Work For Humans

Scientists, philanthropies, governments, and NGOs alike often find themselves in possession of an important truth that could improve the world, but the public just can't seem to hear it. As CEO of the FrameWorks Institute, Nathanial Kendall-Taylor knows that how we frame information significantly influences how people perceive and respond to it. Using rigorous social science methods, the Fram...

In every manmade job, place, and activity, design plays a pivotal role in shaping our experiences. Sadly, many designs miss the mark by neglecting the profound psychosocial impact they wield. This is where Dr. Sara Pazell steps in. As a dynamic design strategist, she empowers companies across industries to embrace human-centered work by integrating designs that ensure not only functionality but tr...

Thoughtfully designed products can promote efficacy, success, and joy – but that’s only one side of the coin. Bad design is everywhere, and poorly designed products cause more than mere discomfort; they can anger, sadden, exclude, and even kill the people who use them. From a bad interface that ended a young cancer patient’s life to product designs that exclude minority groups, Jonathan Shariat ha...

From pre-COVID to the Great Resignation and beyond, many employers face difficulties adjusting their talent acquisition strategies to meet current trends. Attracting adaptable candidates and leveraging technology for hiring could mean the difference between hiring the right candidate and the wrong one. Talent acquisition specialist Matt Alder brings over two decades of research and experience in t...

As a leadership expert with over 25 years of experience, business consultant Dr. Laura Fifner knows what it takes to find and groom exceptional leaders. In today's episode, Laura shares how she finds the right leaders for the right companies, and what red flags to look out for when hiring. Dr. Laura Fifner is the co-founder of Leadership Excellence Consulting. Utilizing decades of experience...

American culture has made finding a dream job one of life's ultimate goals. Personal identity and professional roles have merged into one, and this entanglement can cost us our happiness, well-being, and ultimately true career success. Why has work taken such an all-encompassing role in American lives, and why is it such a challenge for us to detach from it? Simone Stolzoff is on a mission to...

Having coached CEOs at companies like Dropbox, Qualtrics, and Twitter, Kim Scott knows a thing or two about modern leaders. Her expertise sheds light on how modern leaders often mistakenly resort to authoritarianism – inadvertently transforming themselves into workplace jerks. In this episode, Kim shares how to lead effectively, avoid the pitfalls of being too aggressive or too nice, and create he...

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...

Claus Raasted and Paul Bulencea are dedicated to the art of transformation. Their immersive 5-day event, known as the College of Extraordinary Experiences, unites a diverse array of individuals from esteemed voice talent show judges to 16th-generation Samurais. Together, they strive to empower ordinary people, fostering personal growth and a profound level of self-awareness. Through their expertis...

Higher education is supposed to help students develop skills, explore new possibilities, and design a brighter future. Instead, most students are forced to choose majors without fully understanding themselves or their options. Then, they’re shipped out on a career conveyor belt, ending up in careers they despise – all at a six-figure price tag. Dr. Farouk Dey is on a mission to challenge our restr...

Rowena Hennigan was working from home in Ireland when her daughter began to develop chronic asthma. As things worsened, she was forced to make a drastic decision; she packed up her family and moved to one of the driest parts of Europe they could find – Zaragoza, Spain. This decision not only changed their lives, perspectives, and health for the better, but it also set the foundation for Rowena’s c...

From the kitchen table to self-driving cars, everything in our lives was designed by someone who wanted to solve a problem. If we can design everything from technology to living spaces, award-winning Silicon Valley designer Bill Burnett believes we can also design and build careers to create fulfillment and joy at work. By using curiosity, reframing, collaboration, and other tools, Bill teaches ot...

Dr. Christina Maslach is on a mission to redefine how we tackle burnout at work. For over 35 years, Dr. Maslach has researched the far reaching costs of burnout on society. Her commitment to this work led the World Health Organization to recognize burnout as an occupational phenomenon in 2019, raising the stakes for organizations worldwide. Today, Dr. Maslach is paving the way for meaningful workp...

Eric Anicich was a USC professor with 18 consecutive journal article rejections on his desk. Not knowing where to turn to professionally, he decided to do something completely different. He signed up as a Postmates driver in the gig economy. As he completed hundreds of rides, Eric went from rejection to research, crafting an investigative project on work, identity, and the highs and lows of the gi...

Matt Higgins was a struggling teen, working at McDonald’s for $3.75/hr to put food on the table for his ailing mother. When he saw the pay increase offered to college students, he decided to do something unorthodox; he dropped out of high school, got his GED, and enrolled in college. Adults tried to talk him out of it, but Matt knew this was the right choice for him. This was Matt's first &qu...

Over the last century, the world of work has changed extensively. We’ve experienced growth in the service sector, increased participation of women and minorities, and the rise of automation and technology – yet, oddly enough, many HR practices haven’t evolved much or at all. Melissa Swift, the Transformation Leader for North America at the Mercer consulting firm, believes that it’s time to update...

Alain Thys is an experience architect who has positively impacted half a billion customers and over 350,000 employees worldwide. Working with top brands such as Adidas, ING, Mercedes, and Deloitte, Alain and his team have created and implemented innovative work experiences that drive business profits – without sacrificing employee and customer experiences. Alain is the former Managing Partner of F...

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...

Is joy too much to ask of work? Viral trends like the Great Resignation and Quiet Quitting have made it seem like work and life are at odds. Having studied the sociology of work for over two decades, Dr. Tracy Brower believes employees can find agency and happiness in the workplace – especially when employers create the right conditions. Dr. Tracy Brower is an author, award-winning speaker, and Ph...

Jim Kalbach wrote the book on the jobs to be done research methodology (JTBD). Jim argues persuasively, that JTBD is way more than a tool for understanding what customers really want from a product. When used right, it can be the organizing principle that gets every part of a company pointing in the same direction, all towards satisfying customer needs.  In this episode, Dart and Jim discuss: - Ap...

From the layout of the supermarket to the colors and packaging of products, companies are constantly shaping and adapting to a mix of human nature and changing consumer trends. In this episode, we apply this perspective to the workplace and explore what we can do to design work that people want.   Paco Underhill is a researcher, speaker, and expert on consumer trends, working with clients like Mic...

Platform businesses like Uber, Etsy, and Airbnb bring together customers who have complementary needs to a place where they can exchange value with one another. But a thriving platform can't be forced into existence. It must be cultivated like a garden. From ensuring fairness and trust, balancing innovation with regulation, and curating rights to intellectual property, these businesses must o...

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...

Dr. Bob Aubrey is a pioneer of human development in Asia, striving to increase opportunities at work and improve the employee experience across borders. With experience spanning 25 countries and six continents, Bob founded and chairs the Advisory Board of the ASEAN Human Development Organisation (ADHO). His work promotes human development in the workplace across the 10 ASEAN countries as well as t...

Businesses have long fragmented work and home life, searching for employees that fit the mold instead of molding work around their employees. As a global expert on business leadership, management, and innovation, Margaret Heffernan helps others to integrate work with life, prioritize good people instead of obedient employees, and measure business value in more than just numbers. Margaret Heffernan...