Lifelong Learning @ UNB
UNB Centre for Learning Futures

We are excited to announce a special series of podcasts in partnership with The Boiling Point and Workplace Safety and Prevention Services. In the series, Dave Veale co-hosts with Dr. Bill Howatt, an instructor in our Pathway to Coping and Mental Fitness Practice programs.

Episode one

Effectively leading positive impacts on psychological safety in the workplace

In the first episode of this series, you'll learn why we feel the topic of Shifting the Employee Experience is such a meaningful discussion area to explore. You'll get to know Dr. Bill's background and his motivation for getting involved in our podcasting world and learn all about our incredible partners who are sponsoring this mini-series.

Episode One: http://boilingpointpodcast.com/boiling-point/bill-howatt-shifting-the-employee-experience/

Episode two

Discussing the psychological and legal impacts of bullying in the workplace

In this episode, we tackle an important topic: bullying in the workplace. Using his article, "For A Respectful Workplace, Deal With Bullies" as a catalyst for the conversation, Dr. Bill Howatt gives us his input on why employers and employees alike need to seriously acknowledge the mental injuries that happen from bullying in the workplace. Kelly VanBuskirk, a lawyer who specializes in Labour and employment law, helps to enhance our conversation by providing views from a legal perspective, but also sharing the impact he has seen first-hand on those who have experienced bullying in the workplace.

Episode Two: http://boilingpointpodcast.com/boiling-point/deal-with-workplace-bullies/

Episode three

Practical steps and key questions to ask about psychological safety and employee mental wellbeing

The stress and psychological impact that COVID-19 is having on workplaces is showing us that now more than ever, we need to build and maintain a positive work environment. Dave is joined by Dr. Bill Howatt and guest Dr. Bill Morrison. Dr. Bill Morrison discusses critical steps and behaviours we need to monitor in our workplaces to keep us aware and moving forward with our workplace psychological safety. For anyone that is struggling to highlight positive behaviours and embed these acts as second nature in your workplace culture, this episode and the resources mentioned can start you on the path of improving the overall well-being in your workplace.

Episode Three: http://boilingpointpodcast.com/boiling-point/its-time-to-build-your-positive-work-environment/

Episode four

Discussing the importance of being an authentic leader to have a psychologically safe workplace

Today more than ever, employees are looking to their leaders for help on how to navigate COVID-19, working from home, juggling work-life balance, and keeping up with their actual jobs. But as leaders, how do we do that effectively?

Stuart MacLean builds on Dr. Bill Howatt's article around authentic leadership by highlighting the philosophy he's learned over his career of always asking yourself who have you helped be successful today. The group talked about the importance of a leader caring about the individuals working around them regardless of job function and they had an honest chat about showing your vulnerability as a leader and being open to honest, direct feedback.


If you are a manager, CEO, or HR professional, this episode has excellent takeaways that you can build on in your organization. It's also a great listen for anyone in an organizational hierarchy to share and start an important conversation with your leaders that can improve the psychological safety of your workplace.

Episode Four: http://boilingpointpodcast.com/boiling-point/who-have-you-helped-be-successful-today/

Episode five

How one mental health empowerment app is breaking down the stigma of managing mental wellbeing

Have you ever struggled with maintaining relationships at work that go beyond just professional interactions? Do you feel like you only focus on work tasks and not building personal relationships? Well, it might be time to re-evaluate the benefits that having solid relationships at work gives you. And yeah, there's now an app for that.

Dr. Bill and Dave are joined by Daren McLean, CEO of Territorial and co-creator of the Hugr app. Hugr is a mental health-focused app that empowers people to monitor their mental health proactively and to be able to build a support team with whom they can share their experiences. Through Daren sharing his story and that of his co-creator Scott's journey of dealing with mental health in their workplace, we have a thought-provoking discussion of the importance of using technology and the workplace as more supportive tools to improve our overall well-being.

Do you find you struggle with loneliness in the workplace? Do you think technology helps you connect with others, or does it impede your ability to build relationships?

Episode Five: http://boilingpointpodcast.com/boiling-point/stronger-work-relationships-helps-your-mental-well-being/

Episode six

Mark Henick shares his perspective and personal journey to encourage others to start having conversations about mental health

If we don't talk about issues that affect us all as human beings, we don't solve them. Mark Henick joined us in this episode to share his story and perspective on mental health in the workplace, but his experience and the conversation we had goes much further than the workplace.

Mark’s insights of encouraging everyone to start with the person instead of trying to push people into silos of "normal" and his lifelong perseverance to encourage people to no longer stay quiet about their experiences with mental health, which can include thoughts or attempts of suicide, is a lesson to us all that the most important thing we can do when it comes to mental health is to talk to each other and listen to each other with no preconceptions or judgments.

Episode Six: http://boilingpointpodcast.com/boiling-point/you-learn-when-you-are-uncomfortable/

Episode seven

Sheldon Kennedy shares his journey educating people about respect in the workplace

This series has allowed us to speak with some amazing guests who are all working to make mental health and mental wellbeing a widely talked about topic. In this episode, we are joined by Sheldon Kennedy, former NHL player and long-time advocate of Respect in the Workplace and Respect in Sport.

Through Respect Group, Sheldon works to bring educational programs to workplaces, sports, and schools. These programs give people a baseline understanding and make it possible to build a climate of openness, so people are empowered to not only self-advocate about their mental well-being but also to check in with others. His perspective is that it's not about being perfect but being available to listen and give feedback from an honest, caring place helps to highlight how we can all play a role in making our workplaces, schools, and sports teams safer for everyone.

Episode Seven: http://boilingpointpodcast.com/boiling-point/time-to-stop-bullying-with-respect-in-the-workplace/

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