With water bills hitting record highs, public trust in Britain’s water companies has hit a new record low: In this special episode of The Working Week with entrepreneur Ben Askins, Ben meets the Environment Secretary, Steve Reed, to discuss Britain’s broken water industry. 

It follows that notorious landmark review by the Independent Water Commission - the biggest shake up of the water industry since privatisation in 1989 - but, aside from scrapping the water regulator, Ofwat, what if anything is the Government planning to do now to change the way our water companies operate to ensure a scandal like this never happens again? 

If that sounds like you, hit SUBSCRIBE and we’ll see you in the next episode. **Don’t forget, you can follow us wherever you get your podcasts for FREE and you’ll have access to weekly episodes before they go live on YouTube.**

Chapters:

0:00 Intro

01:20 How Did We Get To This Point?

03:15 Big Water Boss Bonuses 

05:25 How Do Waterways In Other Countries Compare? 

07:00 Thames Water's £20Billion Debt 

10:00 Ben's Interview with Environment Secretary, Steve Reed

We’d love to hear from you! Get in touch with Ben to share your work stories - anonymously or otherwise - and he’ll answer your biggest questions. 

Follow Ben: 

📸 Instagram:   / benaskins.official   

🎥 TikTok:   / ben.askins  

Follow the pod:

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theworkingweekpod/

🎥 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theworkingweekpod

Sign up for Ben’s management course here: https://www.benchmarkmanagement.co/

Order Ben’s book: http://lnk.to/MyBossIsAMoronBook

In this episode of The Working Week with entrepreneur Ben Askins - with 85% of global workers saying they hate their job, and just 15% saying they feel actively engaged in their work - Ben is asking: do you really hate your job, or are there just some aspects of it you don’t enjoy?

Because we spend one third of our entire lives working, Ben brings you his top 5 solutions to help you hate your job just that little bit less…you’ll get Ben’s unfiltered take on the 80/20 rule, work-life balance and whether it is actually possible to find a job you don’t need to take a holiday from. 

Whether you’re a weary worker in need of a motivational boost, or you’re a boss who needs to scrub up on how to incentivise employees, this one’s for you. You’ll also get Ben’s best advice for companies and businesses, and a few laughs along the way! 

If that sounds like you, hit SUBSCRIBE and we’ll see you in the next episode. **Don’t forget, you can follow us wherever you get your podcasts for FREE and you’ll have access to weekly episodes before they go live on YouTube.**

Chapters:

0:00 Intro

0:45 Why Do 85% Of Workers Hate Their Jobs?

02:30 Viewers/Listeners Get in Touch With Their Work Woes

08:30 Why It’s Ok Not To Love Your Job

10:20 Is Social Media To Blame?

14:00 Make a 5-Year Plan

15:30 Ben’s National Job Swap Day Pitch

17:40 80/20 Rule

20:00 Work-Life Balance

22:00 How To Define What You Actually Want 

We’d love to hear from you! Get in touch with Ben to share your work stories - anonymously or otherwise - and he’ll answer your biggest questions. 

Follow Ben: 

📸 Instagram:   / benaskins.official   

🎥 TikTok:   / ben.askins  

Follow the pod:

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theworkingweekpod/

🎥 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theworkingweekpod

Sign up for Ben’s management course here: https://www.benchmarkmanagement.co/

Order Ben’s book: http://lnk.to/MyBossIsAMoronBook

Credits:

@ambergtaylor

In this episode of The Working Week with entrepreneur Ben Askins - as job interviews are voted the most FEARED out of any other form of public speaking - Ben brings you the top 5 most common interview mistakes and how to avoid them, to help you hate interviews just that little bit less. 

You’ll get Ben’s unfiltered take on why 64% of us believe we’re unqualified for the roles we’ve been offered interviews for, and why long and lazy job descriptions are a major culprit! You’ll also get Ben’s sound advice on how to tackle tedious and outdated questions like: “Why the long career gap?!”

Whether you’re someone who simply hates interviews and could do with a major confidence boost, you’re an employer who needs to get with the times, or you’re a seasoned interviewee who could do with scrubbing up on successful salary negotiations, this one’s for you. You’ll also get Ben’s best advice for companies and businesses, and a few laughs along the way!

If that sounds like you, hit SUBSCRIBE and we’ll see you in the next episode. **Don’t forget, you can follow us wherever you get your podcasts for FREE and you’ll have access to weekly episodes before they go live on YouTube.**

We’d love to hear from you! Get in touch with Ben to share your work stories - anonymously or otherwise - and he’ll answer your biggest questions.

Chapters:

0:00 Intro

01:30 Imposter Syndrome

03:45 Funniest Imposter Syndrome Clip Of All Time

06:15 Why Job Descriptions Are To Blame

09:50 Career Gaps

13:30 Salary Negotiations

17:35 Job Hopping

20:42 The First Impression  

Follow Ben: 

 Instagram:   / benaskins.official   

 =TikTok:   / ben.askins  

Follow the pod:

= Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theworkingweekpod/

 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theworkingweekpod

Sign up for Ben’s management course here: https://www.benchmarkmanagement.co/

Order Ben’s book: http://lnk.to/MyBossIsAMoronBook

Credits:

HR News

@sophiabamff

BBC News

JobList

The Business Journals

The Business Journals

@sundeepandanand

@eazyblakeoven_

@talynerrsss

@apprenticeships.uk

@anna..papalia

SimpliLearn

BBC

In this episode of The Working Week with entrepreneur Ben Askins - with job burnout at 66% in 2025 and global trends of “quiet-quitting” sky-rocketing, we’re asking: is our obsession with work trends and buzzwords a bad thing and what does it say about the erosion of job satisfaction in the modern workplace? 

Ben is joined by Careers Coach Phillip Holmes - who has built a loyal following on social media for his advice on how to handle toxic jobs, bosses and workplaces - to discover why 54% of us are “quiet-cracking” and 62% cite toxic workplace culture as the most common reason for leaving a job.

Whether you’re an employee “burnout blocking” as we speak and on the cusp of “revenge-quitting”, or you’re a boss baffled as to why nobody wants to work for you, this one’s for you. You’ll also get Ben’s best advice for companies and careers, and a few laughs along the way!

If that sounds like you, hit SUBSCRIBE and we’ll see you in the next episode. **Don’t forget, you can follow us wherever you get your podcasts for FREE and you’ll have access to weekly episodes 10 hours before they go live on YouTube.**

Time Stamps:

0:00 Intro

01:50 Burnout Blocking

07:20 Why Quitting is still trending in 2025

11:00 Revenge in the Workplace

14:00 Not Another One…

17:00 Reverse Mentoring in the AI Age

20:50 Ben interviews Careers Coach, Phillip Holmes

33:30 Ben’s Final Say

We’d love to hear from you! Get in touch with Ben to share your work stories - anonymously or otherwise - and he’ll answer your biggest questions. 

Follow Ben: 

📸 Instagram:   / benaskins.official   

🎥 TikTok:   / ben.askins  

Follow the pod:

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theworkingweekpod/

🎥 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theworkingweekpod

📸 Follow Phillip:

https://www.instagram.com/phillipmholmes/

Sign up for Ben’s management course here: https://www.benchmarkmanagement.co/

Order Ben’s book: http://lnk.to/MyBossIsAMoronBook

Credits:

https://www.tiktok.com/@motivationalviraltv/video/7216350537292320006?q=quiet%20quiting&t=1750852261274

https://www.tiktok.com/@shini.baobao/video/7130435501273648389?q=quiet%20quitting&t=1750853735482

We may speak the same language, but when it comes to the workplace, we couldn’t be more different. In this episode of The Working Week with entrepreneur Ben Askins - as work life-balance is voted top priority when choosing a job for the first time ever - Ben asks: where is better to work: the UK or the US?

Ben is joined by former actor Quint Boa - Founder of global, multi-million-dollar business, Synima, which has offices in the UK, LA and New York - to compare the two work cultures’ communication styles, work ethic, healthcare benefits and, of course, attitudes towards work-life balance.

Whether you’re a boss navigating how to manage transatlantic employees, or you’re someone who's considering taking a job across the pond, this one’s for you. You’ll also get Ben’s best advice for companies and careers, and a few laughs along the way! 

If that sounds like you, hit SUBSCRIBE and we’ll see you in the next episode. **Don’t forget, you can follow us wherever you get your podcasts for FREE and you’ll have access to weekly episodes 10 hours before they go live on YouTube.**

We’d love to hear from you! Get in touch with Ben to share your work stories - anonymously or otherwise - and he’ll answer your biggest questions. 

Follow Ben: 

📸 Instagram:   / benaskins.official   

🎥 TikTok:   / ben.askins  

Follow the pod:

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theworkingweekpod/

🎥 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theworkingweekpod

📸 Follow Quint: https://www.instagram.com/synimaglobal/?hl=en / https://www.instagram.com/synimaglobal/?hl=en

Sign up for Ben’s management course here: https://www.benchmarkmanagement.co/

Order Ben’s book: http://lnk.to/MyBossIsAMoronBook

Time Stamps:

0:00 Intro

02:00 Who is Better at Communication?

05:00 Salary & Healthcare

08:30 PTO & Annual Leave

10:30 How easy is it to Quit?

15:00 In America you live to work; in Europe you work to live?

18:00 Ben interviews Quint Boa: Former Actor & Founder of Synima

Credits:

https://www.tiktok.com/@mr._sassy/video/7332948691470273824?q=US%20v.%20UK%20communication%20style&t=1750078270688

https://www.tiktok.com/@growinwithkatie/video/6908130568530169094?_r=1&_t=ZN-8xFtOfPnjzq

Do you SPEAK Corporate? 

In this episode of The Working Week with entrepreneur Ben Askins, be sure to brace yourselves for some ‘blue sky thinking’, as Ben ‘circles back’ to his roots and asks: What 5 corporate clichés should be banned from the workplace ‘with immediate effect?’

Because in a world where 58% of working professionals globally feel their fellow colleagues overuse work jargon - and nearly half of them saying they’d eliminate corporate speak entirely because deciphering their meanings “causes stress and slows down productivity” - just why are we still doing it? Plus, where did these phrases even originate from in the first place, how do we stop them being such a barrier and how on earth should you respond to one when it’s aimed in your direction?

Whether you’re an employee sick and tired of “touching base” and going for “deep dives”, or you’re a boss who needs to stop referring to his employees as “family”, this one’s for you. You’ll also get Ben’s best advice for businesses, companies and careers, and a few laughs along the way!

If that sounds like you, hit SUBSCRIBE and we’ll see you in the next episode. **Don’t forget, you can follow us wherever you get your podcasts for FREE and you’ll have access to weekly episodes 10 hours before they go live on YouTube.**

We’d love to hear from you! Get in touch with Ben to share your work stories - anonymously or otherwise - and he’ll answer your biggest questions. 

Follow Ben: 

📸 Instagram:   / benaskins.official   

🎥 TikTok:   / ben.askins  

Follow the pod:

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theworkingweekpod/

🎥 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theworkingweekpod

Chapters:

0:00 Intro

01:50 Should corporate jargon be gone for good?

03:10 The origins of office lingo

10:20 New corporate clichés of 2025

13:00 Top 5 most hated of all time

23:18 Ben’s biggest bugbear 

Sign up for Ben’s management course here: https://www.benchmarkmanagement.co/

Credits:

https://www.tiktok.com/@clickup/video/7382591561780972846?q=corporate%20lingo&t=1750241959988

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSbYUEaAwLI

https://www.instagram.com/p/DDBkJSoJUgZ/

https://www.tiktok.com/@behindthescreenspodcast/video/7493212982835514646?q=let%27s%20take%20this%20offline&t=1750252459817

Have we got it all WRONG when it comes to CONSCIOUS CAPITALISM? Can Capitalism ever be truly conscious? And - could Conscious Capitalism just be the thing to SAVE the world? Just a few of the big questions explored in this episode of The Working Week with entrepreneur Ben Askins. 

Ben is joined by Raj Sisodia, co-author of the book "Conscious Capitalism: Liberating the Heroic Spirit of Business” - the groundbreaking book that popularised the term “Conscious Capitalism" over a decade ago. But, much has changed since then so - while the book is being re-written - Raj offers Ben incredible insight into the twists and turns of how to make PROFIT for PURPOSE, how to make business with HIGHER CONSCIENCE, and why he believes “Business as Usual” is NO LONGER an option!

Whether you’re a Founder or CEO looking to re-think your business plan, or you’re just someone with a thirst to change the world, this one’s for you. You’ll also get Ben’s best advice for businesses and companies, and a few laughs along the way!

                                                                                                                                        

If that sounds like you, hit SUBSCRIBE and we’ll see you in the next episode. **Don’t forget, you can follow us wherever you get your podcasts for FREE and you’ll have access to weekly episodes 10 hours before they go live on YouTube.**

We’d love to hear from you! Get in touch with Ben to share your work stories - anonymously or otherwise - and he’ll answer your biggest questions. 

Follow Ben: 

📸 Instagram:   / benaskins.official   

🎥 TikTok:   / ben.askins  

Follow the pod:

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theworkingweekpod/

🎥 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theworkingweekpod

Follow Raj’s podcast:

🎙️The Conscious Capitalists Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZ-6vjNsUR0UA5ovsKFQksQ

Chapters:

0:00 Intro

01:20 What is bad Capitalism?

02:33 How can Capitalism be Conscious?

08:25 The problem of greenwashing

10:45 How critique and scrutiny holds brands back

11:50 “Necessary evils?”

12:50 Ben interviews Raj Sisodia, co-author of the book "Conscious Capitalism”

31:03 Ben’s final say

Sign up for Ben’s management course here: https://www.benchmarkmanagement.co/

Credits:

https://www.tiktok.com/@tonyschocolonely_us/video/7298435571490295046

How do we SAVE the HOSPITALITY industry?

In this episode of The Working Week with entrepreneur Ben Askins - as we lose TWENTY bars and restaurants EVERY WEEK, and ONE nightclub every TWO days - Ben gets stuck into why the hospitality industry is struggling so much in 2025, and what we can do to save it…

Ben is joined by Night Time Economy Adviser, Sacha Lord - co-creator of Parklife Festival and the Warehouse Project - who has been instrumental in fighting for the survival of the hospitality economy and businesses. 

Whether you’re a bar or restaurant owner struggling to keep your doors open, or you’re a regular pub-goer devastated to see your local shut up shop, this one’s for you. You’ll also get Ben’s best advice for businesses and companies, and a few laughs along the way!

                                                                                                                                   

If that sounds like you, hit SUBSCRIBE and we’ll see you in the next episode. Don’t forget, you can follow us wherever you get your podcasts for FREE and you’ll have access to weekly episodes 10 hours before they go live on YouTube.

We’d love to hear from you! Get in touch with Ben to share your work stories - anonymously or otherwise - and he’ll answer your biggest questions. 

Follow Ben: 

📸 Instagram:   / benaskins.official   

🎥 TikTok:   / ben.askins  

Follow the pod:

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theworkingweekpod/

🎥 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theworkingweekpod

Follow Sacha:

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sacha_lord/

🎥TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sacha_lord

Chapters:

0:00 Intro

01:30 How many pubs, bars, restaurants and nightclubs are closing?

02:42 The real stories, people and businesses behind the headlines

04:18 The history of the British pub

05:00 How hospitality closures increase loneliness

05:43 How Jeremy Clarkson is fighting to save village pubs

07:10 The impact of Brexit

08:46 How the pandemic and lockdowns impacted nightclubs

09:52 Inflation and the cost of living crisis

10:46 How much does a pint cost?

12:39 The pros and cons of Gen Z’s drinking habits 

14:20 Ben interviews Night Time Economy Adviser, Sacha Lord

29:33 Ben’s final say

We have been in touch with the Government department that looks after the hospitality industry, but have not heard back.

Sign up for Ben’s management course here: https://www.benchmarkmanagement.co/

Credits: 

https://www.tiktok.com/@the_pub_man/video/7416629457181478176?lang=en

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/video/detail/B0DV87JZW1/ref=atv_dp_season_select_s4

Why does everyone HATE their boss?

In this episode of The Working Week with entrepreneur Ben Askins - with 1 in 3 workers having recently quit a job because of their boss - Ben’s going back to his roots. In an era of toxic workplaces and toxic bosses, Ben looks back in history to answer the question: have bosses always been this bad?

You’ll get Ben’s take on what it really means to be a good boss, as he tackles some of the worst boss stories you’ll ever hear, and explains why nothing kills motivation like bad management! Whether you need some advice on how to handle your boss, or you’re a manager yourself and could do with hearing some home truths, this one’s for you! You’ll also get Ben’s best advice for businesses and companies, and a few laughs along the way!

If that sounds like you, hit SUBSCRIBE and we’ll see you in the next episode. 

We’d love to hear from you! Get in touch with Ben to share your work stories - anonymously or otherwise - and he’ll answer your biggest questions. 

Follow Ben: 

📸 Instagram:   / benaskins.official   

🎥 TikTok:   / ben.askins  

Follow the pod:

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theworkingweekpod/

🎥 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theworkingweekpod

Chapters:

0:00 Intro

0:50 My boss fired me when I was on my honeymoon

02:00 Nearly 1 in 4 employees are working for the worst manager they’ve ever had

02:53 “People don’t quit jobs, they quit managers”

04:50 My boss cancelled my leave during my mum’s funeral

06:00 Why the majority of bosses are accidental

08:13 The worst bosses in history

15:02 Micromanagement 

17:01 Why some bosses are not to blame

18:06 Is it healthy not to like your boss?

19:47 Are we too pessimistic in this day and age?

21:16 Why bosses need more training

25:14 Ben’s final say and advice for employees and managers

Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts for FREE and you’ll have access to weekly episodes 10 hours before they go live on YouTube. 

Sign up for Ben’s management course here: https://www.benchmarkmanagement.co/

Credits: 

https://www.tiktok.com/@natoutofoffice/video/7479091477340081413

Why does everyone HATE airlines?

In this episode of The Working Week with entrepreneur Ben Askins - with over 1 in 2 flyers facing travel problems - Ben tackles the top 5 most annoying things airlines do in 2025. You’ll get Ben’s unfiltered take on why airlines quite literally take customers for a ride when it comes to hidden additional costs, and how cheap flights have ruined the customer experience. 

Ben is joined by renowned travel journalist and broadcaster, Simon Calder, who you’ll have seen on multiple news outlets as someone who has become the face of British travel information and tourism advice. 

Whether you’re a regular traveller who's had enough of bad customer service, or you're someone who is quite simply interested in how we can make the aviation business better for everyone, this one’s for you! You’ll also get Ben’s best advice for employers and companies, and a few laughs along the way! 

If that sounds like you, hit SUBSCRIBE and we’ll see you in the next episode. 

                                                                                            

We’d love to hear from you! Get in touch with Ben to share your work stories - anonymously or otherwise - and he’ll answer your biggest questions. 

Follow Ben: 

📸 Instagram:   / benaskins.official   

🎥 TikTok:   / ben.askins  

Follow the pod:

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theworkingweekpod/

🎥 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theworkingweekpod

Follow Simon Calder: 

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simon_calder/

🎥 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@caldertravel

Chapters:

0:00 Intro

0:55 Why are people so hacked off with airlines? 

03:56 Paying extra for seats

06:40 If that’s not drip pricing, drip pricing doesn’t exist as a thing!

08:00 Why luggage produces so much revenue

12:43 Why do you have to pay to change your name?

15:30 I took an airline to court…and won

20:13 Ben speaks to leading UK travel expert and broadcaster, Simon Calder

35:14 Why does everyone hate airlines? Ben’s final say

Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts for FREE and you’ll have access to weekly episodes 10 hours before they go live on YouTube. 

Sign up for Ben’s management course here: https://www.benchmarkmanagement.co/

Credits: 

https://www.tiktok.com/@travel/video/7266920119354264865?q=how%20airports%20treat%20luggage&t=1747069179596