With a background in learning and development and leadership consultancy, Clare Kenny has worked in senior management roles in Europe and Asia including Head of Global Account Management at digital training agency TKE and Head of Client Operations at Leadership consultancy YSC (Part of Accenture).  Most recently she led the global wellbeing strategy at Burberry.

Clare has identified that employees who are happy and healthy perform at their best. Yet according to Deloitte, poor employee mental health is a major issue, costing UK employers up to £45 billion every year.

Clare Kenny is passionate about doing what she can to change this. As an experienced Employee Wellbeing Consultant, she supports organisations of all shapes and sizes to develop initiatives that boost employee mental health and wellbeing, as well as improve morale, engagement and retention.

Even small changes can lead to a healthier, happier workplace culture and studies show that for every £1 spent, companies enjoy a £5 return on investment thanks to reduced absenteeism and staff turnover.

See Clare’s TEDx Talk Below:

Clare Kenny | Speaking topics

Clare has delivered bespoke speeches to a range of organisations, tailoring them to the needs of the audience. Common themes include:

– Workplace wellbeing
– Psychological Safety
– Disrupting the World of Work
– Mentally Healthy Leadership
– Burnout
– Living With Anxiety
– Stress and Performance
– My Experience of Addiction
– Mental Health
– Efficiency to Boost Wellbeing
– Bereavement
– Managing Your Energy

Clare Kenny’s Most Popular Talks

Changing How We See Addiction

Whether it’s alcohol, drugs, work, pornography, social media, food, or shopping, many of us have an unhealthy relationship with something. We often turn to these habits to numb ourselves or distract from difficult emotions; to cope with a society and a lifestyle that is causing more s tress, burnout, and mental health issues than ever before. Addiction thrives in isolation, wreaking havoc on lives. The more we can challenge our preconceive notions of what an addict looks like, raise awareness, and foster an environment where addiction is met with understanding and support, the better equipped we’ll be to pave the way for healing, transformation, and recovery. Key takeaways:

– My personal story of addiction

– Challenging stigmas and labels

– Drinking culture and unhealthy norms

– The science behind addiction – why do we numb?

– Trading short-term comfort for long-term dysfunction

– Vulnerability and overcoming shame

Neuro-Inclusion at Work: Embracing Diversity of Thought

We all have different backgrounds, experiences, and ways of thinking. By creating a workplace where everyone feels safe to be themselves, express their opinions, and challenge the status quo, you being to harness the power of diversity of thought. Not only can you create inclusive environments for all your people, you can also give yourself the competitive edge when it comes to growth, innovation, and performance. Key takeaways:

– Building trust and psychological safety within your team

– Understanding neurodivergence

– Embracing diversity of perspective and ways of thinking

– Key tools to use to create a more inclusive culture for everyone

– Vulnerability and role modelling

Talking About Mental Health

We often shy away from talking about mental health in the workplace – for fear of judgement, stigma or simply not knowing what to say. This session explores how to normalise the conversation around mental health, while exploring some tools to create safe, non-judgemental spaces for people to really open up. Key takeaways:

– We all have mental health: mental health vs physical health

– Polyvagal theory: how our bodies manage stress

– The Mental Health Continuum

– Creating a safe space to talk about mental health

– The power of vulnerability and empathy

– Role modelling and sharing our stories

Being a Mentally Healthy Role Model

Wellbeing policies and perks can be great, but it’s the everyday workplace experience that really impacts the mental health of employees. From leaders to champions, this workshops explores the powerful ways we can role model and influence culture to help make the day-to-day work environment a more mentally healthy place. Key takeaways:

– The power of role modelling as a leader

– Vulnerability: sharing our own stories

– Investing in ourselves unashamedly

– Using the McKinsey’s model of influence to encourage a mentally healthy culture

– Building trust and psychological safety with your teams

Quick Ways to Boost Your Mental Health

In these relentless, always ‘on’ times – it can feel impossible to prioritise your mental health and wellbeing. This interactive, engaging session explores some really quick ways to boost and protect your mental health, which can be weaved seamlessly into your working day. Key takeaways:

– Embracing white space throughout the day

– Boosting your energy

– Soothing your nervous system

– Resetting your mindset

– Finding your joy

– Investing in your long-term wellbeing

Human Connection and Inclusion in a Digital World

Over the past few decades, digital innovation has created tremendous advancement and opportunities in all areas of our lives. However, with these big changes, come risks to our mental health and even barriers to meaningful human connection. This engaging talk delves into the effects of digital innovation and offers practical strategies to protect our mental health and enhance human connection and inclusion in our increasingly digital world. Key takeaways:

– The digital landscape

– The hierarchy of human needs

– Digital boundaries, healthy habits, and mental health

– Leveraging AI and digital tools for wellbeing

– How to prioritise meaningful human connection

Creating Space and Preventing Burnout

In a world of notifications, endless digital platforms of communication and never-ending conflicting priorities it can feel impossible to find any space for rest, reflection and wellbeing. This session equips you will small practical ways to make more space in your day, spot signs of burnout and put preventative measures in place to create a more sustainable lifestyle and ways of working. Key takeaways:

– Polyvagal theory: what happens in our bodies when we are stressed?

– 12 stages of burnout and how to recognise them in yourself

– Key tools to prevent burnout

– Creating space in your day: streamlining meetings, reducing distraction, protecting focus time

– Understanding the psychology of habits and how to leverage positively

Leading a Mentally Healthy Culture

Culture and team behaviours start at the top. Leaders have a ripple effect that impacts everyone around them. This workshop builds awareness of how leaders can harness their ripple effect for good and shares key tools to role model a mentally healthy culture. Key takeaways:

– Harnessing your leadership ripple effect

– Role modelling, wellbeing, and self-care

– Vulnerability and creating an inclusive culture

– Communication and example setting

– Positively influencing culture across your team and beyond

Building Trust and Psychological Safety

High performing teams are built on trust. To innovate, to spot new opportunities and to grow, individuals need to feel safe to challenge the status quo. This workshop explores the ways in which a leader can foster a culture of trust and psychological safety within their own team and beyond. Key takeaways:

– The power of trust in building high-performing teams

– Exploring the BRAVING anatomy: how to effectively build trust

– What is psychological safety and why is it important

– How to foster psychological safety in your team

– Role modelling as a leader

Leading Through Uncertainty

Strong leadership is even more vital during times of challenge or uncertainty. This workshop explores how leaders can protect their own wellbeing, whilst also creating an environment where people can be at their best even during difficult times. Key takeaways:

– Leading authentically during times of uncertainty

– Protecting your own wellbeing as a leader: boundaries, managing expectations, saying no

– Creating safe, mentally healthy spaces for your team

– Key tools to navigate uncertainty

– Managing stress, anxiety, and burnout

Tools to Manage, Stress, Anxiety, and Burnout

In this fast paced, always on world, we can be easily left feeling overwhelmed and anxious. While anxiety and stress are natural reactions to uncertainty and increased demands, prolonged exposure to stress can result in lasting physical and mental health issues and elevate our risk of burnout. This interactive session delves into the science behind stress, distinguishes between stress, anxiety and burnout, and explores some practical tools and techniques to ease the effects of stress and reduce the risk of burnout. Key takeaways:

– Stress vs anxiety vs burnout: what’s the difference

– The psychological impact of stress on the body

– Mindset changes to manage stress and anxiety

– Spotting the signs of burnout and prevention techniques

– Processing our emotions to overcome anxiety

– Top tips for when you feel overwhelmed

The way we are working, isn’t working

Always on culture, tech at our fingertips, endless noise and notifications have helped to create a world of work (and beyond) that is fully at odds with the conditions human beings need to thrive. In this talk, she explores some of the evolutionary science behind creating an environment to help humans be at their best and discuss the ways in which the world of work is getting it so wrong. Additionally, she shares the small changes we can make to start driving better employee well-being and sustain performance in our organisations.

Mental health lessons from my daughter

Children express their feelings loudly and unapologetically. They stamp their feet, and they scream. Then they feel better. But as they grow society teaches them more and more that loud messy emotions are unacceptable, disruptive and should be kept to yourself.  By the time we are adults we tend to dismiss our own feelings, repress them and shut them away and try not to cause a fuss. Then we feel worse. In this talk Clare discusses the ways in which ‘emotional repression’ has impacted my mental health, leading to anxiety and addiction, and how we can re-embrace the childhood tantrum to fully feel and process our emotions to have a long-term positive impact on our overall wellbeing.

Anything not to feel: my story of addiction

Whether it’s alcohol, drugs, social media, porn, shopping or food. Most of us use something to numb and distract ourselves from difficult feelings. This can feel good in the moment but can risk causing long-term physical and mental health issues. In this talk, Clare shares her own experiences of addiction, sobriety and her ongoing journey of breaking the numbing cycle and learning how to actually feel her feelings.

Why Book Clare Kenny?

Clare is a credible and engaging speaker, who delivers for audiences of all sizes and seniority, both in person and virtually. She is popular for her open and honest approach and leaves audiences with food for thought and ideas on improving the world of work. She is passionate about creating real and lasting change in the world of work.

Call +44 1753 439 289 or email Great British Speakers now to book workplace wellbeing strategist and keynote speaker Clare Kenny for your corporate event.

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