Head of Marketing
4 Minutes Read
This blog is based on an episode of Kara Connect’s Can We Have A Word? podcast, featuring Tobba Vigfusdottir in conversation with Sharon O’Connor, workplace wellbeing strategist.
Sharon O’Connor helps organisations build cultures that are genuinely felt, not just painted on the website. Drawing from her experience as a management consultant and wellbeing expert, Sharon shares what actually works for sustained engagement, inclusion, and wellbeing at work. Her approach? Question everything and focus on what’s real rather than just what’s written down.
Here are five insights from Sharon’s conversation with Kara Connect that anyone in HR, leadership, or culture roles should consider.
Let your culture be your “North Star”
“It is more important now than ever before that a culture is the North Star. It is how we do things and it is what we can cling to when things start to change.” — Sharon O’Connor
With so much change and disruption in and outside the workplace, a company’s culture isn’t just a buzzword—it’s an anchor. Sharon’s experience shows that resilient organisations are those where culture is more than statements. If your stated values aren’t lived and felt across every level, they become “just words on the website.” Sharon urges leaders to ask themselves: Is our culture really alive and acting as our guide during times of uncertainty?
Find the “sweet spot” between complexity and simplicity
“The sweet spot is the middle of these two polarities. And for every organization and every client, that sweet spot is different.” — Sharon O’Connor
From both culture and wellbeing perspectives, Sharon often sees organisations swing between overcomplicating the subject and making it sound far too easy. Some get paralyzed by the complexity (“It’s too hard to define, so we’ll avoid it”), while others assume culture can be tackled with a checklist. In reality, each organisation needs to find a balance: enough structure to provide clarity, but enough flexibility to adapt as people and the business evolve.
Start with leadership. But ground your case in data
“You absolutely need to start with buy-in from leadership…[but] the step before that buy-in is education. And education in business comes really through kind of numbers and data and analysis.” — Sharon O’Connor
Leadership engagement is essential, but Sharon stresses the need for a data-driven approach. Begin by looking at employee engagement surveys and other available data—even if it feels basic. Form hypotheses about how culture is experienced on the ground, and use these insights to build a compelling research vision that feels relevant and actionable for senior leaders. A regular reporting cadence can help set expectations and make the conversation ongoing.
Focus on communication and consistency, not just delivery
“It’s the constant reminders and doing so in a way that doesn’t fatigue the workforce… If it’s real, it shouldn’t be tiring.” — Sharon O’Connor
Nearly every company has some form of wellbeing support, but many stumble when it comes to ensuring employees both know about it and feel comfortable using it. Sharon notes the need for internal communication that’s ongoing, relatable, and well-integrated into business as usual—not just campaign-based or event-driven. Consistency is key: make wellbeing the normal, not the exception.
Use stories to reduce stigma and drive engagement
“It was almost like once you open the conversation and you address the stigma, people will engage with the support or at the very least engage with their curiosity so they know what’s available for them and for their colleagues.” — Sharon O’Connor
Drawing on her work with Novartis, Sharon shared how telling relatable stories made a measurable difference in encouraging employees to access mental health resources. Whether stories were about “normal” stress or serious issues, simply naming the experience broke down barriers—even more than promises of anonymity or confidentiality. HR leaders can safely anonymise examples to normalise support-seeking behaviour and make wellbeing resources feel accessible to everyone.
Conclusion
Sharon O’Connor’s approach is refreshingly straightforward: find your organisation’s true balance, keep the conversation wide open, and stay curious. The smallest step—taken with honesty and intent—can be the beginning of meaningful cultural change and greater workplace wellbeing.
Listen to the full Kara Connect interview with Sharon O’Connor and Tobba Vigfusdottir.
If you’re in HR, culture, or leadership, Sharon’s wisdom offers practical direction for weaving wellbeing and inclusion into the real fabric of your workplace.
