Client: UKG – a global leader in HR, payroll, and workforce management solutions
Reach: 3,000+ employees | Global workforce | Cross-ERG collaboration
Format: Global Mental Load Speaker Series (4-part programme)

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Overview

UKG is known for its commitment to creating a workplace where people feel supported, valued, and able to perform at their best. As part of their ongoing investment in employee wellbeing and belonging, UKG partnered with executive coach and leadership development expert Nicky Lowe to curate and deliver a first-of-its-kind global Mental Load Speaker Series.

The initiative brought together internationally recognised researchers, authors, and practitioners to explore the “mental load” – the invisible cognitive work involved in remembering, planning, organising, and managing life at work and at home.

Over 3,000 UKG employees worldwide participated, making this one of the most successful and widely engaged wellbeing programmes delivered through their Employee Resource Group (ERG) network.

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The Challenge

Like many organisations committed to supporting employees as they navigate responsibilities both inside and outside the workplace – and to creating environments where people can thrive – UKG recognised a growing challenge.

Many employees were carrying a heavy, often invisible cognitive load that affected their wellbeing, focus, and energy both at home and in the workplace.

The mental load is not a personal failing; it is a widespread human experience that shows up differently across cultures, families, genders, and roles.

UKG’s ERG leaders saw an opportunity to bring this conversation into the open.

What if employees had the language, tools, and support to talk about it openly? And what if the workplace could be part of the solution?

One such initiative emerged when Mille Holst Barry, Field Alliance Director and leader of the FIRE Up ERG, recognised the opportunity to address this often-unspoken challenge.

Mille envisioned a programme that could:

• open supportive conversations across the organisation
• give employees language to describe their experience
• provide practical tools to manage competing demands
• strengthen collaboration across ERGs
  

To bring this vision to life, UKG partnered with Nicky Lowe to design and deliver a global speaker series.

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The Solution: A Global Mental Load Speaker Series

Working closely with UKG’s ERG leaders, Nicky Lowe designed and delivered a four-part virtual speaker series featuring world-leading experts in mental load, cognitive labour, and family systems.

Speakers included:

• Dr. Kate Mangino – gender expert and author of Equal Partners
• Dr. Molly Dickens – neuroscientist and co-founder of the Maternal Stress Project
• Dr. Sharmila Logithas – certified Fair Play facilitator specialising in the division of cognitive labour
• Nicky Lowe – executive coach and creator of Wisdom For Working Mums
  

The series was offered across 6 global ERGs, reaching employees in the UK, Europe, the United States, APAC, and beyond.

Each session explored:

• understanding the mental load in everyday life
• how invisible cognitive tasks show up in the workplace
• cultural and family norms that shape expectations
• practical frameworks such as the Fair Play system
• tools for communicating, rebalancing responsibilities, and reducing overwhelm
• real stories from employees navigating the mental load at home and at work
  

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Impact Snapshot

The Mental Load Speaker Series delivered measurable impact across UKG’s global workforce:

• 3,000+ employees engaged globally
  
• 94% of participants said the sessions met or exceeded expectations
  
• One of the most widely attended ERG-led wellbeing initiatives of the year
  
• Cross-ERG collaboration across multiple global communities
  

Impact & Outcomes

1. Employees felt seen, understood, and supported

For many participants, simply gaining the language to describe what they were carrying was transformative. Employees shared that the sessions helped them feel recognised and validated.

2. Global engagement exceeded expectations

Over 3,000 UKG employees participated, making it one of the highest-attended wellbeing and ERG initiatives of the year.

3. Practical tools created real behaviour change

The introduction of the Fair Play card system sparked follow-up conversations at home and work. Employees reported using the tools to rebalance responsibilities with partners, communicate more openly, and reduce stress.

4. Strengthened sense of community and belonging

Because the series spanned multiple ERGs, it created connections across cultures, teams, and time zones, reinforcing UKG’s people-first ethos.

5. Positive ripple effects at work

Participants shared that the sessions helped them:

• set healthier boundaries
• communicate capacity more clearly
• reduce burnout
• understand invisible tasks within teams
• distribute responsibilities more fairly
• create better balance in demanding roles
  

What Participants Said

Alongside strong engagement and satisfaction data, participant feedback highlighted the real-world impact of the series – from increased awareness to practical, actionable change.

“Timing has been epic and the content is hitting very close to home.”

“Enlightening info that is actionable.”

“The general approach to mental load was very informative and helpful for self-reflection.”

“Having outside speakers who are experts in their fields provides a different level of detail which I appreciate.”

“Great topic! Multiple approaches to challenges we all face are appreciated.”

6. Enhanced ERG leadership impact

ERG leaders reported strong feedback, high attendance, and new momentum for future collaborative wellbeing initiatives.

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What UKG Leaders Said

Quotes from UKG leaders will be added here once approved.

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Why This Matters

UKG’s Mental Load Speaker Series is a powerful example of what can happen when organisations invest in the whole person- not just the employee.

By acknowledging the realities people carry outside the office, UKG strengthened:

✔ employee wellbeing
✔ engagement
✔ belonging
✔ team communication
✔ overall capacity to perform at work

This case study shows that when companies open conversations about the mental load, they create conditions in which people can bring their best selves — both at home and at work.

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Looking Ahead

The success of the series has created momentum for continued conversations about the mental load and how organisations can better support employees navigating complex responsibilities.

For UKG, it reinforced the organisation’s commitment to building a culture where people feel supported, connected, and able to thrive.

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Interested in Bringing a Similar Programme to Your Organisation?

Nicky Lowe partners with organisations globally to design evidence-based leadership and wellbeing programmes that support employees to thrive at work and in life.

→ Learn more about partnering with Nicky