Building Trauma-Informed Workplaces That Actually Work with Kirsten I’Anson

·27 min·2 clips

Kirsten shares how her team saw a 73% spike in mental health coverage usage after encouraging employees to use it.

Host Bill Banham interviews Kirsten I'Anson, Vice President of People and Culture at Community Savings Credit Union in British Columbia. Kirsten begins by sharing her career journey from business consulting and sales at Mars to her current HR role, emphasizing the importance of organizational culture. The conversation shifts to leadership during tumultuous times, with Kirsten advising leaders to be socio-politically astute, acknowledge team fears, and act quickly but not erratically. She details her organization's mental health benefits, including up to $2,000 annually for professionals, and how promoting their use led to a 73% increase in utilization during the pandemic, with an employee publicly sharing her trauma experience. Kirsten discusses the role of political views in the workplace, explaining that her credit union, affiliated with the labor movement, openly states its social purpose to attract aligned employees and implements policies like prioritizing Canadian workers in renovations. When asked about DEI, she expresses frustration with semantic debates over 'equity' versus 'equality,' urging focus on action, education, and psychological safety. Kirsten highlights trauma-informed workplaces, citing a National Institute of Mental Health stat that 60% of adults experience trauma, and stresses the pragmatic benefits of psychological safety, such as reduced absenteeism. She shares examples like renaming sick days to wellness days to reduce stigma. The episode concludes with Kirsten inviting listeners to connect on LinkedIn to share 'neuro-spicy' HR ideas.

As heard by us

A workplace conversation that connects values, hiring, and wellness in practical terms.

Bill Bannam's conversation with Kirsten Ironson, Vice President of People and Culture at Community Savings Credit Union, settles into a thoughtful look at mental wellness, workplace support, and the decisions that help teams feel steady and confident.

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Why you'd press play

For when your workplace culture needs more spine than slogan.

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