Wellbeing at TONIC

I’m so excited to be stepping into the role of Wellbeing Lead here at TONIC.

As a qualified yoga instructor and Samaritans volunteer, supporting mental health and wellbeing is something I’ve always been passionate about. Being able to bring that into my day-to-day work and help shape a culture where wellbeing is part of the foundation, is something I’m truly thrilled about.

This is a new role at TONIC, and while I’m just getting started, the team has already built a strong culture of care and connection. Initiatives like weekly ‘walk and talks’ and access to external supervision are already in place and well received. These kinds of practices have sent a clear message from the day I began working at TONIC, wellbeing matters here.

My first few weeks in this role have been focused on listening, planning, and sourcing ideas that can build on what we already do to help embed wellbeing even more deeply into the way we work. Given the emotionally complex nature of many of the interviews the team conduct during fieldwork phases, it is essential that we’re equipped to manage the impact this work can have on us as individuals. To maintain the integrity and depth of our research, we also need to ensure that we’re looking after ourselves, so that we can continue to show up with clarity, empathy, and resilience.

Over the next few months, we’ll be rolling out a range of initiatives designed to support the team’s wellbeing in meaningful, accessible ways. These include:

• Weekly internal wellbeing newsletters, sharing resources, reflections and tips

• Themed wellbeing months, focusing on topics like stress, rest, boundaries and purpose, each supported with curated tools and materials

• Practical training on topics such as mental health awareness, emotional resilience, and psychological safety in the workplace

• Monthly yoga sessions, offering space to unwind, recharge, and reconnect as a team

Ultimately, one of the core goals at TONIC is to create a workplace where everyone feels supported, seen and able to bring their whole selves to work. Wellbeing shouldn’t be something we fit in around the edges, it should be central to how we work, collaborate and grow together. I’m really looking forward to seeing how these initiatives evolve and working closely with the team to continue ensuring wellbeing is a shared, lived priority at TONIC.  

Written by Phoebe Exelby, Researcher & Analyst, September 2025