Learning from mistakes can create a more fulfilling work environment says our guest, Dr. Natalie Nixon, a creativity strategist, who draws upon parallels with jazz music's improvisational nature, to explore the intersection between creativity, organisational culture, and productivity. Natalie advocates for a human-centric approach to problem-solvin…

Understanding that happiness can be tied to outcomes, and that joy can be connected to the process of growth and potential, in both life and at work, can be key to developing happiness in the workplace. In this episode, Maja Djikic, an associate professor at the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto, and author of The Possible Self, sh…

Early and accurate diagnosis of breast cancer, particularly in younger individuals, is important not just in the workplace but to any individual in any team or community and this is at the heart of CoppaFeel's mission: to promote early diagnosis to 18-24 year-olds, which can lead to treatments being more effective and less invasive whilst working t…

Embracing neurodiversity in the workplace not only benefits neurodiverse individuals, but creates a more inclusive, flexible, and productive environment for everyone. By understanding and acknowledging different strengths and needs, we can reshape jobs and work cultures to foster a sense of belonging and joy, leading to more effective organisations…

Going from startup to scale-up takes strategic planning and insight, along with a real understanding of employee happiness. Plus, crafting great job descriptions and letting people make their own decisions once they’re in a role are key to developing a team of A players. Dominic Monkhouse has a distinguished career in scaling up businesses, especia…

Employee happiness makes a big contribution to a company's success, as can self-management. But how do you know what’s really working, driving the business forwards, and helping it meet its targets? This week's guest is Pieter Jelle de Brue, founder of digital agency Statik, a company that values employee happiness and has adopted a self-managing s…

A four-day work week doesn’t simply lead to longer weekends. When implemented right, organisations can maintain the same level of productivity, and give their employees significant – and measurable – increases in happiness. The four-day week challenges traditional concepts of work and productivity and encourages companies to measure output rather t…

Before chasing the latest technologies or trends, organisations need to focus on building a strong foundation and core capabilities. They need a culture that encourages learning, collaboration, and transparency, and to have leadership that prioritises long-term success over short-term gains. In this episode, Henry is joined by Howard Yu, a renowned…

Creating democratic workplaces lead to accelerated growth and a culture that people love. By giving power to employees and treating them with dignity and fairness, companies can tap into the full potential of their workforce. Transitioning to a democratic workplace takes a specific mindset, democratic leadership skills, and the implementation of sy…

A culture of trust, empowerment and respect towards employees leads to a successful and sustainable business model, higher levels of customer satisfaction, and a happy workplace. That ethos has been key to Handelsbanken’s operation for over 40 years, and has led them to top ratings in UK customer satisfaction for 15 years. It also makes financial s…

Creating a culture of psychological safety is crucial for organisations. By fostering an environment where people feel safe to speak up, share their ideas, and take intelligent risks, companies can promote learning, innovation, and growth. Celebrating failures – especially intelligent failures that result from thoughtful exploration – can encourage…

Ricardo Semler’s radical book Maverick is now 30 years old. Happy was an early adopter of some of its key principles, and when software company cofounder Zahid Malik was looking for implementation examples, Happy was just about the only one he found. As Semler’s work suggests, implementing a culture of trust, freedom, and autonomy can have a transf…

As an organisation expands and new people come on board – either remotely in or in satellite offices – it can be hard to ensure everyone’s aligned with the same values and goals. This can lead to a lack of cohesion and a sense of disconnection among team members. So organisations need to find creative ways to maintain their culture as they grow. TL…

Creating a truly inclusive and happy workplace means understanding and addressing the unique needs and feelings of each individual. This involves actively listening to and communicating with employees, recognising and addressing implicit biases, and creating a culture of trust and fairness. Creating connections between teammates and increasing know…

Psychologically safety isn’t just about creating a comfortable climate, but about embracing discomfort. That’s because discomfort helps us grow and address complex problems, which in turn leads to greater psychological safety. This means shifting from a parent-child dynamic to an adult-to-adult relationship within teams. That involves relating to p…

Co-management is a radical and fair way to run a company. One company’s approach of having no hierarchy and no bosses has allowed for a more collaborative and communicative environment, where teams can solve problems together. Matt Perez is the co-founder of Nearsoft, a software company that practices co-management. Instead of having bosses, they h…

Happiness is not just a feeling, but an action that can be intentionally built within an organisation. By prioritising happiness and promoting engagement, pride, and appreciation, companies can create a culture that leads to profitability and success. Dr Pelè developed the concept of "profitable happiness", which centres around the notion that orga…

Budgeting is time-consuming, can lead to quickly-outdated assumptions, and can stimulate unethical behaviours like resource hoarding. Beyond Budgeting is a management philosophy that challenges traditional management practices, specifically the budgeting process. In this episode, Henry speaks with Bjarte Bogsnes about the problems with budgeting, a…

Creating a happy and productive workplace starts with a focus on culture. A coaching culture can help build trust and encourage open communication. Sarah Pugh is the CEO of Whizz-Kidz, the UK's leading charity for young wheelchair users. She shares her insights on leading a hospice to an Outstanding rating in just one year. She did this by making c…

Implementing a self-managing organisation requires a shift in mindset and a commitment to creating a positive work environment. This involves giving employees trust, freedom and responsibility, as well as promoting health and wellbeing. In this episode, Henry and Maureen speak to Luke Kyte, a senior leader whose company made this transition. Reddic…

When Jason Mitchell escaped the office to reconnect with his tasks, he noticed something: he was losing sight of the relationships behind the tasks. “Action has meaning only in relationship; without understanding relationship, action on any level will only breed conflict. The understanding of relationship is infinitely more important than the searc…

The guiding principle at UK software firm Mayden is to manage the work, not the people. The company has put in place a clear decision-making process and a scaffolding structure that replaces most line management positions. Everyone within Mayden has access to an individual coach who is trained and experienced in coaching, and the company has retain…

A Multiplier is a leader who amplifies the intelligence and capability of their team, making work feel challenging yet exhilarating. Diminishers, on the other hand, unintentionally hold people back and create an environment where people defer to them. Both types of leaders have vastly different impacts on their teams. Liz Wiseman, the author of Mul…

Wholeness, self-management and evolutionary purpose are three core principles that changed Helen Sanderson’s view on teams. Helen Sanderson’s MBE is the founder of Wellbeing Teams, an organisation providing care and support at home. As a self-governing team, they are able to create greater trust and autonomy for employees. But this wasn’t a framewo…

Henry and Maureen are in conversation with Chris McQueen from the Stroke Association. With Happy’s help, Chris and his team developed a set of five principles that drive the decisions the organisation makes, and how they want to work. The Association is a traditionally hierarchical organisation, but through Happy’s Level 7 Senior Leadership Program…

What if people could spend 80% of their time at work doing things that gave them joy? That was the question Happy’s Managing Director Cathy Busani asked herself that still informs her work, now 27 years later. What Cathy found is that when people spend time doing the things they’re good at, their work feels more effortless, and thus more joyful. In…

A leader needs to be prepared to be available. That means not overbooking themselves with meetings, burning out, and being unable to think creatively. To author and columnist Tom Peters, empathy is the most important skill a leader can have. In May 1986, Tom wrote about having only five levels of management, even in big multinationals. In ‘88, he w…

Let's stop thinking about how to create joy at work, and start doing it. Join Henry Stewart and Maureen Egbe as they explore creating happy workplaces. Each episode features actionable examples from management experts and Happy clients, which you can put into practice in your own workplace. The show launches on January 11th, with new episodes arriv…