Workplace Visionaries

Jane Young | HubStar

Workplace Visionaries is the podcast for leaders building a more connected, creative and sustainable future of work. Hosted by Jane Young and produced by HubStar, the show brings you bold ideas and practical insights from workplace innovators - from Real Estate, HR, IT and workplace experience leaders to consultants, academics and change-makers shaping the future of work. Get actionable takeaways and a behind-the-scenes look at how top workplace thinkers plan, lead and innovate. https://hubstar.com/

Episodes

  1. #6 - Mika Cross - The Connection Crisis: How to Lead Fractured Teams to 100% Engagement

    FEB 13

    #6 - Mika Cross - The Connection Crisis: How to Lead Fractured Teams to 100% Engagement

    In this episode of Workplace Visionaries, Jane Young sits down with Mika Cross—workplace transformation strategist, federal human capital expert, US Army veteran, and sought-after voice on the future of work who's testified as an expert witness for the US Senate. Mika brings a perspective you won't hear anywhere else, shaped by her experience in the US intelligence community, the Department of Labor, and working with some of the most complex bureaucracies in the world—including achieving 100% employee engagement scores in large government organizations. We dive deep into what Mika identifies as the number one workplace problem in 2026: connection. With teams fractured by layoffs, restructuring, rapid AI adoption, and the lingering effects of the pandemic, disconnection is driving burnout, quiet quitting, and change resistance across organizations of all sizes. This conversation goes beyond surface-level workplace advice. We explore why 70% of change initiatives fail and what successful organizations do differently, how to build genuine psychological safety (not the corporate buzzword version), why attendance data alone won't solve your hybrid work challenges, and what Gen Z actually needs to thrive in remote and hybrid environments. Mika shares real stories from the trenches: structuring telework in the intelligence community with top-secret clearance 20+ years ago, leading teams through government shutdowns and crisis, teaching Army leaders about the science of humor and connection, and designing well-being programs that go far beyond gym memberships. Whether you're wrestling with hybrid policies, rebuilding trust after layoffs, or trying to support your team through relentless change, this episode offers practical wisdom grounded in decades of experience transforming workplaces from the inside out. Connect with Mika Cross on LinkedIn (Work Life Champion of the Universe), visit mikacross.com, or check out her company at strategyworkatwork.us

    1h 23m
  2. #5 - Mark Ma - RTO Mandates Cause Brain Drain: The Data on Who Really Quits

    10/22/2025

    #5 - Mark Ma - RTO Mandates Cause Brain Drain: The Data on Who Really Quits

    Return-to-office mandates increase turnover—but it's your senior employees, skilled workers, and women who are leaving at the highest rates. Mark Ma, research professor at the University of Pittsburgh, breaks down what the data actually shows about RTO mandates, brain drain, and the future of work. His research has been featured in the Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Fortune, BBC, and more. This conversation goes deep on the disconnect between workplace policies and what actually drives performance: • Why RTO as a "cheap layoff" backfires spectacularly• The management training crisis: why leaders don't know how to lead hybrid teams• Why we're measuring productivity completely wrong (and how to fix it)• AI's impact on jobs and the case for 3-day work weeks• How flexible work affects mental health, families, and birth rates• Social mobility decline and why younger workers are opting out of career advancement• Why amenities and coffee badging miss the point entirely Mark brings rigorous research, honest takes on what's broken, and a genuinely optimistic long-term vision—even while acknowledging the rocky road ahead. BONUS: Mark offers to help organizations run free pilot experiments on hybrid work policies. If you're willing to test your assumptions instead of defending them, reach out. From tactical workplace insights to big-picture questions about meaning, policy, and the future we're building—this conversation will change how you think about work.📚 CONNECT WITH MARK MA:• LinkedIn• University of Pittsburgh

    1h 28m

About

Workplace Visionaries is the podcast for leaders building a more connected, creative and sustainable future of work. Hosted by Jane Young and produced by HubStar, the show brings you bold ideas and practical insights from workplace innovators - from Real Estate, HR, IT and workplace experience leaders to consultants, academics and change-makers shaping the future of work. Get actionable takeaways and a behind-the-scenes look at how top workplace thinkers plan, lead and innovate. https://hubstar.com/