Interaction's Thrivalism

In this episode, we're in conversation with Ruth Moody. Ruth is an Executive Coach, with a wealth of experience helping both mothers and businesses improve their return-to-work experience.  Check out her website here: Home - Ruth Moody (ruthmoodycoaching.co.uk)

It's a conversation that hits close to home for many – the challenges and triumphs of mothers returning to the workforce. We take a deep dive into the dynamics, attitudes, and practical strategies surrounding this pivotal and often fraught life transition, touching on generational attitudes, the impact of technology, and the emotional aspects of returning to work. 

So, whether you're a returning professional, a manager navigating team dynamics, or someone curious about creating more inclusive workplace cultures, this episode is for you (we had a slight issue with the audio quality, but not enough to distract from some great content). 

Quote: 

• Whenever You See Me Somewhere Succeeding In One Area of My Life, That Almost Certainly Means I Am Failing In Another

Thanks for listening! Check out Interaction's website for more workplace culture content and case studies (or just follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter).

Join Toby in a lively conversation with Alicia Grimes, co-founder of the Future Kind Collective, a team of design-led business culture consultants.

Alicia shares insights on service design and its impact on employee experiences. They discuss the challenges companies face as they scale and how to maintain a strong culture. They also dive into the importance of play and fun in the workplace, and how it fosters creativity and human connection.

Don't miss this engaging episode on thriving in the world of work!

Check out The Future Kind Collective here: The Future Kind Collective - Design-led Culture Consultants

Thanks for listening! Check out Interaction's website for more workplace culture content and case studies (or just follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter).

In this episode Toby talks with fellow workplace culture podcast host Lizzie Benton. Lizzie hosts the "Make It Thrive" podcast and is "a curious explorer for better ways of working."

They discuss what they've learned since diving headfirst into workplace culture, touching on topics such as the role of middle-manager, useless workplace culture initiatives and planning for alien invasions.

Check out the podcast or just read the full transcript. 

Find more from Lizzie here:
Liberty Mind | Adopt Progressive Ways of Working
Make It Thrive: The Company Culture Podcast 

In the episode Lizzie mentions Shorter: How to Revolutionise the Work Week by Alex Soojun Kim-Pang and Toby mentions this episode of Thrivalism with Amy Kean. 

Thanks for listening! Check out Interaction's website for more workplace culture content and case studies (or just follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter).

In this insightful podcast episode, join us as we dive into the world of landscape architecture with Andrew Grant, a seasoned expert in the field. With a career spanning  decades, Andrew shares his journey and the evolution of sustainable design practices.

Starting with his early experiences growing up on a farm in East Yorkshire, Andrew discusses how his deep connection to nature and the environment shaped his unique perspective on landscape architecture. From his studies in Edinburgh to his pioneering work on the Earth Centre Project in Doncaster, his commitment to ecological principles and sustainability shines through.

Discover how Andrew and his firm, Andrew Grant Associates, embarked on groundbreaking projects, including the iconic "Gardens by the Bay" in Singapore, where creativity and nature intertwine to create a lush urban oasis.

As we explore Andrew's creative process and the challenges of promoting sustainability in historical cities like Bath, you'll gain valuable insights into the future of landscape architecture and the role it plays in creating greener, more sustainable cities.

Join us for an engaging conversation that inspires a new way of thinking about landscapes and their impact on our lives and the environment.

Links to check out:
Landscape architects, Bath, UK and Singapore, Asia | Grant Associates (grant-associates.uk.com)
Gardens by the Bay
Welcome To The Bathscape | Bath | Somerset

Thanks for listening! Check out Interaction's website for more workplace culture content and case studies (or just follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter).

In  "Beyond Salary" Toby Brown hosts Emma Wharton Love, co-founder of We Are the Loves, an employer branding agency. They delve into the concept of Employee Value Proposition (EVP), emphasizing that it goes beyond salary and encompasses compensation, benefits, culture, development opportunities, and more. 

Key takeaways include:

1. Understanding EVP: EVP is like an organization's CV, representing what it offers employees in exchange for their skills. It covers a wide range of factors, including culture, recognition, social responsibility, and work environment.
2. Ownership of EVP: While HR often manages EVP, it should involve input and feedback from all employees to be truly effective.
3. Developing a Bottom-Up EVP: This involves understanding organizational values, gathering feedback through surveys and interviews, and considering external market perceptions to attract talent that aligns with the company's values.
4. Balancing Internal and External Branding: It's crucial to ensure alignment between the employer brand and the external brand to maintain authenticity and avoid disappointment among new hires.
5. EVP and Generational Shift: Younger generations like Gen Z and millennials are driving a shift towards valuing flexibility and social impact in addition to salary.
6. Benefits of a Strong EVP: A robust EVP engages employees, boosts retention, and attracts talent aligned with the company's culture and values.
7. Monitoring and Adapting EVP: Set measurable metrics, such as staff surveys and recruitment costs, and collect annual feedback to keep the EVP relevant.
8. Common Mistakes and Emerging Trends: Avoid focusing solely on compensation, personalize the EVP, and embrace trends like transparency in pay and progression.
9. Impact on Workplace Culture: A well-developed EVP can help but won't solve deep-seated cultural issues within a company.
10. Examples of Effective EVP:  Bumble are highlighted for aligning their EVP with their brand positioning.
11. Building an Employer Brand: The podcast discusses a project with Q5, a management consultancy, to create recruitment marketing materials based on their EVP.
12. Hopeful Trends: The focus on employee development and skills expansion is seen as optimistic and vital in the evolving job market.

To learn more about employer branding and EVP, you can visit We Are the Loves website or find them on LinkedIn. 

Thanks for listening! Check out Interaction's website for more workplace culture content and case studies (or just follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter).

Podcast Show Notes: Outside the Office - Exploring The Woodland Workplace.
Toby Brown in Conversation with Tom Vaughton of Varn Search Marketing.

Intro:

• Host: Toby Brown, Head of Marketing, Interaction
• Guest: Tom Vaughton, Founder and MD of Varn Search Marketing

Introduction:

• Toby introduces the episode and his guest, Tom Vaughton, from Varn Search Marketing Agency.
• Toby highlights how impressed he was with Tom's innovative approach to workplace well-being during the lockdown.

Transition to Woodland Office:

• Tom shares that they are in their woodland office, a unique and inspiring workspace surrounded by nature.
• Toby acknowledges the unconventional nature of having a woodland office for a marketing agency and expresses his curiosity about the impact it has had on the team and business.

Creating the Woodland Office:

• Tom explains that the idea of the woodland office evolved due to COVID-19 and their belief in making work enjoyable and beneficial.
• He emphasizes that the team played a crucial role in shaping the concept, offering ideas, and providing feedback.
• Tom mentions that the journey included trial and error, with some ideas not working out.
• Toby asks about challenges, and Tom discusses initial timeline expectations and the logistical issues of setting up the woodland office during the pandemic.

Balancing Freedom and Structure:

• Toby inquires about the team's work setup and flexibility.
• Tom outlines their flexible work model, with one day a week working from home and the rest being a mix of woodland and brick-and-mortar office work.
• Tom emphasizes the importance of creating a professional and engaging workspace in the woods.

Benefits and Productivity:

• Toby delves into the topic of productivity and asks Tom how they measure it.
• Tom explains their billable hours model and how they track scheduled work versus delivered work.
• Tom shares that they have been more productive in the woods and have even saved money on recruitment fees.
• Toby and Tom discuss the impact of the natural environment on productivity and creativity.

Well-Being During COVID:

• Toby mentions how Tom's company focused on employee well-being during the pandemic, including longer lunch breaks to encourage outdoor walks.
• Tom highlights the importance of access to natural light and fresh air for well-being and productivity.

Looking to the Future:

• Toby inquires about Tom's plans for the woodland office's future.
• Tom discusses plans for more insulated structures and breakout pods for winter.
• Tom mentions the possibility of creating workspaces in other inspiring locations, like by the beach.

Balancing Responsibilities:

• Toby acknowledges that owning a woodland comes with responsibilities and asks how it affects their planning.
• Tom shares that they think long-term and consider sharing the space with organizations like the Children's Hospice South West.

Reflections and Advice:

• Toby asks if Tom wishes they had done anything differently in the process.
• Tom expresses the desire to have started the woodland office sooner.
• Toby inquires about the potential for other businesses to adopt a similar approach.
• Tom advises businesses to view their office as an investment and encourages open communication with employees to expl

Thanks for listening! Check out Interaction's website for more workplace culture content and case studies (or just follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter).

In this special episode we catch up with Richard O Gorman, AKA Instagram's HouseHomo. Richard designs colourful and awe-inspiring murals for Interaction and many others, having gained Insta notoriety for his incredibly vibrant do-over of a Birmingham Victorian terraced house.

In this episode he's in conversation with Interaction's Account Design Lead, Lucy Symons.

Watch here: https://youtu.be/ccbCwfCkRS0

Show notes

Richard on Instagram (@househomo)

Tour Richard's Eclectic Victorian Terrace 

Touring Househomo: Richard O’Gorman’s Eclectic Victorian Terrace | Visitors’ Book

Richard's Dining Room Transformation on Instagram

 
Colour theory and its impact on productivity

Pantone Colour of the Year

 
Interior Design Master (S3, E1)

Molly Mural on Instagram (@mollymural)

Molly Mural's work at Runway East, The Hickman for Interaction

Make sure you're following us to see Richard's work for one of our projects in Brighton! @interactionltd

Thanks for listening! Check out Interaction's website for more workplace culture content and case studies (or just follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter).

Nick Elston is one of the highest-profile speakers on the Lived Experience of Mental Health.

Nick's perspective is that we can either let our adversities, our challenges, define us negatively for the rest of our live or we can use it to forge something powerful 

Nick shares his ‘Lived Experience’ through insights, tools, tips and techniques on how business can better engage with mental health and how individuals can begin finding the help they need. 

Thanks for listening! Check out Interaction's website for more workplace culture content and case studies (or just follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter).

Natasha Wallace is author of The Conscious Effect: 50 Lessons in Organisational Wellbeing. In this episode we discuss how a breakdown led her to rethink how leaders should connect with themselves and their organisations. 

Thanks for listening! Check out Interaction's website for more workplace culture content and case studies (or just follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter).

As the state pension age increases and the figures for employment in those from 50 – 64 rise, we explore the opportunities and challenges this presents for businesses and older people in the workforce – particularly for women, who face unique challenges as they age.  We're joined by Claire Lowson, the founder of Supermenopause, and the woman behind the Age Positive division at the Brand consultancy Propaganda.

Claire is on a drive to ‘rebrand’ age, and specifically to shift employer's perspectives on what older employees can bring to the workplace. 

Thanks for listening! Check out Interaction's website for more workplace culture content and case studies (or just follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter).