Workplace Geeks

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Chris and Ian are joined by Dr Kerstin Sailer, Professor of the Sociology of Architecture at The Bartlett School, University College London, researcher, space syntax ninja, and co-founder of workspace science and design think tank Brainybirdz. Kerstin brings TWO papers to show (spoiler alert - long episode!) - 'Differential perceptions of teamwork, focused work and perceived productivity as an effect of desk characteristics within a workplace layout' (from 2021, co-authored with Petros Koutsolampros and Rosi Pachilova), and 'Providing care quality by design: a new measure to assess hospital ward layouts' (from 2020, co-authored by Rosi Pachilova).

Put simply, both papers use a space syntax technique called isovists to explore the open plan of a major tech company, then the ward and corridor layouts of hospitals - and the findings challenge perceptions and existing 'best practice' ideas of two very different open plan working environments - with clear implications for workspace design. 

The Geeks are then joined all the way from Canada by the amazing Simon Iatrou for the reflection section, because James is on holiday (in Yorkshire, just for a change... 🙄)

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Learn more 🌱🧠

• Kerstin on LinkedIn
• Kerstin on Mastodon (her preference to Twitter)
• Kerstin at The Bartlett School, UCL
• Brainybirdz website
• Link to office paper
• Link to healthcare paper
• Link to the prospect and refuge theory paper referenced in the reflection section
• Simon Iatrou on LinkedIn
• Magenta Associates

 Hit Chris and Ian up and follow @WorkplaceGeeks on LinkedIn

...and don't forget to use the hashtag #WorkplaceGeeks 💬

Promo or the RTO L@S report.

📩 Subscribe for new episodes, events and workplace insight from the Geeks community.

⭐️ Enjoying the show? Follow, rate and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It genuinely helps more people discover us.

💬 Got an idea, guest suggestion, or workplace topic we should explore?

Follow Workplace Geeks on LinkedIn
Join the conversation using #WorkplaceGeeks
Or email us at [email protected]

Workplace Geeks is brought to you by Audiem ⚡️
Helping organisations make better workplace decisions through AI-powered insight and employee feedback.

Supported by 2468 Group ☕️

🎧 Dialogue editing by David Crackles

📣 Audiem has been nominated for three IWFM 2024 Impact Awards, two in partnership with NatWest. Read the success story here⚡️

Chris and Ian are joined by author, consultant and coach Gabriella Braun, to discuss her fascinating book, ‘All That We Are’, recently released in paperback. Gabriella specialises in psychoanalytic approaches and systems thinking to help people work better, together, and it was a real treat to have her on Workplace Geeks. The conversation explores not just the relevance and content of her book, but also the creative process and ethical considerations that underpin writing such an emotionally engaging and thought provoking read. 

The Geeks are then joined by friend of the show Esme Banks Marr for the reflection section, while James takes a well-earned day off (happy birthday Dr Pinder! 🥳)

Learn more💡🤓

• Gabriella on LinkedIn
• Gabriella Braun author page
• Gabriella’s book ‘All That We Are’ 
• Gabriella’s consultancy Working Well
• The Tavistock Institute of Human Relations
• The Freud Museum in London
• Esme Banks Marr on LinkedIn

 Hit Chris and Ian up and follow @WorkplaceGeeks on LinkedIn

...and don't forget to use the hashtag #WorkplaceGeeks 💬

Promo or the RTO L@S report.

📩 Subscribe for new episodes, events and workplace insight from the Geeks community.

⭐️ Enjoying the show? Follow, rate and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It genuinely helps more people discover us.

💬 Got an idea, guest suggestion, or workplace topic we should explore?

Follow Workplace Geeks on LinkedIn
Join the conversation using #WorkplaceGeeks
Or email us at [email protected]

Workplace Geeks is brought to you by Audiem ⚡️
Helping organisations make better workplace decisions through AI-powered insight and employee feedback.

Supported by 2468 Group ☕️

🎧 Dialogue editing by David Crackles

📣 Brand new FREE Audiem webinars featuring special guests | The 7 habits of AI-powered workplace leaders | register here 🤓

Chris and Ian are joined by workplace researcher, author, speaker and consultant, Dr Nigel Oseland, as he gets back to his environmental psychologist roots in his recent book, 'Beyond the Workplace Zoo: Humanising the Office'. Nigel is a trusted voice of the UK workplace and built environment community and regularly hosts the Workplace Trends event series - one of the most diverse and welcoming workplace conference series of the industry calendar. The discussion moves through environmental and evolutionary psychology, via anthropology and Dunbar's number, historical Bürolandscaft and Action Office workspace designs, towards Nigel's updated and refined proposition, the Landscaped Office.

James then joins Chris and Ian for the reflection section, in which Ian attempts to bring an animated presentation about algorithmic AI workspace design to life through the medium of podcasting...

Learn more💡🤓

• Nigel on LinkedIn
• Nigel's recent book Beyond the Workplace Zoo
• Nigel's consultancy Workplace Unlimited
• Workplace Trends event series
• A 2021 article by Robin Dunbar all about Dunbar's number
• A recent article by Mark Eltringham on Workplace Insight all about Bürolandscaft office design

Email us with questions and feedback: [email protected] 

Hit Chris and Ian up and follow @WorkplaceGeeks on LinkedIn
...and don't forget to use the hashtag #WorkplaceGeeks 💬

Promo or the RTO L@S report.

📩 Subscribe for new episodes, events and workplace insight from the Geeks community.

⭐️ Enjoying the show? Follow, rate and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It genuinely helps more people discover us.

💬 Got an idea, guest suggestion, or workplace topic we should explore?

Follow Workplace Geeks on LinkedIn
Join the conversation using #WorkplaceGeeks
Or email us at [email protected]

Workplace Geeks is brought to you by Audiem ⚡️
Helping organisations make better workplace decisions through AI-powered insight and employee feedback.

Supported by 2468 Group ☕️

🎧 Dialogue editing by David Crackles

📣 Audiem has been nominated for three IWFM 2024 Impact Awards, two in partnership with NatWest. Read the success story here⚡️

The Workplace Geeks are finally back 🥳 and to start the second series off with a bang, Chris and Ian are joined by Kate Lister, future of work general counsel, researcher, and President of Global Workplace Analytics. Kate focuses on a recent study in collaboration with Owl Labs, 'State of Remote Work 2022'. The report, in its 6th year, provides a platform for a much broader conversation about hybrid and remote working (spoiler alert: terms which Kate hates by the way), Kate's invitation to speak during the pandemic to United States Congress about home-working, and GWA's long standing and freely available ROI and savings calculators. James returns following his blacksmithing course in the Peak District to a new discussion format - no more Pinder Ponder, get ready for the reflection section...

Learn more💡🤓

• Kate on LinkedIn
• Kate's future of work business, Global Workplace Analytics
• GWA white paper resources, and various ROI calculators
• Owl Labs company website
• State of Remote Work 2022 report
• And an article from us exploring workplace experience

Email us with questions and feedback: [email protected] 

Hit Chris and Ian up and follow @WorkplaceGeeks on LinkedIn... and don't forget to use the hashtag #WorkplaceGeeks 💬

Promo or the RTO L@S report.

📩 Subscribe for new episodes, events and workplace insight from the Geeks community.

⭐️ Enjoying the show? Follow, rate and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It genuinely helps more people discover us.

💬 Got an idea, guest suggestion, or workplace topic we should explore?

Follow Workplace Geeks on LinkedIn
Join the conversation using #WorkplaceGeeks
Or email us at [email protected]

Workplace Geeks is brought to you by Audiem ⚡️
Helping organisations make better workplace decisions through AI-powered insight and employee feedback.

Supported by 2468 Group ☕️

🎧 Dialogue editing by David Crackles

📣 Brand new FREE Audiem webinars featuring special guests | The 7 habits of AI-powered workplace leaders | register here 🤓

In this final episode before a short break (details in the outro folks!) Chris and Ian welcome the inimitable Perry Timms, HR's most influential thinker of 2022 (according to HR magazine, as voted by peers 🏆) Perry heads up PTHR, a B Corp-certified organisational design, performance and change consultancy that most definitely walks its talk, has written two books, and holds various academic positions. The discussion takes the report he wrote last year with Anna Hobson and Katy Stanley for HRZone as a starting point, and explores current and future themes for HR, workplace professionals and business more broadly. James is back for a PinderPonder™ double header, reflecting on Perry's contributions, alongside Rob Briner's from episode 13. Apparently the insights involve Princess Leia and Emperor Palpatine. 🚀

The legacy of the pandemic's impact on work and workplace is the opportunity for a coalition between business leadership and workplace professionals. HR's role in this needs to be about focus on, adaptation to, and delivery of increasingly complex challenges, including establishing new performance baselines, developing team and leadership capabilities, and enhanced systems and practices that enable increasingly distributed and autonomous working. To achieve this though, workplace professionals need to honestly consider their confidence, capability and capacity - the limelight of coalition presents opportunities, but also raises performance expectations. Get this right and business can be better - for people, for performance, and for the planet.

New and improved! 🥳 Use the CHAPTERS feature on your pod player for section timings

Learn more💡🤓

• Download the report from HRZone
• Perry on LinkedIn
• Perry on Twitter
• Perry's consultancy business, PTHR
• HR magazine's most influential list 2022 
• B Corp and B Lab

Email us with questions and feedback: [email protected] 

Hit Chris and Ian up and follow @WorkplaceGeeks on LinkedIn... and don't forget to use the hashtag #WorkplaceGeeks 💬

Promo or the RTO L@S report.

📩 Subscribe for new episodes, events and workplace insight from the Geeks community.

⭐️ Enjoying the show? Follow, rate and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It genuinely helps more people discover us.

💬 Got an idea, guest suggestion, or workplace topic we should explore?

Follow Workplace Geeks on LinkedIn
Join the conversation using #WorkplaceGeeks
Or email us at [email protected]

Workplace Geeks is brought to you by Audiem ⚡️
Helping organisations make better workplace decisions through AI-powered insight and employee feedback.

Supported by 2468 Group ☕️

🎧 Dialogue editing by David Crackles

📣 Audiem has been nominated for three IWFM 2024 Impact Awards, two in partnership with NatWest. Read the success story here⚡️

In this mahoosive episode 13 (whoops 😬) Chris and Ian welcome Rob Briner, Professor of Organisational Psychology at Queen Mary University of London, researcher, teacher, and darling of CIPD, to Workplace Geeks. Rob takes an inspiring, provocative and critical perspective, advocating 'evidence-based practice' to not only aid more robust organisational decision making, but also help us appreciate our fallacies and blindspots. After exploring the method itself, the discussion explores employee engagement, benchmarking (via absenteeism) and the future of work.  A Pinderless Ponder this week sadly, but Chris and Ian  do their best to cover.

Evidence-based practice is a method to consider the  quality and trustworthiness of multiple sources of information, through a structured approach, in order to make more informed decisions. It recognises and values the mutual inputs from our professional practice, organisational data, scientific research and stakeholder perspectives in a considered way. When applied to, for example, the notion of 'employee engagement', it challenges the validity of the premise on the grounds that it is ill-defined, conflated with other ideas and nothing new, ill-measured, poorly evidenced in terms of links to organisational performance, yet overly and mis-promoted. Ouch!

New and improved! 🥳 Use the CHAPTERS feature on your pod player for section timings

Learn more💡🤓

• Rob's LinkedIn profile
• Rob's own website
• CEBMa - the Centre for Evidence-Based Management
• The basic principles of evidence-based practice
• Some other great resources about evidence-based practice
• The (infamous) paper we discuss about employee engagement, plus some others from CIPD on the topic

Email us with questions and feedback: [email protected] 

Hit Chris and Ian up on LinkedIn - don't forget to use the hashtag #WorkplaceGeeks 💬

Promo or the RTO L@S report.

📩 Subscribe for new episodes, events and workplace insight from the Geeks community.

⭐️ Enjoying the show? Follow, rate and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It genuinely helps more people discover us.

💬 Got an idea, guest suggestion, or workplace topic we should explore?

Follow Workplace Geeks on LinkedIn
Join the conversation using #WorkplaceGeeks
Or email us at [email protected]

Workplace Geeks is brought to you by Audiem ⚡️
Helping organisations make better workplace decisions through AI-powered insight and employee feedback.

Supported by 2468 Group ☕️

🎧 Dialogue editing by David Crackles

📣 Brand new FREE Audiem webinars featuring special guests | The 7 habits of AI-powered workplace leaders | register here 🤓

Episode 12 welcomes workplace legend Alexi Marmot to Workplace Geeks. Amongst other things, Alexi is Professor Emeritus of Facility and Environment Management at the Bartlett, UCL; Professor of Architectural Science at University of Sydney; and Board Chair of AMA Alexi Marmot Associates. Chris, Ian and Alexi discuss 'Work on the Move 3' that she edited with Michael Schley, and in particular her own chapter on health and well-being at work. James is back from whittling for the PinderPonder™, which explores social construction, evidence-based practice and systems thinking. And a touch of blacksmithing.

Beginning with the premise of heath as a basic human right, lessons from the pandemic present an opportunity to rethink our work and workplaces with wellbeing in mid. 'Placefulness' presents an opportunity to recognise and multifaceted value of place in mindfulness terms. Similarly, 'well-working' can be used to recognise the allied role of workplace to our individual and collective well-being. By embracing these ideas and gathering compelling evidence to justify their value, we should strive to create 'workplaces worth the journey' - for the health of us, our organisations, and - perhaps most crucially - the planet.

New and improved! 🥳 Use the CHAPTERS feature on your pod player for section timings

Learn more💡🤓

• Alexi's LinkedIn profile
• Work on the Move 3 edited by Alexi Marmot and Michael Schley 
• The IFMA Foundation
• The Guardian Long Read 'A tale of decay' (fascinating piece about the Houses of Parliament, referenced in the PinderPonder)
• Thinking in Systems by Donella Meadows (book referenced in the PinderPonder)

Email us with questions and feedback: [email protected] 

Hit Chris and Ian up on LinkedIn - don't forget to use the hashtag #WorkplaceGeeks 💬

Promo or the RTO L@S report.

📩 Subscribe for new episodes, events and workplace insight from the Geeks community.

⭐️ Enjoying the show? Follow, rate and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It genuinely helps more people discover us.

💬 Got an idea, guest suggestion, or workplace topic we should explore?

Follow Workplace Geeks on LinkedIn
Join the conversation using #WorkplaceGeeks
Or email us at [email protected]

Workplace Geeks is brought to you by Audiem ⚡️
Helping organisations make better workplace decisions through AI-powered insight and employee feedback.

Supported by 2468 Group ☕️

🎧 Dialogue editing by David Crackles

📣 Audiem has been nominated for three IWFM 2024 Impact Awards, two in partnership with NatWest. Read the success story here⚡️

Episode 11 welcomes workplace health and wellbeing expert Dr Jo Yarker, Reader in Occupational Psychology at Birkbeck, University of London, and Managing Partner of Affinity Health at Work. Chris, Ian and Jo explore her 2021 paper entitled 'Evaluation of a natural workspace intervention with active design features on movement, interaction and health',  co-authored with Fehmidah Munir et al, which evaluates an 'active workplace design' intervention case study. No James as he heads north of the border for more self-improvement, so instead the PinderPonder™ features a splendid guest appearance from the marvellous Esme Banks Marr. And whittling.

Different workplace experts are interested in different elements of workplace, so it follows that workplace change projects featuring interdisciplinary teams can yield innovative methods and diverse insights. In this study evaluating an organisation moving into a new workspace designed with 'active design features', a range of qualitative and quantitative methods - including individual activity tracking - found that the move led to both individual and organisational benefits.

New and improved! 🥳 Use the CHAPTERS feature on your pod player for section timings

Learn more💡🤓

• The pre-published version of the paper (i.e. not behind a journal paywall)
• Jo's academic profile at Birkbeck, University of London
• Jo's Affinity Health at Work consultancy business
• The Affinity resource library that Ian mentioned in the intro

Email us with questions and feedback: [email protected] 

Hit Chris and Ian up on LinkedIn - don't forget to use the hashtag #WorkplaceGeeks 💬

Promo or the RTO L@S report.

📩 Subscribe for new episodes, events and workplace insight from the Geeks community.

⭐️ Enjoying the show? Follow, rate and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It genuinely helps more people discover us.

💬 Got an idea, guest suggestion, or workplace topic we should explore?

Follow Workplace Geeks on LinkedIn
Join the conversation using #WorkplaceGeeks
Or email us at [email protected]

Workplace Geeks is brought to you by Audiem ⚡️
Helping organisations make better workplace decisions through AI-powered insight and employee feedback.

Supported by 2468 Group ☕️

🎧 Dialogue editing by David Crackles

📣 Brand new FREE Audiem webinars featuring special guests | The 7 habits of AI-powered workplace leaders | register here 🤓

Episode 10 features workplace innovation consultant and senior research associate at UnWork/WORKTECH Academy, Dr. Imogen Privett, discussing the fascinating content and findings from her recent doctoral thesis, Experience Unbound: The Effects of Coworking on Workplace Design Practice. One half of Imogen's supervisory team was Professor Jeremy Myerson (see episode 3) which is rather nice, and the PinderPonder™ includes a touch of spontaneous online retail therapy amidst the usual reflection and critique. Other shopping websites are available.

Whilst coworking spaces often bring to mind flexible workspace solutions and particular design aesthetics (including, but not limited to Chesterfield sofas and beer taps) popularised by well known brands, it can more comprehensively be thought of as a member-centric workplace solution that blends elements of ethos, service, engagement and workspace design to craft unique and meaningful user experiences. So with a  cautionary note for interested organisations, merely adopting the spatial strategies or aesthetics of coworking without acknowledging the careful curation of space and relationships is unlikely to yield positive results.

New and improved! 🥳 Use the CHAPTERS feature on your pod player for section timings

Learn more💡🤓

• Imogen's WORKTECH Academy content
• Imogen on LinkedIn

Email us with questions and feedback: [email protected] 

Hit Chris and Ian up on LinkedIn - don't forget to use the hashtag #WorkplaceGeeks 💬

Promo or the RTO L@S report.

📩 Subscribe for new episodes, events and workplace insight from the Geeks community.

⭐️ Enjoying the show? Follow, rate and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It genuinely helps more people discover us.

💬 Got an idea, guest suggestion, or workplace topic we should explore?

Follow Workplace Geeks on LinkedIn
Join the conversation using #WorkplaceGeeks
Or email us at [email protected]

Workplace Geeks is brought to you by Audiem ⚡️
Helping organisations make better workplace decisions through AI-powered insight and employee feedback.

Supported by 2468 Group ☕️

🎧 Dialogue editing by David Crackles

📣 Audiem has been nominated for three IWFM 2024 Impact Awards, two in partnership with NatWest. Read the success story here⚡️

Today's show features journalist, TV presenter and author Rebecca Seal discussing her recent book, Solo: How To Work Alone (and Not Lose Your Mind). It's a discussion of two halves, where Chris and Ian first explore the process of researching and writing the book with Rebecca, then the impact of the pandemic on solo working. James returns from his Cumbrian adventures for a long overdue PinderPonder™

We can think about 'solo' in terms of work (how you earn a living) and working (when you're working away from other people). Whilst Rebecca's tribe are soloists in the work sense, much of the book's research and advice has huge relevance to working  for all of us, especially post-COVID, including (but not limited to) personal performance, purpose, motivation, resilience and recovery.

New and improved! 🥳 Use the CHAPTERS feature on your pod player for section timings

Learn more💡🤓

• Rebecca Seal's website
• Buy Solo: How to Work Alone (and Not Lose Your Mind)
• The Solo Collective Podcast

Email us with questions and feedback: [email protected] 

Hit Chris and Ian up on LinkedIn - don't forget to use the hashtag #WorkplaceGeeks 💬

Promo or the RTO L@S report.

📩 Subscribe for new episodes, events and workplace insight from the Geeks community.

⭐️ Enjoying the show? Follow, rate and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It genuinely helps more people discover us.

💬 Got an idea, guest suggestion, or workplace topic we should explore?

Follow Workplace Geeks on LinkedIn
Join the conversation using #WorkplaceGeeks
Or email us at [email protected]

Workplace Geeks is brought to you by Audiem ⚡️
Helping organisations make better workplace decisions through AI-powered insight and employee feedback.

Supported by 2468 Group ☕️

🎧 Dialogue editing by David Crackles