Slowing Down Work, Making Mental Health Visible, and Why Small Human Acts Matter

In this episode of Inside Out: Mental Health at Work and in Life, I’m joined by Dr Luis Soares, Science Communicator and Research Impact Lead, based in the School of Health in Social Science at the University of Edinburgh.

We explore what a mentally healthy workplace really looks like when you strip away slogans, policies and performative wellbeing initiatives. Drawing on Luis’s experience in academia and public health research, this conversation looks at why mental health so often remains invisible at work, and how pace, pressure and output-driven cultures quietly undermine wellbeing.

We talk about slowing down work, shifting from outputs to outcomes, and why relational awareness matters more than another framework. From universal design and everyday adjustments, to the overlooked power of small human behaviours, including attention, presence and even a smile, this episode challenges the idea that mental health is an individual issue to be managed privately.

Instead, it asks what responsibility organisations and leaders carry for designing environments where people can function, connect and stay well, without having to push beyond their limits.

🎧 Key Topics

• What makes mental health invisible in workplaces
• Pace, time pressure and productivity culture
• Outputs versus outcomes in leadership and academia
• Relational work, universal design and anticipation
• Why small everyday behaviours shape workplace wellbeing

🚨 Did You Know?

Mental health challenges at work often go unaddressed not because they are rare, but because they are built into fast-paced systems that prioritise delivery over human connection.

🔑 Actionable Takeaways

• Treat pace and workload as wellbeing issues, not personal failings
• Design work in anticipation of difference, not crisis
• Focus on outcomes that improve people’s experience, not just output metrics
• Pay attention to small, everyday behaviours that shape culture

💡 Join the Conversation

What would change in your workplace if slowing down and paying attention were taken seriously? Share your thoughts, connect with us on social media and help us keep questioning how work is designed and who it is really serving.