Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share 202. Divorce, disruption and the death of the watercooler. PLUS! Are you a duck shuffler? With Kristyna Hawkett - This Week in Work, 3 rd June 2025
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
202. Divorce, disruption and the death of the watercooler. PLUS! Are you a duck shuffler? With Kristyna Hawkett - This Week in Work, 3 rd June 2025
Truth, Lies, and Work is the award-winning podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture, brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network. Hosted by Chartered Occupational Psychologist Leanne Elliott and business owner Al Elliott.
This week: random chats, rogue employees, and resilience in the job market. We’re digging into what really builds strong cultures – and where we might be fooling ourselves.
🔥 Stories Covered
🦆 What’s a Duck Shuffler — and Why You Might Need One
Leanne introduces a new workplace archetype: the duck shuffler. This is the person who disrupts your perfectly aligned “ducks in a row” — but not for chaos. They’re often the ones who save you from bad decisions and groupthink. Are you building a culture where they can thrive?
📊 The Economy Isn’t Crashing — It’s Changing
Al breaks down the latest job data from the US. Despite media panic, sectors like health care, logistics, and finance are adding jobs fast. So is it resilience or a false sense of security?
Link: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/cp/ranked-the-fastest-growing-jobs-in-the-u-s-2023-2033/
🚰 The Small-World Illusion: Why Watercooler Moments Don’t Matter as Much as You Think
Are we overhyping chance encounters at work? A new study shows people dramatically overestimate how often they bump into colleagues — and how much support they actually get. The lesson? If we want real connection, we need to build it intentionally.
Summary: https://medium.com/@truthlieswork/how-we-fool-ourselves-about-bumping-into-colleagues-the-small-world-illusion-eafd12c7cc1f
Study: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obhdp.2024.104387
💬 Workplace Surgery
“She was a star — until she betrayed our trust.”
What do you do when a high-performing employee crosses the line? This week’s dilemma: family problems, medical leave, and moonlighting for a competitor. Al and Leanne explore the legal, cultural, and ethical angles of letting a star go.
🎙️ Hot Take
Divorce is a workplace issue.
Kristyna Hawkett from MinusOne.club joins us to explain why supporting employees through family changes isn’t just compassionate — it’s smart business. You’ll learn how to help without prying, reduce gossip, and build loyalty through life’s messiest moments.
Website: https://minusone.club
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristyna-hawkett-96b9a963/
💡 Enjoyed This Episode?
Follow, subscribe, and leave a review on your podcast platform of choice. And connect with us on LinkedIn — we love hearing your thoughts.
General Support with Mental Health and Well-being
If you’ve been affected by any of the themes in this episode, or are currently struggling with your mental health, the following resources may be useful:
Connect with Al and Leanne
View all episodes
By Leanne Elliott, C. Psychol.
5
3535 ratings
Truth, Lies, and Work is the award-winning podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture, brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network. Hosted by Chartered Occupational Psychologist Leanne Elliott and business owner Al Elliott.
This week: random chats, rogue employees, and resilience in the job market. We’re digging into what really builds strong cultures – and where we might be fooling ourselves.
🔥 Stories Covered
🦆 What’s a Duck Shuffler — and Why You Might Need One
Leanne introduces a new workplace archetype: the duck shuffler. This is the person who disrupts your perfectly aligned “ducks in a row” — but not for chaos. They’re often the ones who save you from bad decisions and groupthink. Are you building a culture where they can thrive?
📊 The Economy Isn’t Crashing — It’s Changing
Al breaks down the latest job data from the US. Despite media panic, sectors like health care, logistics, and finance are adding jobs fast. So is it resilience or a false sense of security?
Link: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/cp/ranked-the-fastest-growing-jobs-in-the-u-s-2023-2033/
🚰 The Small-World Illusion: Why Watercooler Moments Don’t Matter as Much as You Think
Are we overhyping chance encounters at work? A new study shows people dramatically overestimate how often they bump into colleagues — and how much support they actually get. The lesson? If we want real connection, we need to build it intentionally.
Summary: https://medium.com/@truthlieswork/how-we-fool-ourselves-about-bumping-into-colleagues-the-small-world-illusion-eafd12c7cc1f
Study: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obhdp.2024.104387
💬 Workplace Surgery
“She was a star — until she betrayed our trust.”
What do you do when a high-performing employee crosses the line? This week’s dilemma: family problems, medical leave, and moonlighting for a competitor. Al and Leanne explore the legal, cultural, and ethical angles of letting a star go.
🎙️ Hot Take
Divorce is a workplace issue.
Kristyna Hawkett from MinusOne.club joins us to explain why supporting employees through family changes isn’t just compassionate — it’s smart business. You’ll learn how to help without prying, reduce gossip, and build loyalty through life’s messiest moments.
Website: https://minusone.club
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristyna-hawkett-96b9a963/
💡 Enjoyed This Episode?
Follow, subscribe, and leave a review on your podcast platform of choice. And connect with us on LinkedIn — we love hearing your thoughts.
General Support with Mental Health and Well-being
If you’ve been affected by any of the themes in this episode, or are currently struggling with your mental health, the following resources may be useful:
Connect with Al and Leanne
More shows like Truth, Lies and Work
View all
The Meaningful Money Personal Finance Podcast
81 Listeners
Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast
10,693 Listeners
Disruptors
122 Listeners
Eat Sleep Work Repeat - better workplace culture
302 Listeners
The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett
7,087 Listeners
Modern Wisdom
3,771 Listeners
TRIGGERnometry
1,874 Listeners
How To Fail With Elizabeth Day
1,305 Listeners
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
27,164 Listeners
Nudge
170 Listeners
The Dr Louise Newson Podcast
256 Listeners
Uncensored CMO
36 Listeners
HUNGRY.
3 Listeners
Tetragrammaton with Rick Rubin
1,014 Listeners
We Need To Talk with Paul C. Brunson
200 Listeners