HR Insights: The Podcast, Series 6 - From Panic to Power: Achieving Workplace Safety with ROAR

*TRIGGER WARNING: Contains references to assault that some listeners may find distressing*

Welcome back to the first episode of HR Insights: The Podcast after our mid-season break! We are very excited to start this new year with a very important topic. 

Amid increasing cases of workplace violence, safety at work has never been more paramount. This week, our CEO and host, Stuart Elliott sits down with Social Entrepreneur and CEO of ROAR,Yasmine Mustafa. ROAR have developed unique wearable technology in the form of a panic button to ensure safety, improve well-being and increase job satisfaction across all industries. 

Yasmine and Stuart discuss ROAR's inception and how the Panic Button Solution functions to foster a culture of safety within workplaces, particularly those experiencing a rise in violence and incivility such as healthcare, hospitality and retail industries. Yasmine also talks through the consequences of neglecting to protect workers and HR’s role in ensuring solutions are put in place to prevent this. From astonishing data, she shows how the adoption of ROAR into a business can result in an immediate shift in staff’s morale and perception of safety, with a newfound ‘shield’ that not only protects their wellbeing, but improves productivity.

With over 15 years of leadership experience in the tech industry, including the successful sale of her first company, 123LinkIt in 2009, Yasmine is a driving force for positive change and balancing profits with purpose. A former refugee and undocumented immigrant, she draws upon her unique life experiences to lead ROAR in its mission to empower and protect workers across all industries. Her journey is a testament to her resilience and unwavering commitment. Yasmine has earned recognition from the BBC where she was named one of the Top 100 women, CNBC’s Upstart 100 and has spoken on prestigious platforms such as TEDx where she has shared her deep passion for positive change through harnessing technology.

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Key Timestamps:

• 01:15 – Intro to Yasmine Mustafa
• 03:20 – How ROAR manifested itself
• 07:28 – How the panic button works 
• 11:20 – What is causing the rise in violence and incivility in the workplace?
• 15:13 – The tangible and intangible consequences of not protecting a worker
• 18:28 – The role of HR in enhancing workplace safety
• 22:15 – Yasmine’s top recommendation to HR professionals for fostering a safe working environment
• 25:05 – The financial benefits of adopting ROAR into an organisation