Are you feeling ready to tackle another year at work? Or are you a little detached and uninspired?  

Many of us are kicking off the new year by asking, ‘why are we here’ ?! So what is it about the culture of work that’s leading to that feeling ? And what can we do about it? 

Guest:

Jennifer Moss, workplace culture strategist, author, Why Are We Here: Creating a Work Culture Everyone Wants

Friction is everywhere - from our systems to our relationships at work.

But there’s good news - not all friction is bad and if you know how, you can be a friction fixer.

Robert (Bob) Sutton is Professor of Organizational Behaviour at Stanford Business School and co-author of The Friction Project. He takes us through the different types of friction and how we can fix it.

Meanwhile, we hear personal stories from a few This Working Lifers about how they tackled friction in their jobs - thanks to Hamish Thompson, Kate McCallum, and Yashika Nayyar.

This story was first broadcast on 4 February 2024.

Our childhood phantasy careers (different to fantasy with an ‘f’) help uncover our unconscious motivations and can unlock job satisfaction in our careers. Here’s how to figure out yours.

Guest: Paul Harvey - Lecturer and Executive Coach at the INSEAD Business School

And thanks to Afrouz, Karen and Ryan for sharing their stories.

This story was first broadcast on 19 May 2024

It’s estimated we make up to 35,000 decisions every day so how can you make better decisions at work? 

Before you start drawing up pros and cons lists, listen to this episode to hear how you can make decisions with less stress and a lot more satisfaction - from small everyday ones, to big ones like changing career.

Guests:

• Dr Ellen Langer - Professor of Psychology, Harvard University. Author, The Mindful Body.
• Dr Janneke Blijlevens - Senior Lecturer in Experimental Methods, RMIT University
• Dr Adrian Camilleri - Associate Professor of Marketing, University of Technology Sydney Business School
• Brigitte Duclos - Counsellor 

This story was first broadcast on 11 February 2024

Have you ever been in a room with a leader who has you hanging on every word, and leaves you feeling inspired? 

Some would say that person has  ‘executive presence’.  But what do they have really?  And are the qualities that make employees willing to really listen to and follow a leader, changing?

Guests:

Colin James, speaker, lead facilitator, executive coach, author, How to Influence Anyone, Anywhere, Every Time

Megumi Miki consultant in leadership, culture and diversity and inclusion, author, Quietly Powerful 

This story was first broadcast on 11 August 2024

Put a pin in it, leverage that, circle back, LMK (let me know) - ugh! Some of us are drawn to use jargon and buzzwords, while others are annoyed by them.

Learn when and how to use jargon so that you can avoid miscommunication at work.

Guests:

Dr Howie Manns, senior lecturer in linguistics, Monash University

A/Professor Zachariah Brown, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

This story was first broadcast on 30 June 2024

Close relationships can contribute to personal happiness, and that can extend to work too. But can having besties at work sometimes get in the way of organisational goals, or cause other problems? 

Get some tips on how to manage the roles of friend and co-worker at the same time. 

Guests: 

Shelley Rogers, founder, From Mates to Manager 

Dr Amanda Ferguson, organisational psychologist 

Steph Clarke, futurist, facilitator and friend enthusiast 

Julie Parker, career coach 

Leave entitlements are building up on business balance sheets. At the same time, some employees feel they don't get enough flexibility around when they can take holidays.

We explore the reasons why workers are accumulating leave, and what it says about workplace culture in Australia.

Guests:

Sarah McCann-Bartlett, CEO, Australian Human Resources Institute

Dr Libby Sander, Assistant Professor of Organisational Behaviour, Bond University

Madeleine Dow,  management consultant and Adjunct Professor, Centre for Workplace Excellence, Uni of SA

Stepped entry points, heavy doors, images and documents without screen reader access: these are just a few of the things that make work harder for those with a disability. 

Hear from two workers about the adjustments and supports they use to help them thrive at work, and an expert explains how to design a workplace that’s accessible, for the benefit of everyone.

Guests:

Teresa, support worker

James O’Brien, Manager of planning (audio), ABC

Tom Bevan, dignified access lead, Australian Disability Network

Visit the Australian Disability Network website for more resources.

Many returning ex-pats who have worked overseas find it hard to transition back to work in their home country, and feel their overseas experience is not always welcomed.

We get advice on how to plan the career move and learn how to support a fellow Australian who is trying to break back into the job market here.  

Guests:

Margot Andersen, founder Insync Network Group

Kate McQuestin, CEO Advance Global Australians

Jacinta Reddan, returned ex pat 

And thanks also to Brett and Natasha for sharing their stories.