What The F* is Happening to The Office?

Work Design
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What the F* is Happening to the Office? The workplace is being reinvented—and we're talking to the people leading the charge. From architects to real estate strategists, tech innovators to culture experts, this podcast dives into the seismic shifts reshaping where and how we work. If you’re building, designing, managing, or just trying to make sense of the new office landscape, this is your front-row seat to the ideas, experiments, and people redefining the future of work.

  1. Preparing for the Future Workplace | What the F* is Happening to the Office? | Mark Bryan

    1D AGO

    Preparing for the Future Workplace | What the F* is Happening to the Office? | Mark Bryan

    What if we could look into a crystal ball and design the future workplace today?Are we preparing for what’s next, or redesigning yesterday’s office?In this episode of What the F* is Happening to the Office?, Bob Fox sits down with Mark Bryan, Chief Research & Strategy Officer at IIDA, to explore why most “future of work” conversations are stuck debating layouts, policies, and attendance - instead of how work itself is fundamentally changing.Mark introduces strategic foresight, a data-driven discipline focused on preparation, not prediction, and explains why organizations must design for measurable human outcomes: trust, wellbeing, learning, social cohesion, and performance.We explore:• The convergence of AI, connected devices, and digital twins• Why utilization data can mislead decision-making• How immersive environments go beyond headsets• The coming technology “supercycle” reshaping work• Why the workplace must evolve from container to trust platformIf you're a workplace leader, architect, designer, CRE executive, or strategist trying to prepare your organization for the next 10 years, this conversation will expand how you think about work, technology, and human potential.Subscribe for weekly conversations with the leaders shaping the future of work and the built environment.Special thanks to Global Furniture Group for supporting this episode.https://www.globalfurnituregroup.com/

    1h 1m
  2. Work is Broken - Gen Z Can Fix It | WTF is Happening to the Office | Amanda Schneider

    JAN 31

    Work is Broken - Gen Z Can Fix It | WTF is Happening to the Office | Amanda Schneider

    Hybrid work broke the old playbook—but leaders never agreed on a new one. In this episode of What the F* is Happening to the Office?, Bob Fox, Founder of Work Design, sits down with Amanda Schneider, Founder and President of ThinkLab (Sandow Design Group), to explore why workplace culture is failing—and how Gen Z may hold the key to fixing it.Drawing on years of research, focus groups, and real-world experience, Amanda explains why today’s workplace is stuck in “hybrid purgatory,” where policies don’t match reality, trust is eroding, and burnout is rising. Together, Bob and Amanda unpack what Gen Z is really asking for—flexibility, transparency, purpose, and empowerment—and why these demands reflect what all generations have wanted all along.Amanda also shares personal insights from building a successful remote-first company, raising a family while leading a research organization, and writing her upcoming book Work for What’s Next. She offers a practical framework for helping individuals, teams, and organizations design healthier, more effective ways of working.Pre-order Amanda's new book: https://amzn.to/4sXq6oW

    53 min
  3. The Fourth Place | Where AI and Human Wisdom Converge | A Conversation with Rex Miller

    JAN 2

    The Fourth Place | Where AI and Human Wisdom Converge | A Conversation with Rex Miller

    What if the next evolution of work isn’t an office — but a marketplace of hidden genius? We’re applying old thinking to new technology — and wondering why work still feels stuck. In this episode of What the F* is Happening to the Office?, futurist and executive coach Rex Miller introduces The Fourth Place — a bold new model for how work, learning, and human connection come together in an AI-driven world. The Fourth Place is a hybrid environment — part café, part makerspace, part internal Genius Bar — designed to unlock the “long tail” of hidden expertise inside every organization. It’s a continuous learning hub where AI, human wisdom, and curiosity converge to solve problems traditional management structures can no longer handle. Rex joins host Bob Fox to explain why the future belongs to organizations that move beyond command-and-control hierarchies and toward distributed networks of value. In this episode we explore: The Fourth Place, defined — Why the office must evolve into a mashup of Kinko’s, Starbucks, and an internal Genius Bar The long tail of talent — How to bypass management bottlenecks and tap into infinite employee capability Media rewires the brain — Why generational differences are really media-platform differences AI as a partner, not a replacement — Shifting from “expert” to “guide” while eliminating friction The loneliness crisis at work — Why belonging drives retention and performance “Friday is Fourth Place Day” — A radical way to turn the quietest day of the week into the most valuable The bottom line: The next workplace isn’t a place you’re required to go — it’s a place you want to go to learn, connect, and create. 💬 Question for you: If your organization had an internal Genius Bar where employees taught each other skills, what would you sign up to learn — or teach? Future of Work · Workplace Strategy · AI and Work · Organizational Culture · Leadership

    57 min
  4. Why Offices Still Matter - Culture, flexibility & data reshape the workplace with Brian Elliott

    12/02/2025

    Why Offices Still Matter - Culture, flexibility & data reshape the workplace with Brian Elliott

    The modern workplace is in radical flux, driven by hybrid work, AI, and shifting talent strategy. In this essential episode, host Bob Fox sits down with Brian Elliott—CEO of WorkForward, BCG Senior Advisor, and publisher of the authoritative Flex Index—to cut through the noise. Drawing on his experience at Slack and Google, and leading one of the most influential workplace research programs, Brian brings real data and grounded insight to the most pressing questions. This conversation goes far beyond the "remote vs. hybrid" debate, exploring the critical mindset shift leaders need to navigate change. We unpack how companies are using workplace strategy as a powerful leadership tool, the truth about flexibility and organizational performance, and the transformative role of AI and automation in workplace experience and operations. If you are a workplace strategist, HR executive, or simply asking “Why do we go to the office anymore?”, this data-rich discussion will challenge your assumptions about office space, culture, engagement, and the true future of work.

    55 min
  5. 4 Generations, One Office | What the F* is Happening to the Office? with Warren Wright

    11/27/2025

    4 Generations, One Office | What the F* is Happening to the Office? with Warren Wright

    What happens when Gen Z starts reshaping the rules of work—while the Boomers are still playing by the old ones? In this essential episode, host Bob Fox sits down with generational researcher and leadership expert Warren Wright, CEO of Second Wave Learning (formerly of Gallup), to explore how the newest generation is changing the workplace culture from the inside out. Warren brings decades of insight to unpack the forces driving this generational shift. Gen Z is challenging traditional norms with a fierce desire for purpose-driven work, radical transparency, and strong psychological safety. We dive into how these values—alongside unique workplace communication styles—stack up against those of the multigenerational workforce (Millennials, Gen X, and Boomers). Learn what organizations must do now to adapt their leadership development, enhance employee engagement, and leverage reverse mentoring to foster effective generational collaboration, ensuring they are ready for the true Future of Work.

    53 min
  6. Who is designing AI Workplaces? | What the F* is Happening to the Office? with Jeremy Reding

    11/27/2025

    Who is designing AI Workplaces? | What the F* is Happening to the Office? with Jeremy Reding

    What happens when AI meets the office? Host Bob Fox sits down with Jeremy Reding, Global Workplace Leader & Senior Principal at DLR Group, architect, and workplace futurist, to explore the cutting edge of workplace design. Tracing his roots from hands-on design communities to leading global workplace strategy for top tech companies, Jeremy offers an inspiring look at how organizations can navigate the future without losing the human experience. This essential episode dives into how AI is fundamentally reshaping the office: think small, high-focus AI-driven team rooms replacing large desk banks. We discuss the necessity of a human-first approach, ensuring culture and wellbeing drive the design, with technology serving as invisible, seamless support. From the rise of a low-tech counter-movement (authentic materials, tech-free zones) to the creation of adaptive environments that personalize comfort and health, this conversation is your blueprint for creating high-performing, immersive, and truly connected modern workspaces.

    48 min
  7. Leadership: The Real Magnet - What the F* is Happening to the Office? With Ray Milora

    11/27/2025

    Leadership: The Real Magnet - What the F* is Happening to the Office? With Ray Milora

    Is the real workplace problem space—or is it leadership? Host Bob Fox sits down with Ray Milora, Senior Director of Workplace Design & Construction at Cisco, to unpack the critical elements that actually drive people back to the office. Ray shares an inspiring, candid blueprint: it’s not excessive amenities, but leadership presence, clear purpose, and friction-free hybrid tech that truly matter. This episode reveals how Cisco is using a single, unified tech stack to eliminate common meeting friction, effectively making the office a powerful business tool for talent attraction and closing sales. Learn how Ray is leveraging AI for workplace strategy to convert design conversations into visuals in hours, not months, radically accelerating workplace design. We challenge outdated metrics and explore how to build portfolio flexibility while right-sizing, proving that activated spaces and intentional culture are the real keys to the future of work.

    56 min
  8. Unlocking the Hybrid Dividend | What the F* is Happening to the Office? with Mark Gilbreath

    11/27/2025

    Unlocking the Hybrid Dividend | What the F* is Happening to the Office? with Mark Gilbreath

    Hybrid work isn't broken because employees don’t want to gather—it struggles due to the coordination tax, that hidden productivity killer that strikes when freedom lacks structure. In this essential episode, host Bob Fox sits down with Mark Gilbreath, CEO & Founder of LiquidSpace, to dive deep into the real enemy of hybrid: coordination chaos. Mark unpacks how smart enterprises like T-Mobile, Allstate, and Airbnb are achieving massive cost savings and unlocking the tangible "Hybrid Dividend" by pivoting to a people-first planning model. We explore the necessity of adopting flexible workspaces and leveraging AI-powered portfolio intelligence to match work activities with the right space, proving that 83% of office bookings are for group work, not solo focus. This powerful conversation is a must-listen for anyone questioning the future of work, providing actionable workplace strategy insights and data-driven decisions that transform workplace transformation from a distraction into a double-win for both cost efficiency and employee engagement.

    1h 3m
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What the F* is Happening to the Office? The workplace is being reinvented—and we're talking to the people leading the charge. From architects to real estate strategists, tech innovators to culture experts, this podcast dives into the seismic shifts reshaping where and how we work. If you’re building, designing, managing, or just trying to make sense of the new office landscape, this is your front-row seat to the ideas, experiments, and people redefining the future of work.

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