Here in Australia, over two thirds of our young people report feeling lonely one or more days a week, and 39% report experiencing high levels of loneliness.

These alarming stats, captured in Medibank’s 4th We Are Lonely Index, underscore an urgent need for connection and community. A need that today’s guest, Karen Oldaker, is driven to serve.  

Last year, Karen and I shared the stage at the Workplace Wellness Festival to discuss Medibank’s second season of the podcast "We Are Lonely", and the vital work her leadership is championing. Reuniting for this episode felt like a long overdue sequel to our discussions, and our follow up today delved deeper into the complexities of loneliness and the power of connection. 

What I most admire about Karen, beyond her resilience and dedication to social change, is her willingness and skill in sharing stories of lived experience, to foster inclusive dialogues that bridge personal perspectives with a broader, compassionate understanding of societal issues. 

During our conversation, Karen shared powerful personal stories about her mother, who silently endured mental illness and loneliness for as long as Karen can remember. Despite her challenges, her mother's fierce commitment to social activism profoundly shaped Karen's own courage and compassion.

“And so for me at Medibank, I currently have the portfolios of employee wellbeing, employee health management, workplace relations, but also the community arm in leading our 10 year commitment around loneliness. 

But prior to that, I've had a really strong part to play in the narrative of corporate Australia in mental health. And I think what's actually drew me to that, which I probably didn't realise at the time, was being brought up in a family where my mother was mentally unwell. And we probably, I really didn't know that until I was a lot older. And she was also incredibly lonely. 

And again, it sort of dawned on me as we were going through some of the conversations and research and discovery in the loneliness space. And it was this moment of time where I just went -  Oh goodness, that's mum. I don't know how I missed that. 

And I wish I'd have known what I know now, cause my conversations would have been different.”

In this episode we discuss:

• The role lived experience plays in informal education that shapes change, and how family values and experiences can shape our personal and professional purpose

• The current statistics of loneliness in Australia, and the impact lack of connection is having on our young people in particular

• The role mentors can play in facilitating conversations and opportunities for meaningful connections, and the significant impact that has on life outcomes

• The importance of having supportive personal networks, to buffer against loneliness and engage more meaningfully in family, community and workplace relationships

• The changing perceptions of leadership and the increasing acceptance of vulnerability in professional settings

• The specifics of Medibank’s initiatives under Karen’s leadership, in particular, the stories and lessons learned from creating the podcast, We Are Lonely

• The societal shifts in understanding and addressing mental health and loneliness

• The growing awareness and focus of women’s health and its impact on our life and work, and the important conversations happening to ensure greater understanding and action

• The conditions of privilege that enable some minority group members to serve as communicators for change, and the environmental and societal risk factors that prevent others from disclosing their differences and experiences

   

LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE HERE 

 Links to resources discussed in the episode:

• Read more about Medibank’s 10 year commitment to loneliness, and the research underpinning their commitment here 
• Listen to season 2 of the ‘We Are Lonely’ podcast here 
• Listen back to Ep 33 of Classroom 5.0 here, where I share greater context on psycho-social safety protocols for workplaces in Australia
• For a greater understanding of psychological safety and its role in promoting inclusive workplaces, see episode 2 with Karen Stein of Deloitte here 
• To further explore what hinders and helps disclosures around neurodivergent differences and needs at work, catch the interview I did with Unmind here

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