How We Work

In this episode of How We Work, recorded live at Workhuman Live, we sit down with Fadjanie Cadet, an HR and inclusion leader, speaker, and author to explore what it means to navigate the workplace as a first‑generation professional. Fadjanie shares how first‑gen identity often comes with unspoken challenges: learning workplace norms without a roadmap, navigating impostor syndrome, and carrying res...

Change is scary, but that fear can be a signal. Something to observe and understand, something to learn from. Cassandra Worthy is the founder and CEO of Change Enthusiasm Global, and author of the book Change Enthusiasm. On this episode, she talks about what one can learn from fear and how that skill, one of many "soft" skills that shape a person's character, is what will help people and organizat...

The world of work is in flux. New technologies like AI tools have altered entire industries in a matter of years or even months in some cases. To adapt to a constantly changing world, traits like consciousness, empathy, integrity, and accountability will prove much more valuable to the organization and employees than specific industry experience. Ginny Clarke is an author, speaker, leadership advi...

Collaboration, communication, and problem-solving are a few skills you often see pop up in job descriptions, but for years, they have been relegated to "soft skills." They're helpful, but not essential especially compared to experience in a certain role. However, that's changing. As technology is advancing, new jobs are being created every year. And because no one has experience in a job that has...

Late in 2023, The She-Suite and Workhuman® collaborated to discover the trends and untapped insights around women’s experiences in the workplace through an intersectional lens. The research explored hidden barriers to career fulfillment along with the importance of recognition and purpose-centered work. Now, the team is ready to share some of the initial findings that leaders can act on today. Joi...

"Our brain loves to tell stories. And usually, these stories about change are negative. They're usually focused on worst-case scenarios. [But] you are the editor of your story. So we can take that in and say, 'Well, that's an interesting story, brain. But let's also imagine what's possible.'" Nataly Kogan is the founder of Happier, Inc., the author of The Awesome Human Journal, and now a returning...

One of the biggest trends in work and culture over the last five years is burnout. Workhuman® has conducted numerous surveys in that time frame that all suggest or directly point to significant levels of burnout in various industries and occupations and demographics in which it runs rampant. But burnout's effects are not just felt at work, they're felt in the entirety of an employee's life and are...

The manager-direct report relationship is one of the most critical in every workplace. It can make or break the employee experience. What helps make it successful is a consistent check-in cadence for employees to raise concerns or seek support. But beyond frequency, there isn't a lot of training for managers and there's even less research as to what makes them work. Steven Rogelberg is the author...

Dr. Kalifa Oliver joins How We Work to talk about using data to initiate change, how to support parents at work, creating boundaries for showing up at work, and why inclusivity isn't hard, but being an a-hole is just easier. Edited & mixed by: Rob Valois Music by: Breakmaster Cylinder LINKS Kalifa's website Check out our latest report -> The Evolution of Work: The Value of an Employee-First...

In research conducted by Workhuman® and BLK Men in Tech into the experience of Black employees in the tech industry, four challenges at work rose to the surface: bringing their authentic selves to work, the effect of negative workplace experiences on their mental health, their broader financial responsibilities, and difficulties with career advancement. Kham Ward, founder of BLK Men in Tech, retur...

"When people look back on their experiences, they don't store those experiences like videos and just replay them end to end. Most of what we experience dissolves, and what we're left with are just certain scenes, snippets, or moments, and those are the peak moments." Dan Heath is a senior fellow at Duke University’s CASE center, the founder of ThinkWell, and a 4-time NY Times bestselling author. I...

There is no shortage of data in the world of work. But often, it can feel as if analytics and metrics are measured and sent to the ether rather than used as the basis for continual change. As work has evolved, one question has followed: How do we use data to keep pace and even get ahead of changes to improve the employee experience? Kevin Campbell is the Employee Experience Scientist at Qualtrics...

Failing or falling short can be a disheartening experience, but often it's also a learning experience. Bouncing back from failure is far more valuable to growth than striving for perfection. Reshma Saujani is an author, speaker, and founder of Girls Who Code and Marshall Plan for Moms. On this episode, she discusses how failure made her more courageous and what she wants to instill in the next gen...

New York Times bestselling author, podcast host, Workhuman Live keynote speaker, and professional troublemaker Luvvie Ajayi Jones joins the show to talk about making friends with fear, causing professional trouble, and living audaciously. Edited & mixed by: Rob Valois Music by: Breakmaster Cylinder LINKS Luvvie's site Check out our latest report -> The Evolution of Work: The Value of an Emp...

In part 1, we discussed where the workforce is– many employees are still looking for a new job, caretakers and employee resource group members are feeling acute stress, and the way an employee works has a profound impact on their experience On this episode, Dr. Meisha-ann Martin and Dr. Isha Vicaria pick up their conversation with the findings and action steps from the latest iQ report survey, The...

Work has fundamentally changed over the last three years. As a team, we wanted to understand the kaleidoscope of the employee experience in today’s workplace environment. How work has evolved broadly, yes, but further, how it has impacted groups of employees differently. On this episode, Dr. Meisha-ann Martin is joined by Dr. Isha Vicaria to discuss some of the findings from the latest iQ report s...

What if we told you that global corporations could learn more from an ad-hoc group of hackers than vice versa? As organizations worldwide face complex problems, they can and should take a page from small, nimble groups that make up for their lack of resources with extraordinary ingenuity. Paulo Savaget is an associate professor at Oxford University’s Engineering Sciences Department and the Saïd Bu...

Mauro Porcini is the chief design officer at PepsiCo and the author of the new book The Human Side of Innovation: The Power of People in Love with People. On this episode of How We Work, he discusses his career journey, the people who have inspired him, and the power of curiosity. Edited & mixed by: Rob Valois Music by: Breakmaster Cylinder LINKS Mauro's book 5 HR Trends Shaping 2023: Prioriti...

2022 was a year defined by quiet quitting and economic uncertainty. And spoiler alert, 2023 might be more of the same. Host Dr. Meisha-Ann Martin discusses the investments employers need to make in order to care for their people and, as a result, their businesses in the year ahead. This episode covers why now is not the time to de-vest from cultural initiatives like diversity, equity, inclusion, a...

Quiet Quitting is the talk of the workplace, but can anyone give us a clear definition? Is it disengagement? Is it employees setting boundaries? Is it actually quitting? Anybody? In this episode, we're getting into everything Quiet Quitting is, what it isn't, and what companies can do to address the very real problem at its core. To help us make sense of it all, we're joined by the new vice presid...

It’s November 2020. Much of the world is still quarantining. It’s the heat of the election count in the US. And for the last few months, demonstrations in support of Black lives have hit streets worldwide after the killings of Black men and women throughout the spring and summer. Fear, sadness, anger, stress, frustration, all those emotions felt by the Black community needed to go somewhere. They...

Workplace trainings have a bad habit of ringing hollow at times. They can feel forced. They tend to provide a mere short-term surge in action. And ultimately, they can feel inadequate. When that training centers around making your workplace more just, more equitable, and anti-racist, you want that training to create a long-lasting effect. Doyin Richards is an author, speaker, and the founder of th...

Feedback doesn't have the best reputation. It's awkward, anxiety-inducing, and somehow it's also a sandwich? The truth is, if good communication and collaboration are habits of your team, feedback is nothing to fear. Joe Hirsch is an author, columnist, and communications expert focused on fixing feedback. Joe lays out and helps companies develop strategies managers and employees can use to create...

To change anything at scale, you need to collect data. You need to know the depth of an issue or trend to efficiently and effectively respond to it. When those issues and trends pertain to the people at your workplace, data can't just be numbers. Qualitative data, their stories, the words they say, need as many slides in the deck. KeyAnna Schmiedl, Global Head of Culture & Inclusion at Wayfair...

Elevated levels of stress and burnout have been some of the top issues for the workforce across industries and just about every employee demographic for years. But there is hope. As we become more aware of these issues, we learn strategies for what we can do to help ourselves. Enter this episode's guest. Nataly Kogan is an author and the founder and CEO of Happier. Her and her company's mission is...