Ep. 38 - Making Work Less Brutal with Rachel Cooke

What if the answer to burnout isn’t doing less, but designing work differently?

In this episode, Kim and Jada sit down with Rachel Cooke, founder of Lead Above Noise, host of the Modern Mentor podcast, and a leading voice on creating healthier, more sustainable ways of working.

After leaving a successful corporate HR career, Rachel set out to challenge the belief that exhaustion is simply the cost of success. What she discovered is that many organizations focus on changing structures, roles, and reporting lines while overlooking the day-to-day realities of how work actually gets done.

Together, they explore:

• Why work has become more complicated than it needs to be
• How small shifts can create meaningful relief for overwhelmed teams
• The connection between wellbeing, engagement, and performance
• Why leaders don't have to have all the answers during uncertainty

Rachel shares powerful stories from hospitals, boardrooms, and organizations navigating burnout, reminding us that transformation rarely starts with sweeping changes. More often, it begins with listening, experimenting, and making work just a little bit better for the people doing it.

She also offers a refreshing perspective on career growth, leadership, and the future: there is no perfect plan. You take a step, and then you make it right.

If you're leading through uncertainty, questioning old ways of working, or searching for practical ways to create a healthier culture, this conversation is for you.

Because better workplaces aren't built through bigger policies or more processes. They are built through intentional choices, shared responsibility, and the courage to redesign work in ways that help people thrive.

Want to hear more from our guest? Be sure to check out her personal podcast, Modern Mentor, where she shares practical insights and strategies to help you lead, work, and grow with confidence. Listen here: https://pod.link/modernmentor