Paul hosts Stephan Meier, author of 'The Employee Advantage' and chair of the management division at Columbia Business School.

Paul and Stephan discuss the new book, and the benefits and challenges associated with creating human-centric workplaces. They delve into the core themes of employee engagement, the importance of listening to workers, and the concept of treating employees as valuable assets.

Stephan shares insights from his book, including examples of successful employee-centric companies such as Best Buy and MasterCard. They also explore the diminishing returns of monetary compensation, the necessity of learning and development, and the impact of empathy on team productivity. 

The episode concludes with a discussion on how adopting AI can enhance employee experience and why employee centricity is crucial in modern workplaces.

02:08 The Importance of Employee-Centric Workplaces

03:46 Challenges in Valuing Employees

04:50 Employee vs. Customer Centricity

08:44 Listening to Employees: Beyond Surveys

10:53 Leadership and Employee Engagement

22:36 Mission and Vision: Walking the Talk

28:32 The Importance of Purpose in the Workplace

30:37 Connecting Purpose to Daily Work

34:28 KPMG's 10,000 Stories Challenge

38:06 Behavioral Economics and Employee Motivation

42:31 Learning and Growth as Key Motivators

49:21 The Role of Social Skills in Team Success

52:32 AI, Robotics, and the Future of Work

58:20 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Resources Mentioned In This Episode

Interview with Garry Ridge
The Employee Advantage Book
Stephan's Stop-Motion Animation

Humanity Working is a podcast focused on helping individuals, teams and organizations be ready for the future of work by maximizing their human potential.

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