where someone can work for ten years and still be on temporary contracts. Carolina describes hitting a point, after a cancer diagnosis, where she considered alternative careers, only to discover that transferring her skills would require five years of formal requalification.

We also get into what the IGC does well, from wellbeing groups and community events to managers who recognise intense work periods and offer time off afterwards. Carolina makes the case that seeing your colleagues as people, not just co-workers, changes everything.

At its core, this conversation is about something simple but often overlooked: when people feel supported as human beings, not just employees, they do their best work.

🔑 Key Topics

• Cultural adjustment and the mental health impact of relocating for work
• Why slowing down at the start leads to better long-term performance
• Career transitions in academia, from PhD to postdoc to senior researcher
• Job insecurity and contract culture: 10+ years on temporary contracts
• How a cancer diagnosis changed Carolina's perspective on career and transferable skills
• The retraining trap: wanting to transfer skills but facing years of formal requalification
• Permission to not be OK, and why that makes people more dependable, not less
• Community events, wellbeing groups, and institutional retreats that build real connection

💡 Did You Know?

Carolina describes taking six months to feel settled after moving from Italy to the UK, including headaches from constant mental translation and laughing along with jokes she couldn't understand. She nearly quit during that period. The support of people around her was what kept her going, a reminder that those first months in a new environment can be make-or-break.

📝 Actionable Takeaways

• Invest time in helping new starters settle, especially those relocating from different countries or cultures. Going slower now saves time later
• Create an environment where people can say "I'm having a bad day" without fear of being seen as less capable
• After intense work periods, recognise the effort and offer recovery time. Even saying "take a couple of days off next week" makes a difference
• Set clear expectations before busy periods so people know what's coming and can see the end point
• Check understanding, don't assume clarity. Ask: "Was that clear? Do you need more information?"
• Use community activities (walks, retreats, social events) to help people see each other as humans, not just colleagues

🗣️ Join the Conversation

When you started a new role or moved to a new environment, what made the difference in helping you settle? Was it a person, a process, or something your workplace did deliberately? Share your thoughts and connect with us on social media.

Connect with Carolina on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolina-uggenti-stewart-a93b0a69