We’ve been sold this idea that work and life are two separate things—one to survive, the other to enjoy. But here’s the truth: It’s all just life. The best workplaces don’t force people to "balance" their time between stress and fulfillment. They create cultures where work itself is a source of purpose, growth, and well-being.

That’s exactly what Teresa Roche, Chair of the Learning Innovation Laboratory at Harvard and CHRO at the City of Fort Collins, has helped build—an adaptive and well-being-driven organization where people don’t just work, they flourish.

Teresa Roche is a transformational HR leader with expertise in building well-being-driven workplaces. As CHRO of the City of Fort Collins, she has led innovative talent strategies, inclusion initiatives, and the Future of Work, shaping a culture where people and performance thrive. Previously, she drove leadership development at Agilent Technologies, ensuring 90% of senior roles were filled internally.

In this episode of the Happiness Squad Podcast, Ashish Kothari and Teresa Roche explore how leaders can start designing purposeful workplaces that fuel both performance and well-being.

Things you will learn in this episode:

• The myth of work-life balance

• The importance of building a workplace culture that prioritizes well-being

• Why well-being must be an organizational priority

• Why organizations need to make the systemic shift to promote wellness

• The ROI of creating flourishing organizations

• The role of leaders in driving a flourishing culture

The system needs to change! If you want to be a part of it, start by tuning into this epic episode.

Resources: ✅

• City of Fort Collins Health and Wellness Programs: https://larimer.senioraccesspoints.colostate.edu/blog/2021/11/16/city-of-fort-collins-health-and-wellness-programs/

• IFTF Palo Alto: https://www.iftf.org/

• Harvard Flourishing Network: https://hfh.fas.harvard.edu/flourishing-network-HFH

• Chief Learning Officer: https://resource.chieflearningofficer.com/chief-learning-officer-resource-center

• Related episode: https://podcast.happinesssquad.com/episode/the-power-of-purpose-driven-organizations-with-alex-edmans

• Alex Edman’s research proving that employee satisfaction leads to 2–3.5% incremental shareholder returns. https://alexedmans.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Finding-the-Purpose-of-Your-Business.pdf

• McKinsey Health Institute - A holistic health approach for employees: https://www.mckinsey.com/mhi/our-insights/reframing-employee-health-moving-beyond-burnout-to-holistic-health

• Oxford Economics on prioritizing workplace well-being: https://www.oxfordeconomics.com/resource/why-companies-should-prioritise-their-employees-wellbeing/

Books: ✅

• Hardwired for Happiness by Ashish Kothari: https://a.co/d/7cgP2X8