Supporting introverts in engineering teams

Having worked in tech for over 25 years, Brad Jayakody knows the unique mental health challenges engineers face in a dispersed, often introverted, team. So when an employee comes to him wanting to talk, he clears his calendar.

A vocal wellbeing advocate at work and beyond, he regularly volunteers as a mental health first responder at Burning Man—in between playing with the flamethrowers. The experience has taught him that it’s not about solving people’s issues. It’s about being there in the first place.

You’ll hear how Brad’s volunteering helps him lead his engineering team with honesty & empathy, the best ways to offer feedback in a remote workplace, and why knowing your limits is key to protecting your own wellbeing.

Brad Jayakody is VP of Engineering at Pleo. He started volunteering aged eight and continues to give back wherever he can, always with a mental health focus. He’s previously led engineering teams at Motorway, Smart Pension, and Expedia.

Oliva is the UK & Europe's #1 rated employee mental wellbeing benefit.

We help companies respond to the pivotal moments that impact mental wellbeing at work and beyond—driving employee retention and exceptional effort.

We do this by:

• Empowering individuals to take control of their mental wellbeing
• Developing manager emotional intelligence
• Helping HR teams create org-wide psychological safety