Sophie Anderson

Sophie Anderson is a workplace wellness advocate with over 25 years of experience as a corporate Administrator and Executive Assistant. She understands the toll that stress, burnout, and disengagement can take on employees and organizations. Now a specialist in workplace wellness, Sophie offers innovative and evidence-based solutions to reduce psychosocial risks, improve mental health, and foster productive environments. Her education and coaching programs are designed to not only improve individual wellbeing but also enhance employee engagement and job satisfaction. Sophie supports businesses in meeting health and safety obligations while reducing staff turnover and improving team morale. Her mission is to help businesses build mentally healthy cultures where employees feel valued, supported, and empowered. Through her work, Sophie is transforming workplaces into spaces where wellbeing and productivity go hand-in-hand.

In this insightful episode of Talking with the Experts, host Rose Davidson is joined by Sophie Anderson, a workplace wellness advocate with over two decades of corporate experience. Together, they explore how preventative wellness programs can revolutionize workplace culture by reducing stress, preventing burnout, and improving employee engagement.

Sophie shares her personal journey from a high-pressure corporate role to becoming a wellness specialist. She emphasizes the importance of in-house education and coaching programs tailored to support employees’ mental health while also helping businesses meet psychosocial risk compliance standards.

If you’re an HR professional, team leader, or business owner, this episode will help you:

✅ Understand the link between wellness and productivity
✅ Implement effective stress reduction programs in your workplace
✅ Promote a healthier, more engaged workforce

Sophie’s preventative approach is not just about ticking boxes—it’s about transforming your organization into a place where employees thrive.

💡 Three Key Points from the Interview:

1. How innovative wellness programs reduce stress and prevent burnout
2. Why psychosocial risk prevention should be part of every HR strategy
3. How a mentally healthy culture increases engagement and productivity

Introduction of Sophie Anderson

• Rose Davidson introduces Sophie Anderson, a guest on the ‘Talking With The Experts’ podcast.

• Sophie has 25 years of experience in the corporate world as an administrator and executive assistant.
• Sophie now offers evidence-based innovative wellness solutions to enhance employee health and well-being.
• The programs aim to reduce turnover, increase job satisfaction, and help employers meet workplace health and safety compliance requirements.
• Sophie’s approach involves targeted education and coaching to foster a mentally healthy workplace culture. 

Sophie’s Career Transition

• Sophie transitioned from being an office worker to promoting workplace health and safety through working with a coach.

• The coaching process involved self-reflection and asking questions about personal desires and values.
• Sophie made significant life changes, including going back to school, quitting alcohol, and starting meditation.
• Sophie obtained a life coaching certificate to bring wellness practices to the workplace.
• Sophie started their own business with the goal of making coaching more accessible in workplace environments. 

Importance of Personal Wellness for Workplace Wellness

• The discussion emphasizes the significance of personal wellness outside the workplace for effective change within it.

• Stress management in personal life is crucial for being a good employee or leader.
• The ability to self-regulate and maintain self-awareness is essential for coping with workplace stressors. 

Limitations of Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs)

• EAPs are often impersonal and associated with therapy, which can be intimidating for employees.

• The process typically involves calling a call centre and waiting for an appointment, which can be off-putting.
• There is often a lack of choice in selecting a practitioner.
• EAPs are frequently not well-promoted within organizations.
• Concerns about confidentiality exist, as information may be relayed back to the organization.
• On average, only about 4% of people who could benefit from EAPs actually access them. 

Education and Self-Awareness in the Workplace

• The focus is on educating employees about how the brain works in layman’s terms.

• The approach aims to empower people with a framework for changing and maintaining habits.
• Self-awareness is emphasized to help employees stop blaming the workplace and start focusing on personal growth.
• Topics covered include understanding personal priorities, identifying peak energy times, and improving sleep routines.
• These aspects of self-awareness are often not included in typical corporate training programs. 

In-House vs External Wellness Programs

• Many workplaces rely on in-house, often unqualified personnel for wellness programs, which can be detrimental.

• There is a growing trend towards seeking external consultants for coaching and wellness programs.
• Organizations sometimes struggle to admit they need external help to solve internal problems.
• The importance of offering what employees actually need, rather than what the organization assumes they need, is highlighted. 

Identifying Employee Needs

• The discussion addresses the challenge of determining what employees truly want and need.

• The issue of ‘survey fatigue’ is mentioned in both professional and personal contexts.
• The approach involves translating surveys into interactive workshops.
• One-on-one coaching sessions are conducted following workshops to gain deeper insights.
• The importance of confidential, individual conversations is emphasized, as people often open up more in private settings. 

Aligning Organizational and Employee Values

• An example is shared of working with a CEO whose team wasn’t aligned with organizational values.

• The importance of clearly defined and relatable values for both leadership and ground-level employees is discussed.
• The process involves workshops to establish values that resonate with all levels of the organization.
• The goal is to create alignment between personal values and business objectives to increase engagement. 

Sophie’s Services and Offerings

• Sophie offers a range of services through their company, Cairns Coaching.

• The services include presentations, workshops, and one-on-one coaching in the workplace.
• Sophie works with various associates including leadership coaches, trainers, HR consultants, and mental health first aid providers.
• The signature offer is the ‘wellness blueprint,’ a year-long strategy with quarterly check-ins.
• Sophie provides one-on-one coaching packages for leadership teams and employees.
• Sophie produces a monthly newsletter called ‘The Wellness Perspective’ on LinkedIn, addressing workplace issues from a wellness standpoint.

• The importance of promoting wellness in the workplace and the challenges of stress, disengagement, and burnout are discussed.
• Sophie Anderson shares her transition from an office worker to a professional coach focusing on workplace wellness.
• The limitations and impersonal nature of Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) are highlighted, along with concerns about confidentiality.
• The value of in-house education and coaching programs over external consultants is emphasized.
• The need for organizations to understand and align with employee values and needs through workshops and one-on-one coaching is discussed.
• The importance of relatable and heartfelt organizational values that resonate with both leadership and employees is stressed.
• Sophie Anderson outlines the services offered at Cairns Coaching, including workshops, one-on-one coaching, and custom solutions for workplace wellness.

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