This week, we’re handing the host chair to Stefan Tornquist, author of our Global Workplace Happiness Report, as he interviews the experts shaping the future of work.

His guest today is the fascinating Dr James Hewitt. James is a human performance scientist who advises some of the world’s largest organisations on how to build thriving environments and is the author of Regenerative Performance.

From his background as a racing cyclist to his current work with Formula One world champions, James has spent over 20 years studying how humans can transform extreme pressure into peak performance.

We explore:

• The "Middle Gear" Trap: Why most knowledge workers are stuck in a "no-man's land" of overflowing inboxes and constant task-switching that kills productivity.
• Digital Debt: The staggering reality of losing four and a half working weeks a year to fragmented attention and notification overload.
• AI Risks: How AI could either be a catalyst for excellence or an "activity avalanche" that drowns us in even more low-value noise.
• Cognitive Endurance: Why we need to treat our brains like elite athletes, balancing high-intensity focus with genuine recovery.

James argues that before we upgrade our tech, we must upgrade our human operating system. This isn't just about efficiency—it's about the evidence-based science of working in a way that is sustainable, innovative, and, ultimately, human.

Are you ready to stop the "productivity theatre" and start driving real business value?