Psychologist by training, communicator by heart, and strategist by experience, with over 12 years of regional and global experience across talent acquisition, employer branding, workplace well-being and smart work. I’m passionate about shaping human-centric cultures where people can truly thrive. I bring together insights from psychology, marketing, and organizational development to design strategies that enhance performance, belonging, and care at scale. Recognized for leading high-impact employer brand initiatives and building inclusive, data-informed strategies, I focus on embedding care and flexibility into the heart of how we work. Fluent in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.
We are delighted that Mayara will be speaking on our “Fostering a Healthy and Productive Workforce” Leadership Panel as part of our London Summit on 15th September. We caught up with her to see how she’s feeling in the run up to the summit:
Hi Mayara, we are thrilled that you are joining us at the Wellbeing at Work Summit London in September. Our first and most important question is, how are you doing today?
I’m doing well, thank you. It’s been an exciting period of growth and learning. While the pace of change continues to accelerate, I’m energized by the opportunity to help shape workplaces where people can perform at their best while also protecting their well-being.
As a leader based in the region, what are the main challenges you are facing when it comes to employee wellbeing and mental health?
The challenges continue to evolve. We’re seeing the impact of AI and technological disruption, increasing pressure to deliver results, resource constraints, and the blurring of boundaries between work and personal life. Combined with constant digital connectivity, these factors can create both opportunities and risks for workplace well-being. The challenge for organizations is helping people navigate change while maintaining sustainable performance and a healthy sense of care for self and others.
What strategies have you seen developing over the past 6 months, both internally and externally, that are moving the dial on wellbeing in the workplace?
One of the most encouraging shifts has been moving beyond well-being as a set of isolated initiatives and recognizing it as a business capability that enables sustainable performance.
Increasingly, organizations are focusing on the conditions that help people thrive: psychological safety, flexibility, belonging, manageable workloads, and greater clarity around priorities. At Schneider Electric, we describe this as Care by Design, embedding care into the employee experience and the way work gets done every day.
The conversation is shifting from “What well-being program should we launch?” to “How do we create an environment where people can protect their energy, do meaningful work, and perform sustainably over time?” That’s where I believe the greatest progress is happening.
Why is employee wellbeing so important to you personally?
I’ve always been fascinated by the human behavior, and what gives people energy. Throughout my career and across different countries, cultures, and teams, I’ve seen that people perform at their best when they feel trusted, valued, included, and connected to a purpose they believe in.
I’ve also experienced moments in my own career where I wasn’t flourishing. While those experiences helped me grow, they also taught me that sustainable performance cannot come at the expense of well-being. When we ignore our energy for too long, the result is often exhaustion, burnout, or a loss of connection to what matters most.
One of the biggest leadership lessons I’ve learned is that care is not one-size-fits-all. Every person experiences work differently, which is why listening is one of the most powerful things a leader can do. The best employee experiences aren’t designed in isolation, they are co-created with the people we aim to support.
That’s why I’m so passionate about creating workplace conditions where people can thrive. As leaders, we can’t manage people’s energy for them, but we can create environments built on trust, flexibility, psychological safety, and meaningful work. In my experience, when people thrive, performance follows. And when we care, we create the conditions for both.
What impact is AI having in your organization and how are you managing that?
As an Energy Management and Industrial Automation company, AI plays an important role in advancing our mission and creating value for our customers. We encourage experimentation and learning through initiatives such as our AI Academy, and AI is increasingly embedded into our daily tools and ways of working.
At the same time, we recognize the importance of ensuring AI is used responsibly. We work closely with our digital, design, and people teams to ensure solutions are built on reliable information, support inclusion and accessibility, and are aligned with ethical principles and appropriate governance. Given how quickly the technology is evolving, this remains an ongoing journey.
Other than AI, are there any challenges that you are seeing for the first time and how are you addressing them?
One growing challenge is social disconnection. Despite being more connected digitally than ever before, many people report feeling isolated, overwhelmed, or disconnected from a sense of belonging.
As organizations, we need to be intentional about creating environments where people feel seen, valued, and included. This means strengthening psychological safety, encouraging meaningful connections, creating opportunities for mentoring and volunteering, and helping teams build trust even in flexible and distributed work environments.
Social wellbeing is increasingly becoming a key driver of both wellbeing and performance.
What areas do you think employers should be focused on over the next 12 months?
First, listening to employees and using their feedback to shape actions and priorities.
Second, helping leaders build the skills needed to lead through uncertainty, change, and increasing complexity.
Third, focusing on work design. Rather than adding more well-being programs, organizations should examine how work itself is structured, how workloads are managed, and whether people have the resources and flexibility they need to succeed.
Finally, employers should continue investing in inclusive cultures where people feel safe to speak up, ask for help, and contribute their best work.
Do you feel that investment in employee wellbeing in the region is increasing or decreasing and is that a direct reflection on HR leaders’ increasing ability to demonstrate effective returns of their strategies to leadership?
I believe investment is increasing, although expectations are also becoming more sophisticated. Organizations are looking beyond participation rates and focusing more on outcomes such as engagement, retention, productivity, safety, and employee experience.
What’s encouraging is that well-being is increasingly being integrated into business strategy and daily workflows rather than sitting alongside them. As organizations become better at demonstrating the connection between well-being and performance, the conversation shifts from “Why invest?” to “How do we maximize impact?”
How has your organisation been leading the way?
At Schneider Electric, our approach is grounded in a simple belief: when people thrive, they perform.
Our Care by Design strategy combines initiatives like Flex@Work, employee listening, leadership accountability, and practical Smart Work tools that help teams reduce friction and focus energy where it matters most.
As an energy technology company, we often talk about optimizing energy systems. We believe the same principle applies to people. When we help people manage and protect their energy, they are better able to innovate, collaborate, grow, and contribute to meaningful outcomes for our customers, communities, and the planet.
Care is how we work. Wellbeing is the outcome.
Mayara is speaking in London as part of our Wellbeing at Work Summit UK 2026 which takes place in London and Manchester this September. Click the links below to find out more and book your tickets:
London Summit 15th September: Find out more and Book Your London Tickets Here
Manchester Summit 17th September: Find out more and Book Your Manchester Tickets Here
