My name is Katherine Montabana, and I’m currently interning at Roffey park in Dublin for the summer. I’m from the United States and going into my fourth year at Purdue University, where I study Brain and Behavioural Sciences with a minor in Anthropology. With a background in leadership research and a growing interest in workplace culture, I’ve been reflecting on how well-being and mental health are shaped by the environments we work in. Especially across different cultures, including my own. This blog is a way for me to explore and share those reflections throughout my time here.
Deciding to move abroad and work for the summer was something that excited me. I knew I would be stepping into some uncomfortable situations; it is a new culture after all. My goal was to become comfortable with being uncomfortable. I anticipated differences in expectations and workplace norms. However, what I did not realize was how deeply those differences would influence the way I experienced daily life at work. It was not just about new slang or unfamiliar systems; it was about unlearning the silent rules I had accepted as normal and beginning to understand how those unspoken beliefs shaped my well-being and sense of self in a professional setting.
Back home in the United States, work had always felt more formal, more structured. There was always a certain performance of professionalism. I was used to measuring value by productivity and busyness. In contrast, here at Roffey Park, I was in a space where people seemed to move at a pace that was less intense but still got everything done.
Things felt different here in Ireland. There was more small talk and informal conversation. People asked how I was doing and waited for a real answer. The reminders to take a break and step away from my work for a moment felt unusual. That kind of softness at work felt unfamiliar, and yet deeply human.
Workplace culture lives in micro-moments. It is not just about the policies we write. It is about how people speak to one another, how rest is treated, and whether seeking help is welcomed or judged. These small things send powerful messages about what is truly valued. For me, adjusting to a new country has offered the chance to see those messages more clearly, as well as question the ones I had internalized without ever realizing.
This is not just about me. It is about what kind of environments we are all helping to build, consciously or not. If you are a leader or simply someone who influences others at work, this is a moment for reflection. Mental health and well-being at work is not just about access to therapy or wellness programs. It is about whether your team feels safe, seen, and supported in the everyday moments. It is about the silent messages your culture sends about value, rest, and asking for help.
If those silent signals contradict your well-being goals, your people will notice. They will respond accordingly, whether that means hiding their struggles, burning out quietly, or disengaging altogether. It does not have to be that way.
Here are some questions worth considering:
- What silent rules shape your team’s understanding of value and rest?
- How are your well-being efforts going beyond word and being backed by behaviours?
- What is your employee’s experience of mental health in your culture?
- Are people encouraged to be authentic at work, or are masks being worn and even encouraged?
As I continue this journey over the next few weeks, I hope to keep noticing the small details. The ways culture shapes well-being, the moments that build or break psychological safety, and the subtle shift in how I show up at work. I want to stay curious, to keep unlearning what no longer serves me, and to learn from the people around me. My goal is not just to adapt but to reflect, connect, and carry these lessons forward.
