After 30 episodes of saying the quiet part out loud, host Ellen Whitlock Baker closes out Season 1 of Hard at Work with a reflective and forward-looking finale. From people-pleasing and perfectionism to systemic burnout and the stubborn pace of change since the movie "9 to 5" came out 45 years ago, Ellen unpacks what she’s learned about why work still isn’t working — and what it will take to change it.

She looks back on the guests, the lessons, and the quiet revolutions happening in real workplaces, while issuing a challenge for the hiatus: take one step, however small, toward building the future of work we actually deserve. Because as the great Dolly Parton says: "the tide's gonna turn and it's all gonna roll your way."

Tags: burnout, workplace culture, women at work, leadership, boundaries, equity, systemic change, perfectionism, people pleasing, feminist workplace, future of work, Hard at Work podcast, season finale