Too often business leaders are forced to choose between the needs of their company and the needs of their employees. It’s a lose/lose scenario leaving managers burned out and workers seeking other opportunities. At Work for Humans, we believe work can be designed differently. When you design work like products people love, your company wins. Work becomes irresistible, employees passionately buy into their roles every day, and your company takes measurable strides towards your vision.
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In this podcast, Thomas Bertels explores with thought leaders and executives how to make work more productive, valuable, meaningful, and impactful.
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The Employee Advantage: How Putting Workers First Helps Business Thrive | Stephan Meier
1:02:26
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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 surprisi…
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Designing Work for Humans: Organizational Design with Humans in Mind | Stephanie Goia and Melanie Kahl
1:28:35
1:28:35
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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…
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Work Matters S5 E11: Rami Goldratt - Theory of Constraints
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In this episode of Work Matters, Thomas and his guest Rami Goldratt explore the theory of constraints, its applications, and its impact on organizations. Rami currently serves as CEO of Goldratt Consulting. Over the years, Rami has been involved in consulting engagements with retail, automotive, textile, chemical, and service industries all around …
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In-Between Spaces: Where Designers Go Wrong When Creating Workspaces for Humans | Blaine Merker and Alice Katter
1:10:41
1:10:41
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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…
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How the Future Works: What We’ve Learned from 4 Years of Remote Work Experiments | Brian Elliott
1:08:18
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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 …
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Work Matters S5E10: Tina Robinson - Personalizing Engagement
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In this episode of Work Matters, Thomas and Tina Robinson discuss why engagement matters for leaders and how to make it personal. Tina is the founder of Work Joy, a leadership development and coaching boutique. For 25 years, Tina has played at the intersection of humans, technology, and work. In her corporate days, Tina directed global change manag…
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A Bad Deal: What Higher Education Is Costing Our Society | Phillip Brown
1:02:38
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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. Phi…
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Nourishment for the Soul: The Sacred Power of Ritual in Work and Life | Tiu de Haan, Revisited
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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.…
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Ashley Goodall: Life in the Blender, Surviving the Chaos of Modern Workplaces
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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 be…
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Work Matters S5E9: Bruce Rosenstein - Insights from Peter Drucker
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In this episode of Work Matters, Thomas talks with Bruce Rosenstein, the managing editor of the acclaimed business journal ‘Leader to Leader’ and a longtime student of Peter Drucker's work, about the relevance of Drucker's management theories in today's world. Bruce first got introduced to Drucker’s ideas in the mid-1980s while studying library man…
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Seth Godin, Revisited: We Are in a Race to the Bottom. Wake Up, and Shake Off Your Indoctrination!
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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 God…
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B Lab Co-founder: We Are in a Culture War About the Purpose of Business | Bart Houlahan
1:03:10
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The last two financial crises resulted in recessions, financial market instability, and high unemployment rates, but one group of companies proved resilient. Benefit Corporations – businesses that balance profit with social and environmental impact – experienced crisis attrition rates of less than 5%. Bart Houlahan, a co-founder of B Lab, joins Wor…
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WorkShift: Creating a Movement for More Just and Equitable Labor Systems | Rebecca Sanderson
1:04:31
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Most of us have preconceived notions about work, workers and employment that are so fundamental to how we think that we don’t notice them. The thing is, such preconceptions shape how large parts of society understand and solve problems. So when a problem is poorly framed, some potentially great solutions can’t be heard. In a previous episode we hea…
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Work Matters S5E8: Steve Crom - Managing across Cultures
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In this episode of Work Matters, host Thomas Bertels welcomes Steve Crom, former chairman and partner emeritus of global consulting firm Oxygy. With over four decades of experience in transforming work and improving productivity for leading global companies, Steve shares his insights on managing across cultures and how national culture influences h…
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Unschooling: Redefining Learning for Humans One Conversation at a Time | Christine Renaud
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Christine Renaud always felt destined to be a teacher, but after training in education, she came to a disturbing realization – traditional schools were not created to develop students effectively. Determined to better support students’ learning, growth, and happiness, Christine founded Braindate, a pioneering technology company that has created tra…
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Beyond Marx: A Modern Vision for Economic Democracy, Labor Contracts, and Employee-Owned Cooperatives | David Ellerman
1:03:06
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Despite their revolutionary zeal, followers of Marx have failed to create real economic democracies, frequently ending up with one-party systems that mirror the capitalist structures they sought to overthrow. A compelling alternative exists: a modern vision for economic democracy and employee-owned cooperatives. By examining the historical missteps…
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Work Matters S5E7: Dennis Adsit - The Generosity Gene
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In this episode, host Thomas Bertels talks to Dennis Adsit, president of AdsumInsights, about employee development. Dennis explains why leaders should prioritize developing their employees. He starts by emphasizing the significance of people development beyond the altruistic perspective. Leaders who focus on developing their teams not only leave a …
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Confronting Techno-Optimism: Why Technology Struggles to Create Meaningful Social Change | Kentaro Toyama
1:05:19
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Kentaro Toyama spent a decade designing technologies to fight global poverty and improve education and health. As co-founder of Microsoft Research India lab, he made a troubling discovery – innovative technologies can’t create change on their own. Realizing that social progress depends more on people than on the technology they use, Kentaro became …
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Exploring the Paradoxes of Life and Work With CD Baby Founder Derek Sivers
1:03:24
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Work for Humans wants to understand what people want from work – but every perspective is different. One person’s dream job is another person’s nightmare, making it challenging to define fulfilling work. Derek Sivers captures this struggle in his book, How to Live, which presents 27 drastically different yet equally valid life views. Through his wo…
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Work Matters S5E6: Ellen Frank-Miller - Job Quality
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In this episode, Thomas and Ellen Frank-Miller, the founder of the Workforce and Organizational Research Center (WORC), explore the topic of job quality. Ellen explains the mission of WORC - creating an economy where every worker has a job worth having, and shares insights from a comprehensive review of over 3,000 peer-reviewed articles on manageri…
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Paul Zak: What Measuring 50,000 Brains Taught Me About Building Highly Engaged Workplaces
1:06:03
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Paul Zak has been on a quest for two decades to understand the neuroscience of human connection, human happiness, and effective teamwork. From the Pentagon to Fortune 500 boardrooms to the rainforest of Papua New Guinea, Paul’s research has now led him to found Immersion Neuroscience, the first company to track and measure real-time immersion in ex…
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Matt Higgins, Revisited: Burn the Boats, How Plan B Holds You and Your Company Back From Achieving Your Potential
1:09:27
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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 ri…
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Design Lessons From IDEOU: Using Human-Centered Systems Thinking to Solve Complex Problems | Deirdre Cerminaro
1:01:23
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Work for Humans host Dart Lindsley experienced a distressing moment in the hospital when his father was left in a wheelchair facing a wall while awaiting radiology. This small but significant oversight in the hospital's system pointed to an issue in many major systems – a lack of human-centered care. Recognizing these widespread oversights, design …
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The Transformation Economy: Transforming Customer Lives Is the Final Tier of Economic Value | Joe Pine
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Joe Pine has a knack for seeing workplace trends ahead of others. As a co-founder of Strategic Horizons LLP, he has helped organizations innovatively increase economic value for over three decades. Joe is a pioneer behind the experience economy, and he is now trailblazing the concept of a transformation economy in his latest book. Join us as we dis…
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Shaping Work Futures: Using the Present to Create a More Promising Future of Work | Reanna Browne
1:08:07
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Many people offer predictions about the future of work, but only a handful are trained futurists who know how to influence that future effectively. Reanna Browne stands out by making the future of work her specialty. With a thorough academic background and a decade of experience in strategic foresight, Reanna guides public, private, and start-up co…
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HR and Tech: Revolutionizing Employee Experience Through HR-Tech Synergy | Marlene de Koning
1:01:45
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Artificial intelligence technologies are transforming our world, with innovations like LLMs and VR becoming part of everyday life and the workplace. Marlene de Koning, HR tech and experience expert, sees an opportunity to enhance employee well-being by improving how we use these technologies at work, bridging the gap between technology and business…
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Biology, Buddhism and AI: Placing Mindfulness Principles at the Heart of Innovation | Bill Duane
1:02:40
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Bill Duane has been navigating complex situations since he was a child, but facing his father’s death as an adult created an experience that he didn’t have an answer for. Trying to come to terms with his situation, Bill realized that what he needed wasn’t more safety – it was more meaning. Through his exploration of diverse disciplines like Buddhis…
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SafetyWing: Creating a Global Social Safety Net to Equalize Opportunity and Freedom | Adrian Salazar
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Losing your job in the U.S. means more than losing your income. It often means losing access to crucial medications and healthcare. Adrian Salazar, the Head of Culture and Integrity at SafetyWing, advocates for a shift away from fear-driven work decisions. Through his role, he is actively involved in creating a social safety net and the first-ever …
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Longpath: An Antidote to the Short-Termism Plaguing Our Companies and Culture | Ari Wallach
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For hundreds of years, Western culture has emphasized individualism, mirrored by many companies’ focus on quarterly profits. After seeing the limitations of this short-term thinking, futurist Ari Wallach decided to forge a new path through Longpath Labs. By focusing on generational empathy, Longpath’s work connects with past generations while simul…
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Work Matters S5E5: Jeff Wald - The End of Jobs
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In this episode host Thomas Bertels welcomes Jeff Wald to discuss his book, "The End of Jobs." Jeff is the founder of WorkMarket, an enterprise software platform for managing freelancers, as well as several other tech companies. An active angel investor, startup advisor, and speaker, he previously held leadership roles in Financial Services with Ba…
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The Modern CPO: How I Revolutionized Employee Experience Across 60 Countries and 6000 Employees | Elena Aylott
1:26:57
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When Elena Aylott was asked to lead Global Communications and Employee Experience at Oriflame Cosmetics, she was disillusioned with the traditional, administrative focus of HR. Recognizing the opportunity to drive real change, Elena accepted the role and worked to shift Oriflame towards a new approach. By initiating change and focusing on human-cen…
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Unpacking Collective Trauma: What Is It, and How Does It Show up in Our Organizations? | Thomas Huebl
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Thomas Huebl has firsthand experience with the deep-rooted nature of collective trauma. From engaging with Israeli descendants of Holocaust survivors to coaching executives at international firms, he understands just how deeply ingrained collective trauma is in society. For over 20 years, Thomas has been dedicated to leading dialogues on collective…
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Work Matters S5E4: Dart Lindsley - Middle Management
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In today's Work Matters, Thomas talks with Dart Lindsley, head of Global Process Excellence for People Operations at Google. He previously led the HR Transformation Planning and Analysis organization at Cisco Systems and is the host of the popular "Work for Humans" podcast. In this discussion, Dart unpacks what makes the middle manager role so chal…
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The State of Work: Are People Happier at Work Than We’ve Been Led to Believe? | Juliana Horowitz
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In a world where headlines often drown out research and analysis, the Pew Research Center stands out through its comprehensive studies and analyses. From demographics to societal issues, Associate Director of Research Juliana Horowitz helps us explore the facts behind American workplace trends. Dr. Juliana Horowitz is the Associate Director of Rese…
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Psychological Design: How Environments Predict Our Psychology, Behavior, and Ability to Thrive | Jan Golembiewski
1:07:33
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Every building comes with a set of expectations. Students are quiet in a library, but loud on a playground. Adults are focused in their deckchairs yet chatty on bar stools. Witnessing the limitations of conventional building design, Jan Golembiewski began to leverage design psychology to improve the lives of different groups, from inmates to the el…
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Work Matters S5E3: Todd Cherches - Visual Leadership
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In this episode of Work Matters, Thomas Bertels welcomes Todd Cherches to discuss Visual Leadership. Todd is the CEO of BigBlueGumball, a leadership development and executive coaching firm. He is also an award-winning professor and lecturer at NYU and Columbia University and the author of "VisuaLeadership: Leveraging the Power of Visual Thinking in…
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Kickstarter Co-Founder: Financial Maximization Is Destroying Our Humanity | Yancey Strickler
1:02:46
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In a world where company worth is often measured by profits alone, Yancey Strickler sought to create a company where values mattered more than just money. Throughout his career as an author and co-founder of Kickstarter and Metalabel, Yancey continuously advocates for a new view of success, emphasizing the impact companies can make beyond the finan…
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Think Different: How Design Led Companies Outperform Competitors, Create Movements, and Change the World | Ekaterina Solomeina
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There is a clear divide at work between traditional finance-led companies and innovative, design-focused firms. Creative leaders face unique challenges, from guiding creative teams to addressing ethical dilemmas. As a design expert and creative at heart, Ekaterina Solomeina aims to revolutionize leadership education in this space through the Future…
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Work Matters S5E2: Gordy Curphy - Building Effective Teams
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In today's Work Matters, Thomas talks with Gordon "Gordy" Curphy about effective teamwork. Gordy is the Managing Partner at Curphy Leadership Solutions, where he helps business leaders implement major change initiatives, develop and promote leadership, and build high performing teams. With over 30 years of leadership expertise, Gordy has written nu…
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Talentism: A Management System to Unlock Human Potential | Jeff Hunter
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Today we're joined by Jeff Hunter. Jeff is an award-winning entrepreneur and the Founder of Talentism – a philosophy and organization designed to help business leaders unleash the human potential within their organizations. By shifting their focus to the untapped potential of their employees, companies can unlock innovation and growth, harnessing h…
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