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Hacking wellbeing for engineers #1

9th May 2025
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Unlocking wellbeing for engineers #1 lady in silhoutee on bike in sunshine

Hacking wellbeing for engineers #1

In this lunch and learn session Jan Peters and Jo-Anne Tait on 8 May 2025 explored if and how low wellbeing can be tackled with engineers. Do the standard approaches work? Are engineers different? They shared the insights from their respective research. Jo-Anne from her PhD research based around interviews with engineers exploring why they tend not to seek help and support for wellbeing until they are at crisis point. And Jan offerred insights from a literature review undertaken for Warwick Manufacturing Group at Warwick University.

Here are notes captured from AI so you too can gain insights and maybe decide to watch the whole webinar. 

Unlocking Wellbeing for Engineers
26 June 2025 Birmingham Workshop

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It’s curious that until 2020, very few papers explored wellbeing among engineers. We wanted to know: Do they not experience this? Are they such great problem solvers that they have the answer to not feeling great? 

The reailty is not this. And it’s also not great. It’s becoming more widely appreicated that engineers are not seeking help and support until they are at crisis point – or as Jan said – “It’s life altering or life threatening”. 

While Tait found greater empathy for others than themselves, it’s apparent engineers need more tools in their Toolbox.  

Our June Workshop will give you those.

The next LinkedIn Live in this series is on 11 June 13:00 hrs BST and will explore strategies developed at Katalytik and RGU

Register for Linkedin Live

Key Takeaways

    • Engineers are often reluctant to seek help for mental health issues until problems become severe
    • There’s a need to incorporate wellbeing skills and awareness into engineering education and workplace cultures
    • Individualized, strengths-based approaches show promise for helping engineers develop resilience and thrive
    • Collaboration between academia and industry is key to driving systemic change around engineer wellbeing

 

Topics

    • Current State of Engineer Wellbeing
    • Graduate students 6x more likely to experience mental health issues vs general population
    • Engineering culture often celebrates stress, views it as normal/necessary
    • Students reluctant to seek help due to stigma, fear of appearing weak
    • Lack of referrals to support services from engineering departments
    • Challenges in Engineering Education
    • Curriculum still heavily lecture/assessment-based with little room for wellbeing
    • Students are changing but education methods are largely unchanged since the 1930s
    • Need to co-design interventions with current students
    • Difficult to systematically incorporate wellbeing into the technical curriculum

 

Promising Approaches

    • Strengths-based tools like CliftonStrengths to boost self-awareness
    • Mindfulness/meditation exercises integrated with engineering projects
    • Teaching reflection skills and providing space to practice them
    • Helping students develop personalized wellbeing strategies

 

Industry Perspectives Needed

    • How workplace cultures impact wellbeing long-term
    • What skills new graduates need to thrive in high-pressure environments
    • Ways to retain talent by supporting mental health

 

Next Steps for Systemic Change

    • Incorporate wellbeing into accreditation standards (e.g. UK AHEP)
    • Collaborate across academia and industry to drive cultural shifts
    • Continue research on effective interventions for engineers, specifically

Katalytik is holding a workshop exploring strategies ot hack wellbeing for engineers. 26 June 2025 at Conference Aston.

Unlocking wellbeing workshop registration

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Three questions you should ask yourself as this year draws to a close

23rd December 2024
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Newsletter header - image of jan peters in green cardigan hlding a microphone

Katalytik Dec 2024 Newsletter: 3 things to ask yourself

Newsletter header - image of jan peters in green cardigan hlding a microphone

It’s a shock to us, if not to you, that we are a quarter way through the 21st century. As our last newsletter of 2024 we want to send good wishes for a well deserved break, and offer 3 coaching questions to help you reflect on your year:

  1. What have you most surprised yourself with?
  2. What are you most pleased with?
  3. Who has made a difference to you this year? Tell them.

Our 2024

Our year has been full of celebrations, with the UCL Engineering Integrated Engineering Programme 10th anniversary early on. And it ended on a terrific high, as category winners at the Elektra Awards: best company supporting the education and training of engineers.  This comes with the amazing support of our clients and positive feedback from participants in our programmes. We love that our desire to do better and adapt is met with yours, together we are better and stronger!

Highlights of 2024 include sharing our Conflict and Communication whitepaper, adding the positive intelligence Saboteur and Sage tool to our portfolio, and working to provide tools and resources for client intranet pages to help keep CliftonStrengths alive. We’ll also be running our LinkedIn Challenge in the New Year and quarterly, maybe add it to one of your targets for the year, to spruce up your profile.

Workshop sessions for clients this past quarter have included teams at Schroders, GSK and Shell – exploring Cliftonstrengths, Saboteurs and Sages, and psychological safety to improve team performance and communication. As well as supporting more undergrad and early career researchers., adding KCL Natural Sciences to our valued clients.

What’s up for Katalytik in 2025?

Highlights for the coming year will be supporting the Ingenious programme with WES members across the country, writing up the study on the lives and careers of engineers, and transforming our wellbeing in engineering work into a more accessible workshop. There will be an online briefing, and a one-day symposium, and then we’ll be offering in-house workshops for you.

Keep a look out for a date in April for our wellbeing and engineering face-to-face workshop/seminar. If you fancy hosting it do give us a call.

As we turn the heating and lights off for the break, all remains is to wish you ha happy and healthy break, and whatever your celebration (there are so many this December) enjoy your time.

PS If you’d like to catch up and hear more, or check-in for a chat  just book a call

Jan and Helen in red tops

Jan (left) and Helen (right) have reflected on the past year

What have you most surprised yourself with?

Jan: I managed to dial into every session of the 17 Neurodiversity in coaching programme evening sessions.

Helen: Being able to stand on stage and introduce PhD students to CliftonStrengths

What are you most pleased with?

Jan: Seeing Helen take the stage and rock it.

Helen: Watching my daughter achieve her Masters.

Who has made a difference to you this year? Tell them.

Jan: Having Becca on the team and getting the White paper out

Helen: Seeing my coaching clients grow. 

solar power for katalytik - it heats our office and powers our servers.
Elektra Winner 2024
2024 3 big cheers (1)

That's a wrap on 2o years!

Our 20 years trading ended well with the Elektra Award, fabulous support from new team member Becca Perl with her wonderful copy editing and attention to detail, helpng our Whitepaper see the light of day; Helen celebrates taking an increasing role in delivering workshops and growing confidence leading online learning; and Sean McWhinnie continues to provide data support and insights through his skills and love of pivot tables.
Connectedness blindspots in text and a groupf of peopel with locked arms

Connectedness - the power and the blindspots

The CliftonStrength Connectedness® is a gift in many settings. It brings a big picture persepctive and sees connections innately across many things. Being a relationship theme time spent with people is a top priority and conflict not something to relish. This months CliftonStrengths blog explores the blindspots and strategies to keep the power and edge of this fabulous strength polished and sharp.

Wellbeing through Connectedness

wellbeing check in

Wellbeing through CliftonStrengths

We continue exploring CliftonStrengths focusing on wellbeing for one of the 34 themes each month - now it's time for Connectedness® to be explored through the five elements, defined in Gallup's research. Today, helping you unravel how to manage your wellbeing through the lens of your Connectedness®
career wellbeing

Career wellbeing

When you look at your world or work your power to conenct everyone to the team's goal and help them see the intersection is of huge value. Question: How is your team organised How do you help your colleagues see how they fit? Action: Take time to talk to colleagues and check in with how their role fits and how you compleement each other. How can you help colleague's align their strengths to tasks and goals.
social wellbeing 2

Social wellbeing

You can bring a calm during times of chaos and uncertainty because you see the whole as greater than its parts. Question: How have you helped a friend to get through tough times? Action: Reflect on how you can help others to see how you can help friends, family, and colleagues make peace with the past and have faith in what is to come. Find time to locate tools or activities to support you in this.
financial wellbeing

Financial wellbeing

You understand that no financial decision exists in isolation. Question: How have your buying (or investing) choices impacted your finances? Action: Reflect on how the tiniest choice you make is connected to the larger whole. Review your finances and check with how your plannng meets this strengths need.
physical wellbeing

Physical wellbeing

You may feel you are "at one" with nature and humanity and feel pulled to the outdoors. Question: What type of activity gives you the most energy? Do you need to do it alone or with others? Action: Consider spending more time outdoors hiking or running, connecting to your inner self and the world around you. Try yoga or martial arts.
community wellbeing

Community wellbeing

When the world is suffering, you feel a heightened sense of duty to bring people together and help them see that everything happens for a reason. Question: How can you bring others together? Action: Help others see that everything happens for a reason. Remind them their ability to unite generates more commitment to serious societal issues.

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Communication – strengths or weakness?

5th November 2024
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Blindpsot Communication blog a man is dominating the conversation

Communication – a strength or weakness?

The CliftonStrengths Communication theme is a gift in many settings. But Communication can present challenges and have the opposite of the effect you expect and impact your connection to others. An integral part of our dark side blog series, we offer tips to build your strengths-based practice and live a strengths-based life. 

Individuals with high Communication excel at finding the right words to express ideas vividly, share stories that stick, and engage audiences effectively. Yet, like all strengths, the Communication theme has potential blind spots—areas where over-reliance on or misapplication of this talent can lead to unintended consequences. Identifying and understanding these blind spots is vital if you are to make the most of this talent while staying grounded in authentic, constructive communication.

Understanding Communication as a Strength

Those high in Communication naturally think in words and enjoy describing, explaining, or “giving voice” to things. They typically value clarity and prefer to express themselves in a way that’s accessible to others. They also bring energy to group settings and often encourage team discussion by turning complex ideas into relatable, easily digestible messages. People with this theme can:

  • inspire,
  • motivate,
  • entertain, and
  • clarify

However, for all its potential, this talent can have limitations when not applied with balance.

Key Blind Spots of the Communication Strength

1. Talking More Than Listening

One of the most common blind spots for people with Communication is a tendency to talk more than listen. Because they’re naturally inclined to share their thoughts and elaborate on topics, they may unconsciously dominate conversations, leaving others feeling unheard. This can become a particular challenge in team environments, where shared input and collaboration are essential. Overuse of verbal expression may unintentionally crowd out other voices, which can impact trust and openness.

One of the most common blind spots for people with Communication is a tendency to talk more than listen

Overcoming This Blind Spot:
Actively practice pausing and inviting others to share your perspectives. (A must-read for you is Deep Listening by Oscar Trimboli.) Setting an intention to listen first before speaking helps balance (or, in fact, makes the conversation two-way!!) the dialogue. Inviting feedback from colleagues or friends helps you gain insight into how others perceive their own listening skills. Pausing to acknowledge others’ contributions can go a long way in building strong, trusting relationships.

2. Over-Reliance on Storytelling

Storytelling is a powerful tool, and people with high Communication naturally leverage stories to make their points memorable and impactful. However, there’s a fine line between insightful storytelling and overwhelming others with anecdotes. If overused, storytelling can dilute the focus of a conversation, particularly in situations where a concise, straightforward answer is more appropriate. Too many stories can feel like too much embellishment and your listeners’ may lose focus or even question your credibility.

Overcoming This Blind Spot:
Learning to assess when a story is relevant to the conversation—and when it’s not—is key. Before sharing a story, pause and consider if it adds value to the topic at hand. Setting the stage for storytelling by briefly stating the main point can also help you keep the narrative concise and impactful, rather than straying into unrelated details. Asking yourself, “Is this story helping clarify the message or adding noise?” – a tip I find acts as a helpful guide.

One of the most common blind spots for people with Communication is a tendency to talk more than listen

3. Preference for Verbal Communication Over Written Communication

Talking comes naturally. Writing, however, may not always be your preferred medium, and you might struggle with long, structured written tasks that require a different level of focus. The verbal fluency that Communication talent holders exhibit doesn’t always translate seamlessly to writing, which may require precision, structure, and brevity. In workplaces or situations where clear documentation is crucial, this preference can become a limitation.

Overcoming This Blind Spot:
Practice organizing your ideas before writing, just as you would outline a story before telling it. Taking the time to develop written structure and tone can improve clarity and ensure that your message comes across as intended. Additionally, using tools like bullet points and summaries helps break down complex messages for clarity, a technique to  build into your routine to strengthen your communication talent.

4. Difficulty Handling Ambiguity or Silence

Are you uncomfortable with ambiguity or silence in conversations? You may feel the need to fill the space with words, even when the situation might call for reflection or quiet. This tendency can sometimes lead to saying things without full consideration, potentially resulting in miscommunication. Inadvertently, you may also push others into feeling rushed or pressured to speak before they’re ready, which can hinder genuine sharing and problem-solving.

Overcoming This Blind Spot:
Practicing being comfortable with silence and learning to read the room are valuable skills to nurture. Always seek to  remind yourself that pauses allow others time to process information, and this can lead to more thoughtful responses. Developing patience with moments of silence can also deepen interpersonal connections, as it shows openness to listening and understanding at a deeper level. Again, refer to Oscar Trimboli.

5. Appearing Superficial or Lacking Depth

Your ability to convey ideas in simple terms, because of your Communication talent means you may be perceived as being superficial. While you can make complex ideas seem easy to understand, this tendency can sometimes come across as lacking depth, especially when discussing intricate or nuanced subjects. This perception can impact your credibility, which is a great reason to stay tuned in to it especially in professional settings where expertise and detailed understanding are valued.

Overcoming This Blind Spot:
Being able to show the depth behind your ideas will help. Be ready to share additional information or acknowledge complexities that may not be fully covered in a quick summary. This can divert potential criticisms, encourage or deflect alternative perspectives to show that you’ve considered multiple sides of the topic. Asking for others’ viewpoints can also demonstrate that you value depth and are open to richer discussions.

6. Overwhelming Others with Information

Communication-oriented individuals often possess a wealth of information on various topics, which they’re eager to share. The risk of overwhelming others with excessive detail, especially if you are inclined to go off on tangents or over-explain can cause confusion, fatigue, and even frustration in listeners, particularly in fast-paced or high-stakes situations.

Overcoming This Blind Spot:
The key here is to focus on delivering information that’s relevant and concise. Practicing the art of summarization can be helpful. Always keep an eye on what the main takeaway should be and limit your message to that core point. By practicing brevity and learning to “edit” your verbal contributions, you can keep conversations productive and engaging. Some may enjoy the art of graphic recording.

Communication-oriented individuals often possess a wealth of information on various topics, which they’re eager to share.

Final Thoughts

Awareness of these blind spots allows individuals with the Communication strength to become more intentional and self-aware in their interactions. Communication is a powerful tool, but like all strengths, it’s most effective when balanced with listening, adaptability, and sensitivity to others. By developing these skills, people high in Communication can maximize their impact, create authentic connections, and truly elevate their message.

Six quick tips to stop over communicating

  1. Action to Balance Talking with Listening

Practice Active Listening Techniques:

  • Start conversations by asking a question and waiting to respond until the other person finishes sharing.
  • Use reflective listening by summarizing what you heard before adding your thoughts. This reinforces listening and helps others feel valued.

Quick Tip: Set a timer for 1-2 minutes and let others share without interrupting. Aim to listen fully before responding.

  1. Action to Focus Storytelling

Consider the Purpose of Your Story:

  • Before sharing an anecdote, ask yourself, “How does this story add to my main message?”
  • Practice telling stories with a time limit (e.g., 2 minutes) to hone concise storytelling skills. Aim to deliver only the most relevant details.

Quick Tip: Try to finish your story with a direct takeaway or insight, connecting it back to the topic at hand.

  1. Action to Strengthen Written Communication

Practice Outlining Before Writing:

  • Before you begin writing, jot down a few bullet points to structure your thoughts. This will help you stay focused on the main points and maintain clarity.
  • Use editing tools (e.g., Grammarly, Hemingway) to refine your writing for brevity and readability.

Quick Tip: Write a short summary or “headline” for your written message first. This can serve as a guide for keeping your message on track.

  1. Action to Embrace Silence in Conversations

Count to Three Before Responding:

  • After someone else speaks, pause and count to three before responding. This gives others a moment to add more thoughts and prevents you from filling the silence too quickly.
  • Practice mindfulness or breathing exercises before meetings to develop comfort with pauses and reflective moments.

Quick Tip: During team discussions, remind yourself that silence is an opportunity for deeper reflection and that you don’t need to fill every pause.

  1. Action to Show Depth and Credibility

Prepare Key Facts or Data Points:

  • Before important meetings or discussions, come prepared with a few well-researched data points or examples to support your main points. This can help you convey credibility and depth.
  • When sharing ideas, add a brief mention of any sources or prior experiences that back your perspective.

Quick Tip: Think about adding one “supporting detail” for each main point you make to show depth without overwhelming others.

  1. Action to Avoid Overloading Others with Information

Practice the Rule of Three:

  • Aim to share no more than three main points or pieces of information at a time. This can prevent your message from becoming overly detailed or complex.
  • Practice summarizing complex ideas into one or two sentences first, and save extra details for when they’re requested.

Quick Tip: End with a question like, “Would you like to hear more about that?” to let others decide if they want further detail.

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Video stories

26th October 2021
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Our research reports and projects always have a ‘so what?’ factor about them. We have taken this talent and in partnership with Major Minor Media have produced a series of video stories to encapsulate the learning from projects and events. Katalytik was commissioned by…

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