This Working Life

When you’re under the pump, it can feel like taking a break at work is impossible. But that can be habit forming, and bad for your physical and mental health.  Learn the benefits of building breaks into your workday, and how to do it in a way that feels manageable. 

You may have heard of greenwashing, now experts are worried about wellness washing where workplaces paper over the cracks with wellbeing measures but leave the chasms underneath.  

You're starting a new job but you don't have what you need, or you certainly feel like you don't! Why is this such a universal experience and why are employers so happy to leave people to sink or swim?  We dive in to the good, the bad and the ugly of onboarding and try to figure out how we can be doing it better, for bosses and for workers.  Lisa also checks in with the Australian HR Institute abo...

AI usage is on the rise, but its implementation within jobs and workflows is causing problems.  Research shows there is a capability gap amongst Australian workers, and a lack of AI fluency and context-poor AI use is creating job strain.  What can leaders do to turn this around? Guests:  Dr Rebecca Hinds , head of the Work AI Institute at Glean  Dr Sean Gallagher , founder of Humanova and the form...

Tying together what your team does within your organisation’s strategy is a key skill for middle managers and something workers at all levels can benefit from.   Learn how a strategy is put together and ways you can work towards it.  Guests: Brandon Lee , Associate Professor at Melbourne Business School, consultant, researcher and executive educator    Rebecca Murray , principal of strategy consul...

If you’re always busy but feel as though you’re not getting on top of things, you may be experiencing cognitive and emotional overload.  Liane Davey, the ‘Teamwork Doctor’, calls this “thoughtload” and offers ways to manage overwhelm and focus attention, to improve productivity and wellbeing in individuals and teams.  Guest: Liane Davey PhD  organisational psychologist and author Thoughtload: Mana...

Once you’ve made the decision to quit your job, it’s worth considering how to do it in a way that fits the situation.  The researcher who coined the term, “The Great Resignation” shares his insights on different resignation styles, from the “grateful goodbye” to “bridge burning” and what managers can learn from the way employees quit.   Guest: Professor Anthony C. Klotz, UCL School of Management,...

The researcher who coined the term, "The Great Resignation", says most of us are only one event away from quitting our jobs.  He calls them “jolts” and describes the one that led Oprah to quit her new job at 60 Minutes, and Jürgen Klopp to give up his successful role as manager of Liverpool FC.  What motivates us to quit, what should we consider before we do it?  Guest: Professor Anthony C. Klotz,...

The narrative around AI at work is moving away from “job apocalypse” towards jobs transforming.  So how do you redesign roles to improve productivity and take care of the psychosocial safety and wellbeing of workers? Guests: John Curtin Distinguished Professor Sharon Parker, Director of   Centre for Transformative Work Design , Curtin University  If you’d like to try the S.M.A.R.T. job design asse...

Have you struggled to make lasting behaviour change at work, and wondered why you can’t get to the next level?   The author of bestsellers Hooked and Indistractable, spoke with readers who loved his books but couldn’t nail the change part. He spent the next five years researching what was missing, Beyond Belief is the result.   Nir Eyal, behavioural design expert, author, Beyond Belief: The Scienc...

Working for longer can help you financially, as well as giving you purpose, a social life and a healthier brain.  We speak with three Australians working past retirement age, and an expert coach who helps individuals and organisations achieve longevity goals. Guests: Ronni Kahn AO , social entrepreneur, Founder and Visionary in Residence, OzHarvest   Brian James , co-founder, The Copper Doctors  A...

Circadian rhythms dictate our peak times or chronotypes and they vary across the workforce, so why does everything start so early?  Learn how these biological rhythms interact with cognitive and emotional performance and how practicing circadian-influenced leadership can help get the best out of your team.  Guest: Stefan Volk , Professor of Management at the University of Sydney Business School 

Jackie O’s lawyers claim ARN breached workplace health and safety obligations by failing to protect her psychosocial health while she was working with co-host Kyle Sandilands.   As the case heads to court this week, find out how leaders should manage psychological safety at work, and learn the potential consequences if they fail to do so.  Guests: Martyn Campbell , former Chief Executive of SafeWo...

Marcus Buckingham’s latest research shows that love is a driver of super productive human behaviour. He argues the case for "designing love in" to experiences at work. Learn how to create experiences that inspire your colleagues and staff to say, "I love that!" Guest: Marcus Buckingham , global researcher focused on unlocking strengths, increasing performance and pioneering the future of work. Aut...

Worrying about your young person’s future? The impact of AI is already changing the job market in some industries. So what’s the best approach for guiding them into a career during this time of uncertainty?  Guests: Alana Kilmartin , speaker and author, Unserious Careers: a fun guide to the first five years of your career David Carney , Executive Director, Career Industry Council of Australia 

When your boss sends a text complimenting your work, it feels amazing! But if they point out a mistake in front of your peers, you may feel shattered.  What does it take to be an inspiring leader, and how can you avoid being an infuriating one?  Guest: Adam Galinsky , Paul Calello Professor of Leadership and Ethics at the Columbia Business School  This interview was recorded at the Power, Status a...

You may soon have a digital clone of your work-self that can take care of many of your tasks, make decisions on your behalf, and even give presentations as you.   As the emergence of “identic AI” generates more potential for digital human twins in organisations, we discuss the ethics of using them.  Guests: Don Tapscott , co-author, You to the Power of Two , Redefining Human Potential in the Age o...

With burnout and overwork a problem for staff and employers alike, a proposal to add an extra week to annual leave balances for Australian workers is on the table.   We speak with a business that already offers five weeks of annual leave per year, and hear from management and labour law experts on whether this add on is the answer, or if there's a better solution. Guests: Shae McCrystal , Professo...

What’s really behind the reaction a colleague has when you disagree with them? And how do you manage a conflict when it arises?  Esther and Lisa delve into workplace conflict and power dynamics and explore how to understand them and find a way through.   Plus answers to your questions and an exercise Esther wants you to test out for Try This. Don’t forget to report back! thisworkinglife@abc.net.au...

When you’re under the pump, it can feel like taking a break at work is impossible. But that can be habit forming, and bad for your physical and mental health.  Learn the benefits of building breaks into your workday, and how to do it in a way that feels manageable.  Guests: Kira Schabram , Assistant Professor of Management & Organisation at Smeal College of Business, The Pennsylvania State Uni...

It's an important part of monitoring and improving performance, but when feedback is given or received in the “wrong” way, it can damage relationships and affect work.  Here’s a masterclass to help you get better at giving and receiving feedback.  Guests:  Roisin McCann , facilitator who works with organisations to build leadership capacity and develop a better culture of feedback and strategic co...

What have we learned so far about reducing working hours without losing productivity, and what are the tips and tricks for ensuring a four day week is a success for staff, organisations and customers? The Launceston city council is in the process of moving towards a four day week.    Guests: John Hopkins , Professor of Management, Deakin Business School  Anne Rayner, founder, Productivity Bargain 

Our calendars are filled with meetings, but what are they really achieving? Learn how to cut out unnecessary gatherings and make the ones that remain, more meaningful and efficient.  Guest: Rebecca Hinds PhD , organisational expert and author, Your Best Meeting Ever  For a copy of the resources mentioned in this episode, email us at thisworkinglife@abc.net.au

So you landed the job, congrats! Now it's time to start your new role. What steps can you take and what can your new employer do, to set you up for success?   Guests: Kate Flaherty , National President of the Career Development Association of Australia, leadership coach and counsellor  Jonathon Woolfrey , WA State President & Non-Executive Director, Australian HR Institute, managing partner, T...

If you’re feeling stuck and ready for a change, why not harness the momentum of the new year to turn that around?  Whether it’s a new job or a whole new career, Dorie shares her approach to help you figure out what’s next, and how to make it happen.  Guest: Dorie Clark , Top 50 business thinker and executive education professor, best selling author, Reinventing You: Define your Brand, Imagine your...