Self management

Managers and burnout – put your own oxygen mask on first!

One of the new trends observed in the Ombud’s Office in 2022 was supervisors feeling a lack of support.

No, don’t do anything!

In 2022, less than 11% of visitors authorised the Ombud to take action. Mostly for fear of negative consequences. Why?

CERN’s psychologists are here for you

The consultation of a psychologist is often perceived by the colleagues I receive as a step too difficult to take. These prejudices are outdated and here is why.

A brain-friendly approach to providing feedback

In this article, I would like to offer another perspective on providing feedback, using neuroscience lessons on how the brain reacts to it

Mutual learning: let’s give it a chance in 2023!

As 2023 starts, let me wish you all a great year and assure you all of my support!  I’d like to share with you how, by choosing to operate in our team, group, section, etc., from a mutual learning mindset, each of us can enhance collaboration and, just as importantly, b

Let’s make the most of the end-of-year break

As the year draws to a close, many of us will be thinking about the good and the not so good developments of the last 12 months – in both our private and our professional lives.

The harm that misunderstandings can cause

The origin of the word “misunderstanding” is clear: it combines the prefix “mis-”, meaning badly or wrongly, with the noun “understanding”. So a misunderstanding is when something has been understood wrongly. 

Quiet quitting

Although I am very much aware of inter-generational differences, I had not realised how the millennial and Gen Z attitude to work could be, in general, so different from the mindset of Baby Boomers (my generation).

Coping with pervasive anxiety

Thursday, 28 July was Earth Overshoot Day – the date when humanity has consumed all the resources that the earth can sustainably produce for the entire year. When we are faced with this anxiety-inducing reality day after day, it’s easy to let ourselves be influenced and

A duty of care to junior colleagues

In 2021, 20% of the visitors to the Ombud’s office were under 30. I would like to share with you the main issues and concerns that affected them.