Episode 120: A Case for Mental Health First Aid

About this episode

Nicole Van Heel discusses the importance of mental health first aid in the workplace and how it impacts culture and employee well-being.

Nicole is the Director of Human Resources at Bauer Design Build, where she leads people strategy with a focus on building people-first workplaces that align culture with business growth. Her work sits at the intersection of culture, operational reality, and mental health, creating environments where people feel seen, supported, and safe to speak up. With experience in highly structured industries and a pivot into construction, she brings a practical, real-world perspective on what actually builds trust in tough, traditional environments, and why presence matters more than programs. Nicole is also a certified Mental Health First Aid Instructor and passionate mental health advocate who has trained over 40% of her organization in recognizing, responding to, and supporting coworkers in distress. She believes mental health belongs not just in benefits conversations, but as a leadership and operational priority that directly impacts culture, retention, and employee well-being. Beyond HR, Nicole is a proud mom of two (who may or may not cringe at her cheering from the sidelines), the wife of a first responder, a lover of books, sparkles, pastries, and coffee. Guest: Nicole Van Heel |…

People in this episode

Host: Becky Lauseng

Guest: Nicole Van Heel

Topics covered

• mental health
• human resources
• workplace culture
• employee well-being
• leadership

Keywords

• mental health
• first aid
• human resources
• workplace culture
• employee retention

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Bauer Design Build, Twin Cities Society for Human Resources Management

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