In this episode of the All Inclusive Podcast, we welcome Dr Victoria Verlezza, People and Culture Strategist. With more than 20 years of experience in leadership, workplace culture, and employee experience, Victoria has helped organisations design more inclusive and equitable environments where people can thrive.

Victoria unpacks why most leaders are getting feedback wrong—and how vague or biased feedback damages retention, employee engagement, and performance. She shares practical strategies for giving feedback that fuels growth, supporting neurodivergent employees, and building cultures rooted in psychological safety and accountability. Connect with Dr Victoria Verlezza

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-verlezza/ Email: victoria@victoriaverlezzaphd.com

🎧 Subscribe for more episodes on inclusive leadership, workplace culture, and building businesses where people belong.

👩🏾 Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natasha-rainey-/

Episode Highlights 0:00 – Introduction 3:15 – Why most leaders get workplace feedback wrong 7:25 – Bias in feedback: how it shows up in performance reviews 12:40 – Feedback and retention: why vague comments drive talent away 17:55 – Neurodiversity at work: supporting employees with clear feedback 23:40 – Practical tips for managers to give better feedback 29:15 – Final advice on building inclusive workplace cultures

In this episode of the All Inclusive Podcast, we welcome back Gareth Whalley, Founder and Chief Connection Officer of Big Bang People Solutions. Gareth shares what he’s learned about leadership, workplace culture, and inclusion from working with organisations across multiple industries.

With over 20 years in corporate HR before launching his own business, Gareth has seen inside companies of all sizes — spotting the patterns, gaps, and opportunities that many leaders miss. He reveals how external pressures are changing inclusion strategies, why recognition is one of the most underused tools for building a strong culture, and what truly drives employee engagement across different workplaces.

Connect with Gareth:

🤝 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garethwhalley/

🌐 Big Bang People Solutions: https://www.bigbangpeople.com/

🎧 Subscribe for more episodes on inclusive leadership, workplace culture, and building businesses where people belong.

👩🏾 Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: / natasha-rainey-

Episode Highlights

00:00 – Introduction

01:20 – Lessons from leaving corporate HR for a new chapter

05:05 – Surprising leadership patterns Gareth sees across companies

09:40 – Why leaders can’t do it all alone

14:15 – Key leadership lessons from working with many organisations

20:50 – How global and political shifts impact workplace culture

28:30 – The overlooked culture booster most companies ignore

37:10 – Gareth’s one piece of advice for living and working authentically

What does it really take to build a workplace culture people actually believe in? In this episode of the All Inclusive Podcast, I sit down with Adiat Baker, Global Inclusion and Social Impact Strategist at Mintel, to uncover why so many workplace culture commitments have failed—and how leaders can turn those promises into something real.

Together, we explore the common pitfalls that make culture feel like a buzzword, the power of aligning inclusion with business strategy, and the critical role of language, leadership, and consistency in creating trust. Adiat also shares how she’s helping Mintel weave inclusion into the DNA of the business, making it more than just a statement on a slide deck.

If you want to move past empty pledges and start building a workplace your people can truly believe in, this conversation is for you. 🤝 Connect with Adiat Baker on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adiat-baker-69b4858/

🎧 Subscribe for more episodes on inclusive leadership, workplace culture, and building businesses where people belong.

👩🏾 Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natasha-rainey-

Episode Highlights

00:00 – Introduction 01:05 – Adiat Baker’s path to Mintel and inclusion work 04:20 – Why 2020 commitments didn’t last 08:40 – Embedding inclusion into the heart of the business 14:15 – Overcoming resistance and getting leadership buy-in 19:35 – The power of language and communication in culture 25:10 – Lessons for leaders building culture that lasts