Dr Matthew Davis, Leeds University Business School, is joined by Professor Simon Rees, School of Civil Engineering, and Mike Burton, Director at AECOM. They talk about how developers and designers are making changes to offices for new ways of working. This includes: better ventilation, different technology for hybrid working, making the office more attractive for those used to working from home, and designing offices to be more accommodating for neurodiverse people. 

This project – Adapting Offices for the Future of Work – is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), as part of UK Research and Innovation’s rapid response to Covid-19.  

This podcast episode was recorded remotely in January 2022. If you would like to get in touch regarding this podcast, please contact research.lubs@leeds.ac.uk. A transcript of this episode is available.   

About the speakers: Dr Matthew Davis is an Associate Professor at Leeds University Business School, a Chartered Psychologist and an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society. His research centres on how people interact with their environments, the impact of different office designs and how businesses engage in CSR, particularly to address sustainability and modern slavery.  

Simon Rees is Professor of Building Energy Systems at the University of Leeds. His research interests are in the field of Building Engineering Physics and geothermal heating and cooling systems. These interests can be summarised as sustainable building design, energy simulation and dynamic thermal modelling methods, room heat transfer, thermal networks and geothermal systems. 

Mike Burton is Director for AECOM Building Engineering and also Director of the British Council for Offices Board of Management, a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of CIBSE.  Mike has designed many award-winning international offices for both developers and occupiers and is currently leading the environmental design on a number of the next generation of sustainable, smart and healthy buildings. Mike has co-authored many key workplace publications including the 2019 RIBA Future Office book looking at trends in people, technology, procurement and materials, and published industry guidance documents on sustainable refurbishment, mothballing buildings and reopening the workplace.  Mike is currently a regional RIBA judge and national BCO judge, CIBSE Building Performance Engineer 2022 finalist, shortlisted for BCO NextGen Inspirational Leader of the Year 2020, and the 2021 winner of WICE Mentoring Awards.

How is office design changing to accommodate hybrid and new ways of working?

In this episode, Jana Javornik speaks to Paul Hayes, Senior Policy Fellow at Leeds University Business School, about his experience as a policy manager at a local council and what it is like working in local government. They also discuss how local government engages with academics and how academics can get on policymakers’ radars and build networks with those working in local councils. 

If you would like to get in touch about this episode, please contact Jana Javornik at research.lubs@leeds.ac.uk. A transcript of this episode is available: https://business.leeds.ac.uk/downloads/download/317/the-business-of-policymaking-podcast---transcripts

For more information about Leeds University Business School’s work with policymakers visit the website. https://business.leeds.ac.uk/research-innovation

About the speaker: Paul Hayes is a Senior Policy Fellow at Leeds University Business School. He was formerly corporate policy manager at Wakefield Council and policy lead for the Key Cities Group, an association of 27 mid-size UK cities. This role encompassed policy advisory work to local, regional and national politicians; development and authorship of local and regional strategies and plans; engagement with and representation on working groups of UK government and national bodies; and responses to consultations. The role also included scoping, commissioning and joint development of academic and think tank research and engagement with business and voluntary and community sectors.

In conversation with Paul Hayes

Violence against women and girls is at a critical point. Where do women experience violence and how can we tackle it at the root cause? What new measures are being implemented to ensure we think with safety in mind and how can we work with researchers to ensure our public spaces are safe? 

Host Rich Williams is joined by Sam Lewis, Associate Professor in Criminology and Criminal Justice, Alison Lowe OBE, the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime (DMPC) in West Yorkshire, and Anna Barker, Associate Professor in Criminal Justice & Criminology.

If you have been affected by any of the issues discussed in this episode or would like to know more please contact: End Violence Against Women

Resources: 
Refuge: https://refuge.org.uk/ 
Women’s Aid: https://www.womensaid.org.uk/
Sikh Women’s Aid: https://www.sikhwomensaid.org.uk/ 
Southall Black Sisters: https://southallblacksisters.org.uk/
Galop: https://galop.org.uk/ 
ManKind: https://mankind.org.uk/ 

Presented by Rich Williams. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio Production: Jade Bailey. Design: James Parrett. Lead Producer: Anne-Marie Luff. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. HOW TO FIX… is a Podmasters Production for the University of Leeds Communications and Engagement team.

How do we stop violence against women?

With food prices on the rise, we’ve all been conscious of how to keep our families fed and our budgets in check. Who are the communities hardest hit – and how can we help? How do we stay healthy while reducing the cost of food? Can more investment in traditional markets change how we consume food? 

Host Rich Williams is joined by University of Leeds academics Michelle Morris, Professor of Data Science for Food, Effie Papargyropoulou, Associate Professor in Sustainable Food Networks and Sara Gonzalez, Professor at the School of Geography. 

Resources https://medium.com/globalfoodleeds/food-hubs-support-communities-against-food-poverty 7f1523f6b59 
Healthy Choices Healthy Lives: https://lida.leeds.ac.uk/research-projects/healthy-choices-healthy-lives/ 
Priority Places for Food Index: https://priorityplacesforfood.which.co.uk/ Trussell Trust: https://www.trusselltrust.org 

Presented by Rich Williams. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio Production: Jade Bailey. Design: James Parrett. Lead Producer: Anne-Marie Luff. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. HOW TO FIX… is a Podmasters Production for the University of Leeds Communications and Engagement team.

How do we cut the cost of healthy food?

Air pollution is a key problem in our cities. Why is the air that we breathe so poor – and how do we fix it? Are ‘clean air zones’ working? How can we protect ourselves and children from the harmful pollutants that contaminate our air? 

Host Rich Williams is joined by University of Leeds academics Jim McQuaid, Associate Professor of Atmospheric Composition, Cath Noakes, Professor of Environmental Engineering for Buildings, and James Tate, Associate Professor in ITS. 

Resources: Living Lab for Air Quality: https://sustainability.leeds.ac.uk/news/living-lab-for-air-quality/ Schools’ Air Quality Monitoring project: https://samhe.org.uk/about 

Presented by Rich Williams. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio Production: Jade Bailey. Design: James Parrett. Lead Producer: Anne-Marie Luff. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. HOW TO FIX… is a Podmasters Production for the University of Leeds Communications and Engagement team.

How do we clean up our air?

Jana Javornik speaks to Petra Petan, a policy assistant in the cabinet of Paolo Gentiloni, the European Commissioner for the Economy. Petra gives some useful insight into the daily work of the European Commission, as well as providing some advice on how academics can work with members of the Commission. 

If you would like to get in touch about this episode, please contact Jana Javornik at research.lubs@leeds.ac.uk. A transcript of this episode is available. https://business.leeds.ac.uk/downloads/download/317/the-business-of-policymaking-podcast---transcripts

For more information about Leeds University Business School’s work with policymakers visit the website. https://business.leeds.ac.uk/research-innovation

About the speaker:  

Petra Petan is a political economist with a Masters from the London School of Economics and a degree in English language and literature from the University of Ljubljana. 

After her first job in finance, she realised that policy and EU affairs are where her heart lies and got her first taste for both during a give-month Blue Book traineeship at the Directorate-General for Employment and Social Affairs of the European Commission in 2017. She later moved to a different part of the European Commission, getting acquainted with the European Semester. 

Petra later returned to her hometown of Ljubljana to join the Institute of Macroeconomic Analysis and Development as a Senior Advisor on social and employment topics. 

At the end of 2019, she joined the newly formed Commission of President von der Leyen, as Policy Assistant in the Cabinet of Paolo Gentiloni, Commissioner for Economy. Ever since, she’s worked in the cabinet on a vast array of topics, from the European Semester to the Customs Union, with ECOFIN and Eurogroup coordination and Sustainable Development Goals in between. Drawing on her previous experience in employment and social issues, she’s been responsible for the coordination these topics with the cabinet of EU Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights. She’s also been covering financial affairs, international partnerships, and foresight.

In conversation with Petra Petan

Lena Jaspersen and Tony Morgan talk about their pedagogical research on the development of employability skills in students engaged in challenge-based learning in diverse teams. Drawing on assignments produced for their own module “Innovation, Thinking and Practice”, Tony and Lena analysed reflective diaries that the students wrote throughout the module. Findings provided useful insights into how team-based learning can be designed to improve inclusivity and enhance learning outcomes, including employability skills. Lena and Tony discuss how pedagogical research can connect research and teaching activities in mutually beneficial ways.    

This podcast episode was recorded remotely in December 2023. If you would like to get in touch regarding this podcast, please contact research.lubs@leeds.ac.uk. A transcript of this episode is available. https://business.leeds.ac.uk/downloads/download/325/transcript---designing-management-and-innovation-courses-for-team-based-learning   

Useful resources: 

LITE Research Project: https://teachingexcellence.leeds.ac.uk/research/fellowships/i-de-es-project/ 

Diverging and Converging for Team-Based Learning: https://teachingexcellence.leeds.ac.uk/diverging-and-converging-for-team-based-learning/ 

Design Thinking for Student Projects book: https://uk.sagepub.com/en-gb/eur/design-thinking-for-student-projects/book276875 

About the speakers:  
Lena Jaspersen is an early-career researcher with a multidisciplinary background in international sociology and organisation studies. Lena’s overarching research interests are in collaborative innovation processes, in particular in the context of global development, and qualitative research methods.  

Tony Morgan (FHEA) is an Associate Professor in Innovation Management Practice at the University of Leeds in the UK, where he teaches interdisciplinary and team-based innovation modules. He previously held senior innovation and technology roles at IBM. Tony's primary interests include design thinking, innovation and innovation management, emerging technology, pedagogy and student skills development. Research areas include how students learn when working in diverse and interdiscplinary teams. Tony is the author of multiple books, and co-author with Lena of Design Thinking for Student Projects.

Designing management and innovation courses for team-based learning

Dr Jo Cutter is joined by Sam Perry, Green Bargaining Officer for Yorkshire and the Humber Trades Union Congress (TUC), to discuss the work the TUC is doing in the region to support a Just Transition for workers. 

This project is funded by the Hans Böckler Foundation – Just Transition: Aktivitäten im internationalen Vergleich 2021-582-2.  

Visit the project webpage. https://business.leeds.ac.uk/dir-record/research-projects/1990/just-transition-action-concepts-debates-and-strategies-an-international-comparison-across-11-countries

This podcast episode was recorded remotely in November 2023. If you would like to get in touch regarding this podcast, please contact research.lubs@leeds.ac.uk. To find out more about the TUC’s Just Transition work, or to join the Yorkshire and Humber Just Transition Network, email Sam Perry sperry@tuc.org.uk.  

A transcript of this episode is available. https://business.leeds.ac.uk/downloads/download/294/podcast-just-transitions---a-global-exploration

About the speakers: 

Dr Jo Cutter is a lecturer in Work and Employment Relations at Leeds University Business School. Her research focuses on employment relations, social dialogue and the regulation of work with a core focus on skills, education and training. She is currently researching these themes concerning two contexts: workers and the just transition and labour mobility. 

Sam Perry is the Green Bargaining Officer for Yorkshire and the Humber TUC. He is focused on raising the profile of environmental action within the labour movement and building capacity in trade unions to bargain for justice as organisations adapt to the need to decarbonise. His special interest is in making the case for a massive growth of energy efficiency retrofits to homes across Yorkshire and the Humber, where he brings together a background in social housing and political and union activism.

The Trades Union Congress on climate change and workers’ voices

Leeds University Business School’s Research and Innovation podcast brings you insights from our expert researchers. From the future of work, to disruptive technologies; green behaviours to emerging markets, we’ll be covering a wide-range of topical issues and novel ideas. 

Listen to the podcast to find out more about our research and how it’s inspiring business managers, informing policymakers and influencing society.

If you have any comments regarding any of these episodes, please contact research.lubs@leeds.ac.uk.

How is office design changing to accommodate hybrid and new ways of working?

Leeds University Business School

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