How does a sense of community impact the brain? David Rock, CEO and co-founder of the NeuroLeadership Institute, explains that when we don’t feel part of a group, our brains actually perceive that as danger. He joins us to talk about leadership and how we can create a greater sense of community in today’s era of hybrid work. We’ll cover return to office, quiet quitting and new skills hybrid leaders need to be successful.   

David coined the term “neuroleadership” nearly 25 years ago. He’s spent a lot of time studying Your Brain at Work, which is also the name of one of four books he’s written. The NeuroLeadership Institute brings neuroscientists and leadership experts together using a science-based approach to advise organizations on how to build new leadership skills and capabilities. At the end of the conversation with David, sociologist and Steelcase vice president workplace insights, Dr. Tracy Brower, joins us to talk about the insights David shared and connect them back to ways to make work better.

Additional resources: 
- Be part of our community at steelcase.com/subscribe.  Get the latest workplace design, insights and research sent to your inbox. 
- You can find transcripts at www.steelcase.com/podcasts (Read today’s transcript: https://www.steelcase.com/research/articles/neuroscience-of-community-with-david-rock-transcript/)
- Connect to the NeuroLeadership Institute (https://neuroleadership.com/)
- Your Brain at Work book (https://neuroleadership.com/your-brain-at-work/) 
- The Secrets to Happiness at Work by Dr. Tracy Brower (https://tracybrower.com/bring-work-to-life/)

Work Better podcast is hosted by Chris Congdon. Produced by Rebecca Charbauski. Creative art direction by Erin Ellison and Emily Cowdrey. Technical support by Mark Caswell and Jose Jimenez. Digital publishing by Areli Arellano and Jordan Marks. Editing and sound mixing by SoundPost Studios.

Neuroscience of Community with David Rock (S1:E2)

Welcome to Work Better, the podcast where we think about work and ways to make it better. The rules of work are being rewritten and we’re all trying to figure it out. Host and editor in chief of Work Better magazine, Chris Congdon, introduces our first series, setting up seven weekly conversations with leading thinkers, authors, designers, and researchers whose ideas and insights can help us make sense of what’s happening and navigate the massive change around us. We’re going to talk about returning to the office, hybrid work, quiet quitting, the “Great Resignation” and so much more. Everything we’re learning points us to the need for a new vision for work and the workplace. We’re exploring how our workplaces can be more like a great community. (Read transcript: https://www.steelcase.com/research/articles/a-new-vision-for-the-workplace-transcript/)

We hope you’ll join us and be part of our community at steelcase.com/subscribe.  

Work Better podcast is hosted by Chris Congdon. Produced by Rebecca Charbauski. Creative art direction by Erin Ellison and Emily Cowdrey. Technical support by Mark Caswell and Jose Jimenez. Digital publishing by Areli Arellano and Jordan Marks. Editing and sound mixing by SoundPost Studios.

A New Vision for the Workplace (S1:E1)

What’s the real impact of community? NYU professor and author Eric Klinenberg’s research about a deadly heat wave in Chicago is a powerful example of just how important community is to humanity’s resilience. Eric joins us to share what he’s identified about the importance of “social infrastructure” like libraries and parks — something he says is just as important as physical infrastructure like roads and bridges. His work is foundational to how we have been re-envisioning the workplace to be more like some of the best neighborhoods and communities where we live. Eric helps us connect what he’s learned about great communities to ideas for a better workplace. 

Eric is a professor of social science and director of the institute for public knowledge at NYU. He’s the author of Palaces for the People: How Social Infrastructure Can Help Fight Inequality, Polarization, and the Decline of Civic Life. He’s written a number of other books as well including Going Solo: The Extraordinary Rise and Surprising Appeal of Living Alone and Heat Wave: A Social Autopsy of Disaster in Chicago. He’s been published in scholarly journals and contributed to The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, Rolling Stone, and This American Life.

Following our conversation with Eric, we’re joined by Susana Cantu, architect and designer at Steelcase who focuses on reimagining spaces to support how work is changing. She helps connect Eric’s research and insights to the way workplaces need to be designed differently.

Additional resources: 
Eric Klinenberg’s website and books: https://www.ericklinenberg.com/
The Atlantic: Worry Less About Crumbling Roads and More About Crumbling Libraries (https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2018/09/worry-less-about-crumbling-roads-more-about-crumbling-libraries/570721/) 
NYU Keynote Address by Eric Klinenberg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzJd0HKKTsM&t=102s 
Work Better Article: The New Hybrid Neighborhood https://www.steelcase.com/research/articles/topics/culture-talent/new-hybrid-neighborhood/ 
Get the latest workplace design, insights and research: www.steelcase.com/subscribe

Work Better podcast is hosted by Chris Congdon. Produced by Rebecca Charbauski. Creative art direction by Erin Ellison and Emily Cowdrey. Technical support by Mark Caswell and Jose Jimenez. Digital publishing by Areli Arellano and Jordan Marks. Editing and sound mixing by SoundPost Studios.

Loneliness, Lingering + Libraries with Eric Klinenberg (S1:E4)

Can a robot take your job? Kevin Roose, New York Times technology writer and author of Futureproof, shares his take on how we can bring more of our humanity to work to avoid being replaced by AI. Plus, he lets us in on how a small bookstore in Oakland, California managed to thrive despite all the market forces working against it. It’s a story with a valuable lesson in why creating community at work can benefit people and business. 

Kevin writes and speaks regularly on many topics including automation and AI, social media, disinformation and digital wellness. His book Futureproof shines a light on how humanity is connected to the workplace. 

In addition to Kevin, Michael Held, Steelcase vice president of global design joins us. He wrote Will Creative AI Make Designers Redundant? He is the perfect person to help us connect Kevin’s ideas to a better workplace.  

Additional resources: 
Learn more about Kevin Roose and his book Futureproof at https://www.kevinroose.com/
Sorry, But Working From Home Is Overrated by Kevin Roose (https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/10/technology/working-from-home.html) 
Welcome to the Yolo Economy by Kevin Roose (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/21/technology/welcome-to-the-yolo-economy.html) 
TED Talk with Kevin Roose, The Value of Humanity in an Automated Future (https://www.ted.com/talks/kevin_roose_the_value_of_your_humanity_in_an_automated_future?language=en) 
Will Creative AI Make Designers Redundant? By Michael Held (https://www.steelcase.com/asia-en/research/articles/topics/creativity/will-creative-ai-make-designers-redundant/) 
Get the latest workplace design, insights and research: www.steelcase.com/subscribe

Work Better podcast is hosted by Chris Congdon. Produced by Rebecca Charbauski. Creative art direction by Erin Ellison and Emily Cowdrey. Technical support by Mark Caswell and Jose Jimenez. Digital publishing by Areli Arellano and Jordan Marks. Editing and sound mixing by SoundPost Studios.

Be More Human in the AI Age with Kevin Roose (S1:E5)

Business leaders have been trying to crack the code on innovation since the beginning of time. But, Dr. Simone Ahuja has a new take on innovation. She says it’s not just about filling an unmet need in the market or solving a previously unsolvable problem. She says innovation is a recipe for engaging and retaining talent. Plus, she shares strategies for building microcultures of innovation in every organization. 

Simone is CEO of global innovation strategy firm Blood Orange. She’s a best-selling author. Her latest book is Disrupt-It-Yourself. She’s also the co-developer of Jugaad Innovation, a frugal and flexible innovation strategy. She’ll share the research she conducted in India that inspired Jugaad Innovation. 

After we talk to Simone, we will be joined by Amber Mathews, Steelcase director of Workspace Futures research in Asia and Europe. She’s spent a lot of time studying innovation within companies and how to support innovative teams. 

Additional resources: 
Connect with Simone Ahuja on her website (https://simoneahuja.com/action-plan/) and receive her worksheet
Get the latest workplace design, insights and research: www.steelcase.com/subscribe

Work Better podcast is hosted by Chris Congdon. Produced by Rebecca Charbauski. Creative art direction by Erin Ellison and Emily Cowdrey. Technical support by Mark Caswell and Jose Jimenez. Digital publishing by Areli Arellano and Jordan Marks. Editing and sound mixing by SoundPost Studios.

Innovation as a Recipe for Engaging Talent (S1:E6)

Lt. Col. Adria Horn shares a unique perspective on talent and turnover, and draws interesting parallels between returning to the office and returning from deployment. She serves in the U.S. Army Reserve and is executive vice president of workforce for Tilson Technology Management. She contributed to a McKinsey article called “A Military Veteran Knows Why Your Employees Are Leaving” after disagreeing with a widely-shared theory that employers just didn’t know what employees want. She’ll explain what she thinks is really going on and how she coaches her leaders to think about what people are experiencing at work right now. 

Lt. Col. Horn has been in the military for 21 years after graduating from West Point in June 2001. After September 11, 2001, she was commissioned as a military police officer, deployed three times and then switched to psychological operations while in Afghanistan. She’s stayed on active duty for about 11 years and has had five total deployments in that time frame. 

To conclude our conversation, we will be joined by Nadia Johnson, director of leadership and adaptive teams at Steelcase. Nadia will help us think through how Lt. Col. Horn’s ideas can be applied to our day-to-day work. 

Additional resources: 
A Military Veteran Knows Why Your Employees Are Leaving, (https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/a-military-veteran-knows-why-your-employees-are-leaving) McKinsey
Get the latest workplace design, insights and research: www.steelcase.com/subscribe

Work Better podcast is hosted by Chris Congdon. Produced by Rebecca Charbauski. Creative art direction by Erin Ellison and Emily Cowdrey. Technical support by Mark Caswell and Jose Jimenez. Digital publishing by Areli Arellano and Jordan Marks. Editing and sound mixing by SoundPost Studios.

Return to Office Is Like Returning From Deployment (S1:E7)

Thinking about our communities outside of our office walls can actually strengthen our communities inside the workplace. In this episode, we talk to Kenny Clewett, a leader with Ashoka based in Spain. Ashoka is a global organization with a mission to mobilize a movement where everyone is a changemaker in the world. Kenny shares how organizations can find changemakers. What makes them so special and valuable to companies? And why being a changemaker can help people and organizations have a better experience at work. 

After hearing from Kenny, Kinga Pakucs, Steelcase learning consultant, joins us from Munich. She has led community projects through the Steelcase Changemakers global program and provides us with a valuable perspective on how to apply these ideas to the workplace. 

Additional resources: 
Find out more about Ashoka (https://www.ashoka.org/en-us) 
Learn more and be a part of the Steelcase Better Futures Community (https://www.steelcase.com/press-releases/steelcase-launches-better-futures-community/) 
Article: How Partners Unlock Potential and Ignite Impact (https://fellowship-europe.ashoka.org/interview-partnerships-for-impact-new) 
Steelcase Impact Report 2022 (https://www.steelcase.com/discover/steelcase/esg-overview/#impact-report-2022): Read more about our commitment to people + planet
Get the latest workplace design, insights and research: www.steelcase.com/subscribe

Work Better podcast is hosted by Chris Congdon. Produced by Rebecca Charbauski. Creative art direction by Erin Ellison and Emily Cowdrey. Technical support by Mark Caswell and Jose Jimenez. Digital publishing by Areli Arellano and Jordan Marks. Editing and sound mixing by SoundPost Studios.

Change Community and Your Company (S1:E8)

The adoption of hybrid work has changed a lot of things – not just where and when you work, but also our relationships at work. How we build them. How we nurture them. And how we sustain them. Those relationships at work are really important to how we feel about our overall experience.

Amy Gallo is joining us to give us tips on how to rebuild our relationships at work – even the most difficult ones. She’s the author of Getting Along: How to Work with Anyone (Even Difficult People). Amy also co-hosts a podcast for the Harvard Business Review called Women at Work. And she is contributing editor at Harvard Business Review, where she writes about workplace dynamics.  

After our conversation with Amy, hear from Jessie Storey – director of design at Steelcase about how design can help with the things Amy talks about – like conflict, communication and discomfort. 

Additional resources: 
- Be part of our community at steelcase.com/subscribe.  Get the latest workplace design, insights and research sent to your inbox. 
- You can find transcripts at www.steelcase.com/podcasts (Read today’s transcript)
- Learn more about Amy Gallo and her book: (http://www.amyegallo.com/)

Work Better podcast is hosted by Chris Congdon. Produced by Rebecca Charbauski. Creative art direction by Erin Ellison and Emily Cowdrey. Technical support by Mark Caswell and Jose Jimenez. Digital publishing by Areli Arellano and Jordan Marks. Editing and sound mixing by SoundPost Studios.

Conflict, Communication + Discomfort with Amy Gallo (S2:E1)

If you’re like most of us these days, a pension is not in the cards. Today’s guest says not to worry – Heather McGowan has a different idea about how to have a great future at work.

Heather is a future-of-work strategist and author. Her new book called “The Empathy Advantage: Leading the Empowered Workforce” was just released. 

Heather says there are five elements that make up what she calls the “Great Reset”. She shares those with us – along with why she says “learning is the new pension.”

After our conversation with Heather, Noga Lasser will join us. Noga is director of design at Steelcase and will help us connect Heather’s ideas to designing a better workplace. 

Additional resources: 
- Be part of our community at steelcase.com/subscribe.  Get the latest workplace design, insights and research sent to your inbox. 
- You can find transcripts at www.steelcase.com/podcasts (Read today’s transcript)
- Learn more about Heather McGowan and her new book https://heathermcgowan.com/

Work Better podcast is hosted by Chris Congdon. Produced by Rebecca Charbauski. Creative art direction by Erin Ellison and Emily Cowdrey. Technical support by Mark Caswell and Jose Jimenez. Digital publishing by Areli Arellano and Jordan Marks. Editing and sound mixing by SoundPost Studios.

Learning Is the New Pension with Heather McGowan (S2:E2)

You are more likely to stay at your job if you have a best friend at work. You are also more likely to learn from a peer at work than your boss. Relationships in the workplace are really important. But as work changes, our relationships are changing too. 

Robin Dunbar, one of the world’s leading experts on friendship, will help us explore how relationships are changing in the era of hybrid work and what we need to know to make work more enjoyable. Robin is an anthropologist and evolutionary psychologist who specializes in human behavior at the University of Oxford. His most recent book is called Friends: Understanding the Power of Our Most Important Relationships. He’s famous for something called the Dunbar Number – which is how many relationships our brains can manage. 

After our conversation with Robin, hear from Dr. Tracy Brower, vice president of workplace insights at Steelcase. She will help us understand how the workplace can help support some of the ideas Robin has about building and maintaining relationships. 

Additional resources: 
- Be part of our community at steelcase.com/subscribe.  Get the latest workplace design, insights and research sent to your inbox. 
- You can find transcripts at www.steelcase.com/podcasts (Read today’s transcript)
- Learn more about Robin Dunbar: https://www.psy.ox.ac.uk/people/robin-dunbar - 
- Robin Dunbar’s book, Friends: Understanding the Power of Our Most Important Relationships (https://www.amazon.com/Friends-Understanding-Power-Important-Relationships-ebook/dp/B08W4XPK7G)
- Robin Dubar Article, You Can Only Have So Many Close Friends (https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2021/05/robin-dunbar-explains-circles-friendship-dunbars-number/618931/)
- Dr. Tracy Brower’s article, Making Friends Is Hard But Work Can Help (https://www.forbes.com/sites/tracybrower/2022/10/05/new-study-making-friends-is-hard-but-work-can-help/)

Work Better podcast is hosted by Chris Congdon. Produced by Rebecca Charbauski. Creative art direction by Erin Ellison and Emily Cowdrey. Technical support by Mark Caswell and Jose Jimenez. Digital publishing by Areli Arellano and Jordan Marks. Editing and sound mixing by SoundPost Studios.

How Your Brain Makes Friends with Robin Dunbar (S2:E3)

Who doesn’t want to be happier at work? Jenn Lim has dedicated her life to bringing more joy into the workplace.

Jenn is founder and author of Beyond Happiness. She is also CEO of Delivering Happiness which is a company she founded with Tony Hsieh, the late CEO of Zappos. In her book, she shares her “Greenhouse Model” for the workplace – it’s an idea she says leads to growth, purpose and business success. 

After our conversation with Jenn, hear from Cherie Johnson – director of global design at Steelcase about how design can help us create happier places at work. 

Additional resources: 
- Be part of our community at steelcase.com/subscribe.  Get the latest workplace design, insights and research sent to your inbox. 
- You can find transcripts at www.steelcase.com/podcasts (Read today’s transcript)
- Learn more about Jenn Lim and her book Beyond Happiness at https://jennlim.com/
- Learn more about Jenn’s company Delivering Happiness at https://www.deliveringhappiness.com/

Work Better podcast is hosted by Chris Congdon. Produced by Rebecca Charbauski. Creative art direction by Erin Ellison and Emily Cowdrey. Technical support by Mark Caswell and Jose Jimenez. Digital publishing by Areli Arellano and Jordan Marks. Editing and sound mixing by SoundPost Studios.

Be Happier at Work with Jenn Lim (S2:E4)

We’re all trying to influence how people behave, according to Dr. Marcus Collins, whether it’s what people buy, how they interact with one another or how they work. Marcus calls culture the biggest cheat code ever to influence human behavior. His work as an engineer, music maker and advertising guru with cultural influencers like Beyonce and Apple have put him on a path to become a leader in understanding how to harness the power of culture within organizations. His stories from the world of pop and tech will change how you see culture in the workplace.

Marcus now works as head of strategy at Wieden+Kennedy in New York and teaches at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. He’s also the author of the new book For the Culture. 

After our interview with Marcus, Robin Rosebrugh will join us. Robin is a workplace researcher who works with Steelcase as an architecture and design manager. She’s also one of the most well-read people you’ll ever meet. Robin will talk to us about how the places we work can help influence behavior and, ultimately, culture. 

Additional resources: 
- Be part of our community at steelcase.com/subscribe.  Get the latest workplace design, insights and research sent to your inbox. 
- You can find transcripts at www.steelcase.com/podcasts (Read today’s transcript)
- Learn more about Marcus Collins and his book For the Culture at http://marctothec.com/

Work Better podcast is hosted by Chris Congdon. Produced by Rebecca Charbauski. Creative art direction by Erin Ellison and Emily Cowdrey. Technical support by Mark Caswell and Jose Jimenez. Digital publishing by Areli Arellano and Jordan Marks. Editing and sound mixing by SoundPost Studios.

Pop, Tech + Culture with Marcus Collins (S2:E5)

When the pandemic sent everyone home, many teachers and students struggled. And according to Anya Kamenetz, one of the biggest reasons is because learning is a social event. This episode of Work Better, we’re focused on the work happening in our classrooms. We’ll talk about how online and hybrid learning are impacting kids and teachers. Plus, share some inspiring success stories. 

Anya speaks, writes, and thinks about how children learn, grow and thrive on a changing planet. She covered education for many years including for NPR, where she co-created the podcast Life Kit: Parenting. Her newest book is The Stolen Year: How Covid Changed Children’s Lives, And Where We Go Now. Before the pandemic, she wrote the book DIY U: Edupunks, Edupreneurs and the Coming Transformation of Higher Education. She also is currently an advisor to the Aspen Institute and a Co:Generate fellow working on a new initiative to end climate silence in children’s media.

Stick around after we hear from Anya because Andrew Kim, director of global research at Steelcase, will join us. Andrew will share why the physical environment makes such a difference to how we learn.

Additional resources: 
- Be part of our community at steelcase.com/subscribe.  Get the latest workplace design, insights and research sent to your inbox. 
- You can find transcripts at www.steelcase.com/podcasts (Read today’s transcript)
- Learn more about Anya Kamenetz and her book The Stolen Year: http://www.anyakamenetz.net/

Work Better podcast is hosted by Chris Congdon. Produced by Rebecca Charbauski. Creative art direction by Erin Ellison and Emily Cowdrey. Technical support by Mark Caswell and Jose Jimenez. Digital publishing by Areli Arellano and Jordan Marks. Editing and sound mixing by SoundPost Studios.

Learning Is a Social Event with Anya Kamenetz (S2:E6)

Gen Z is on the cusp of being nearly 30% of the workforce. Today we’re talking about the power and possibility of the youngest generation at work. This is not a conversation about what’s right and what’s wrong with Gen Z. It’s about understanding – so we can all work better together.

We are joined by Dr. Jean Twenge. Jean has spent her entire academic career – 30 years – studying generational differences. She is professor of psychology at San Diego State University and has authored more than 180 scientific publications and books. Her most recent book which just came out is called “generations.” In many ways, this book is her magnum opus.  Its analysis is derived from 21 huge datasets that go back to the 1940s and are as recent as this year, spanning some 38 million people. Jean is also the author of iGen and Generation Me. 

After we hear from Jean, we’ll be joined by Keith Bujak who is a researcher at Steelcase and recently led work on Gen Z in the workplace. 

Additional resources: 
- Be part of our community at steelcase.com/subscribe.  Get the latest workplace design, insights and research sent to your inbox. 
- You can find transcripts at www.steelcase.com/podcasts (Read today’s transcript)
- Learn more about Dr. Jean Twenge and her books: http://www.jeantwenge.com/

Work Better podcast is hosted by Chris Congdon. Produced by Rebecca Charbauski. Creative art direction by Erin Ellison and Emily Cowdrey. Technical support by Mark Caswell and Jose Jimenez. Digital publishing by Areli Arellano and Jordan Marks. Editing and sound mixing by SoundPost Studios.

Gen Z: Power + Possibility with Jean Twenge  (S2:E7)

Leadership is complicated today. Managers are under pressure to deliver business results and create relationships with employees guided by empathy. This episode, we’re learning lessons from Google’s former head of People Operations about how the relationships between leaders and employees can improve one nudge at a time. 

Laszlo Bock is co-founder and on the Board of Directors at Humu, a company designed to help managers create better routines and habits at scale. He previously led Google’s People Operations where he was responsible for attracting, developing and retaining “Googlers.” He’s the author of “Work Rules! Insights from Inside Google That Will Transform How You Live and Lead”. Laszlo gives us the inside track on Humu’s research into hybrid work and helps us with tips on how to go from insight to action.

After hearing from Laszlo, we’ll be joined by Isabel Medellin who focuses on talent attraction and retention, along with leading DEI efforts at Steelcase. She also works with Humu to develop leaders within Steelcase around the world. 

Description: 
Additional resources: 
- Be part of our community at steelcase.com/subscribe.  Get the latest workplace design, insights and research sent to your inbox. 
- You can find transcripts at www.steelcase.com/podcasts (Read today’s transcript)
- Learn more about Humu by visiting https://www.humu.com/
- Learn more about Laszlo Bock’s book, Work Rules! https://www.workrules.net/

Work Better podcast is hosted by Chris Congdon. Produced by Rebecca Charbauski. Creative art direction by Erin Ellison and Emily Cowdrey. Technical support by Mark Caswell and Jose Jimenez. Digital publishing by Areli Arellano and Jordan Marks. Editing and sound mixing by SoundPost Studios.

How to Go From Insight to Action with Laszlo Bock (S2:E8)

Caroline Casey spent a good part of her life hiding her true self. When she finally opened up to the world, amazing things happened. Her story starts when she was inspired by the Disney movie The Jungle Book. Later, she found herself on elephant-back in India which helped her kickstart an inclusion revolution in the workplace. 

Caroline is an Irish activist and management consultant that just so happens to be legally blind. She leads the Valuable 500 — which Steelcase is proud to be a part of. The Valuable 500 is a partnership of 500 of the most influential organizations in the world that have made a commitment to work to end disability exclusion.

Caroline is bringing disability inclusion to the forefront of the diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace initiative. Learn how Caroline’s commitment to audacious inclusion is changing the ways people work. And hear her insights into what to do to design more inclusive workplaces (https://www.steelcase.com/research/articles/topics/design/ideas-designing-inclusive-workplaces/) even when everyone’s needs are so different.

Additional resources: 
Learn more about The Valuable 500 https://www.thevaluable500.com/
Read insights about how to create more inclusive workplaces www.steelcase.com/WBmagazine

Get the latest workplace design, insights and research: www.steelcase.com/subscribe
Work Better podcast is hosted by Chris Congdon. Produced by Rebecca Charbauski. Creative art direction by Erin Ellison and Emily Cowdrey. Technical support by Mark Caswell and Jose Jimenez. Digital publishing by Areli Arellano and Jordan Marks. Editing and sound mixing by SoundPost Studios.

Audacious Inclusion with Caroline Casey (S3:E1)

Over the past 100 years, the office has been integral to how work gets done. It has shaped cities, cultures and how many of us, individually, behave. But the pandemic triggered a complete re-evaluation of the workplace. Jeremy Myerson says it’s time to relearn old habits and rituals and start thinking a little more like Walt Disney when we design offices in the future. 

Jeremy is a researcher, author and activist in workplace design and innovation. He is a director at WORKTECH Academy. If you aren’t familiar with WORKTECH, it is a global, online knowledge platform and member network that explores the future of work and workplace. He is a Visiting Fellow at the University of Oxford and Professor Emeritus in design at the Royal College of Art. He’s also published several books on workplace design including his latest, “Unworking: The Reinvention of the Modern Office.” 

When we think about the impact the workplace has on people, we have to consider how to create better experiences for workers. Modern office design has to integrate hybrid work spaces, biophilia, social spaces, and contemplation spaces to improve workplace experiences and productivity. As a collector of knowledge, Jeremy shares four specific new ways to think about designing offices for experiences in today’s era. 

Additional resources: 
Learn more about WORKTECH Academy https://www.worktechacademy.com/
Read Unworking: The Reinvention of the Modern Office 
Read insights about how to create more inclusive workplaces www.steelcase.com/WBmagazine
Get the latest workplace design, insights and research: www.steelcase.com/subscribe

Work Better podcast is hosted by Chris Congdon. Produced by Rebecca Charbauski. Creative art direction by Erin Ellison and Emily Cowdrey. Technical support by Mark Caswell and Jose Jimenez. Digital publishing by Areli Arellano and Jordan Marks. Editing and sound mixing by SoundPost Studios.

Designing the New Workplace Experience with Jeremy Myerson (S3:E2)

Lots of organizations make commitments around sustainability today — which is a good thing. But some are making more progress, much faster than others. So what separates the leaders from the laggards? 

Kara Pecknold has some ideas. She is Vice President of Regenerative Design at frog. She consults with organizations around the world to help them develop circular products, services and business models. Some people refer to her as a Swiss army knife because of how she must tap into so many skills as a designer, researcher and leader in sustainability.

She explains how work she did in Rwanda led her down this path of regenerative design. She helps us understand the meaning of regenerative design and she gives us real-life examples of how companies are making an impact right now by redesigning how they do business.  

Additional resources: 
Learn more about Kara Pecknold https://www.frog.co/authors/kara-pecknold
A game to apply play for solving tough sustainability challenges: http://cardsforsustainability.frog.co
Learn more about frog’s approach to sustainability: https://www.frog.co/insights/chief-challenges/sustainable-business
Learn more about designing sustainable products:  https://www.frog.co/designmind/sustainable-product-design-is-our-future
Voices from Cannes: https://www.frog.co/designmind/design-mind-frogcast-bonus-episode-voices-from-cannes-day-4
Discover how biodiversity is key to bringing nature to the business: https://www.capgemini.com/insights/research-library/biodiversity/
Watch a video to learn more about Kara’s views on the world: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLqIS24yMRw
Read about how Steelcase is supporting the wellbeing of people and the planet www.steelcase.com/people-planet
Get the latest workplace design, insights and research: www.steelcase.com/subscribe

Work Better podcast is hosted by Chris Congdon. Produced by Rebecca Charbauski. Creative art direction by Erin Ellison and Emily Cowdrey. Technical support by Mark Caswell and Jose Jimenez. Digital publishing by Areli Arellano and Jordan Marks. Editing and sound mixing by SoundPost Studios.

The Next Economy Company with Kara Pecknold (S3:E3)

Many MBA students are taught that businesses should be created to fill a market gap. Poonam Bir Kasturi, founder of the home composting company the Daily Dump, believes in the power of business as a force for good. And she says the MBA-way is not the only way. A diversity of business models is important. She even calls her own style a little foolish.

The Daily Dump designs, makes and distributes beautiful home composting products in India. Daily Dump’s purpose is to reduce waste and reduce the pressure on public waste management systems. Poonam was a TED fellow at TED India. She received the Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award from the Schwab Foundation of the World Economic Forum and a Smart Cities India Award. 

Her outlook on business opens up a new way to think about work and the role our companies play in doing more for the wellbeing of people and our planet. 

Additional resources: 
Learn more about the Daily Dump at https://www.dailydump.org/
Read insights about how to create more inclusive workplaces www.steelcase.com/WBmagazine
Get the latest workplace design, insights and research: www.steelcase.com/subscribe

Work Better podcast is hosted by Chris Congdon. Produced by Rebecca Charbauski. Creative art direction by Erin Ellison and Emily Cowdrey. Technical support by Mark Caswell and Jose Jimenez. Digital publishing by Areli Arellano and Jordan Marks. Editing and sound mixing by SoundPost Studios.

Benefits of Foolishness at Work with Poonam Bir Kasturi (S3:E4)

What does it mean when you buy a carbon neutral product? Sheri Hickok, CEO of Climate Impact Partners, helps us understand what makes something carbon neutral and, in the process, busts some myths about carbon offsets. She simplifies complicated concepts like how to measure carbon and why supporting projects that slow climate change is a necessary part of an organization’s overall carbon strategy. 


Sheri is a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader and joined Climate Impact Partners from GE Renewable Energy, where she was VP and CEO of the international onshore wind business. She brings lessons from the automotive industry and energy sector to her team’s work helping organizations around the world slow climate change and deliver social impact. 


We asked Sheri questions a lot of people are asking: Does this work really make a difference? Why should organizations support projects like this instead of going all in on reducing their own carbon emissions? Sheri shares how her team’s work fits into bigger picture efforts to drive global transformation to a low-carbon economy and address climate change.

Additional resources: 
Learn more about Climate Impact Partners https://www.climateimpact.com/
Explore how Steelcase is supporting the wellbeing of people and the planet www.steelcase.com/people-planet
Read insights about how to create more inclusive workplaces www.steelcase.com/WBmagazine

Get the latest workplace design, insights and research: www.steelcase.com/subscribe

Work Better podcast is hosted by Chris Congdon. Produced by Rebecca Charbauski. Creative art direction by Erin Ellison and Emily Cowdrey. Technical support by Mark Caswell and Jose Jimenez. Digital publishing by Areli Arellano and Jordan Marks. Editing and sound mixing by SoundPost Studios.

Busting Carbon Myths with Sheri Hickok (S3:E5)

Do you hate meetings? Those 30 or 60 minute blocks of time that chew up your day can be frustrating. Some companies have gone so far as to try eliminating meetings completely. But sometimes those meetings make a valuable impact on your work. So we’re asking: When do meetings do more harm than good? 
Benjamin Laker is a Professor of Leadership at Henley Business School and since the pandemic has led research around the effectiveness of meetings and meeting-free work days. 
Benjamin studies the societal impact of leadership and is the author of Too Proud to Lead and Closing the Service Gap. We talked to Benjamin about his research on meetings, the four-day work week and his ideas about how to reframe the way we think about the workplace when most meetings are now hybrid.

Additional resources: 
Learn more about Benjamin Laker’s research at Henley Business School https://www.henley.ac.uk/people/professor-benjamin-laker
Read Benjamin Laker’s articles in Forbes https://www.forbes.com/sites/benjaminlaker/?sh=69e287233352
Get Benjamin Laker’s most recent book Closing the Service Gap https://www.amazon.com/Closing-Service-Gap-customers-organisations/dp/1292444355
Read insights about how to create more inclusive workplaces www.steelcase.com/WBmagazine
Get the latest workplace design, insights and research: www.steelcase.com/subscribe
Work Better podcast is hosted by Chris Congdon. Produced by Rebecca Charbauski. Creative art direction by Erin Ellison and Emily Cowdrey. Technical support by Mark Caswell and Jose Jimenez. Digital publishing by Areli Arellano and Jordan Marks. Editing and sound mixing by SoundPost Studios.

How the Office Can Boost Energy with Benjamin Laker (S3:E6)

The University of Glasgow is the fourth oldest university in the English speaking world. It opened in 1451 and parts of campus might remind you of Hogwarts in the Harry Potter movies. Yet, in many ways, it is leading the way in higher education. In 2014, the university became the first academic institution in Europe to divest from the fossil fuel industry. And its strategy to create more accessible and inclusive education is changing lives. So how is this university that’s more than 500 years old leading the way in higher learning? 

Moira Fischbacher-Smith is Vice Principal of Learning and Teaching at the University of Glasgow. Her focus is on transforming how learning happens. She’s been at the university since 1995 and took the vice principal role in 2019. She is also an LGBTQ+ champion at the university and she thinks really deeply about the impact higher education can make in people’s lives and in our global community.. 

She’s also pretty pragmatic and has some good advice for how to bring pedagogy, technology and the physical environment together to create really good learning experiences. 

Additional resources: 
Explore the University of Glasgow https://www.gla.ac.uk/
Read insights about how to create more inclusive learning spaces www.steelcase.com/WBLearning
Get the latest workplace design, insights and research: www.steelcase.com/subscribe

Work Better podcast is hosted by Chris Congdon. Produced by Rebecca Charbauski. Creative art direction by Erin Ellison and Emily Cowdrey. Technical support by Mark Caswell and Jose Jimenez. Digital publishing by Areli Arellano and Jordan Marks. Editing and sound mixing by SoundPost Studios.

The New Inclusive Campus with Moira Fischbacher-Smith (S3:E7)

More than 65% of people feel no sense of community at work — and that was before the pandemic. Christine Porath studied data from 20,000 employees and after discovering the lack of community, she set out to change it.
Christine wrote “Mastering Community: The Surprising ways coming together moves us from surviving to thriving.” She also wrote "Mastering Civility”. She’s a frequent contributor to the Harvard Business Review, and has written for New York Times, Wall Street Journal and McKinsey Quarterly. She’s worked with organizations like Google, the United Nations, Microsoft, and Ford. Right now, she is a visiting professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Business School. 
She makes a compelling argument with data and powerful stories for creating community in the workplace. She has connected the concept of community to engagement, retention and whether someone feels like they are thriving in their job. She also shares how her work on civility led to her most recent research on community. And she gives us a sneak peek into what she’s exploring now that might be a book someday down the road. 
Additional resources: 
Learn more about Christine’s research and her books at http://www.christineporath.com/
Read insights about how to create spaces to build community at work www.steelcase.com/WBnew
Get the latest workplace design, insights and research: www.steelcase.com/subscribe
Work Better podcast is hosted by Chris Congdon. Produced by Rebecca Charbauski. Creative art direction by Erin Ellison and Emily Cowdrey. Technical support by Mark Caswell and Jose Jimenez. Digital publishing by Areli Arellano and Jordan Marks. Editing and sound mixing by SoundPost Studios.

The Power of Civility + Community with Christine Porath (S3:E8)

Have you ever been in a job that just sucks the joy out of your work? On the flip side, have you had a job that leaves you feeling energized and full of life? Or more likely — it’s a mix. The concept of joy and work can feel like an oxymoron sometimes — but does it have to? Adding joy into work is more important than ever because research shows the lack of joy is literally making people sick. 

Scott Sonenshein co-wrote Joy at Work: Organizing Your Professional Life alongside organization queen Marie Kondo. You may remember her from her Netflix show Sparking Joy. Scott is a Professor of Management at Rice University. He also wrote Stretch: Unlock the Power of Less -and Achieve More Than You Ever Imagined. 

During our conversation, Scott helps us apply lessons around joy to our work such as how we need to purge things from our lives that don’t spark joy. He explains why we need to tap into intrinsic motivators instead of free snacks or ping-pong tables. And he shares why leaders play a critical role creating joy at work.   

Additional resources: 
Learn more about Scott’s research and books at https://www.scottsonenshein.com/
Read insights about how to create spaces to build community at work www.steelcase.com/WBnew
Get the latest workplace design, insights and research: www.steelcase.com/subscribe

Work Better podcast is hosted by Chris Congdon. Produced by Rebecca Charbauski. Creative art direction by Erin Ellison and Emily Cowdrey. Technical support by Mark Caswell and Jose Jimenez. Digital publishing by Areli Arellano and Jordan Marks. Editing and sound mixing by SoundPost Studios.

Creating Joy at Work with Scott Sonenshein (S3:E9)

Look around you. Is there anything nearby that makes you smile? Our guest today argues there is a distinct connection between our surroundings, our wellbeing and our mental health. She even suggests there is time we can find joy in our physical environment even if we’re not feeling happy. 

Ingrid Fetell Lee  is the author of Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness, and the founder of the website The Aesthetics of Joy. She empowers people to find more joy in life and work through design. Her popular TED talk “Where Joy Hides and How to Find it” has been viewed more than 17 million times. 

During our conversation, Ingrid explains the difference between joy and happiness which includes why moments of joy are actually more attainable than you may think. She also helps us understand how even small changes to our workplace can make a significant difference in how we feel. 

Additional resources:
- Learn more about Ingrid Fetell Lee’s research and books at https://aestheticsofjoy.com/
- Enroll: Design a Home You Love with Ingrid Fetell Lee https://shop.aestheticsofjoy.com/products/design-a-home-you-love
- Ingrid Fetell Lee’s TED Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/ingrid_fetell_lee_where_joy_hides_and_how_to_find_it
- Read insights about how to design moments of joy at work www.steelcase.com/WBnew
- Get the latest workplace design, insights and research: www.steelcase.com/subscribe

Work Better podcast is hosted by Chris Congdon. Produced by Rebecca Charbauski. Creative art direction by Erin Ellison and Emily Cowdrey. Technical support by Mark Caswell and Jose Jimenez. Digital publishing by Areli Arellano and Jordan Marks. Editing and sound mixing by SoundPost Studios.

Sparking Joy at Work with Ingrid Fetell Lee (S4:E1)

Why do we work? It’s a simple enough question but the answer might surprise you. According to professor Barry Schwartz, it’s not just about a paycheck — which is what we’ve all been long led to believe. The fact is many people with good incomes are disengaged and unhappy at work. So what’s the problem? Barry’s research uncovers why people are unsatisfied and what factors can make us happier at work.

Barry Schwartz is an Emeritus Professor at Swarthmore and a Visiting Professor at the Haas School of Business, U.C. Berkeley. He’s the author of several books including Why We Work, The Paradox of Choice and Practical Wisdom. He has also given four TED TALKS - seen by more than 25 million people.

Barry’s research in his book Why We Work gets at the heart of why so many people are dissatisfied with their work today. He lays out a passionate argument about why the way society thinks about work is broken. And he has some ideas about what we can do differently to fix our approach to work and the workplace. 

Additional resources: 
Learn more about Barry Schwartz and his books Why We Work and The Paradox of Choice as well as others https://www.ted.com/speakers/barry_schwartz
Watch Barry Schwartz’s TED Talk on The Paradox of Choice: https://www.ted.com/talks/barry_schwartz_the_paradox_of_choice
Read insights about how to design moments of joy at work www.steelcase.com/WBnew
Get the latest workplace design, insights and research: www.steelcase.com/subscribe
Work Better podcast is hosted by Chris Congdon. Produced by Rebecca Charbauski. Creative art direction by Erin Ellison and Emily Cowdrey. Technical support by Mark Caswell and Jose Jimenez. Digital publishing by Areli Arellano and Jordan Marks. Editing and sound mixing by SoundPost Studios.

Is Our Attitude About Work Broken? with Barry Schwartz (S4:E2)

IDEO, a global design and consulting firm, is now helping organizations identify and measure workplace innovation with a tool called Creative Difference. 360 Real Time spoke with IDEO products managing director, David Aycan, about how the tool can help teams discover surprising new data and how the work environment plays a role.

Steelcase 360 Real Time

IDEO Measures & Cultivates Innovation in the Workplace

As 360 Magazine Editor Chris Congdon hosts a revealing conversation on how to build trust and the ongoing search for purpose at work, organizational psychologist Adam Grant shares why team building activities don’t work, why the corner office sends a bad signal and why procrastination can be a key ingredient to creativity.

Steelcase 360

Real Talk: How to Make Work Not Suck

Simon Sinek, bestselling author of “Start with Why,” challenges conventional business norms in his new book “The Infinite Game.” Hear why he says we’re all unwitting players, we shouldn’t focus on our competition and what so many leaders get wrong.

Simon Sinek: Playing an Infinite Game

Ingrid Fetell Lee, author of Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness, says it’s a huge misconception that joy and work are separate. She shares her radical theory — that a few simple changes to the work environment can make a dramatic difference in how people feel and perform.

Steelcase 360 - What Workers Want

Why We Need Joy at Work

Welcome to Work Better, the podcast where we think about work and ways to make it better.

Is joy at work really possible? While putting “joy” and “work” in the same sentence may seem contradictory, it’s actually more achievable than you may think. That’s because joy is an emotion and reflects how we feel in the moment. Little things, incremental changes, can spark joy. And when we experience joy, it’s a signal we’re on the right track toward improving overall wellbeing and happiness. 

Recent findings from Steelcase global research suggest that employees around the world need more feel-good moments at work. Leaders rank employee wellbeing as their top priority, but people aren’t feeling it — at least not yet. The latest data is clear: Leaders can help change the trajectory by understanding where employees are struggling and making meaningful changes that will actually help improve their happiness and wellbeing at work.

This season on Work Better, we’re sharing ideas about how to find, create and design moments of joy at work. So help us spread the joy by sharing an episode with a friend or a colleague.  

Work Better is brought to you by Steelcase, a global design and thought leader in the world of work. We help people do their best work by creating places that work better. Stay-up-to-date on design, insights and research to help people work better at steelcase.com/subscribe .

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