Welcome to Meet the Revolutionaries, a new series where we put the spotlight on the incredible ROW members who are making waves in the world of workplace wellbeing. These are the change-makers, the ones who are rolling up their sleeves and getting to work, creating more inclusive, supportive, and mentally healthy environments for everyone.
In this episode, we’re introducing Rachel Ennis. Rachel, a Kiwi now based in Ireland, works in health, safety, and wellbeing within the Department of Justice. Though her career path to workplace wellbeing is anything but conventional, her passion lies in connecting people and sharing the powerful lessons we can all learn from one another.
Ennis has taken an unconventional path in her career. With a degree in ancient history and anthropology from the University of Auckland, you might expect her to be working in a museum or on an archaeological dig. Instead, she’s making waves in workplace health, safety, and wellbeing in the Irish public sector.
“My career has been very, very random,” Ennis says. But this diverse background has given her a unique perspective on the complex challenges of occupational health and safety in today’s changing work environment.
Now working in occupational health and safety for a central government department in Ireland, Ennis is studying for a Master’s in Systems Thinking and Practice. This approach has changed how she views workplace wellbeing:
“It’s actually changed my perception on how I see a lot of my job, which involves… social learning about going out into our organisation, finding the experiences of various employees, particularly those of middle managers, and putting together opportunities for us to connect and then learn and reflect on how we’re learning and how that applies to our health and safety systems.”
Watch the video to learn more about Ennis’s journey, her lessons learned and her number one tip for others in workplace wellbeing.
