Cadent Gas
Building psychological safety and safer performance through human conversations
Cadent operates in a high-risk sector where psychological safety is critical for performance under pressure - and for people speaking up early about risks and hazards. Ripple & Co partnered with Cadent to equip team leaders and supervisors with practical conversation skills through Talkworks, helping managers take responsibility for the “human side” of leadership as a core part of Health & Safety.
At a glance
The challenge
Cadent recognised that many managers, often promoted from within frontline teams, were managing constant day-to-day pressures alongside leadership responsibilities, uncomfortable with the human side of management, and not equipped to handle difficult conversations with their people.
In practice, this showed up as:
Avoidance of human conversations, especially around wellbeing
Unnecessary escalation to more senior leaders instead of dealing with issues within the team
A macho culture that made honesty, vulnerability and early support harder
A real operational risk: if people don’t feel psychologically safe, they’re less likely to speak up about concerns, hazards, mistakes or near-misses
“Good” needed to look like a supportive manager who could handle difficult conversations with care and confidence - so employees could speak up, be themselves, and receive support when needed. In turn, teams would be better able to raise safety issues earlier and reduce the likelihood of harm.
What we delivered
Talkworks conversation skills training for managers, designed to address the human factors side of Health & Safety and build capability in real workplace moments.
Delivery overview
Start: January 2025
Approach: Piloted in one region, then rolled out nationally across each network
Scale to date: 30 sessions delivered (ongoing)
Format: In-person
Audience: Team leaders and supervisors managing frontline operatives
Cohort size: 12 delegates
Session length: 3.5 hours
Sponsorship: Director of Health & Safety and Occupational Health Lead
What the session included
Bespoke scenarios built around Cadent’s workplace reality and pressures
Three live scenarios in every session:
1. personal wellbeing concern
2. performance dip
3. conflict within the team
Facilitated role play using actors, guided by an experienced trainer to practise high-stakes moments safely
Bespoke learning materials, including a workbook and a practical conversation toolkit with internal signposting managers could use immediately
Post-training follow-up supported by the Occupational Health Lead to reinforce application and consistency
What changed
Across delivery, managers began to approach conversations differently, and to see this as part of their job, not something to avoid or escalate away.
Observable shifts included:
● More honest and open dialogue, with delegates often sharing personal stories during sessions
● A clear mindset shift: recognising it is the manager’s responsibility to deal with the team’s day-to-day human moments
● Better listening and less “fixing” or avoidance
● Far more confidence to start and stay with difficult conversations
● Reduced tendency to escalate unnecessarily, and greater ability to handle issues appropriately at team level
Why it worked
This wasn’t classroom training - it was rehearsal for real work.
The content was anchored in a high-risk operational reality, making it immediately relevant
Scenarios were credible (built from Cadent’s real pressures and team dynamics) so managers could see themselves in them
Managers got to rehearse under pressure, using actor-led role play to build muscle memory for difficult moments
The approach addressed the macho culture directly, without blame, by making “human conversations” practical and doable
It framed communication as a Human Factors control: better conversations under pressure help people speak up early, surface risk, and prevent harm
Strong sponsorship and a follow-up touchpoint reinforced that this mattered beyond the session
What people said
“It has been great working with Ripple & Co. They took time to listen and to understand both the company and what we needed, so that the training feels like our own and the attendees could really relate to the content. It’s designed to have a lasting impact within the business. The content is great and managers have developed their skills within the course and beyond. The training is really impactful and engaging, and feedback from the managers attending has been that they loved it and want more!”
- Rebecca Eaton – Head of Occupational Health & Wellbeing, Cadent Gas
“The training from start to finish was excellent in every way. Talkworks conversation training - good to have a safe space to practice.”
Delegate feedback
“I felt the days covered the right depth of knowledge for what we need to be successful and competent in the role of the MHFA.”
Delegate feedback
“It was one of the best facilitated courses I’ve attended for a long time. Bit of a cliché – wish this course was around 30 years ago!!”
Delegate feedback
Talk to us about Talkworks for managers - strengthening psychological safety and Human Factors capability in high-risk environments.
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