317: How Pet-Friendly Workplaces Are Boosting Mental Health with Michelle Yates & Steve Feldman
Release Date: 08/28/2025
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331: Beyond Clicks and KPIs: Bringing Humanity Back to Digital Work with Andy Sitison
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Community Conversation: Leading Well Starts with Living Well
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In the Loop: Good Leaders are Great Listeners with Katherine Coble
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330: Leadership Is a Choice: Building Self-Efficacy Through a Behavioral Approach with Wesley Bender
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What if your greatest leadership move isn’t climbing the ladder, but choosing to show up differently, every single day? Nikki sits down with Wesley Bender, a leadership coach who believes the most powerful leaders aren’t defined by titles or personality types, but by their actions. Together, they unpack the bold idea that leadership is a choice, grounded in behavior and built through self-efficacy: the belief that your actions can shape outcomes. Wesley brings a refreshing challenge to traditional frameworks and dives into why admired leaders stand out: not just because they drive...
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329: LOVE at Work: How Leaders Transform Through Human Connection with Mark Mears
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Addicted to Betterment: You’re Good Enough Now. Do the Thing. with Nikki and David Gregory
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328: The Inner Work of Leadership: Rewiring Subconscious Blocks with Roya Mattis
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Ever feel like you're doing everything right, but still stuck? It’s not your strategy…it’s your subconscious. Nikki chats with transformational speaker and coach Roya Mattis, creator of the Trifecta Method. Roya dives deep into the invisible forces that hold high performers back, those hidden subconscious blocks formed before we even turned seven. 😳 Through stories, science, and soul, she explains how rewiring happens not just in the mind, but also in the body and even at the DNA level. Roya also breaks down the powerful balance between masculine and feminine energy, and why the most...
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In the Loop: Mastering Executive Presence with Katherine Coble
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What’s the real reason some leaders instantly command a room while others struggle to connect? Katherine unpacks the secret sauce behind authentic leadership: executive presence. But don’t mistake it for just charisma or a polished look. This is about substance over style, connection over performance, and leading with confidence, clarity, and calm. She explores why presence, not just words, shapes how people trust, respect, and follow you. You’ll learn how to shift from filler words to powerful pauses, how to read a room and adapt with empathy, and why showing up with grounded confidence...
info_outlineWhat if boosting your team’s mental health and workplace happiness was as simple as adding a wagging tail to the mix? 🐾
Nikki is back with Michelle Yates from Pet Partners, this time joined by Steve Feldman, President of the Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI), to uncover how pets are transforming workplace culture and mental health.
From the science behind wagging tails and purring companions, to real-world success stories like Amazon’s “PupAmazonians,” they share creative ways leaders can make their organizations more pet-inclusive, whether in-office or remote.
They bust myths (spoiler: pets aren’t the distraction you think they are), offer ideas for pet benefits that keep employees smiling, and show how a little four-legged love can spark collaboration, deepen connections, and create a happier, healthier workplace for everyone.
Additional Resources:
Connect with Steve on LinkedIn
Learn more about HABRI.org
Learn how to create pet-friendly workspaces with the Dogs at Work Guide!
Connect with Michelle on LinkedIn
Learn more about OnePack Plan by PetPartners
Watch Gut + Science (and more) on YouTube!
Connect with Nikki on LinkedIn
Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn
Learn more about PeopleForward Network
Key Takeaways:
- Pets boost mental, physical, and social health.
- Pet perks work in-office or remotely.
- Leaders underestimate employee pet ownership.
- Pets improve morale, collaboration, and problem-solving.
- Pet benefits drive well-being, loyalty, and retention.
Works Cited:
- KRC Research conducted an online survey on behalf of OnePack Plan by Pet Partners among n=1,000 employed US adults 18-65. The sample included n=750 pet owners and n=250 non-pet owners. The study was fielded between August 19 - August 22, 2024.
- Cohen Research Group in conjunction with OnePack Plan by PetPartners and the Human-Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) conducted an online survey over a two-week period from February 22 to March 7, 2024, with 1,021 HR professionals working for medium or large companies in the United States and Canada. By design, half of the respondents work at companies currently offering pet health insurance to their employees and half did not offer it to them.
For terms and conditions visit: www.petpartners.com/sample-policies. Products are underwritten by Independence American Insurance Company, (NAIC #26581), and produced by PetPartners, Inc. (NPN #7612549; CA license #0F27261 PPI Pet Insurance Agency, Inc.).