Nature of Work podcast with Shimrit Janes and Paul Miller

“The workplace is about the psychological concept and contract. It's about belonging for some people. It's about identity and purpose, meaning that the workplace has these different facets to it. And yes, physical space is an incredibly important part of that. But it's broader than that.” -Sarah Bolas, Director of Consultancy, MCM 

Hybrid working and return-to-office strategies are front of mind for many organizations right now. As we reimagine and redesign our workspaces, balancing the digital and physical, in-person and remote, organizations should be challenged that ‘return to office’ very definitely doesn’t mean just returning to the past.  

The workplace has changed since the pandemic, with a greater emphasis on designing experiences rather than environments. Impressive physical spaces simply don’t meet the brief any more. Workspace design must dig deeper into the culture if it is to fit in this new world of work, seeking to create connection, strengthen relationships and instil a sense of belonging for all those involved from the office to the frontline.  

Drawing inspiration from cocoons and campfires, Sarah Bolas and Deepak Parmar of MCM share insights into the radical shifts occurring in workspaces, exploring how culture- and people-led design is healing the frontline experience by creating healthy, thriving work habitats that enhance well-being and deliver a more beautiful way of working in every way. 

Show notes, links, and resources for this episode: 

Book: Nature of Work: A new story of work for a living age 

Nature of Work Live: Nature of Work Live 

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When you think of Barcelona, it’s hard not to conjure up images of Gaudi’s majestic architecture – an architect famous for taking common spaces and elevating them to a level of beauty where your emotions also have to rise to that level. Not just aesthetic beauty, but also the inspiration, aspiration, purpose, meaning and love this beauty evokes.

In this episode of the Nature of Work podcast, Paul Miller and Shimrit Janes are joined by Nellie Hayat, Head of Workplace Transformation at VergeSense. Together they share stories from Silicon Valley and reflect on what draws travellers and visitors to the magnificence and wonders of Gaudi’s works, asking what we can learn from this in our quest to create more beautiful workplaces for the future as organizations consider their return-to-office strategies.

What value will physical spaces and offices have in the future of work? Or is the era of the office as we know it now over? Drawing inspiration from nature, the conversation explores the concept of habitat, including how to create environments in which people feel safe, connected, empowered and purposeful about their work, their impact on the world, as well as other emerging trends and examples of how the workplace is being reimagined and changing our relationship with work.

• Get 10% off when you buy the Nature of Work book, using PODCAST21 at the checkout: https://natureofwork.com/order/

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“Nature is in everything that we do, because that’s how the organization has been set up from grass roots.”  - Abigail Wilmore, Chief People Officer, Stella McCartney 

Nature is a profound teacher. From the way gardens grow to how species take their rest when needed, there are many lessons deeply rooted in the structures, patterns and behaviours of the natural world from which organizations can learn as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic and start to create the new story of work for a living age.  

Over the past 18 months, business resilience has really been put to the test as organizations have been forced to adapt quickly to the changing shape and nature of work as a result of COVID-19 – just as plant and animal species adapt to the ever-changing natural environment. The concept of resilience is not about bouncing back but rather about embracing change, reinventing and building back stronger. We can apply this concept to the new world of work.     

In this episode, Nature of Work co-authors, Paul Miller and Shimrit Janes, are joined by Abigail Wilmore, Chief People Office at Stella McCartney, and Lucy Colclough, Founder of Work Wild, who share living examples of how they have reinvented traditional organizational structures to be healthy, living systems, using nature as their guide. 

Drawing on the practices of biomimicry that seek to emulate and take inspiration from the power of nature to solve human problems, this episode provides guidance on: the importance of regular pulse checks; the power of introducing a new language of health, rest and growth to coexist with performance and efficiency; and the concept of heart-centred leadership to understand what brings you to life in the workplace, enabling the transformation from organization to organism. 

Show notes, links, and resources for this episode: 

Book: Nature of Work: A new story of work for a living age 

Nature of Work Live: Nature of Work Live

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There’s no denying that COVID-19 has been a great accelerator for digital transformation but many organizations have also seen acceleration in other parts of their business too – and the story of COOK is no exception, as a three-year plan to roll out home delivery suddenly happened in two months. As the effects of the pandemic ‘pressure cooker’ were felt from leadership to the frontline, what was COOK’s recipe for success? 

The essential ingredient is relationships. In this first episode of the Nature of Work podcast, we welcome guests from COOK, a frozen ready-meals company based in the UK, who share the inspiring story of their company’s deeply rooted purpose of creating both nourishing food and nourishing relationships.  

In conversation with Nature of Work authors, Paul Miller and Shimrit Janes, COOK Co-CEO, Rosie Brown, and Chief Creative Officer, James Rutter, discuss the importance of purpose, goodwill, community and relationships in building a flourishing organization. They share examples of how these elements are ingrained in every part of the culture and the story of COOK – from its very origin to recently becoming a B Corporation – and explain why COOK matters in the world. 

Grab a plate and listen to hear about the unique leadership structure at COOK and be inspired by the stories that breathe life into the idea of a living organization. 

Show Notes:

Nature of Work Live: Nature of Work Live

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Your organization (and the world of work) are alive – and yet, for centuries, we have behaved as though organizations were machines. Now is the time for change. 

Join Shimrit Janes and Paul Miller, co-authors of the groundbreaking book Nature of Work: The new story of work for a living age, in conversation with fascinating guests who are evolving workplaces from organizations to organisms. Each episode will inspire change-makers and make-changers to draw on patterns in nature to create and establish the more beautiful worlds of work our hearts and minds know is possible.

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