Return to Work: A Conversation with Katy Tombaugh of Wellness Collective

Like a lot of you, we’ve been talking about the so-called “return to work” for a while—thinking about how to maintain equitable practices in remote work, and how to support women and caregivers in the return to work. We’ve been chatting with our clients and those in our networks about their unique approaches, and the keys to ensuring equity along the way. I recently had a conversation with a connection we’ve had since the early days of Gild Collective—Katy Tombaugh of Wellness Collective.

Wellness Collective is a learning and development company focused on employee health, fitness and well-being with a mission to transform businesses and lives through health and happiness. As we’ve gotten to know Founder and CEO, Katy, we’ve been inspired by what a true dedication to wellness can do for individuals—especially in the workplace.

When Katy and I got to talking about many organizations returning to in-person work, or taking a hybrid approach, we connected on a few topics:

  • The impact of quick transition due to the pandemic, especially on women in the workplace

  • Potential challenges of a hybrid workplace—presenteeism, underrepresentation and continued burnout

  • Awareness of mental health challenges and what organizations can do to create a supportive and inclusive culture for those navigating those challenges

  • Opportunities to incorporate intention and mindfulness into the transition to move toward healthy work practices

I’m always so refreshed by Katy’s perspective, which you can get more of on Wellness Collective’s new podcast, Health & Happiness @ Work.