We are delighted that Tekla will be speaking in Amsterdam as part of our European Summit. We caught up with her to find out how she’s feeling in the runup to the event.
Hi Tekla, we are thrilled that you will be speaking at the Wellbeing at Work Europe Summit in May. Our first and most important question is, how are you doing today?
Thank you! I’m doing well—grateful, energised, and genuinely excited about the conversations we’re having around wellbeing. It’s such a crucial space to be in right now.
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 addressing the ‘always-on’ culture. With hybrid work, boundaries have blurred, and burnout is a real risk. Ensuring psychological safety and meaningful connection in dispersed teams is also an ongoing focus.
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?
There’s a shift toward personalisation—wellbeing isn’t one-size-fits-all. We’re also seeing more integration of wellbeing into leadership KPIs, not just HR metrics, which is a real game changer.
Why is employee wellbeing so important to you personally?
Because I’ve lived it. I’ve gone through tough periods in my life where things felt incredibly heavy—personally and professionally. And what got me through was being part of an organisation that truly put people first. It wasn’t just words; wellbeing was part of the culture, the leadership, the everyday interactions. That experience stayed with me. It taught me how powerful it is when a company leads with care, and that’s exactly the kind of environment I’m committed to building for others.
What impact is AI having in your organisation and how are you managing that?
Yes—financial anxiety among employees is rising. We’re tackling it through financial wellbeing programs and transparent, empathetic conversations about compensation and benefits.
Other than AI, are there any challenges that you are seeing for the first time and how are you addressing them?
Human leadership, inclusive growth, and proactive wellbeing. Also, enabling middle managers—they’re the bridge and often the most stretched.
What areas do you think employers should be focused on over the next 12 months?
We’ve embedded wellbeing into our commercial goals, made DEI a core leadership competency, and created safe spaces for dialogue. Wellbeing isn’t a program—it’s part of how we lead every day.
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, and yes, HR is getting sharper at speaking the language of ROI—tying wellbeing to performance, retention, and culture metrics. It’s a welcome evolution.
How has your organisation been leading the way?
We’ve embedded wellbeing into our commercial goals, made DEI a core leadership competency, and created safe spaces for dialogue. Wellbeing isn’t a program—it’s part of how we lead every day.
Tekla will be speaking in Amsterdam at the Wellbeing at Work Summit Europe which takes place in Zurich on 13th May and in Amsterdam on 15th May. Further details on the Summit and tickets can be found here.
