This podcast clocks in at around 31 minutes. You can also listen to it on Apple Podcasts, stream on Google Podcasts, or Spotify or grab the RSS feed in your player of choice. Can't wait to keep you company!











We can probably all agree that the last few months have brought a number of changes to our lives, new behaviors, cultural shifts, and sudden industry transformations to all of us.



As a Transformation Leader at Knoll, a design firm that produces systems, furniture, and accessories for the office, Jenny West is accustomed to change. In "normal times," she helps Fortune 500 companies navigate change and shape their work environments. She integrates strategy, vision, and the latest trends in workplace design, employment, and workstyles.



Perhaps, Jenny's name rings a bell or two. If you've been listening to The Nourishing Workplace since the start, you might remember her from our previous conversation (one of the most popular episode of the podcast), where we talked about how to design a human-centered workplace and bring cafeterias and ‘third places’ at the forefront of your company culture.



During these past few months, Jenny has had her share of work in helping clients transition to remote work and design healthy experiences of work at home for their employees.


“This remote interaction isn’t new. What's new is that everybody is doing it.” Jenny West


Key Takeaways

You’ll learn:


- How some existing work trends, like remote work, have fast-tracked as a result of COVID-19 and what this means for the workforce
- How she balances her work-life while homeschooling her two kids
- Jenny's top tips for making your home office more ergonomic and safe
- What a post-pandemic workplace might look like

“It’s time for companies to take a pulse on their employees’ sense of ergonomics at home."Jenny West



Useful Links


Articles & Resources:

- Tips for a Healthy Work Experience Paper (Knoll)Noise at Work Report – Addressing Noise in the Open Plan (Knoll)
- What’s Mine is Yours is Ours Report – Planning for the New Experience-based Workspace (Knoll)

This podcast clocks in at around 31 minutes. You can also listen to it on Apple Podcasts, stream on Google Podcasts, or Spotify or grab the RSS feed in your player of choice. Can’t wait to keep you company! We can probably all agree that the last few months have brought a number of changes to our lives, new behaviors, cultural shifts, and sudden industry transformations to all of us. As a Transformation Leader at Knoll, a design firm that produces systems, furniture, and accessories for the office, Jenny West is accustomed to change. In “normal times,” she helps Fortune 500 companies navigate change and shape their work environments. She integrates strategy, vision, and the latest trends in workplace design, employment, and workstyles. Perhaps, Jenny’s name rings a bell or two. If you’ve been listening to The Nourishing Workplace since the start, you might remember her from our previous conversation (one of the most popular episode of the podcast), where we talked about how to design a human-centered workplace and bring cafeterias and ‘third places’ at the forefront of your company culture. During these past few months, Jenny has had her share of work in helping clients transition to remote work and design healthy experiences of work […]

This pandemic has challenged the notion of work and the workplace as we know it. Was the pre-pandemic workplace ideal? In my opinion, it wasn’t. But hate it or love it, it was familiar and safe for many. 







This podcast clocks in at around 26 minutes. You can also listen to it on iTunes, stream on Google Podcasts, or Spotify or grab the RSS feed in your player of choice. So grab a cup of tea, open your window to let some fresh air in, and let Antonio and I keep you company.







Yet, much like the hospitality sector, which we deep-dived into last week, the design industry, in particular, that part that relies on the freelancer/gig economy, was deeply affected.



"The model of our industry is essentially based on the premise that it only works when everything is fine," says today’s guest Antonio Iadarola.



Antonio is a fellow Italian workplace designer, strategist, and researcher based in NYC who envisions work environments as meaningful platforms for organizations and communities.



He's an Associate Professor in Design at Beijing Institute of Technology and the co-founder of Studio Wé, a practice focused on the co-design of work environments working on projects in the financial, startup, consumer goods, and public sectors.



Gathering insights from 10 years as a co-design consultant, he’s also developing the Work-Design Framework, a design approach for organizations that integrates strategic, service, speculative, and spatial design thinking aimed at developing future-proof experiences of work processes and spaces.



“I’ve heard from a lot of talented friends in the last two weeks that are all losing their jobs. They go from being fairly successful creative professionals to being in very difficult situations. The model of our industry is essentially based on the premise that it only works when everything is fine. I think that we’re not resilient, and I think that’s a moment when we can rethink this resiliency.”Antonio Iadarola







Key Takeaways



You'll learn:



How the idea of co-design and collaboration is changing since we can’t gather in person anymoreHow to nurture the notion that the workplace = community when we are physically distancing ourselves from othersWhy this is an opportunity to pause and rethink the way the design industry works and build resiliencyThe role of designers in improving digital experiencesThe misconceptions about the work of work designers and creative professionals in general and what could change in the interaction with clients



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Wha

This unprecedented situation is putting a strain on all of our businesses, but some industries have been extremely hard hit. One is hospitality.







This podcast clocks in at around 21 minutes. You can also listen to it on iTunes, stream on Google Podcasts, or Spotify or grab the RSS feed in your player of choice. So grab a cup of tea, open your window to let some fresh air in, and let Michael and I keep you company.







Michael Tingsager has “coined” a refined term for this situation. He calls it a “shitstorm.” 



But we all know that after the storm the sun will shine again. “Hospitality is going to come out on the other side of it and look very different,” he says.



Michael is a leadership coach and trainer, a trusted advisor, keynote speaker, and the host of The Hospitality Mavericks Podcast. He’s also the founder of The Hospitality Mavericks and the co-founder with a fellow Dane of The Bear Kitchen, a healthy and planet-friendly office lunches and event catering company based in London. 



Michael develops and grows hospitality and restaurant leaders to unleash their own and their cultures’ true potential to achieve impact and business results. He believes that we only can build businesses from the inside out––it's all about the people. You’re going to hear more about his philosophy and how he expects the hospitality sector to evolve in this new Homebound episode.



“There are opportunities for food brands that really understand how to take a stand and actually talk about more than just be a restaurant. They’ll answer that it’s going to be less about profit and more about people. Those brands will thrive.” Michael Tingsager







Key Takeaways



You'll learn:



Why Michael call this time a “shitstorm” and what important lessons he has learned as a leaderWhat habits help Michael feel grounded every day in business and lifeWhy hospitality was a struggling industry already and what is the secret for surviving and thriving in this unprecedented worldWhat the new leadership paradigm is about and why it matters



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Useful Links



Surviving the shit storm with Robin Ashton on The Hospitality Maverick PodcastThe Fishlove campaign by

When I first connected with Cristina Covello about two months ago, none of us would imagine what storms would swamp our businesses. Both of us were busy cultivating a happy workforce through food in the office.



This podcast clocks in at around 18 minutes. You can also listen to it on iTunes, stream on Google Podcasts, or Spotify or grab the RSS feed in your player of choice. So find a comfortable nook in your home and let Cristina and I keep you company.











Today the power of food for connection has a different meaning.



Cristina doesn't think that “the idea of the office is going to be dead by any means,” but it’s definitely going to change. And with that, also how people eat, dine, and interact with each other.



In this episode, I chat with the Head of Strategic Growth at Fooditude, a contract catering company serving tech and media firms across London, Cristina Covello.



In this special Homebound episode of The Nourishing Workplace, Cristina and I talk about what has changed for her both personally and professionally, how office food culture will develop, and how her company, Fooditude, is planning on doing to survive during this pandemic.



“People’s habits will change: the way they eat, what they eat, when they eat, how they prepare food, what they perceive as safety to eat, how close they’re going to sit to other people at the dining table.”Cristina Covello



How Fooditude Responded to COVID-19



With the outbreak of COVID-19 and people mandated to work from home, Fooditude suddenly had no business. However, a core team of people including Cristina has been working to figure out how to use the kitchen. If not to cook meals for office workers to serve food to other categories of the population. 



Since the time of our interview, Fooditute has reopened the kitchen in central London, cooking meals for people in hospitals and feed those who are lonely, in self-isolation, or cannot access food for financial reasons. So far, they’ve served over 6,500 meals and have been tweeted by Jamie Oliver and Keith Lemon!



(If you want to learn more or help Fooditude, you can find useful information here and here.)







Key takeaways



Here's what you'll learn:



How her work has been affected by social distancing and how her company quickly pivoted to serve hospitalsHow to live with uncertainty and how to bring normalcy to everyday life––especially if you are new to remote work Some of the ways in which the corporate catering industry will changeHow work-life might look

When I first connected with Cristina Covello about two months ago, none of us would imagine what storms would swamp our businesses. Both of us were busy cultivating a happy workforce through food in the office. This podcast clocks in at around 18 minutes. You can also listen to it on iTunes, stream on Google Podcasts, or Spotify or grab the RSS feed in your player of choice. So find a comfortable nook in your home and let Cristina and I keep you company. Today the power of food for connection has a different meaning. Cristina doesn’t think that “the idea of the office is going to be dead by any means,” but it’s definitely going to change. And with that, also how people eat, dine, and interact with each other. In this episode, I chat with the Head of Strategic Growth at Fooditude, a contract catering company serving tech and media firms across London, Cristina Covello. In this special Homebound episode of The Nourishing Workplace, Cristina and I talk about what has changed for her both personally and professionally, how office food culture will develop, and how her company, Fooditude, is planning on doing to survive during this pandemic. “People’s habits will change: the way they […]

Are you a company HR, leader, or manager looking for ways to show up and support your colleagues and employees in this new way of working?







This podcast clocks in at around 21 minutes. You can also listen to it on iTunes, stream on Google Podcasts, or Spotify or grab the RSS feed in your player of choice. So find a comfortable nook in your home or in your garden and let and Samantha and I keep you company.







Then, this special Homebound episode of The Nourishing Workplace is for you. My guest today is Samantha Clarke. Samantha is a London-based happiness consultant, teacher, and author of Love it or Leave it- How to be Happy at work.



I was excited to hear that Samantha was up for a conversation about this global pandemic. Not only because as a happiness consultant she's wired to think positively––and don't we all need an injection of positivity?––but also because I knew she had some insightful ideas for you to look into.



As she says, “there is so much that we can find even in the anxiety and in the pain right now to use for growth, learning, and pivoting.” 



Samantha's mission is to liberate individuals from work they no longer love and find a path to true work happiness, which to her means to work and live with real meaning, purpose, and intention. 



Besides individuals, she also works with company HRs, leaders, and managers from companies like Nespresso, Dishoom, and Virgin to create initiatives that spurn better conversations around personal career growth, happiness, and wellbeing at work.







Key Takeaways



Here’s what you learn in this interview:



Why it’s super important to look at happiness with a practical and substantial approachWhat types of conversation need to happen between employer and employee in this new way of workingSamantha’s self-care routine and why self-care is paramount for serving othersWhy this moment offers an opportunity for both individuals and businesses to explore what it means to lead with purpose



If you’re interested in culture but also in personal growth and self-care make sure to keep on listening.



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Useful Links



Love it Leave it – How to be happy at work by Samantha ClarkeMy interview on Samantha's podcast

As COVID-19 puts us into lockdown at home, how do we move forward? What skills will businesses need in order to move into the brave new world that we face today?







This podcast clocks in at around 20 minutes. You can also listen to it on iTunes, stream on Google Podcasts, or Spotify or grab the RSS feed in your player of choice. So find a comfortable nook in your home and let Nanon and I keep you company.







How will we adapt to this global crisis? What do we need to do to emerge as better human beings? Is there anything to be optimistic about? And if so, what makes us hope for a brighter future?



According to Nanon Soeters, despite the pain and anxiety that a global pandemic brings, there’re quick lessons to be learned. Many emerging trends, like technology, were already there but this pandemic is a turning point.



In this conversation, which kicks off a new short series called Homebound featuring conversations with clients, readers, and colleagues, I chat with Dutch trend forecaster Nanon Soeters about the unique knowledge that her job equips her with, the quick changes she has noticed in the business world around her, and what unique opportunities technology brings.



“Technology will be a driving force more than ever.”Nanon Soeters



Nanon is a trend forecaster and partner at Picturing the Future, an umbrella brand that includes Rozenbrood, a trend forecasting consulting agency based in Amsterdam, the trend training academy Trendacademy, and TrendConnection, a platform for ‘trend matching’ where you can find trend presentations by topic.



She’s deeply fascinated by how a society expresses its values through images. Over the years this has evolved to a fascination for any kind of visual expression that offers an input of the changing values and times to come. 



Nanon and her colleague Djenny Brugmans have developed their own trend methods, helping clients plot the future of their companies and contributing to the growth of the field in the Netherlands.







Key takeaways



If you’re looking for a view into the future and to discover the latest societal trends this episode is a must-listen. Here’s what you learn:



Why this pandemic was forecastable and what signs led Nanon and her colleague to predict itWhat Covid-19 is teaching usWhy living with uncertainty now more than ever will be a givenWhat restaurants should do once they'll be allowed to open again3 great tips for small business owners to thrive in this economyWhat Nanon is optimistic about at this momentWhy we should keep an eye on how technology develops



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What is Your Biggest Insight From This Conversation?



Besides discovering

At some point, work became the antithesis of fun. Along with it, humor and laughter with wasting time or being frivolous and unprofessional.







This podcast clocks in at around 38 minutes. You can also listen to it on iTunes, stream on Google Podcasts or Spotify or grab the RSS feed in your player of choice. So head out for a walk, or sit in the sun if you stay at home, and let Willy and I keep you company.







Loneliness, isolation, disengagement, indifference. These are a reality for many people in the corporate world. Wouldn't it be great if there was one solution to all of them? According to Willy Kosovich, there is.



The solution is comedy.



Comedy is all about social relationships.



Willy is a Kiwi comedian based in Berlin. After years of watching other people, he took the plunge and started doing stand-up in Germany. Why in Germany? "If you can make a German laugh, you must be doing something right, right?" he says.



Willy (right) and his business partner Jim (left)



Since getting on stage, he has learned a lot about himself through comedy. Now, together with his business partner Jim, he runs a company called Com4Com, where he teaches people how to write and perform jokes. 



He has gathered much wisdom from working his way up the comedy ranks and from genuine experiences inside companies from all over Europe where people laughed, cried, yelled in anger, and reacted to a variety of acceptable and unacceptable humor.



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Willy says that there are many benefits to laughing and making jokes.



It all goes down to fostering human connection. Isn't that great to know? 



According to Cigna's 2020 Loneliness Index, the number of US citizens experiencing feelings of loneliness is on the rise. According to a multi-year EU research project, around 30 million European adults (7%) frequently feel lonely. Lonely people are often stigmatized. They are more likely to have poor health and reduced cognitive performance, mental issues, and pessimistic views.



Willy has discovered that laughter is the best medicine––and pretty inexpensive, too––even to address such a sensitive topic like mental health. Together with London-based startup Sanctus, Willy's company has created That's Mental: A Mental Night of Comedy, a level, open platform to have conversations about mental well-being in a new way.



"If you're more likely to laugh at other people, t

How will we be eating at work in this brand-new decade?







This podcast clocks in at around 20 minutes. You can also listen to it on Apple Podcasts, stream on Google Podcasts or Spotify or grab the RSS feed in your player of choice. So head out for a walk and let me keep you company.







What are the new trends that we should consider for our office? Is focusing on social spaces still relevant? And, what types of snacks or beverages shall we stock our office kitchen with as the workforce is becoming younger and more international?



Those are some of the questions that my clients ask me often not only to be more relevant and meaningful but also to be able to respond promptly to the changing expectations and needs of their markets and consumers.



Why it's essential to monitor market trends



Whether you are a large organization looking to improve the employee experience or a brand providing corporate services and products like meal delivery or catering, being aware of trends will impact your business decision.



On the one hand, you'll be able to better connect with your consumers or employees. On the other hand, gaining a better understanding of how these trends will impact the future of your business.



Recently, I wrote a blog post with the five trends that will impact office company culture in 2020, which was well-received and sparked a discussion over social media. I'm revisiting it through this podcast episode with the addition of a few more insights that you'll be able to explore more in-depth in my upcoming trend report.



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Not only are those trends based on the knowledge I've amassed over the last 4 years working in this field, and much longer in the food industry, but also on the research, interviews, and conversations with key industry people, not least through this podcast.



7 Market Food Trends to Monitor in 2020:



If you're short on time? Here are 7 market food trends:



Eating at work is more than healthy eatingFood will be considered more than just a benefitIndependent corporate food teams will growFood culture will entice a bigger conversation than ROIWe'll embrace eating alone with pride, as a self-care actSustainability across the boardCross-cultural cuisine







Show Notes



A shortlist of articles and resources mentioned in this episode plus further resources:



5 Eating at Work Trends to Watch Out for in 2020 and Beyond (WE Factory)The Importance of Nutrition and Wellness in the Workplace with Kate Cook mentioned in Trend 1 (ep06 of The Nourishing Workplace)How Airbnb Built a Unique Food Program with Airbnb's McKenzie Phelan – m