Ngozi Weller is a certified workplace inclusion specialist, ICF- and EMCC-accredited coach who partners with organisations to build inclusive, psychologically safe cultures. As co-founder of Aurora, she leads strategic consultancy work that embeds employee wellbeing and leadership accountability into the heart of organisational culture. Her approach blends commercial insight with lived experience of burnout, ADHD, and racial marginalisation, helping clients create sustainable systems of care, equity, and resilience across teams. Ngozi also co-hosts the award-winning podcast The Wellbeing Rebellion.
We are delighted that Ngozi will be speaking in both London and Manchester during our UK Summit. We caught up with her to find out how she’s feeling in the runup to the event.
Hi Ngozi, we are thrilled that you will be speaking at the Wellbeing at Work UK Summit in September. Our first and most important question is, how are you doing today?
I’m doing well, thank you! Life is full, as always—running a business, managing projects, and parenting 2 neurodivergent kids (one of whom is in the throes of GCSEs) keeps things interesting—but I’m fuelled by purpose, and that helps keep me going.
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 biggest challenge is getting senior leaders to go beyond box-ticking and invest meaningfully in culture change. Many still see wellbeing as a cost centre rather than a strategic enabler. In the Northwest, there’s progress, but there’s also hesitation—especially in how mental health intersects with race, gender, and neurodiversity.
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?
The most effective strategies centre around psychological safety and inclusive leadership. At Aurora, we’ve been piloting leadership development sessions that combine mental health literacy with lived experience and cultural intelligence. Externally, I’ve seen a rise in grassroots-led wellbeing networks—especially those focused on racial equity and neurodiversity—which are helping to hold organisations accountable from within.
Why is employee wellbeing so important to you personally?
Because I’ve seen just how damaging it can be when we ignore or dismiss it. Just like many people working in this space, I suffered from stage 3 burnout, depression, and suicidal ideation before anyone even noticed that there was something seriously wrong- and that included me. That experience drives me to create workplaces where others don’t have to break to be seen. This is more than business—it’s a mission.
What impact is AI having in your organisation and how are you managing that?
AI is helping us streamline tasks, especially in research and content development. But we’re also cautious—it’s not emotionally intelligent, and it doesn’t understand nuance, culture, or trauma. At Aurora, we use AI as a support tool, not a decision-maker. The human element remains central to all our interventions. That is critical because increasingly we’re seeing people try to devolve wellbeing support responsibility to AI. Whilst the tech is very helpful, you still have to ensure that it is working well. Anyone who has used Chat or similar knows that it gets things wrong sometimes – when you’re dealing with people’s welfare, you can’t afford to make careless mistakes.
Other than AI, are there any challenges that you are seeing for the first time and how are you addressing them?
Yes—there’s growing resistance to equity conversations, especially around race. “Anti-woke” backlash is real. We’ve had to reframe our messaging and equip our clients with the language and confidence to continue doing the right thing, even when it’s unpopular. We’re teaching courage and strategy in equal measure.
What areas do you think employers should be focused on over the next 12 months?
Leaders should prioritise:
- Creating psychologically safe spaces.
- Addressing race equity and systemic bias at the leadership level.
- Supporting neurodiverse employees beyond legal compliance.
- Measuring the long-term impact of wellbeing, not just short-term engagement.
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?
It’s increasing—slowly. HR leaders are getting better at linking wellbeing to retention, performance, and culture. But until wellbeing KPIs are tied to board-level performance and shareholder value, the investment won’t match the need. We must treat wellbeing as a business-critical issue, not a ‘nice-to-have.’
How has your organisation been leading the way?
Aurora is pioneering intersectional wellbeing—addressing mental health through the lenses of race, gender, and neurodiversity. We’ve delivered bespoke programmes for law firms, retailers, and universities, focusing on practical change. Our podcast, The Wellbeing Rebellion, challenges the status quo and elevates unheard voices in this space.
Ngozi will be speaking in both London and Manchester at the Wellbeing at Work Summit UK.
Our London Summit takes place on 23rd September. Visit our London webpage for further details and to book your tickets.
Our Manchester Summit takes place on 25th September. To find out more about our Manchester Summit and book your tickets please visit our Mancherster webpage.
