Founder Podcast Feature
Reject Toxic Positivity, Build Belonging
HR, Are You Listening? Insights from our Founder
Wellbeing Think Tank founder, Chase Sterling, recently joined Marta Fernandez on the HR, Are You Listening? podcast for a heartfelt conversation about belonging, toxic positivity, and the role of HR in creating healthy workplace cultures.
Drawing from both personal experience and her two decades in workplace wellbeing, Chase highlighted the importance of authenticity, boundaries, and investing in HR as a profession. The conversation touched on challenges many employees face such as grief, hardship, and feeling out of place at work, and offered practical insights for leaders seeking to build inclusive environments.
Key Insights from the Conversation
Toxic positivity does more harm than good.
Chase explained: “We need to let people have human emotions. Emotions ebb and flow, and supporting human needs isn’t telling people they have to be happy all the time.”Belonging is essential to wellbeing.
Feeling like you belong at work is one of the strongest predictors of employee wellbeing. Chase shared how differences in background and life experience can create barriers to belonging and why diversity of thought is critical to innovation.HR is mission critical.
Organizations often underinvest in HR, but as Chase emphasized: “HR is a profession, and it doesn’t always get the respect it deserves. It’s hard, human-centered work, and it’s mission critical for the success of an organization.”Boundaries and self-care matter.
At both the individual and organizational level, boundaries are essential. As Chase put it: “Advocate for yourself and your wellbeing… you’re never going to regret prioritizing yourself, but you will regret making personal sacrifices for your workplace.”
Why This Matters
This conversation reflects Wellbeing Think Tank’s mission to amplify experts over influencers and provide evidence-based education on workplace wellbeing. By exploring the realities of toxic positivity, the need for belonging, and the importance of HR, Chase sheds light on how organizations can move beyond surface-level fixes and create cultures where employees truly thrive.
Listen to the Episode
At Wellbeing Think Tank, we believe belonging and authenticity are the foundations of healthy workplace cultures. Check out what’s coming up next, and let's continue to build cultures of wellbeing, together!
