What if we reimagined work as a product, something employees subscribe to, rather than simply a place they show up?

In this thought-provoking episode of the Happier at Work podcast, Aoife O'Brien sits down with Dart Lindsley, CEO and co-founder of 11fold and host of the Work for Humans podcast. Together, they explore the innovative concept of treating work as a product, challenging traditional management mindsets, and putting employees in the role of valued customers. Dart draws from decades of experience leading HR transformation at industry giants like Cisco and Google, explaining how “work as a product” unlocks more meaningful employee experiences and, ultimately, drives better business outcomes.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

1. Why “employees as customers” is not just a metaphor. Employees actively exchange value and have choices, demanding a product approach to work design.
2. The limits of treating employees as assets or inputs, and the powerful shift to seeing them as subscribers who daily choose their work.
3. How to recognise the difference between universal needs (like pay and fairness) and unique, individual motivators that require localized, team-based solutions.
4. How managers can transition from controllers of assets to designers and brokers of meaningful work experiences tailored to each team member.

Related Topics Covered:

Future of Work, Workplace Motivation & Drivers

Connect with Aoife O’Brien | Host of Happier at Work®:

1. Website
2. LinkedIn
3. YouTube

Connect with Dart Lindsley | CEO of 11fold and host of Work for Humans Podcast:

1. Website
2. LinkedIn
3. Podcast

Related Episodes You’ll Love:

1. Episode 184: A Framework for Building Happier Work Cultures with Aoife O’Brien
2. Episode 197: The Journey to Workplace Happiness with Rob Dubin
3. Episode 272: Beyond Happiness at Work with Dr. Mark Fabian

About Happier at Work®

Happier at Work® is the podcast for business leaders who want to create meaningful, human-centric workplaces. Hosted by Aoife O’Brien, the show explores leadership, career clarity, imposter syndrome, workplace culture, and employee engagement — helping you and your team thrive.

If you enjoy podcasts like WorkLife with Adam Grant, The Happiness Lab, or Squiggly Careers, you’ll love Happier at Work®.

Join Aoife O’Brien for weekly insights on leadership, workplace culture, career clarity, imposter syndrome, and creating work that works for you.

Website: https://happieratwork.ie LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aoifemobrien/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HappierAtWorkHQ

Mentioned in this episode:

Thriving Talent book

Book