Working Forward

Workplace design has drifted toward headline features, like bleacher seating, feature staircases, or “likeworthy” moments that play well on social media, while many employees struggle to do focused, meaningful work in the office. At the same time, cost pressure and “safety in numbers” benchmarking drive teams to copy what others are doing rather than designing for their own culture and outcomes. I...

Workplaces are increasingly dominated by digital interactions, leaving employees physically disengaged, cognitively overloaded, and often disconnected from one another. Melissa Painter, storyteller, research designer, and founder of Breakthru , joins the Working Forward team to explore how micro-breaks, immersive environments, and adaptable space design can improve health, focus, and connection at...

Organizations are under pressure to adapt—hybrid work, shifting business priorities, AI integration, and evolving employee expectations. But change often feels overwhelming, poorly managed, or disconnected from what people actually need. In this episode, hosts Izzy Cannell and Brad Golden sit down with Massella Dukuly of Charter Communications to explore how leaders can use data and clear communic...

In this episode of "Working Forward," hosts Izzy Cannell and Brad Golden dive into the evolving landscape of workplace design with special guest Michael Dunford, Director of Business Development at Catalyst. Explore the concept of "furniture as a service," the importance of piloting new ideas, and how to create spaces that inspire and engage. Discover how companies can embrace...

In this episode of Working Forward , VergeSense co-founders Dan Ryan and Kelby Green join Izzy Cannell and Brad Golden to pull back the curtain on the real, raw lessons from building in the trenches of workplace tech. From the start with hand-built sensors to AI-powered insights, they share bold takes on misinformation, overhyped trends, and what teams should actually focus on next. Expect hot deb...

In this episode, we are joined by Andrea Diieso, Director of Workplace Experience at Rapid7. Andrea digs into how her education in Facilities Management paved her interest in creating purposeful workplaces, as well as her journey in shifting Rapid7 from an assigned seating model to unassigned neighborhoods. She shares the employee to desk ratio that works for her office, and explains how occupancy...

In this episode, we chat with Simon Davis— Founder and CEO of Purposeful Intent— about what the future of work will look like. Simon delves into the importance of considering the next generation when making workplace decisions, and challenging our traditional workplace norms in the face of what the data is truly telling us. He explains how remote work has revolutionized connection, rather than tak...

In this episode, we're joined by Eric Kerr, Workplace Strategist at DoorDash, to discuss the importance of embodying local flavor in global offices and the role culture plays in defining what our spaces actually look like. Eric also shares their “blank canvas” approach to building out DoorDash’s Seattle office where flexibility and customizability were paramount. How can we make spaces consist...

In this episode Peter Mostien, Strategic Real Estate Manager at ING, and Remco Van Riet, Innovation Manager at ING, share their approach to ING's hybrid strategy. From examining cultural nuances to balancing qualitative data with quantitive data, hear how ING developed a multifaceted approach to their hybrid strategy. What role does regional cultural play in workplace design? How do you combine an...

In this episode we’re digging in with Corinne Murray, founder of Agate, on “ways of working” and how the ways we engage in our jobs impact culture. As workplaces continue to change, it’s more important than ever to establish a set of thoughtful principles that help teams get together and accomplish their goals. What are the pros/cons of recurring meetings? How do teams maximize their time to be mo...

In this episode we’re talking to innovation and strategy manager Remco Van Riet about his new book “Innolation” and how teams can enable themselves to be more innovative and adaptive to change as well as what might be holding them back. How does the added flexibility of remote work impact individuals? How should managers/leaders adapt with increased employee flexibility in the workplace? How can w...

The role of the office has completely changed. In this episode we’re talking to Omar Ramirez, global workplace leader, co-founder of Collective, and also our lovely co-host, about how workplace teams are evolving as a result of the past 3 years of change. Who should workplace teams report into, the people or finance team? What skills should workplace leaders index on in 2023? How can workplace tea...

Sid van Wijk, Head of the EBC Program, and José Subero, Global Lead Design & Innovation, from Miro share how they’re adopting a flexibility-first mindset in all their spaces and leveraging experiments to better understand what works for their organization in a world of hybrid meetings and dynamic ways of work. Tune in and hear all the considerations the Miro team went through in designing out...

José Subero, Global Lead Design & Innovation, from Miro shares how they are creating adapting spaces - specifically through designing explorative environments instead of perspective ones. Tune in and find out how José and his team tackled the challenge of building out their dynamic headquarters in a historical building that didn’t allow for any major construction (wall removals etc.) and key l...

True Understanding is a podcast that dives deep into workplace transformations. You’ll tune into in-depth conversations with some of the most innovative workplace leaders as we explore the strategies shaping the workplaces of tomorrow. We’ll peel back the layers and get to the core of how workplace leaders approach the real-world problems we’re all facing today. Leave every episode with real stori...