Supporting employee mental wellbeing during turbulent times
Listen on:
We find ourselves in incredibly turbulent times - socially, politically and economically - all of which can have a huge impact upon our mental wellbeing. Here our speakers shared how workplaces can continue to drive forward efforts around employee mental wellbeing, and how these efforts are especially important during the uncertain times that we are living through.
Presenter & Guests
Susie Bates
Chief People Officer - Asia Pacific
Weber Shandwick
Chief People Officer for the Weber Shandwick Collective in Asia, Susie has been living and working across the Asia Pacific region for over 25 years, holding people and HR leadership roles in multinational organisations.
Based in Hong Kong, Susie has been a part of the IPG network since April 2013 having worked across multiple brands during her tenure, overseeing People initiatives across China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea and India. In addition to her HR responsibilities, Susie actively developed Weber Shandwick's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Asia Pacific strategy and has been leading the initiative for the region since early 2021.
Harnesh Kaur
SEA Health & Wellbeing Manager
Mars
Harnesh Kaur is a SEA Health & Wellbeing Manager at Mars, where she has been for over 2.5 years, supporting teams across Southeast Asia. She partners with leaders to embed health, wellbeing, and inclusion into the organizational culture, driving impact across diverse markets. With over a decade of experience in corporate health, Harnesh has worked closely with senior leaders to design and implement strategies that improve employee wellbeing, mental health, and inclusion. Her career spans clinical, community, and corporate health, giving her a unique ability to bridge evidence-based practice with practical organizational impact. Beyond her corporate role, Harnesh is also a certified Sound Healer and Clinical Hypnotherapist, integrating holistic approaches that support balance, resilience, and personal growth. Outside of work, she’s a proud mother to Jay and Jesleen, and pet parent to Daisy, who all continue to inspire her to live and lead with empathy, kindness, and purpose.
Khushboo Hoda
Head - Health & Wellness
Volvo Group India
Khushboo Hoda heads Health & Wellbeing at Volvo Group India, driving strategies that integrate mental health, employee engagement, and holistic wellness into workplace culture. She has designed impactful programs that promote psychological safety, proactive well-being practices, and measurable cultural change with a deep commitment to employee experience. Khushboo is deeply passionate about breaking stigma around mental health and enabling organizations to prioritize people as a core business strategy. Her initiatives combine data-driven insights with empathy-led leadership, fostering workplaces where employees feel supported and empowered to thrive. A strong advocate for storytelling and open dialogue, Khushboo brings practical, people-first approaches to wellbeing.
