Work Life by Design

Maintaining connection in a hybrid world of work is no small task. Following periods of extended separation due to lockdowns during the pandemic, we are now navigating a new world of work where, with our increased flexibility of where we work, we are facing new challenges in staying connected and fuelling our sense of belonging.

My guest today is Tegan Davies, the General Manager and Head of Wellbeing at The Oranges Toolkit. An award winning social enterprise that builds positive wellbeing, mental and emotional agility in workforces and communities, returning profits to Camp Quality to support kids facing cancer in Australia.

Tegan is an experienced and passionate wellbeing designer and facilitator. She is also a former Board Member at Action for Happiness Australia, a business coach and qualified yoga teacher.

Through her work with Oranges Toolkit Teagan is building the wellbeing literacy of corporations across Australia, by supporting their employees in navigating these intense periods of change, with a view to improving their wellbeing.

Today's conversation is a deep dive into how we can build connection in our workplaces, a foundational requirement in creating psychological safety.

We discuss;

• The foundational principles of building wellness literacy in our organisations
• The simplest, yet most often overlooked way to build connection
• The impact of regular deposits into our colleagues "feel good" bank
• The ripple effect of our emotions and how we show up
• The early insights into The Oranges Toolkit survey on what it takes to create connection

As a fellow science nerd, I love this conversation with Tegan as she shares the data and science of our emotions and the impact on us and those around us, and why awareness is only the first step.

Join The Oranges Toolkit mailing list to receive the Connection Whitepaper when it's released!

LINKS Get your copy of Mel's new Book "The Next Workplace; Designing Dynamic Environments that Inspire Human Potential"

Connect with Tegan & The Oranges Toolkit Website | LinkedIn | Connection Whitepaper

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Books mentioned; Atomic Habits – James Clear Effortless – Greg McKeown

Have you ever noticed how sometimes you become so absorbed in what you are doing that you lose track of time? That what you are doing feels so effortless, so easy that you can almost do it without thinking? This is what it feels like to be working in flow. To be working in your zone of genius, where you do what you do with absolute mastery.

In today's episode I'm sharing with you how you can find your own zone of genius, by reflecting on the process I've finding my own, and why it's not all about just focusing in on our "work life" but our "whole life".

You'll learn;

• Why just because your good at something doesn't mean it's in your zone of genius
• How to find your zone of genius through reflection, analysis, and environment
• Why you need lived experience to find your zone of genius
• Why your zone of genius requires you to think bigger than just your career, but to more broadly your whole life

This is your life. You get to write the script, but sometimes knowing what to write can be the greatest challenge. Let's start by owning your unique talents, perspective and insights, the things that bring you joy!

LINKS

Get your copy of Mel's new Book "The Next Workplace; Designing Dynamic Environments that Inspire Human Potential"

Connect with Mel

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Guiding your people through change successfully can be one of the most difficult things an organisation can do. I've seen how change can be done poorly, and often because of simply not knowing that engaging people through the process and onboarding them into a new space or to a new system, was needed to ensure its success.

People are creatures of habit and what we see happen is that old habits, routines, and rituals get transferred to the new state, where they no longer work or go against the new way of working or operating.

So, I wanted to get the back story on why change is so important to get right in an organisation and some of the things we should be considering when embarking on a change process, and when we need to bring in the professionals to support us.

Today's guest is Dr Kate Byrne. With a PhD in Communication and 20+ years in the field, Kate is an experienced strategist, change leader and communication practitioner who supports senior leaders through organisational change and on how to design and bring to life, strategic narratives.

She is the host of The New Way podcast, as well as the managing director of EVER Change & Communication - a dynamic consultancy that helps public sector leaders drive and deliver organisational transformation, behavioural change, to improve organisational performance and help their people adopt new ways of working.

We chat about;

• The greatest area that organisations are looking for support when it comes to change
• The impact of storytelling and how to use a strategic narrative
• The tipping point for engaging external support for implementing successful change
• Why change follows a framework but requires to be unique to your business
• Why communication is the core of a successful change strategy and why we need to focus on the "moments" vs the "events"
• The one area that all businesses should be focused on to elevate our experience of work

Plus, we kick it off with a common values alignment… our No Dickheads policy! And end with our shared passion for continual evolution and why change is good!

Links

Get your copy of Mel's new Book "The Next Workplace; Designing Dynamic Environments that Inspire Human Potential"

Connect with Kate

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Connect with Mel

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Running a business with a newborn is no small task! So, in today's episode, I'm sharing with you the intimate details of how I prepared my business, my team, my clients and myself, for this time ensuring we were set up for success.

With a new baby, you really are at their beck and call so being highly intentional with the finite amount of time that you do have, is so important to ensure that you are investing it wisely. It also means that there are likely to be a few things that either get put on the back burner or are pushed out.

Putting this plan in place enabled me to be present with my new baby, and with my clients where it mattered most.

There were three things that I needed to make this time work for me, my business, my clients and my family:

1. Assess the existing workload.
   1. With a pipeline of work needing to be delivered, I had no capacity to accept any more, so closing the books was the first step

1. Assess the tasks and activities – what could be successfully outsourced?
   1. With a guaranteed period of absence, who could I get to step in and cover me for a short period of time?
   2. What parts of the project could I completely handover to reduce my load and free me up to do only what I can do?

1. Needed a plan

1. 1. I needed a plan that captured key dates, project milestones, communication channels, when and how I could be contacted and what to do incase of an emergency. This plan was our road map to the prep required before bub and the first 8 weeks after bub was born, ensuring that everything was managed as planned.

So, how did it all go… you'll have to tune in to find out!

Links

Get your copy of Mel's new Book "The Next Workplace; Designing Dynamic Environments that Inspire Human Potential"

Connect with Mel

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With organisations working hard to lure employees back into the workplace, this is the ideal time for us to take a fresh perspective on what it takes to elevate our workplace experience; by creating an environment that people choose to come to. The role of the office has shifted from a place we needed to "go to work"; to a place that facilitates connection, collaboration, communication, and learning, promoting a new level of productivity, health & well-being. With this perspective, now is the time to take a wider view and look outside the typical workplace to be inspired by how other industries create places where people choose to return to, again and again. Industries, such as hospitality. Today's guest is Brad Krauskopf the founder and CEO of Hub Australia. A market-leading premium workspace-as-a-service platform renowned for its customer service and company culture. Hub delivers hospitality-driven solutions that create workspace experiences that people love, And that is something that myself and the COMUNiTI crew can vouch for as tenants of their Anzac Square space. Hub is also a BCorp, they are certified Carbon neutral, are WELL Health & Safety accredited, and has been ranked 4 years running as one of Australia's best employers by the Great Places To Work program. Brad is also the founding Co-chair of Flexible Workspace Australia, the peak industry body for flexible and coworking space in Australia. As both a tenant and a big fan of coworking this was a great opportunity for me to sit down with Brad and learn more about the hospitality-led approach that the HUB are renowned for. We chat about: • Why HUB have made it a priority to obtain the credentials they have and the impact on their business • How we are "unshackling work from place" as a result of the pandemic, the role that coworking spaces play, and the future of "work near home" options • Brad's observation of the real estate market and if "the office is dead" • How our workplaces can incorporate a hospitality-led approach and the value it adds to our people and place • Why landlords are welcoming co-working operators into their buildings and the opportunities they provide for all tenants Whether you are looking to elevate the experience of work for your people, considering shifting to a flexible space model with coworking, or planning ahead for your next lease renewal, this episode will give you food for thought on how you can create a workplace that delights your people!

Links

Get your copy of Mel's new Book "The Next Workplace; Designing Dynamic Environments that Inspire Human Potential"

Connect with Brad

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Connect with Mel

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After 5 months off to welcome our new son Nash to the family, I'm back and ready to dive in!

I know it probably sounds strange, being a new mum again, but I am feeling refreshed and re-inspired from my break and with a fresh perspective on work and life.

So, today's episode is to catch you up on what's been happening over the last 5 mths and to share with you the clarity that comes from a little distance, plus what you can expect from this next season on the Podcast!

Clarity comes from space, and whilst I've had a little person very much up in my space over the past few months, I've had the mental space to reflect on what's next for me and my work life.

So I'm sharing with you…

• How re-connecting with your values can help you redesign your work life
• How I used the 80/20 rule to narrow down my focus in the business
• The three ways that I'm being intentional about the finite amount of time I have
• How I'm using the business to leverage that time by working in my zone of genius with other geniuses to deliver extraordinary value to our clients!

PLUS, I've got a very exciting announcement to share with you… my book will be released early next year!!!

The Next Workplace; Designing Dynamic Environments that Inspire Human Potential

This book has been in the making for a while now and I'm so excited to be able to share it with you. The Next Workplace, is about connecting the concepts of modern day management theory to the structural design of our physical workplace environments, aligning, enabling and inspiring the human potential of every organisation.

AND this next season of the podcast is going to be exploring these concepts of what's next for our workplaces as we chat with academics, business leaders, change champions, innovators, and landlords on what it takes to elevate our experience of work.

If there's a topic you'd like explored or a guest that you'd like me to chat with so you can be a fly on the wall, then get in touch and let me know.

Links

Get your copy of Mel's new Book "The Next Workplace; Designing Dynamic Environments that Inspire Human Potential"

Connect with Mel

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With only 2 weeks before we welcome our newest addition to the family, this isn't quite the podcast episode that I had planned to be sharing with you back in January when I was mapping out this season's episodes! I had planned to share with you how I'd snagged myself a Unicorn GM enabling me to sail off into babyland with my business baby in the best of hands, however that dream didn't come to reality, despite the best of intentions…

When I found out I was pregnant, I jumped into action mode, tuning into podcasts to hear how others before me had restructured their business's to accommodate a 2IC, the planning and training to feel like they could "let go" and enjoy those precious early months with their baby and I wanted that!

But alas, this episode is to give you a behind the scenes look into another scenario that can and did play out for me in my business, because I'm all about sharing the highs and the lows of business and what can and does happen.

To round out Season 4 of the podcast, as I take a break to enjoy those newborn cuddles, I want to leave with you a real account of preparing a business for a baby.

We cover:

• The planning, recruitment, and promotion in the search of our Unicorn, including the challenges of finding "the right person"
• How remaining aligned to my intentions for this year and for this addition to our family set me on a different course to the one I would "normally" have embarked on
• How a shift in my own mindset created a gap in the business and shifted the goal posts
• How despite what we hear in the media, not everyone wants to step into that gap
• The opportunity that comes with change and vulnerable, honest conversations can lead to a new and improved business model
• The importance of taking a step back to reflect rather than diving into "fix it" mode
• The plan moving forward…

This episode is a reminder that whilst not everything is always rainbows and unicorns, sometimes a situation, that on face value isn't living up to the expectations you set, can turn out to be far more aligned with your bigger vision than you realised.

Insta | LinkedIn | Facebook | Website | Work Life Lounge

Attending #IRL events again has to have been a highlight for me in the past month and the Thriving Workplace event did not disappoint!

This event is unlike any other conference and was a deep 2 days of sharing ideas, experiences, and the opportunities to make our working lives more fulfilling for everyone.

Not only did I get to walk away from these two days with an overflowing cup, from the conversations, connections, and inspiration from those I shared it with, but I also expanded my personal perspective on what it takes to create a Thriving Workplace.

In today's episode I'm sharing with you the three key themes that emerged for me from this gathering, the learnings that I am taking away to share with my clients and colleagues and the impact that these, sometimes small, shifts have made within the organisations that shared their stories.

One thing is for certain, creating a thriving workplace is a holistic endeavour that requires our organisations to share the responsibility and approach from a range of viewpoints to maximise the potential before us.

It requires conversation, policy change, shifts in language and mindset, openness to new possibilities, new routines, new rituals, and new behaviours.

This is just the start of a much broader conversation, that in many ways has been enabled by the pandemic. The opportunity to re-examine what was, in order to create what could be.

I'd love to know what your organisation is already embracing and what opportunity you could take back into your workplace from these three key themes to see your workplace transform from the inside out.

Melissa Marsden LinkedIn | Insta | Website | Work Life Lounge

Creating organisational change at a grass roots level requires a lot of different skills, which is why I enjoy working alongside my friend and colleague Dr Meg Hooper to support the businesses and leaders that we work with. Together, we do this from not just a physical perspective but also a psychological one.

With a shared passion for the impact and influence of space and place, Meg and I work in tandem to enable organisations to make positive shifts in their workplaces to enable high performance.

Today's episode is a treat, to be able to share with you some of the conversations that we have about how our world of work is changing and the opportunity that this brings with it. We cover everything from why change management needs to start early and the impact of a 1hr workshop on shifting mindsets, through to the science behind energy management and motivational theory, through to how this is contributing to the Great Resignation.

Meg is the Director & lead Psychologist of Carousel Consulting, specialists in Change Management and Organisational Transformation, she brings a science-based perspective to our conversations that I find enlightening and always walk away better for. Meg and I can and do chat for hours, so we thought we'd share with you some of our conversations!

And if you want more, pop back to Eps 44, where Meg and I explore the concept of designing work in a "choose your own adventure style".

Dr Meg Hooper LinkedIn | Website

Melissa Marsden LinkedIn | Insta | Website | Work Life Lounge

The demand for workplaces that respond to the health and wellbeing of its occupants has exponentially increased off the back of the global pandemic, driving a need for organisations and landlords alike to deliver on a more holistic approach to building design and construction.

Whilst in the past the adoption of healthy building practices may have been more aligned to market positioning and differentiation, potentially viewed as more tokenistic approaches to wellbeing, today we can attribute the investment in these avenues to substantial uplifts in employee performance and productivity, delivering ROI to businesses.

And this is where my guest today has seen a huge shift in the way we approach the design of our buildings and spaces through his involvement with the Well Building Institute.

Ken-Yi Fong is one of the leading healthy building design and acoustic experts in Australia. Ken has an impressive list of accreditations and affiliations that have seen him become a WELL Accredited Professional and then appointed to the WELL Global Advisory Board and member of the WELL Faculty.

Ken is all about amplifying the impact of people and organisations using Health, Wellbeing and Wellness as their secret weapon! He leads the Healthy Buildings & Communities work in Arup Melbourne, where he supports the Property sector to achieve greater commercial outcomes (faster leasing, higher premiums on saleable assets, stronger organisational engagement, etc) by leveraging the Healthy Buildings Frameworks

Ken has a deep passion in helping families and individuals amplify their impact in all spheres of life. He achieves this by coaching and education in the fields of healthy buildings/spaces, habit formation, productivity, and holistic health coaching. He is also an amateur bio-hacker and crypto enthusiast.

This is a fascinating conversation that explores what the WELL Building Institute & WELL Building Standards are, but more importantly the impact that the concepts and frameworks that form this standard have on our people and the direct impact of that on our businesses.

For many of the organisations that I work with there is a genuine interest in developing solid health & wellbeing initiatives for their employees, however applying this to the built environment can sometimes seem rather ethereal and not directly applicable. This conversation will change your perspective on this and provide you with some tangible stats that will enable a more robust conversation around the boardroom table, to elevate the need to adopt a healthier approach to the design and fit out of your next workplace.

Ken also leaves us with an insight into how he has designed his own work life, that truly resonated with my own views.

So, lets jump on in!

Links

Ken-Yi Fong LinkedIn | Website

Stok Paper Leesman Index

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