Episode 106

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Published on:

19th Jun 2025

Beyond the Backlash - Insights From Inclusion Leaders

Ever wondered what it really feels like to lead inclusion work when the world seems to be pushing back? 

In this episode, I’m sharing what came up at our recent executive roundtable in London - no recording, just a closed-door, honest conversation between inclusion and HR leaders who are doing the work and feeling the weight of it. 

From burnout and budget cuts to shifting language and peer support, this one’s a reflective unpacking of where we are, what’s changing, and what’s still possible.

Highlights:

(01:02) Beyoncé and brave leadership? Yes please

(04:11) Why Pride Month feels quieter this year

(10:23) The tension between external comms and internal culture

(17:52) Is DEI being quietly cut or rebranded?

(22:14) The emotional toll no one talks about

(29:08) Peer support isn’t a ‘nice to have’ 

Join the next roundtable:

We're hosting our next Beyond the Backlash roundtable on Thursday 26 June 2025 in Manchester along with Global Recruitment Consultants Michael Page.

Sign up HERE

If you’re a senior HR Director, Chief People Officer, Head of DEI, Responsible Business lead, or hold a similar leadership role, and you’d like to join this session or a future roundtable in London, Manchester, or Birmingham, you can express your interest here.

Join us to be part of the conversation shaping the next chapter of inclusive leadership.

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Connect with us here:

Website: aurorawellnessgroup.co.uk

LinkedIn: Ngozi

LinkedIn: Obehi


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About the Podcast

The Wellbeing Rebellion
Welcome to The Wellbeing Rebellion, an award-winning podcast! We are Ngozi Weller, a corporate wellbeing and productivity consultant, and Obehi Alofoje, a psychologist and behavioural change specialist.

We are the founders of Aurora, a corporate culture consultancy that specialises in creating psychologically safe workplaces that enable employees to thrive, and for us, wellbeing is personal.

The problem with employee wellbeing support, in most workplaces, is that it puts the responsibility on the person struggling to seek help. And when you are unwell, that is just too big a burden to bear.

It's not enough to say that your door is always open.

We need to get better at supporting our employees, and that is precisely what this podcast is about.

The rebellion is here, and it is long overdue. So this podcast is specifically for the HR or business leader who wants to make a difference to their employees. And the bottom line is we want to create psychologically safe workplaces where employees are empowered to bring their whole selves to work. We want to create a culture that is inclusive, supportive, and encourages everyone from the shop floor to the boardroom to play their part.

On the wellbeing rebellion podcast, we'll give you weekly up-to-date insights, strategies and tips that cover leadership capability, executive burnout, mental health, equity, diversity and inclusion and employee challenges such as retention, productivity and emotional resilience. Sometimes, it'll be just us. Other times we'll interview industry leaders and experts.

Don't hesitate - listen and follow wherever you get your podcasts, because The Wellbeing Rebellion starts now!

About your hosts

Obehi Alofoje

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Obehi is a psychologist and culture change consultant who helps senior HR and business leaders reduce employee burnout, absenteeism & talent attrition through mental wellbeing strategy, training & coaching.

Ngozi Weller

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Ngozi Weller is a culture change consultant and an ICF accredited coach who helps build resilience into your business by creating psychologically safe workplaces that enable employees to thrive.