Strategic Advisory And Leadership Development On Workplace Wellbeing
Helping organisations strengthen leadership, improve work design, and build the conditions for sustainable performance.
Where Research meets Practice
Most work on employee wellbeing sits in one of two worlds: academic research that rarely reaches the people who need it, or corporate programmes built on instinct rather than evidence.
My work sits between the two. I have spent more than 20 years leading large teams at organisations including Google and Mastercard, and led the World Wellbeing Movement at the University of Oxford, focused on what the evidence actually shows about wellbeing and performance at work.
Strong evidence exists, but it is often difficult to access and even harder to apply. My work focuses on closing that gap, making the evidence clear, usable and relevant to how organisations actually operate.
Years in Corporate Leadership
In Class, MSc Behavioural Science, LSE
Working on Wellbeing podcast downloads
Led Team growth, Mastercard European Tech Hub
How I Work With Organisations
Every organisation is different, but my work typically falls into three areas.
Through strategic advisory, I help organisations assess their current approach to workplace wellbeing, identify strengths and gaps, and develop practical recommendations that support both wellbeing and organisational performance.
Through leadership development, I design and deliver workshops, leadership programmes and manager training that help leaders create the conditions for wellbeing, engagement and sustainable performance.
Through research translation, I help organisations understand and apply insights from workplace wellbeing research, turning complex evidence into practical action.
Depending on the scope of the engagement, I may work alongside trusted collaborators whose expertise complements my own, ensuring each client has access to the right expertise and capabilities for their needs.
Research and Publications
Work Wellbeing Playbook
Lead co-author of the Work Wellbeing Playbook, published by the World Wellbeing Movement in partnership with the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford, and Indeed. The Playbook is a living review of the evidence on the most effective interventions for improving workplace wellbeing. It distils key insights into an accessible, high-level summary to support busy professionals.
MindForward Alliance Thriving at Work Framework
Co-author of the MindForward Alliance Thriving at Work Framework (2024), an updated, evidence-based global framework developed by MindForward Alliance in collaboration with the World Wellbeing Movement. The Framework provides a clear roadmap to help organisations build mentally healthy workplaces, drawing on global best practice, academic research, and insights from over 100 organisations.
Could This Have Been a Voice Note?
Lead author of “Could This Have Been a Voice Note? An Experiment Comparing Voice Notes and Emails” (2026), published in Computers in Human Behavior Reports. The study examines how communication medium, specifically email versus voice notes, affects negative interpretation bias in asynchronous workplace communication, with a focus on the role of ambiguity in shaping how messages are interpreted.
Articles and Commentary
Reflecting On Four Years Leading The World Wellbeing Movement
What I learnt from Season Three of the Working on Wellbeing podcast
Undoing DEI: The Flawed Logic of Corporate Backtracking
Measure what you treasure: How (and why) you should track wellbeing at work
Reflecting on Season 2 of the Working On Wellbeing podcast
Wellbeing is not a luxury. It’s a basic human right which the next government must protect
How we created a playbook of proven workplace wellbeing interventions
Belonging: The often overlooked tool for building wellbeing
What I’ve learned from interviewing some of the world’s leading wellbeing experts
How we can tackle the Workplace Wellbeing Paradox
12 Behavioural Science book recommendations
5 ways how we work now will influence the future of work
How to prepare for a job that doesn’t exist yet in 4 simple steps
The Evolution of Work
Mentoring: A call to arms for advancing gender balance
Can returnships and flexible working close Ireland’s gender gap?
Work Wellbeing Testimonials.
Sarah uniquely pairs her academic research into work wellbeing with hands-on experience of improving employee wellbeing in a large multinational.
“I worked with Sarah for many great years whilst she led the Dublin Tech Hub for Mastercard. She is a wonderful colleague, always true to her core beliefs and continually learning and innovating. She led the business continuity effort during the pandemic, minimising business impact for our customers but foremost ensuring the wellbeing of our employees during this highly challenging time. During her tenure as Tech Hub lead she supported significant growth, doubling our employee base in Dublin in just a few years. She was instrumental in spearheading the design and launch of our new state of art office space. As a recognised thought leader in future of work and D&I, Sarah ensured these values were embedded into all our working strategies.”
Grace Hayes, Executive Vice President at Mastercard
“When Prof Lord Richard Layard and I established the World Wellbeing Movement, we were looking for someone who could help bridge the gap between wellbeing science and the realities of organisational leadership and performance, while also building a new social impact organisation from the ground up. Sarah brought both deep expertise in the science and practice of workplace wellbeing, and substantial leadership experience from organisations including Mastercard and Google.
As Managing Director, she played a central role in shaping the World Wellbeing Movement during its formative years, helping establish it as a respected international voice at the intersection of wellbeing science, business, and public policy, and steering the organisation to registered charity status. She is also co-lead author of the Work Wellbeing Playbook, and has played a significant role in translating complex academic evidence into practical guidance for organisations seeking to improve wellbeing and performance at work.
Alongside this, Sarah built a strong values-led culture within the organisation itself, while representing the Movement effectively across public speaking, media, and strategic partnerships.”
Co-Founder World Wellbeing Movement
“Working with Sarah on the Work Wellbeing Playbook was an exceptional experience. Her ability to translate a vast and complex evidence base into something practical, accessible, and genuinely useful for organisations is impressive. She brings both strategic clarity and deep subject-matter expertise, while fostering a collaborative and thoughtful working environment. The Playbook is a testament to her leadership—bridging rigorous research with real-world impact to help organisations improve workplace wellbeing in meaningful ways.”
Dr Cherise Regier, Research Fellow,Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford
“We need to work harder to connect the dots between our workplace wellbeing initiatives, insights from science-based research, and the wider working environment. We cannot simply treat workplace wellbeing in isolation. Doing so will inevitably lead to a jarring disconnect between wellbeing benefits and company culture.”
Let’s connect
If you’re looking for a speaker, exploring coaching, or would like to start a conversation, I’d love to hear from you. Every engagement begins with a conversation about what matters most to you and your organisation.
You can reach me by filling out this form, connect with me on LinkedIn, or email me at sarah@sarahlouisecunningham.com.
With very best wellbeing wishes
Sarah
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