Shows
Workplace GeeksWORKTECH25 New York & San Francisco preview | Flourishing, flexibility & delightWe're back with another WORKTECH Events special, this time previewing not one, but two brilliant upcoming October 2025 conferences: WORKTECH25 New York and San Francisco.✨Workplace Geeks listeners - save 20% off tickets to both events using code GEEKS2025 at checkout! 🎟️WORKTECH Events bring together the brightest minds in work, workplace, technology and innovation across a global calendar, and we’ve got a sneak peek at some of the most thought-provoking sessions coming your way, with three conversations with featured speakers from both events:Co-founder of Future Forum, and...2025-06-261h 06
Workplace GeeksWho's responsible for the cubicle? | with Mark CatchloveFollowing a cracking chat with MillerKnoll's Ryan Anderson in the last episode, this time the Geeks sit down with Mark Catchlove, genuine workplace gentleman and Director of Insight at MillerKnoll, for a fascinating dive into the work and legacy of Robert Propst — Herman Miller’s pioneering Director of Research during the 1960s.Design polymath Propst’s seminal 1968 book, The office: A facility based on change, was ahead of its time. Designed as a field manual for workplace change, it tackled everything from change, human-centered design, visual display, privacy and involvement, conversation and in...2025-06-131h 00
Workplace GeeksRelationship-based workplace wisdom | with Ryan AndersonFour episodes in and the Geeks are cooking on gas! For this one, we're joined by the wise and insanely amiable Ryan Anderson, VP of Global Research and Planning at workplace furniture giant MillerKnoll, home of Herman Miller, Knoll, and a host of other iconic design brands.Ryan has lived and breathed workplace for over three decades in a wide range of roles. It's no surprise then that his thoughtful, considered perspectives on workplace design, strategy, experience and technology step beyond conventional wisdoms and overtraded ideas. We caught up with Ryan to talk...2025-05-281h 10
Workplace GeeksOne size misfits all | with Kay SargentThree episodes into season four and we're deep into important territory. In this episode the Geeks sit down with internationally renowned designer, researcher, and workplace changemaker Kay Sargent, director of thought leadership and interiors at global architecture firm HOK.Kay has spent the past eight years co-ordinating a major research initiative, culminating in a brand new book, Designing Neuroinclusive Workplaces: Advancing Sensory Processing and Cognitive Well-Being in the Built Environment. What began as a curiosity-led research project has turned into a transformative design movement grounded in neuroscience, empathy, and research evidence.2025-05-141h 13
Workplace GeeksWorkplace wisdom and wordsmithery | with Matt HarveyWe've only just got cracking with season 4, and we’re already taking an unusual turn. In this episode, the Geeks enjoy their first ever workplace poety takeover with the brilliant, wise and genuinely witty author and poet Matt Harvey, self-proclaimed enemy of all that's upsetting.From the psychological contracts of workplace perks, to the creeping control of mobile devices, and watercooler encounters with hidden meaning, Matt has been making sense of work through verse for years — including a long-standing collaboration with Worktech as their poet in residence.We invited him on to t...2025-04-301h 04
Workplace GeeksCan we reinvent the modern office? | with Jeremy Myerson & Philip RossThe Workplace Geeks are back, and we're kicking off Series 4 with two heavyweights of the workplace world: Jeremy Myerson and Philip Ross, co-authors of Unworking: The Reinvention of the Modern Office – their fourth collaboration, and their most provocative yet.From their first book, The Creative Office, to the now globally established Worktech Academy and Events community, Jeremy and Philip have influenced workplace thinking for decades. Now, they're reflecting on a century of office orthodoxy — and calling for a complete reinvention.In a rich, thou...2025-04-161h 09
Workplace GeeksBiophilic design: buzzword or big deal? | a Workplace Geeks investigation™️In our very first Workplace Geeks investigation™️ deep dive, Ian sets out to explore a question that's been on his mind:🔎 Is biophilic design just good design — or something we need to intentionally spotlight because of its unique importance?To find out, he heads to the UK’s first ever Biophilic Design Conference, held at the iconic Barbican in London — a venue that raises some interesting design questions of its own. Along the way Ian hears from a host of experts to unpack theory, challenge assumptions, and spotlight the...2025-04-021h 16
Workplace GeeksWorkplace Leaders Top 50 #5 | Bertie van Wyk, Kasia Maynard, Paul Urmston... & Chris Moriarty!The Workplace Event's Workplace Leaders Top 50 awards are in their second year, and the Geeks were honoured to be invited to speak to the winners. Each of these special episodes usually features small but perfectly formed chats with three winners... but this time we've gone one better!We thought we'd drop a fifth episode to entertain, inspire and illuminate during the cold dingy UK winter, featuring conversations with Bertie van Wyk (MillerKnoll), Kasia Maynard (Worktech Academy), Paul Urmston (NatWest) and a fourth guest who needs no introduction whatsoever on...2025-01-2055 min
Workplace GeeksLong live the survey? | with Kursty Groves (& Neil Usher)In this final episode of series 3, Chris and Ian are joined by first ever guest Kursty Groves to talk about her new book 'Workspace made easy' co-authored with Neil Usher. Kursty is an author, workplace innovation consultant, founder of Shape, and adjunct professor at IE University. Neil is also an author, currently the VP for Places at SAGE, formerly Workplace Director of the award-winning Sky campus in West London, and for over a decade author of the now defunct Work Essence blog (still available with a little Wayback...2024-11-1453 min
Workplace GeeksWorkplace Leaders Top 50 #4 | Naomi Sakamoto, Caroline Pontifex & Dan WakelinThe Workplace Event's Workplace Leaders Top 50 awards are in their second year, and the Geeks were honoured to be invited to speak to the winners. Each of these special episodes will feature small but perfectly formed chats with three winners.In this fourth episode we turn from facilites management to the broader context of workplace strategy, change and experience. We're in conversation with an architect in the business of people, Naomi Sakamoto (Gensler), time-served workplace strategist Caroline Pontifex (Savills) and indie workplace experience and change guru Dr Dan...2024-11-0746 min
Workplace GeeksDoes hybrid work promote wellbeing? | with Gemma Dale & Hannah WilsonIn this, the 50th Workplace Geeks episode (woot woot 🎺) Chris and Ian are joined by Gemma Dale and Hannah Wilson from Liverpool John Moores University to discuss their recent paper from the International Journal of Workplace Health Management called “What is healthy hybrid work? Exploring employee perceptions on well-being and hybrid work arrangements”, co-authored with IFMA’s new Director of Research, Professor Matt Tucker. Gem is a university lecturer, flexible and hybrid working specialist, author, coach, HR director and board advisor. Hannah is a Reader in Workpla...2024-10-311h 09
Workplace GeeksWorkplace Leaders Top 50 #3 | Nicola Morris, Alistair Scott & Steph WelchThe Workplace Event's Workplace Leaders Top 50 awards are in their second year, and the Geeks were honoured to be invited to speak to the winners. Each of these special episodes will feature small but perfectly formed chats with three winners🏅In this third episode we're in conversation with Nicola Morris (ISS), Alistair Scott (IEM) and Steph Welch (Arup). The overarching theme of all three discussions is Workplace and FM as a career of choice (or most likely not) and all the inspiring, creative, equitable and dis...2024-10-2451 min
Workplace GeeksWORKTECH24 London | Future tech, 15-Minute Cities, & workspace metrics that matterThe Workplace Geeks are back with another WORKTECH Events special, and this time it's a PREVIEW of the forthcoming WORKTECH24 London Special Edition three-day extravaganza!As part of Unwired Ventures, WORKTECH Events is a global conference series exploring work, workplace, technology and innovation, with an annual roster of events from LA to Auckland.This episode features three conversatios with speakers who will be on stage in London on Wednesday 20 November. First up, futurist, tech entrepreneur and author Ajay Chowdhury talks broadly about future tech, AI, and the future of...2024-10-171h 01
Workplace GeeksChatty G, work and me | with Jana Retkowski & Ella HafermalzChris and Ian are joined by postdoc researcher Jana Retkowski and associate professor Ella Hafermalz, both from the KIN Center for Digital Innovation at VU Amsterdam, to discuss ‘Managing a ChatGPT-empowered workforce: Understanding its affordances and side effects’, co-written with professor Marleen Huysman.Hot off the press this autumn as part of a FREE special edition of Business Horizons, ‘Written by ChatCPT’, the paper captures the zeitgiest when ChatGPT exploded late 2022, and explores the outcomes as early adopters moved from ludic tinkering to early workplace adoption. Spoiler alert - the geni...2024-10-1059 min
Workplace GeeksThe Watercooler Event 2024 | Part 2: neurodiversity, wellbeing, and inclusive designIn this episode Chris and Ian are back with the second second instalment from The Watercooler Event at London ExCeL. Described as 'the leading workplace culture and employee wellbeing show in Europe', the show blends the people angle of workplace (The Watercooler) with the workspace design and management side (The Office) - and this second episode focuses on the former!Like our previous event specials, this episode features a sequence of mini-interviews, mainly with Ian, and then Chris joining the dots inbetween. So first, we hear from ex-Premier League footballer and mental health ambassador Clarke Carlisle2024-10-0459 min
Workplace GeeksCould a four-day working week work? | with Joe Ryle / Perry TimmsWell well... the opportunity of a four-day working week for everyone. Bet that got your attention. It certainly piqued the Workplace Geeks', so on this episode Chris and Ian are joined by Joe Ryle, director of the UK’s 4 Day Week Campaign, (alongside his role as Media and Comms Lead for future of work think tank Autonomy) to explore the pilot evaluation paper from early 2023 called 'The results are in: The UK's four-day week pilot'.Rather than being peer-reviewed for academic publication like much of the work on the show, this one is available directly from Autonomy. Th...2024-09-251h 11
Workplace GeeksWork, life and long COVID | with Jo Yarker / Kerstin SailerWorkplace topics are often fascinating, complex and deeply relevant to millions of people. In all three of these respects, this episode feels really important. Chris and Ian are joined by two past guests to explore long COVID, first academically, and then personally.For the first part, Dr Jo Yarker, Professor of Organisational Psychology at Birkbeck, University of London, and Director of Affinity Health at Work, shares key findings from a recent paper called “It’s a rollercoaster”: the recovery and return to work experiences of workers with long COVID. The paper was published in Work & Stress in 2023, and wa...2024-09-121h 07
Workplace GeeksWorkplace Leaders Top 50 #2 | Lucy Golding, Alishya Artwell & Jennifer Bryan🏅The Workplace Event's Workplace Leaders Top 50 awards are in their second year, and the Geeks were honoured to be invited to speak to the winners. Each of these special episodes will feature small but perfectly formed chats with three winners 🤩In this second episode we're in conversation with EDI standard-bearer Lucy Golding, the self-proclaimed fabulous CPO Alishya Artwell, and ex-dancer-cum-workplace change consultant Jennifer Bryan. We asked each winner the same questions to learn about their career, how they got into the workpace sector, how it's changed, what it could do better, and what advice...2024-09-0540 min
Workplace GeeksUsespans vs. lifespans | with Robert Schmidt IIIWhilst Ian was away on holiday we thought it would be a good opportunity to dig out an interview we've had on file for a few months.During Clerkenwell Design Week, Chris was invited to an event at 'friends of the show' Obo. They'd invited Reader in Architectural Design at Loughborough University, Robert Schmidt III, to discuss adaptable architecture which looks at prolonging the useful life of buildings by designing them to be more adaptable to create a more sustainable built environment.In the chat we explore how this compares to traditional architecture, the role...2024-08-2959 min
Workplace GeeksHumans at the heart of change | with Valeria WinkworthChris and Ian are joined by Dr Valeria Winkworth, People Consulting Director at EY, for a longer discussion about human-centred business transformation and change. Valeria first appeared on Workplace Geeks earlier this year as part of the second WORKTECH23 event special (called ‘three takes on change’) to talk about the first report from EY’s recent ‘Humans@Centre’ collaboration with Oxford University’s Saïd Business School, called ‘The future of transformation is human’ (2022). We thought the topic was so important that we invited Valeria back. This episode revisits this report and the research behind it, then expands to include...2024-08-151h 04
Workplace GeeksHow smart is hybrid working? | with Andy LakeIn this episode Chris and Ian are joined by another UK workplace sector stalwart, long-time flexible working pioneer, author and consultant, Andy Lake. As you'll hear, this polite and humble chap has been an advocate for working flexibly in many ways, including the Civil Service's 'The Way We Work', online community resource flexibility.co.uk and UK Smart Working Code of Practice, PAS 3000:2015.The conversation focuses on his most recent book, Beyond Hybrid Working: A Smarter & Transformational Approach to Flexible Working. Published by Routledge in December 2023, the book draws together more than three decades of workplace experience...2024-08-011h 00
Workplace GeeksThe Workplace Yoda | with Rob HarrisIn this episode Chris and Ian sit down with someone who has been in the centre of the real estate and workplace sector for four decades... the one and only Dr Rob Harris.Today Rob is the principal of Ramidus Consulting, a specialist built-environment research and advisory business, as well as Chairman of the BCO Research Committee. Prior to that Rob has worked for some of the leading lights in the London/UK property and workplace industry (including DEGW!) which is why he’s the perfect person to tell the story of how London went from sixteenth-century co...2024-07-181h 04
Workplace GeeksWorkplace Leaders Top 50 #1 | Gavin Bradley, Esme Banks Marr & Jackie Bird🏅The Workplace Event's Workplace Leaders Top 50 awards are in their second year, and the Geeks were honoured to be invited to speak to the winners. Each of these special episodes will feature small but perfectly formed chats with three winners 🤩In this episode we're in conversation with movement activist Gavin Bradley (Yo-Yo Office), honorary Workplace Geek Esme Banks Marr (BVN Architecture), and the super-positive and lovely Jackie Bird (Crown Workplace).We asked each winner the same questions to learn about their career, how they got into the workpa...2024-07-1145 min
Workplace GeeksThe Watercooler Event 2024 | Part 1: hybrid working & office designBack for another two part event special, this time the Workplace Geeks spent two days eating Haribo and talking to all sorts of lovely folk from a beautifully branded recording booth at The Watercooler Event at London ExCeL. Described as 'the leading workplace culture and employee wellbeing show in Europe', the show blends the people angle of workplace (The Watercooler) with the workspace design and management side (The Office). This episode focuses on the latter, and part two, dropping in a few weeks, will pick up some really interesting angles on the former!Like our...2024-06-121h 09
Workplace GeeksThe wizarding workplace | with Kerstin Sailer & Chrystala Psathiti📣 Audiem has been nominated for three IWFM 2024 Impact Awards, two in partnership with NatWest. Read the success story here⚡️In this episode Chris and Ian are joined by Dr Chrystala Psathiti and previous guest Dr Kerstin Sailer. Chrystala is a lecturer in architectural design and theory at Neapolis University in Paphos, Cyprus, as well as a practicing architext and founder of splace Architecture. Kerstin is Professor of the Sociology of Architecture at The Bartlett School, University College London, co-founder of workspace science and design think tank Brainybirdz, and all round space syntax wizard!Chrystal...2024-05-2359 min
Workplace GeeksWork Different: Ctrl+Shift | with Julien Capraro📣 Brand new FREE Audiem webinars featuring special guests | The 7 habits of AI-powered workplace leaders | register here 🤓The Workplace Geeks keep on trucking, despite their third UK workplace event in three weeks! And this time for something a bit different. Chris and Ian are in conversation with Julien Capraro, researcher, writer and director of National Film Board of Canada documentary, Work Different. The episode is a great counterpoint to the last one with Nick Bloom, essentially taking the same topic of hybrid and remote work, and exploring it from a completely different perspe...2024-05-0241 min
Workplace GeeksHybrid working: hot-takes & cold-truths | with Nick Bloom📣 Audiem has been nominated for three IWFM 2024 Impact Awards, two in partnership with NatWest. Read the success story here⚡️Drum roll... Workplace Geeks is back! After four workplace event specials, it's time to kick off season 3 in earnest. So in the first full conversation for quite a while, Chris and Ian are delighted to welcome Professor Nick Bloom to the show. If you've heard a credible statistic in the mainstream media about working from home or hybrid working since early 2020, the chances are it was from, or informed by, work that Nick has been involved with. H...2024-04-161h 02
Workplace GeeksWorkplace Trends Oct 23 (pt.2) | destination office: case studies📣 Brand new FREE Audiem webinars featuring special guests | The 7 habits of AI-powered workplace leaders | register here 🤓In this second of another(!) two part special, the Workplace Geeks are back at Workplace Trends, this time at their flagship 2023 autumn conference, held in London last October. The theme this year was 'the office as a desired destination'... question or statement?! 🤷🏻With the best community of long-standing supporters on the UK conference circuit, Workplace Trends attracts a diverse range of practitioners, designers, architects, FMs and psychologists... and even some of those HR people peopl...2024-04-0942 min
Workplace GeeksWorkplace Trends Oct 23 (pt.1) | destination office: provocations📣 Audiem has been nominated for three IWFM 2024 Impact Awards, two in partnership with NatWest. Read the success story here⚡️In this first of another(!) two part special, the Workplace Geeks are back at Workplace Trends, this time at their flagship 2023 autumn conference, held in London last October. The theme this year was 'the office as a desired destination'... question or statement?! 🤷🏻With the best community of long-standing supporters on the UK conference circuit, Workplace Trends attracts a diverse range of practitioners, designers, architects, FMs and psychologists... and even some of those HR people peo...2024-04-0335 min
Workplace GeeksWORKTECH23 (pt.2) | three takes on change📣 Brand new FREE Audiem webinars featuring special guests | The 7 habits of AI-powered workplace leaders | register here 🤓For this second of another two part conference special, the Workplace Geeks tour bus headed to WORKTECH23, held in London last November. As part of Unwired Ventures, WORKTECH's global conference programme explores work, workplace, technology and innovation, with events from LA to Auckland.Part two explores three studies of change - one new perspective, and two examples of organisational change in practice. Once again, Ian handles interview duties, while Chris splices the digital VT. Fi...2024-03-2859 min
Workplace GeeksWORKTECH23 (pt.1) | digital plants & sustainable cities📣 Audiem has been nominated for three IWFM 2024 Impact Awards, two in partnership with NatWest. Read the success story here⚡️For this first of another two part conference special, the Workplace Geeks tour bus headed to WORKTECH23, held in London last November. As part of Unwired Ventures, WORKTECH is a global conference platform exploring work, workplace, technology and innovation, with an annual roster of events from LA to Auckland.This first episode features three variations on the them of cities, buildings and sustainability, and once again Ian handles interview duties while Chris splices the digital...2024-03-1956 minWorkplace GeeksMitie SoS newbies start here 🎯 / sneaky peakSend the Geeks a message, instantly!📣 Brand new FREE Audiem webinars featuring special guests | The 7 habits of AI-powered workplace leaders | register here 🤓Oh how we wish this was a full new episode for you... sadly not. But that's because we've been busy with Mitie, interviewing, writing, producing and hosting their brilliant new Science of Service podcast. It's our first proper narrative documentary style series - and we think a first for the FM sector - so we'd love to know what you think.Instead, Ian takes...2024-02-2805 min
Workplace GeeksBonus - Geek to Geek | series 2 review with James Pinder📣 Audiem has been nominated for three IWFM 2024 Impact Awards, two in partnership with NatWest. Read the success story here⚡️In this extra special bonus episode, Chris and Ian are joined by the original podcast ponderer, the inimitable and elusive Dr James Pinder, to look back on their most memorable topics and discussions from Workplace Geeks season two.All Workplace Geeks guests are equal - it goes without saying - but special props in this episode to Dr Dan Wakelin from HCG, Dr Ben Waber from Humanyze, Dr Kerstin Sailer from UCL, Gabriella Braun, Josh Ar...2023-11-1434 min
Workplace GeeksGeek on, geek off, young workplace grasshopper | with Esme Banks Marr📣 Brand new FREE Audiem webinars featuring special guests | The 7 habits of AI-powered workplace leaders | register here 🤓In this final episode of the series, Chris and Ian are joined by… erm… Chris and Ian?!Let’s try that again. It’s the last show of season two, so in an exciting plot twist, Chris Moriarty and Ian Ellison hand the interviewer reins over to seasoned reflection section guest and friend of the show, the wonderful Esme Banks Marr. This is so they can dig deep into the ideas and theory beh...2023-10-171h 16
Workplace GeeksONA 'reality mining' | with Rachel Casanova & Sophie Schuller📣 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 Rachel Casanova and Sophie Schuller from global commercial real estate giant Cushman & Wakefield. Rachel is Senior Managing Director of Workplace Innovation based in the firm’s Midtown Manhattan office, and Sophie - alongside her ongoing PhD research at the Technical University of Eindhoven, Netherlands - heads up C&W's 'Living Lab' to research, in her own words, 'what really happens when we go to work'.The conversat...2023-09-271h 21
Workplace GeeksThe neuroscience of uncertainty | with Katherine Templar Lewis📣 Brand new FREE Audiem webinars featuring special guests | The 7 habits of AI-powered workplace leaders | register here 🤓Chris and Ian are joined by Katherine Templar Lewis, co-creator of Uncertainty Experts, with Sam Conniff (Workplace Geeks guest on episode 8, back in series 1). Katherine is a cognitive scientist, a prolific science communicator, and is involved in all sorts of different projects and ventures, including her own Kinda Studios – a ‘neuroaesthetics studio’ which unities neuroscience with creative arts projects to explore the human experience.The conversation revisits the groundbreaking interactive...2023-09-061h 16
Workplace GeeksWhat on earth is the workplace oooh?! | with Becky Turner📣 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 Becky Turner from Claremont Interiors, one of 2023's top 50 workplace leaders (as announced at The Workplace Event, April 2023) to discuss their recent industry research paper 'The Workplace Oooh!', and Becky's own role as organisational psychologist at a workspace design and build organisation like Claremont.The conversation considers the importance of six feelings in the workplace - feeling inspired, valued, connected, supported, included and proud - and expl...2023-08-161h 15
Workplace GeeksWorkplace Trends research summit (pt.2) | sustainable change & dens at work📣 Brand new FREE Audiem webinars featuring special guests | The 7 habits of AI-powered workplace leaders | register here 🤓In this second of a two part special, the Workplace Geeks get in amongst it at the Workplace Trends Research Summit, held in London this April. For many, the best UK conference on the workplace circuit, Workplace Trends attracts a diverse community of practitioners, designers, architects, psychologists... and even those people people from HR!This second episode features two very different pieces of research, showcasing just how diverse and fascinating Workplace Trends' content can be...2023-08-0247 min
Workplace GeeksWorkplace Trends research summit (pt.1) | three takes on hybrid📣 Audiem has been nominated for three IWFM 2024 Impact Awards, two in partnership with NatWest. Read the success story here⚡️In this first of a two part special, the Workplace Geeks get in amongst it at the Workplace Trends Research Summit, held in London this April. Arguably the best UK conference on the workplace circuit, Workplace Trends attracts a diverse community of practitioners, designers, architects, psychologists... and even those people people from HR!This first episode features three research studies exploring hybrid working from different angles. Ian mans the interview mic and Chris channels his pro...2023-07-1849 min
Workplace GeeksWhat's Lefebvre got to do with it? | with Dan Wakelin📣 Brand new FREE Audiem webinars featuring special guests | The 7 habits of AI-powered workplace leaders | register here 🤓Chris and Ian are joined by Dr Dan Wakelin, director at workplace strategists HCG, for a fascinating chat about his doctoral thesis, 'Employee engagement in the post-Covid workplace'. The discussion explores both the topical content of Dan's research, and also the doctoral journey towards both his practical and theoretical 'contributions to knowledge'. Key theories about transgressions (from human geographer Tim Cresswell) and the production of space (from French Marxist philosopier, Henri Lefebvre) take the st...2023-07-061h 10
Workplace GeeksFinding hidden performance levers | with Ben Waber📣 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 Dr Ben Waber, co-founder and president of behavioural analytics firm Humanyze, and visiting scientist at (and alumni of) MIT Media Lab. The discussion explores how Humanyze combine wearable sensor analytics and organisational systems data to unlock performance improvements, and focuses on a specific research paper Ben co-authored in 2010 with Daniel Olguin, Taemie Kim, and Professor Alex ‘Sandy’ Pentland, called ‘Productivty through coffee breaks: changing social networks by changing break structu...2023-06-231h 05
Workplace GeeksNeurodiversity (pt.2) in search of better | with Jo Yarker📣 Brand new FREE Audiem webinars featuring special guests | The 7 habits of AI-powered workplace leaders | register here 🤓The Workplace Geeks welcome back 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, for the second part of their deep dive into neurodiversity. Chris and Ian explore 'Physical Workplace Adjustments to Support Neurodivergent Workers: A Systematic Review' (2022) co-authored by Jo, with Clara Weber, Beate Krieger, Eunji Häne, and Almuth McDowall.The purpose of the paper was to...2023-06-061h 08
Workplace GeeksNeurodiversity (pt.1) dignity & justice | with Josh ArtusChris and Ian are joined by Josh Artus, co-founder and director at Centric Lab, a research lab, which - in their own words - uses neuroscience and environmental data to identify how biological inequity contributes to poor health outcomes in neighbourhoods and peoples that have been racialised and marginalised. Centric Lab were the lead authors of a British Council for Offices report published May 2022, called 'Designing for Neurodiverity', and Josh and was a key part of both the research project and the output, supported by PLP Architecture.This episode is part 1 of a two episode focus on...2023-05-2354 min
Workplace GeeksSeeing 'open plan' differently | with Kerstin Sailer📣 Brand new FREE Audiem webinars featuring special guests | The 7 habits of AI-powered workplace leaders | register here 🤓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 'P...2023-04-111h 08
Workplace GeeksNot fact, but truthfulness | with Gabriella Braun📣 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 emo...2023-03-291h 07
Workplace GeeksNaked apes & workplace zoos | with Nigel Oseland📣 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 enviro...2023-03-1459 min
Workplace GeeksJust call it 'work' | with Kate Lister📣 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 t...2023-02-281h 05
Workplace GeeksConfidence, capability & capacity | with Perry Timms📣 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 an...2022-08-121h 10
Workplace GeeksEmployee engagement: evidence vs. HiPPOs | with Rob Briner📣 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...2022-07-281h 22
Workplace GeeksPlacefulness and wellworking | with Alexi Marmot📣 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 Pi...2022-07-131h 10
Workplace GeeksPost-occupancy what?! | with Jo Yarker📣 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...2022-06-301h 07
Workplace GeeksCoworking secret sauce | with Imogen Privett📣 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 a...2022-06-161h 12
Workplace GeeksWorking alone: hobnobs & hummus | with Rebecca Seal📣 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...2022-06-011h 04
Workplace GeeksOmni-fear or meta-opportunity? | with Sam Conniff📣 Brand new FREE Audiem webinars featuring special guests | The 7 habits of AI-powered workplace leaders | register here 🤓Chris and Ian are back in the virtual studio with serial social entrepreneur and purpose-driven pirate Sam Conniff, to explore his new project Uncertainty Experts. Described by Sam as an ‘interactive learning documentary’, their discussions explore the motivations behind his latest venture (with collaborators Katherine Templar Lewis, Dr Avri Bilovich and Dr Vivienne Ming), its inventive design, and Sam’s commitment to academically evaluate its impact.Uncertainty is arguably at an all time high in mode...2022-05-191h 01
Workplace GeeksThe Workplace Event 2022 LIVE! | with Dan Pilling📣 Audiem has been nominated for three IWFM 2024 Impact Awards, two in partnership with NatWest. Read the success story here⚡️Chris and Ian are out and about for their very first LIVE episode, recorded at The Workplace Event, Birmingham NEC, UK in April 2022. For this special show they’re joined by Dan Pilling, workplace strategy consultant at TSK Group, and fellow workplace geek. Their discussion explores the scope and value of practical workplace research pre and post pandemic. No PinderPonder™ this week folks (don't hate us) - but instead - some great questions from the audience (thanks to B...2022-05-051h 03
Workplace GeeksOriginal hybrid material | with Susan Halford📣 Brand new FREE Audiem webinars featuring special guests | The 7 habits of AI-powered workplace leaders | register here 🤓After a humble apology and a dig into the #WorkplaceGeeks mailbag, Chris and Ian are joined by Susan Halford, Professor of Sociology at the University of Bristol, to talk about a very special study indeed. Back in 2005, as Susan published research findings from her case study at ‘Insurance Co’, she used ‘hybrid’ to describe working between home, office and other workspaces. Yes, that’s right. Hybrid. In 2005. Dial yer brains up to eleven ready for this intellectua...2022-04-201h 08
The Office ChroniclesKursty featured on Workplace Geeks podcastInterview with Ian Ellison and Chris Moriarty, two brilliant workplace thinkers 'on a mission to find and celebrate the most exciting and inspiring workplace research in the world'. A fascinating geek-out into Kursty's second book, Spaces for Innovation, which dives into the science and design of inspiring environments that support creativity and collaboration.Some of the topics covered include:📖 How the book itself is designed with the user in mind💡 The core themes for defining spaces that support creativity and innovation📏 Metrics, how they need to accommodate new ways of workin...2022-04-1351 min
Workplace GeeksPost-occupancy evaluation: the other 90% | with Harriet Shortt📣 Audiem has been nominated for three IWFM 2024 Impact Awards, two in partnership with NatWest. Read the success story here⚡️Chris and Ian return to Blighty to explore a novel approach to the ‘post-occupancy evaluation’ (or POE) of new workplaces with Dr Harriet Shortt, Associate Professor in Organisation Studies at the UWE Bristol. Harriet and her collaborators used a participatory visual technique featuring smartphone photographs to explore the lived experiences of staff, students and visitors using their shiny new £55m Bristol Business School building. James then joins for a PinderPonder™ to discuss the value of POEs, fluffy researc...2022-04-051h 07
Workplace GeeksThe compadre of telework | with Jack Nilles📣 Brand new FREE Audiem webinars featuring special guests | The 7 habits of AI-powered workplace leaders | register here 🤓Chris and Ian cross seven time zones to learn from the father of teleworking and environmental activist, Jack Nilles, about the multi-disciplinary research project that led to his 1976 book ‘The Telecommunications-Transportation Tradeoff: Options for Tomorrow’. The conversation explores the motivations behind this seminal study, its prescience, legacy, and ongoing relevance. It also celebrates the tenacity, wisdom and vitality of a living legend: Jack, we salute you.Teleworking has been proven to be an effective...2022-03-241h 03
Workplace GeeksSpace for thought: one grey box | with Jeremy Myerson📣 Audiem has been nominated for three IWFM 2024 Impact Awards, two in partnership with NatWest. Read the success story here⚡️After another quick dip into the mailbag, Chris and Ian talk to WORKTECH Academy director, author and activist, professor emeritus Jeremy Myerson, about his award-winning research paper from 2011, ‘Space for thought: designing for knowledge workers’ (co-authored with lead-researcher Catherine Greene). The conversation explores the value of creative workplace research approaches, and includes practical advice for inspired listeners. James is back for a PinderPonder™ that also includes a brief debate about outsourcing your ironing.Novel research tech...2022-03-0859 min
Workplace GeeksEnabling creative communities | with Kursty Groves📣 Brand new FREE Audiem webinars featuring special guests | The 7 habits of AI-powered workplace leaders | register here 🤓Chris and Ian get their first piece of mail :D then talk to adjunct professor, author, and workplace strategy consultant Kursty Groves about her book, ‘Spaces for Innovation: The Design and Science of Inspiring Environments’ (co-authored with Oliver Marlow). The conversation explores the book’s design, motivations, then selected coworking case study, interview and workplace theory content. Sadly James is on holiday this week so no Pinder Ponder :( but there are still plenty of insights to discuss.2022-02-2357 min
Workplace GeeksWorkplace Geeks assemble | with Mark Eltringham & Matt Tucker📣 Audiem has been nominated for three IWFM 2024 Impact Awards, two in partnership with NatWest. Read the success story here⚡️In this launch episode, Chris and Ian explore what they mean by workplace research, then explore it with two very different ‘workplace experts’: Mark Eltringham from Workplace Insight, and Dr Matt Tucker from Liverpool John Moores University. Armed with new insights, they then interrupt Dr James Pinder for his reflectionsQuality workplace research is more important than ever, in an increasingly noisy world of content marketing and thought leadership. But academia plays by different rules. So w...2022-02-1047 min