WorkLab

Future-Proofing Your Business—and Yourself—for the AI Era Feb 26, 2025

AI is evolving at a mind-bending pace, reshaping every aspect of business. How can leaders filter out the noise to stay focused on transforming their organizations? How can they leverage the limitless potential of AI, agents, and deep research? How can they harness the latest technology to access untapped value, turbocharge their decision making, and maintain their organization’s competitive edge? In the new season of the WorkLab podcast from Microsoft, we’ll be exploring all of those questions and more.

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Conor Grennan on Moving Beyond the “Search Engine Mindset” Jan 08, 2025

Learning how AI can help with a few tasks won’t lead us to unlock its true power—for that, we need to fundamentally change how we think about the technology. So says Conor Grennan, Chief AI Architect at the NYU Stern School of Business and founder of the consulting company AI Mindset, who has studied the challenges that employees and organizations face in their AI journeys. He joins us to share insights about how making behavioral changes can help everyone get the most out of AI at work.

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An AI-First Data Scientist on the Technology's Current Limits and Future Potential Dec 04, 2024

Kevin Novak founded the AI-focused VC firm Rackhouse Ventures in 2021 after a decade of trailblazing leadership roles in data science. He works closely with the founders of the AI-native startups he backs, giving him a bird’s eye view of how they’re leveraging AI to reinvent business. He joined the WorkLab podcast to share some of his learnings, as well as insights about the promise of AI agents, how AI is transforming what we’ll be able to do with our data, and the perils of how we think about the future.

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Microsoft’s Chief Scientist on AI’s Untapped Potential Nov 20, 2024

If you want to have a fascinating conversation about AI, talk to Jaime Teevan. In her recent discussion with WorkLab podcast host Molly Wood, Microsoft’s chief scientist shared key insights informed by her decades of research into productivity and collaboration. They also talk about how conversations will become increasingly important as we level up our AI skills, and how leaders can challenge themselves and their teams to think more creatively about tapping the full potential of the technology.

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Want Real AI Transformation? Focus on Your People and Processes Nov 06, 2024

“The biggest advice I have for CEOs is to ask, what are you trying to solve? What’s your strategy? What’s your business problem? And then we can think about how AI can support that.” That’s the message of Delphine Zurkiya, a senior partner at the strategy and management consulting firm McKinsey & Company who works with clients while also leading her division’s AI initiatives. In this episode, we discuss AI adoption, reskilling teams for this new era of work, and the value of being completely transparent about when and how you use AI.

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Tackling the World’s Toughest Problems with AI Oct 23, 2024

“With artificial intelligence and data at our fingertips, we now have the tools to address the world’s most pressing problems. We no longer have excuses.” That’s the message of Juan Lavista Ferres, a Microsoft corporate vice president and the chief data scientist of the company’s AI for Good Lab. He joined us to share key insights about the lab’s work and highlight what business leaders can learn from Microsoft’s efforts to harness technology to make the world a better place.

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How Can Leaders Invest the Time That AI Gives Back? Oct 09, 2024

“If you want to really understand artificial intelligence, a good starting point is to get better at understanding human intelligence,” says Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic. He’s a professor of business psychology, Chief Talent Scientist at Manpower Group, and author of several books on talent, leadership, and technology. He joins host Molly Wood to discuss how AI can help unlock greater performance, from improving recruiting and decision making to freeing up more time to apply our unique human skills.

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Timm Chiusano on AI and “Winning the Week” Sep 25, 2024

“My purpose is helping people do their best work by being the best version of themselves,” says Timm Chiusano, a creative executive turned TikTok superstar. He’s garnered more than a million followers with content sharing his insights about leadership, productivity, and creativity. He joins us to discuss the joys of managing, the value of authenticity, leadership strategies for incorporating technology into the workplace, and the value of being mindful and present in your work and personal lives.

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Lumen CEO Kate Johnson Says Leaders Should Be Catalysts Sep 12, 2024

What does it take to transform your business from the ground up for the AI era? There’s no better person to ask than Kate Johnson, President and CEO of the telecommunications company Lumen. In this episode of the WorkLab podcast, she talks about how AI is helping the company stay agile in the ever-shifting telecom industry. We also delve into the importance of changing company culture in tandem with its technology, and how she has prepared her teams for this new era of work.

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How to Keep Up with the AI Transformation Sep 04, 2024

AI is transforming every aspect of organizations, from structure to culture. How can smart leaders harness its full potential to enhance productivity and get more out of collaboration? How can they ensure that it’s functioning as a vital member of their team? How can they leverage its ability to add value, spot new opportunities, and help build out entirely new business models? In the upcoming season of the WorkLab podcast from Microsoft, we’ll be exploring all of these questions.

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Khan Academy founder Sal Khan on the Future of Learning Jun 05, 2024

Imagine a world where we each have our own personal tutor who knows exactly when we need more challenge, support, or motivation. Sal Khan believes AI can be that tutor. He’s the founder of the online education nonprofit Khan Academy and the author of several books on education technology, and he’s here to talk about how smart companies can leverage AI to make the skilling process more responsive, more personalized, more accessible, and more effective. We also delve into Khan Academy’s experience crafting its own AI teaching tool.

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Charles Lamanna on AI’s Next Big Role May 22, 2024

Charles Lamanna is the Corporate Vice President of Business Apps and Platforms at Microsoft. In this episode, he explores how newly announced Microsoft Copilot capabilities help business leaders do more than boost their personal productivity using AI. They can reinvent their teams and even their entire business. Lamanna also shares how low- and no-code tools are democratizing AI by allowing anyone, not just software developers, to turn their great ideas into products.

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How AI Can Reveal the Neural Secrets Behind Great Leadership May 08, 2024

Michael Platt literally wrote the book on the neuroscience of leadership, and he’s on this episode of the WorkLab podcast to explain how AI is transforming our understanding of the brain, as well as the way we work. Platt is the Director of the Wharton Neuroscience Initiative and a Professor of Marketing, Neuroscience, and Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. His research explores how our minds work in relation to communication, decision making, group intelligence, and team building.

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Inside Accenture’s AI Journey with CEO Julie Sweet Apr 24, 2024

How is Accenture, the professional services company with more than 730,000 employees across the world, transforming its enterprise using AI? And how is it recommending its clients do the same? In this episode, we go behind the scenes with CEO Julie Sweet to learn how. She also shares why the firm is investing $3 billion into AI, concrete use cases from Accenture clients, and tips for leaders on hiring and recruiting.  

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What All Leaders Can Learn from How AI is Revolutionizing Medicine Apr 10, 2024

Peter Lee, President of Microsoft Research, explains how AI is transforming every aspect of the medical industry, from research to diagnosis to how doctors communicate information. He also helps listeners grasp how what he’s seeing in medicine is happening across all industries: ultimately creating systems that are less siloed and less confusing, more thorough, more efficient, more secure—and even more empathetic.

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Are Managers the Key to Unlocking AI’s True Potential? Mar 27, 2024

Do you think AI will reduce the need for managers? Think again. As work becomes more efficient, the need for empathetic human oversight will increase, says Bryan Hancock, global leader of McKinsey’s talent management practice. He explains why managers will play a critical role in building AI-powered organizations and ensuring that they thrive. In this episode, he shares why leaders must invest in their managers, and let those managers invest the time that AI saves them into better supporting their teams.

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How Do You Solve a Problem That’s Never Been Solved Before? Mar 13, 2024

The best leaders have a framework for stepping confidently into the unknown. This includes creating an AI-powered organization, a challenge that has many up at bat. In this episode, Dr. Britt Aylor, Director of Leadership Development at Microsoft, gives us a crash course in the adaptive leadership framework. In the WorkLab podcast from Microsoft, host Molly Wood talks with executives, educators, technologists, and researchers to get the actionable insights you need to future-proof your organization.

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Charles Duhigg on How to Build New Habits for the AI Era Feb 28, 2024

Charles Duhigg is a Pulitzer Prize–winning reporter, author, and productivity expert. He joins us on the WorkLab podcast to share insights on how to form good habits for the AI era, along with the secrets behind “supercommunicators” who have next-level conversation skills. His key insight: the ability to clearly articulate what you want is vitally important to how you interact with other people as well as AI, and it can even help you get clarity on how to best tackle challenges and seize opportunities.

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How to Become an AI-Powered Organization Feb 21, 2024

The year 2024 will be remembered as the moment when AI-powered organizations shifted into overdrive. How should leaders reinvent their processes for this new era? What’s the best way for organizations to use the time that AI saves their teams? Join host Molly Wood for the new season of the WorkLab podcast, which explores the hard data, real-world lessons, and actionable insights you need to future-proof your organization. New episodes available February 28.

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Nir Eyal on how to defeat distraction in an always-on world Jan 03, 2024

Nir Eyal is an entrepreneur and author of the bestselling book Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products. He’s harnessed that expertise to develop simple guidelines on how we can tune out distractions. In this episode of WorkLab, he shares his insights on how to maintain focus. Eyal is the last guest for season 5 of the WorkLab podcast, in which host Molly Wood has conversations with economists, technologists, and researchers who explore the data and insights into why and how work is changing.

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Will AI Make Work More Human? Dec 13, 2023

Erica Keswin, a business strategist who’s worked with the world’s most influential brands, defines what a human workplace is, and how leaders can achieve it in the age of generative AI. She also talks about her newest book, The Retention Revolution. Keswin is the latest guest on Microsoft’s WorkLab podcast, in which host Molly Wood explores the data and insights about the work trends you need to know today—from how to use AI effectively to what it takes to thrive in our new world of work.

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Eric Horvitz on the Possibilities of Generative AI for Human Thriving Nov 29, 2023

Eric Horvitz, Chief Scientific Officer at Microsoft, explains how generative AI has the power to supercharge human potential and why business leaders should see it as the world’s best “ideas processor.” Horvitz is the latest guest on Microsoft’s WorkLab podcast, in which host Molly Wood explores the data and insights about the work trends you need to know today—from how to use AI effectively to what it takes to thrive in our new world of work.

WorkLab: Hard Data, Compelling Stories, Vital Insights

How Copilot Is Transforming One Global Creative Agency Nov 15, 2023

Dentsu Creative, one of the world’s largest global creative agencies, is a part of the Microsoft Copilot Early Access Program. Global Head of Technology James Thomas shares how integrating Copilot is transforming workflows and enhancing creativity for his teams.

Thomas is the latest guest on Microsoft’s WorkLab podcast, where host Molly Wood explores the data and insights about the work trends you need to know today—from how to use AI effectively to what it takes to thrive in our new world of work.

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Dentsu Creative

LinkedIn VP Aneesh Raman on Why Adaptability is the Skill of the Moment Nov 01, 2023

Aneesh Raman, a vice president at LinkedIn, explains how generative AI is changing work and expanding opportunities for people without standard career paths and educational backgrounds. Raman is the fourth guest for season 5 of Microsoft’s WorkLab podcast, in which host Molly Wood has conversations with economists, technologists, and researchers who explore the data and insights about the work trends you need to know today—from how to use AI effectively to what it takes to thrive in a digital age.

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Aneesh Raman

Harvard Business School’s Christina Wallace on How AI Can Help Us Rebalance Our Lives Oct 18, 2023

Christina Wallace is a Harvard Business School instructor, serial entrepreneur, and author of the book The Portfolio Life. In this episode of WorkLab, Wallace discusses how leaders and individuals need to rethink careers and personal growth in AI-powered work. She is the third guest for season 5 of the WorkLab podcast, in which host Molly Wood has conversations with economists, technologists, and researchers who explore the data and insights about the work trends you need to know today—from how to use AI effectively to what it takes to thrive in a digital age.

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Molly Wood | LinkedIn

Christina Wallace

Microsoft Deputy CTO Sam Schillace on How AI Will Shift Our Productivity Paradigm Oct 04, 2023

Sam Schillace’s breakthroughs in collaboration technology and engineering leadership have helped transform the way we work. In this episode, the Microsoft CVP and Deputy CTO discusses his experiences with AI tools, and their potential to shift our productivity paradigm. Schillace is the second guest for season 5 of the WorkLab podcast, in which host Molly Wood has conversations with economists, technologists, and researchers who explore the data and insights into why and how work is changing.

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Molly Wood | LinkedIn [host]

Sam Schillace | LinkedIn

Futurist Amy Webb Shares the Most Plausible Outcomes for AI and Work Sep 20, 2023

No one can predict the future, but quantitative futurist Amy Webb is doing her best. In this episode of WorkLab, Webb shares the most plausible outcomes for what the future looks like with AI and what business leaders can do today to make sure their organizations are set up for success. Webb is the first guest for season 5 of the WorkLab podcast, in which host Molly Wood has conversations with economists, technologists, and researchers who explore the data and insights into why and how work is changing.

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Molly Wood [host]

Amy Webb [guest]

WorkLab Season 5 Will Explore How to Tap the Full Potential of AI Sep 13, 2023

The AI era of work isn’t coming—it’s here. How can you stay ahead of the curve and make sure your employees and your organization are using AI to its fullest potential? Listen to the WorkLab podcast. This trailer introduces season 5, in which new host Molly Wood has conversations with executives, educators, technologists, and researchers who explore the data and offer insights on everything from how to use AI effectively to what it takes to thrive in the digital age.

WorkLab: Hard Data, Compelling Stories, Vital Insights

Molly Wood

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Wharton Professor Ethan Mollick on the Urgency of Getting in Front of AI Jun 28, 2023

Ethan Mollick teaches innovation and entrepreneurship at The Wharton School and writes the popular AI Substack One Useful Thing. In this episode of WorkLab, Mollick explains why business leaders should be using AI now and what it means for the future of work and education. Mollick is the final guest for season 4 of the WorkLab podcast, in which hosts Elise Hu and Mary Melton have conversations with economists, technologists, and researchers who explore the data and insights into why and how work is changing.

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Why You’re Overwhelmed at Work Jun 14, 2023

Can AI fix work? Microsoft Corporate Vice President Jared Spataro and Colette Stallbaumer, general manager of Microsoft 365 and the Future of Work, discuss the latest Work Trend Index report and share their experiences using Microsoft 365 Copilot to transform work. This is Season 4 episode 7 of the WorkLab podcast, which features conversations with economists, psychologists, and technologists who explore why and how work is changing.

WorkLab

Microsoft Chief Accessibility Officer Jenny Lay-Flurrie On Why Inclusivity Benefits Everyone May 31, 2023

In this episode of WorkLab, Jenny Lay-Flurrie shares why inclusion for people with disabilities—from the workplace to a product to a company’s culture—benefits everyone. Lay-Flurrie is the sixth guest for season 4 of the WorkLab podcast, in which hosts Elise Hu and Mary Melton have conversations with economists, technologists, and researchers who explore the data and insights into why and how work is changing.

WorkLab

‘The Happiness Project’ Author Gretchen Rubin on Wellbeing at Work May 17, 2023

Gretchen Rubin is an expert on happiness and the author of the New York Times bestselling book The Happiness Project. In this episode of WorkLab, Rubin shares what she’s learned from more than a decade of studying wellbeing—and how her findings can apply to our working lives.

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The Four Tendencies Quiz

How AI Will Change the Way You Work May 03, 2023

New innovations in AI sound exciting, but how will they actually change the way we work? Marcus Wohlsen is here to share some insights. Wohlsen is a journalist, author, and the head of editorial at the storytelling firm Godfrey Dadich Partners, and he has a special expertise on the past and future of AI. He provides a unique perspective—and some much-needed context—to help us as we try to wrap our heads around how AI will transform the future of work.

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John Maeda on How Leaders Will Use AI to Unleash Creativity Apr 19, 2023

John Maeda is the Vice President of Design and Artificial Intelligence at Microsoft. In his richly varied career, he’s also been an artist, a professor, an author, a college president, and a business executive. His digital artwork, books, lectures, research, and teaching have explored how digital technology can empower creativity. He joined WorkLab to discuss how everyone can best leverage the potential of AI to unleash creativity and reduce tedium and repetitive tasks.

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Regain Control of Your Focus and Attention with Researcher Gloria Mark Apr 05, 2023

Our attention spans are getting shorter—much shorter—and Gloria Mark has the data to back it up. When she began researching the topic in 2004, people spent an average of 2 ½ minutes on any given screen before switching to another. In today’s era of multitasking, we’re down to a mere 47 seconds. Mark, a professor at the University of California, Irvine, and a visiting researcher at Microsoft, offers practical tips for how to restore balance—and a glimpse at how AI might help us with work wellbeing.

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Attention Span - GLORIA MARK, PhD

Stanford Professor Erik Brynjolfsson on How AI Will Transform Productivity Mar 22, 2023

Erik Brynjolfsson is a researcher, author, senior fellow at the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI, and director of the Stanford Digital Economy Lab. He joined WorkLab to offer business leaders an overview of how AI will transform productivity. Brynjolfsson is the first guest of season 4 of the WorkLab podcast, in which hosts Elise Hu and Tonya Mosley have conversations with economists, designers, psychologists, and technologists who explore the data and insights into why and how work is changing.

WorkLab

Best-selling Author Daniel Pink Says Having Regrets Is a Good Thing Jan 04, 2023

Best-selling author Daniel Pink explains how regrets from the past can help leaders make smart resolutions in the year ahead. Pink is the final guest of Season 3 of the WorkLab podcast, in which hosts Elise Hu and Tonya Mosley have conversations with economists, technologists, and researchers who explore the data and insights into why and how work is changing.

WorkLab

What’s Next for the Office? CBRE’S Julie Whelan Breaks It Down Dec 14, 2022

How are workspaces changing, both in how they’re used and how they’re designed? What kinds of spaces, amenities, and activities encourage employees to work in person? To find out what’s next for the office, the WorkLab podcast checked in with CBRE’s Julie Whelan, who leads a global team of researchers tasked with identifying the trends that affect commercial real estate.

WorkLab

Harvard Business School’s Linda Hill on Practical Skills for Today’s Leaders Nov 30, 2022

Linda Hill, a Harvard Business School professor who also chairs the school’s Leadership Initiative, joins the WorkLab podcast to offer advice on management. How do you lead when everything keeps changing? How do you rally people and build trust? How do you discover your own limitations—and overcome them?

WorkLab

Microsoft’s Dawn Klinghoffer on How Leaders Can Tell if Employees Are Thriving Nov 16, 2022

Microsoft’s Head of People Analytics Dawn Klinghoffer leverages data to help leaders understand and improve employee experience. She isn’t just trying to track productivity—she wants to know if employees are genuinely thriving and embracing a growth mindset. She’s here to talk about the human energy crisis. What boosts employee energy? What drains it? What’s the connection between thriving employees and organizational success? And how did “generating energy” become a leadership principle at Microsoft?

WorkLab

Teen Vogue Editor in Chief Versha Sharma on What Gen Z Wants Out of Work Nov 02, 2022

Versha Sharma, editor in chief of Teen Vogue, provides her unique insights into what Gen Z wants from their employers, and Hannah McConnaughey, a communications manager at Microsoft, breaks down common work-related buzzwords her generation is using today. Sharma is the fourth guest of Season 3 of the WorkLab podcast, in which hosts Elise Hu and Tonya Mosley have conversations with economists, technologists, and researchers who explore the data and insights into why and how work is changing.

WorkLab

Microsoft’s Sarah Bond on What Play Can Teach Us About Work Oct 19, 2022

Microsoft corporate vice president of Xbox Sarah Bond explains what games can teach us about the future of work. Today, 3 billion people on the planet play video games—which have a unique and powerful ability to enable collaboration, break down language and geographic barriers, build rapport, spark imagination, and create empathy. As companies explore new ways to enable teamwork, including forays into the metaverse, they can learn a lot about how to best proceed from games.

WorkLab

Chief Economist Nela Richardson Talks Labor Trends and the New Workforce Oct 05, 2022

Nela Richardson is the chief economist at ADP, a global provider of human capital management solutions. In this episode, she breaks down how the economy is affecting the labor market, the importance of skilling a new workforce, and why leaders should invest in their people above all else. Richardson is the second guest of Season 3 of the WorkLab podcast, in which hosts Elise Hu and Tonya Mosley have conversations with economists, technologists, and researchers who share insights on how work is changing.

WorkLab

Microsoft’s Jared Spataro on How Leaders Can Help Employees Thrive Sep 22, 2022

Microsoft leader Jared Spataro unpacks the key findings from the latest Work Trend Index report. In a nutshell: creating the culture and employee experience to meet the needs of today’s distributed workforce requires a new leadership approach. Spataro is the first guest of Season 3 of the WorkLab podcast, in which hosts Elise Hu and Tonya Mosley have conversations with economists, technologists, and researchers who explore the data and insights into why and how work is changing.

WorkLab

Welcome to Season 3 of WorkLab: The Podcast Sep 07, 2022

We’re living out the biggest shift in work in a hundred years. In Season 3 of the WorkLab podcast from Microsoft, we’ll explore what all this change means for leaders—and learn how energized, empowered employees can give organizations a competitive edge. Join hosts Elise Hu and Tonya Mosley for big conversations with leading thinkers on the future of work.

Season 3 of the WorkLab podcast debuts on Sept. 22. You can follow the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

The Future of Onboarding with Accenture’s Paul Daugherty Jun 15, 2022

A few years back, Accenture worked with Microsoft to build a virtual campus called the “Nth Floor.” After the pandemic hit, the Nth Floor became a crucial digital tool in helping Accenture onboard new employees—and an early example of the potential of the enterprise metaverse. What works best in this new virtual universe? What kinks still need to be worked out? To answer these questions, the WorkLab podcast checked in with Paul Daugherty, who leads Accenture’s technology business.

WorkLab

Episode transcript

Janice Omadeke Shares why Mentorship Is Critical in Hybrid Work Jun 01, 2022

Two founders of mentorship platforms, Janice Omadeke and Sarah Haggard, discuss why prioritizing mutually beneficial relationships at work is integral to employee success, and share what business leaders can do to facilitate meaningful connections in the age of hybrid work. Omadeke is the sixth guest of Season 2 of the WorkLab podcast, in which host Elise Hu has conversations with economists, technologists, and researchers who explore the data and insights into why and how work is changing.

WorkLab

Episode transcript

Microsoft’s Vetri Vellore on how to help employees see their impact May 18, 2022

What motivates people to do their best work? It helps to understand how their contributions fit into their organizations’ greater goals or purpose. Vetri Vellore, a Microsoft corporate vice president, explains how objectives and key results, or OKRs, can help forge that sense of connection—especially in hybrid work.

WorkLab Episode link

WorkLab

Microsoft 365 blog post

Microsoft Viva goals

Dr. Michael Gervais on What Business Can Learn from Sports May 04, 2022

As a high-performance psychologist, Dr. Michael Gervais has worked with NFL players and Olympic athletes, along with musicians, artists, and Fortune 100 CEOs, to help them improve their mindsets. What insights can he share with business leaders on guiding teams through moments of uncertainty? The psychologist, who spent a decade with the Seattle Seahawks, spoke to the WorkLab podcast about the secret power of cultivating mindsets to drive real impact on any team.

Microsoft's Jared Spataro on the Employee Trends Leaders Need to Know Apr 20, 2022

Microsoft’s Corporate Vice President of Modern Work, Jared Spataro, unpacks the key findings from the company’s annual Work Trend Index, a survey of more than 30,000 people in 31 countries. In a nutshell: leaders need a new skill set to meet shifting employee expectations. Spataro is the fourth guest of Season 2 of the WorkLab podcast, in which host Elise Hu has conversations with economists, technologists, and researchers who explore the data and insights into why and how work is changing.

WorkLab

Great Expectations: Making Hybrid Work Work (microsoft.com)

Harvard Business School’s Frances Frei on Building Trust Apr 06, 2022

Frances Frei, professor of technology and operations management at Harvard Business School and an advisor to executives embarking on large-scale change initiatives, discusses how leaders can build trust, speak authentically, and empower workers to do their best. Frei is a guest on the WorkLab podcast, in which host Elise Hu has conversations with economists, technologists, and researchers who explore the data and insights into why and how work is changing.

Arianna Huffington talks intentionality on and off the clock Mar 23, 2022

Arianna Huffington, CEO and founder of Thrive, shares her insights with guest host Colette Stallbaumer of Microsoft on how anyone can combat stress at work with intentionality—from taking productive breaks to leveraging technology to creating good sleep hygiene. Huffington is the second guest of Season 2 of the WorkLab podcast, in which host Elise Hu has conversations with economists, technologists, and researchers who explore the data and insights into why and how work is changing.

WorkLab

Work Trend Index: Special Report on Frontline Workers

LinkedIn’s chief economist on the work trends to watch—and the need for lifelong learning Mar 09, 2022

LinkedIn’s chief economist, Karin Kimbrough, has the big-picture view on emerging trends, including what people want from work—and what skills employers will need in the coming years. Kimbrough is the first guest of Season 2 of the WorkLab podcast, in which host Elise Hu has conversations with economists, technologists, and researchers who explore the data and insights into why and how work is changing.

Welcome to Season 2 of WorkLab: The Podcast Feb 23, 2022

The world has never before had the chance to collectively reinvent the ways we work. Leaders are taking stock of how we’ve always done things, then imagining a new future. In Season 2 of the WorkLab podcast from Microsoft, we’re exploring that opportunity. What can we learn from leaders, thinkers, and researchers that will allow us and our teams to work smarter…and happier? We’re in a learning mindset—because hybrid work is truly a work in progress.

WorkLab

41%: Experts Discuss the Top Workplace Trends of 2021 Dec 15, 2021

How did work change in 2021, and how will it continue to evolve next year? We know that the Great Reshuffle isn’t over: In a Microsoft survey, 41 percent of respondents said that they may leave their employer, and resignations did in fact reach record highs. WorkLab host Elise Hu is joined by correspondents Mary Melton and Desmond Dickerson present highlights from the interviews they conducted with experts and executives this season, and discuss the year’s biggest work trends.

WorkLab

WorkLab 2021 Year in Review

54%: New Strategies for Finding Balance at Work Dec 01, 2021

As companies move into hybrid work and embrace more flexibility, they’ll need to experiment. They’ll have to make space for employee feedback—and truly listen, says Anne Helen Petersen, co-author of the new book Out of Office: The Big Problem and Bigger Promise of Working from Home. In this episode of the WorkLab podcast, Petersen talks to host Elise Hu about the opportunity to reinvent work in the shift to hybrid mode. How can we make work more meaningful—and promote wellbeing?

WorkLab

Out of Office: The Big Problem and Bigger Promise of Working from Home

Culture Study Newsletter

188%: The Rise of the Creator Economy Nov 17, 2021

Why should business leaders pay attention to the creator economy? The latest episode of the WorkLab podcast features Daniel Roth, editor in chief at LinkedIn, who’s been tracking the power of creators’ content on the platform. Roth explains what the creator economy is and why it’s growing; CB Insights found that creator-focused companies reaped 188 percent more funding in the first half of 2021 than in all of 2020. Eyes are on creators, and Roth says that employers should embrace and encourage them. We also talk with Temi Ibisanmi, a media campaign manager at Microsoft, who shares the story of how he became a digital creator while maintaining a corporate job, and the positive effects it’s had on his career.

WorkLab site and transcript of this episode

The Creator Economy Explained: How Companies Are Transforming The Self-Monetization Boom - CB Insights Research

Finding Sparks in Darkness: Radical creativity in the COVID-19 era

Want to Improve Your Performance? Start with Your Mindset

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61%: Flexibility, Autonomy, and Managing Through Hybrid Nov 03, 2021

There is no one-size-fits-all solution for the hybrid era. A recent report by Microsoft found that 61% of workers identified “social interaction” as a primary benefit of coming to the office. But the same percentage said that ditching daily commutes was a top reason to work from home. In this episode of the WorkLab podcast, leadership expert Dr. David Rock explains how managers must offer flexibility and a sense of autonomy to help employees feel motivated … no matter where they prefer to work.

WorkLab

NeuroLeadership Institute

81%: The Impact of Flexible Work on the Economy Oct 20, 2021

The shift to hybrid work is already transforming the business world. What should forward-thinking leaders watch for? The latest episode of the WorkLab podcast features Nicholas Bloom, an economics professor at Stanford University who studies remote and hybrid work. Bloom addresses emerging trends like flexibility; according to a LinkedIn survey, 81 percent of leaders are changing their workplace policies to offer more of it. And Bloom offers up data-based advice for managers facing times of change.

“Don’t Force People to Come Back to the Office Full Time” by Nicholas Bloom

WorkLab

Microsoft and LinkedIn share latest data and innovation for hybrid work

36%: Embracing Authenticity in Hybrid Work Oct 06, 2021

How can organizations be sure that everyone feels included in hybrid work? In the latest episode of WorkLab’s new podcast, consultant, and coach Ritu Bhasin talks to host Elise Hu about how leaders can foster a sense of belonging by allowing everyone to show up as their full, authentic selves. We’ll look at the business imperatives of diversity and inclusion—McKinsey research shows that big companies that are very diverse outperform those that are not by 36 percent—and share tips for inclusive leadership. We also talk with executive leader Wangui McKelvey shares her strategies for authentic leadership when working with a remote team.

WorkLab

Building Diverse & Inclusive Workplaces | bhasin consulting inc.

Ritu Bhasin | Award-Winning Life Coach, Speaker & Author

39%: Finding Quiet in the Noise Sep 22, 2021

Our ability to connect anytime, anywhere, has enabled a remarkable transformation to hybrid work. It’s also driving us to distraction. As Microsoft’s 2021 Work Trend Index showed, about 39 percent of people worldwide describe themselves as exhausted. In this episode of WorkLab’s new podcast, Dr. Clare Purvis, senior director of behavioral neuroscience at Headspace, talks to host Elise Hu about meditation as a mechanism against stress—and why employees and companies alike must address mental health.

WorkLab

Research Proves Your Brain Needs Breaks (microsoft.com)

Meditation and Sleep Made Simple - Headspace

73%: The Hybrid Work Paradox Sep 08, 2021

Companies are facing yet another big test: the seismic shift to hybrid work. In the debut episode of WorkLab’s new podcast, Microsoft 365 leader Jared Spataro talks to host Elise Hu about an emerging paradox. Three quarters of people worldwide—73 percent—say they want flexible remote work options to continue. But nearly the same percentage want more in-person time with colleagues, too. In short: People want it both ways. And companies have to figure out how to give it to them.

WorkLab

“Beyond the Binary: Solving the Hybrid Work Paradox” by Jared Spataro

Jared Spataro, Corporate Vice President, Microsoft 365 | LinkedIn | Twitter

Jaime Teevan | LinkedIn | Twitter

Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at aka.ms/microsoft/podcasts

WorkLab Trailer Aug 25, 2021

Everything we thought we knew about work—where we do it, when we do it, how we do it—has been turned on its head. Where is it all going, and is there a map to get us there? WorkLab is a new podcast from Microsoft that taps into data and research to guide you on the road ahead. Leaders and scientists share the company’s findings, and we’ll hear stories about how people and organizations are being transformed at this radical moment. Join us as we explore the science of work and ingenuity.

The first season we’ll be focusing on hybrid work, and how we can ensure that workplaces aren’t defined by where you gather, but by how you feel included. The show launches on September 8.

Follow the show at microsoft.com/worklab.

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