Work Better

Steelcase
  • 4.5 (42)
  • BUSINESS
Work Better

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 .

  1. JUN 10

    Why We Need More Humor at Work with Jennifer Aaker + Naomi Bagdonas (S4: E8)

    What’s so funny? Turns out humor at work is for more than just a good laugh. It can help us influence people and be more creative. Authors Naomi Bagdonas and Dr. Jennifer Aaker join the Work Better podcast to share how our brains change when we laugh, why humor isn’t just for extroverts and how more laughter can make a big impact on business. Naomi Bagdonas is a Lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and an Executive Coach. She helps leaders be more creative, flexible and resilient in the face of change by facilitating interactive sessions for Fortune 100 companies and coaching executives and celebrities for appearances ranging from Saturday Night Live to the Today Show. Formally trained at the Upright Citizens Brigade theatre, Bagdonas performs at comedy venues and teaches improv in San Francisco’s county jail. Dr. Jennifer Aaker is the General Atlantic Professor at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a leading expert on how purpose and meaning shape individual choices and how technology can positively impact both human well-being and company growth. Her work has been widely published in leading scientific journals and featured in The Economist, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, and Science. Together Naomi and Jennifer teach the wildly popular class “Humor: Serious Business,” the inspiration for the bestselling book “Humor, Seriously.” 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.

    31 min

  2. JUN 4

    Breaking Our Obsession with Generations with Mauro Guillén (S4: E7)

    Have you ever held back on something because it just wasn’t “age appropriate?” Or evaluated someone based on if they’re a Millennial or Gen Z? Are generational differences preventing people from reaching their full potential in life and at work? And could we be thinking differently about generations in the workplace? Mauro Guillen is a sociologist and is currently the William H. Wurster Professor and a Vice Dean at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He is a former Dean of Cambridge Judge Business School and was also a Guggenheim and Fulbright Fellow. He is the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of 2030: How Today’s Biggest Trends Will Collide and Reshape the Future of Everything. His latest book is The Perennials: The Megatrends Creating a Postgenerational Society. Guillén argues that outmoded terms like Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z have long been used to pigeonhole us into rigid categories and life stages, artificially preventing people from reaching their full potential. A new post generational workforce known as “perennials” – individuals who are not pitted against each other either by their age or experience – makes it possible to liberate scores of people from the constraints of the sequential model of life and level the playing field so that everyone has a chance at living a rewarding 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.

    27 min

  3. MAY 27

    Embracing How Different Our Brains Are with Elena Sabinson (S4:E6)

    We all know the workplace has to support a lot of diverse needs and it could probably do a much better job than it does today. But that can be really hard because there’s a gravitational pull toward sameness. It’s just easier to establish a pattern and stick to it. So how can we embrace how different our brains are when we are designing the workplace? Elena Sabinson (she/they) is a neurodivergent researcher passionate about the role design can play to help all people flourish. She is an assistant professor of environmental design at the University of Colorado Boulder and received her PhD in human behavior and design from Cornell University. Elena was diagnosed later in life with autism and ADHD. Elena’s personal experience and research on neurodiversity along with their expertise in architecture and design gives us ideas for how the workplace can do more to support all of our different brains. Additional resources: Learn more about Elena Sabinson’s work and research https://elenasabinson.com/ 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.

    34 min

  4. MAY 20

    Why You Need More Women on Teams with Anita Woolley (S4:E5)

    Why is it some teams at work struggle and others seem to just click? Anita Woolley studies the science of teamwork and she’s sharing what research says about how to create great teams. And it’s not about having a lot of brainy people on your team. Associate Dean of Research and Professor of Organizational Behavior and Theory at Carnegie Mellon Anita Woolley holds a PhD in Organizational Behavior from Harvard and her research on teams has been published in several peer-reviewed journals. Her studies explore how teams problem-solve, collaborate and she’s developed an rich understanding of a concept called collective intelligence. Collective intelligence is the idea that when you put some people together, the team is able to do better work just because of the group. In this episode, learn what factors create great teams and why having women on teams appears to be an essential component of success. Additional resources: Learn more about Anita Woolley and her work on collective intelligence https://scholars.cmu.edu/418-anita-woolley 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.

    25 min

  5. MAY 13

    The Science of “Aha!” Moments with Alex Soojung-Kim Pang (S4:E4)

    We’ve all been told at some point in our lives that hard work is the key to success. But author Alex Soojung-Kim Pang is out to dispel this myth. He says you can actually get more done and experience more “Aha!” moments if you rest and relax more often. Alex has spent the past 20 years studying people, the future of technology and its impact on work. He is a former Microsoft research fellow and professional futurist with a PhD in the history of science as well as a visiting scholar at Stanford and Oxford. He’s the author of four books including; The Distraction Addiction, Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less, Shorter: How Working Less Will Revolutionize the Way Your Company Gets Things Done and, most recently, Work Less Do More: Designing the Four Day Week. When Alex talks about rest, he isn’t just focusing on sleep. He defines rest more broadly and is championing the idea that we can actually be more productive by doing less. He offers some advice for those of us addicted to the badge of busyness. Additional resources: Learn more about Alex and his books including Work Less Do More, Rest, Shorter and The Distraction Addiction https://www.4dayweek.com/alex-pang Watch Alex’s Ted Talk: How Rest Can Make You Better at Your Job https://www.ted.com/talks/alex_soojung_kim_pang_how_rest_can_make_you_better_at_your_job 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.

    35 min

  6. MAY 6

    Creating a Brain Healthy Workplace with Upali Nanda (S4:E3)

    Spaces communicate a lot about how you are supposed to behave. In a library, everything about the lighting and the furniture tells you to be quiet and contemplative. Or a conference room indicates where to sit and where to look. Dr. Upali Nanda has done a lot of work around the intersection of architecture and neuroscience. And she’s figuring out how to create workplaces designed to make our brains healthier. We first caught up with Upali in New York where she presented her team’s work at the United Nations General Assembly's "Brain Capital Alliance" summit hosted in the Steelcase New York City WorkLife. She is Global Practice Director of Research and a Partner at HKS, and executive director of the Center for Advanced Design Research and Evaluation which is a non-profit founded by HKS. She also teaches at the University Michigan in the school of architecture and urban planning. She has extensive experience leading research projects in design practice, focusing on the impact of design on human health and perception. She was awarded the Women in Architecture Innovator Award and sits on the board of the Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture. In this episode, learn about a living lab in Atlanta that’s creating a workplace designed for brain health and helping people learn how to make the most of it to create joy and happiness at work. Additional resources: Read Getting to a Brain Healthy Workplace to download the full report Upali Nanda talks about https://www.hksinc.com/how-we-think/reports/getting-to-a-brain-healthy-workplace/ 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.

    40 min

  7. APR 30

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

    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.

    32 min

  8. APR 22

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

    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.

    27 min
See All (49)

4.5
out of 5
42 Ratings

About

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 .

Information

  • Creator
    Steelcase
  • Years Active
    2016 - 2024
  • Episodes
    49
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    Work Better

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