Work For Humans

Moments before presenting at a large conference in Sydney, Gareth Flynn was confident in sharing his expertise on skills strategy. Suddenly, his friend Dart Lindsley tapped him on the shoulder and made a bold claim: skills strategies don’t work. Faced with the unsettling possibility that his expertise might be flawed, Gareth began a research journey to uncover the truth. By engaging with both crit...

When Kim Clark was completing research for his doctoral dissertation, he compared two nearly identical cement plants located five miles apart. As an economist, he couldn’t pinpoint why one plant was 70% more productive than the other. Determined to solve the mystery, he visited both plants and quickly found the answer: the more productive plant had a flat hierarchy and a collegial culture.  Kim, J...

When Samantha Gadd began her career in HR, she quickly noticed traditional HR processes and practices often overlooked the people they were meant to serve. Struggling to find the “human”  in human resources, Samantha took a leap of faith and founded Humankind, an organization dedicated to putting humanity at the center of work. Today, Humankind is New Zealand’s leading HR and employee experience (...

David Obstfeld, a tenured professor with over 15 years of research experience, saw a troubling trend at universities: first-generation college students were struggling to secure job opportunities upon graduation, leaving them at a disadvantage compared to their peers. His research revealed a clear link between economic background and access to social networks, with wealthier students gaining socia...

Lucy Adams, a seasoned HR leader, has held senior roles in major organizations, including her recent position as HR Director at the BBC. Despite her success, she grew increasingly frustrated by HR’s one-size-fits-all approach, which treated all employees under the same rigid policies. Determined to find a fresh perspective, Lucy founded Disruptive HR, an innovative HR agency that inspires leaders...

Ken Coleman has interviewed thousands of people on work, uncovering a common struggle: people start their careers wanting to make a difference but often lose that drive due to restrictive job expectations and rigid company rules. This disconnect leaves employees disengaged, impacting both personal fulfillment and company success. Ken believes companies thrive by flipping the question — focusing no...

As an international correspondent for NPR, Gregory Warner has lived and worked in some of the highest conflict areas in recent memory. He has climbed mountains with smugglers in Pakistan for This American Life , descended into illegal mineshafts in the Democratic Republic of Congo for Marketplace's "Working" series, and lugged his accordion across Afghanistan on the trail of the &qu...

After 20 years of managing multimillion-dollar projects for Fortune 500 companies, Mike Hess faced a troubling reality: he was often labeled as the "token blind guy." Despite developing invaluable skills through his blindness, he was disturbed by the high unemployment rates among fellow disabled professionals. Determined to break down corporate stigma, he founded the Blind Institute of T...

The philosophy behind HR and our way of working predates most of the tools we use. While companies focus on sales and productivity, most neglect to measure one of the largest sources of value within the organization – the employee experience. Jessica Zwaan has made it her mission to teach executives and their companies how to transform the employee experience using product management principles, m...

In a rapidly evolving job market shaped by post-pandemic shifts, AI advancements, and the rise of remote work, competition for good jobs is fiercer than ever. Standing out and strategically positioning yourself is no longer optional – it’s essential. For over 25 years, Phyl Terry has been helping people build exceptional companies and careers. As the founder and CEO of Collaborative Gain, a consul...

Joe Pine was the first to identify many of the trends that have animated business for the last two decades, including the trend away from simple mass production to mass customization, and the emergence of the experience economy. Today, Joe joins us to discuss how those trends are influencing the future of work, and how companies might mass-customize experiences for employees. Joe Pine is an intern...

AI is at the forefront of work, tech, and global development – and it’s here to stay. While there are ongoing dilemmas and fears surrounding the future of AI, renowned neuroscientist Vivienne Ming sees it differently. For over a decade, she has harnessed AI to enhance human potential, designing systems to treat her son’s diabetes, predict manic episodes in those with bipolar disorder, and reunite...

If there’s one thing the pandemic taught us, it’s that market disruptions can spell disaster for unprepared companies. Aaron McEwan, a behavioral scientist and futurist, is at the forefront of this challenge. As part of Gartner’s Rapid Response Market Sensing Team, he specializes in identifying workplace shifts before they happen. In this episode, Aaron shares how he leverages insights from his ca...

As AI and automation reshape the workforce, the traditional way we pass down critical skills is under threat. Junior workers are losing the opportunity to learn directly from experienced mentors, putting essential human abilities at risk. Matt Beane, a leading researcher in machine intelligence, has spent a decade investigating this problem. In his latest book, The Skill Code , Beane uncovers the...

On Work for Humans, we explore what people truly seek from their work. A recurring theme we have found is the desire for puzzles to solve. In today’s episode, we chat with a puzzle expert and creator to uncover the elements that make a compelling puzzle and how we can apply these principles to create work that people genuinely love. Jasen Robillard’s career has evolved from engineer to product spe...

From managing crises to ensuring compliance and safety, HR professionals are often the first responders in the workplace. Julie Turney, an HR specialist with over 15 years in the field, found herself so focused on supporting others that she became depleted and burned out. Drawing from her journey and research, Julie now dedicates her work to creating positive workplace cultures and fostering emplo...

Marty Cagan was ten years into his engineering career when he began questioning the purpose of his work. Frustrated with the products he was building, he wondered why they were necessary—but soon, he realized that asking "why" was the job of the product manager, not the engineer. So, he became one. Not just any product manager, but a leading expert in the field. Now, through Silicon Vall...

Work for Humans has long advocated for employees to be seen as customers, but we've faced resistance from traditional programs that churn out MBAs focused on profits and the bottom line. This perspective overlooks a critical point: companies risk losing money and innovation if they don’t put employees at the center of their decisions. In a surprising turn, author and professor Stephan Meier h...

Work for Humans has always been about designing with the employee in mind, but many designers mistakenly focus on objects rather than the actions those objects should create. This leads to falling back on traditional roles and routines when there is actually more choice out there. Inspired by the power of designing for action instead of things, WFH connected with Stephanie Gioia and Melanie Kahl—t...

Architecture has traditionally centered on buildings, often overlooking the most crucial element—people. Urban designer Blaine Merker sees this as a missed opportunity. As Partner, Director, and Head of Climate Action at the Gehl research consultancy, Blaine aims to shift the industry’s focus. By guiding companies to adopt community-centered design practices, he’s working to transform urban spaces...

Remote, hybrid, and from-home work options are here to stay, but there’s more to work flexibility than just location. Leadership advisor and author Brian Elliott has found that most employees want more control over their work, from when they work to how their success is measured; It’s time to redefine and fully embrace flexible work. In his recent book, How the Future Works , Brian provides a blue...

Hundreds of thousands of college graduates were promised that more learning meant more earning – but they’re now facing a harsh new reality. AI, outsourcing, and a shifting economy have created an oversupply of educated workers, leading to widespread feelings of betrayal and crushing student debt. Human capital is not delivering on its promise. Phillip Brown, a distinguished sociologist, author, a...

We tend to use the word ritual to talk about everyday routines. For instance, we have our ritualistic cup of coffee in the morning. But rituals are much more than just repetitive actions. True rituals carry deep meaning, emotion, and a promise of transformation. As a professional ritual designer, Tiu De Haan has designed rituals in countless forms. She took on the heavy task of designing a ritual...

In the modern workplace, constant change is the norm. One week, teams are navigating a new project management system; the next, they need to adapt to a new organizational chart. Even office layouts seem to change overnight to match the company’s latest pivot. While change may be the new normal, leadership expert Ashley Goodall questions its true benefits. In his latest book, The Problem with Chang...

Industrial capitalism has treated workers like marionettes breaking down work into discreet, disconnected, repeatable actions. It loves uniformity and people who do what they're told. Seth Godin’s new book, The Song of Significance ,  challenges us to break free of these limiting mental models, many of which are still baked into how we work. Seth Godin is an author, entrepreneur, and marketin...