Wellbeing and Psychological Safety at Work
In this episode of Walk The Talk, host Sarah Mayo chats with Tyler Polius, People Partner at Kobalt Music, about mental health, wellbeing, and human-centred leadership in the workplace.
Tyler’s background in psychology and occupational psychology led him naturally into HR and people-focused roles. He shares that he sees his position as a “privileged” one – not because it allows him to fix everything, but because it gives him direct impact on people’s experiences at work, particularly around mental health. He highlights the importance of approaching work holistically, acknowledging that life and work are interconnected, and the difference that supportive leadership can make.
You can watch/listen to the conversation wherever you get your podcasts or via YouTube here:
Key takeaways from the conversation
- Prioritise wellbeing non-negotiables consistently, even when life feels manageable.
- Leadership is about transparency, courage, and collaboration, creating trust and psychological safety.
- Organisations can help people navigate uncertainty through clear communication, training, and supportive systems.
- High psychological safety and inclusive cultures rely on honest relationships, curiosity, and humility.
- Supporting neurodiversity and mental health starts with trust, education, and openness.
Tyler’s reflections remind us that caring for people at work is both a privilege and a responsibility. It requires intention, self-awareness, and consistency – from personal wellbeing practices to behaving in line with organisational values.
Key conversation points
Wellbeing Non-Negotiables
Tyler shares his three core wellbeing practices:
- Exercise – Going to the gym before work helps him physically and socially. The routine creates a sense of community and connection that supports mental health.
- Reading – Taking time away from screens, especially before bed, to read allows him to decompress and improves sleep quality.
- Journaling – Reflecting daily on experiences and gratitude helps him get thoughts out of his head and shift perspective.
Tyler emphasises that these practices are most effective when maintained consistently – they act as a kind of insurance policy for mental health, even when everything feels fine. He also highlights the interconnectedness of wellbeing practices, noting that good sleep, exercise, reading, and journaling all support one another.
Values and Inspiration
Tyler’s personal values right now are balance, connection, and patience.
One quote that resonates with him is: “Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.” He finds it a helpful reminder to step back, plan carefully, and manage his ADHD tendencies to rush, ensuring smoother outcomes in both work and life.
Leadership
For Tyler, leadership is about transparency and vulnerability – making hard decisions while bringing people along on the journey. He admires leaders who communicate openly and acknowledge the human impact of their decisions. He shares the best piece of leadership advice he’s received: “There’s always a solution.” This encourages problem-solving, collaboration, and psychological safety for teams.
Supporting People Through Uncertainty
Tyler identifies uncertainty and change as the most pressing challenges for people and organisations today. From global events to restructuring and the impact of AI, external factors heavily influence how people show up at work.
To support employees, he stresses the importance of:
- Transparent communication about decisions, processes, and outcomes.
- Manager training to spot changes in behaviour, support teams, and escalate issues when needed.
- Psychological safety, enabling employees to speak up, experiment, and seek support without fear.
- Resources and boundaries, ensuring employees know what support is available and that it’s safe to step back when required.
Psychological Safety and Inclusion
Tyler describes high psychological safety as environments where people feel they can be honest, admit mistakes, and seek help without fear. Trust and authentic relationships between managers and employees underpin this safety.
Inclusive leadership, he says, requires curiosity, active listening, and humility.
ADHD and Neurodiversity
Tyler shares his personal experience with ADHD, diagnosed in 2022. He describes the initial relief when he received the diagnosis, followed by the challenge of understanding how to operate effectively. Support at work for neurodiversity, he explained, comes from:
- Education and awareness, helping teams understand different ways of working.
- Platforms to share experiences, making neurodiversity relatable and normalising varied needs.
- Trust with managers, allowing accommodations and open dialogue about what support looks like.
We hope you find the conversation valuable. If so, please share with someone you think might be interested.
As always, we encourage you to listen while you walk and we do the talking.
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Be kind, be curious, be well.