WhyWork Podcast

Season 08 Trailer 04: 'Stress, and more stress,' warns Trajce, "Ai-O, Ai-O, It's off to work we go..." Get ready to listen to Season 08 releases coming soon...

Season 08 WhyNOT? A Wisdom Shot: Botty Botch Botox - Trajce is excited by Botox at work as his incentive to get back to the office. Sara is dismayed, and Alan is humoured (we recommend that you use your own discretion in this debate!).

Season 08 Trailer 03 Teases stories about healthcare, male-on-male workmate attention, Darth Vader, mining prosecutions, and so much more. "It's extraordinary!" exclaims Alan. "Watch this audio space," invites Trajce.

Season 08 Trailer 02: Secret handshakesCriminal work, health, and safety law convictions, children injured on theme rides, and secret handshakes - do you have one? Tune in, more coming on these topics in Season 08.

Season 08 Bonus: WhyNOT? A Wisdom Shot: To sink or to SWMS?!The Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) debate is hot and Trajce summarises his research while giving it to us straight: SWMS or no, they have made little difference in organisations, and with or without one, fatalities may still arise in organisations. Listen to Season 06 E12: It's going SWM'ingly to learn more about this finding!

Season 08 Trailer 01: Faux Paus and Flummoxes: life is like a maze, listen to the WhyWork Podcasters recording mishaps as they prepare to release Season 08 - we're back!

Season 07 Bonus 05: Mock Podcast: "Diamonds were her best friend... until carats became complaints - Part 3Listen to this Part 3, final in a series of 3 Parts, of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Association of Australia (HFESA) 2024 Annual Conference, Brisbane, Queensland special-episode interactive workshop on work design and case law. This episode encourages workshop delegates to examine a case of a jeweller, his magnanimous gift giving to a sales representative, and their mutual workplace experiences.This Part 3 episode provides the platform for delegates of the HFESA 2024 Annual Conference WhyWork Podcast to debate the industrial relations and work health & safety case: Taylor v August and Pemberton Pty Ltd - [2023] FCA 1313). If you missed the prelude, listen to Part 1 first for context, and Part 2 for more content. The delegates debate ideas on "Just say, 'NO!'", and softening boundaries in workplace relations. "Clumsy, not nefarious...?" probes Sara, "Indeed, not intentional sexual harassment." advises a delegate. The delegates explore the carry-over of industrial relations with occupational psychosocial hazard exposures in the workplace health & safety workplace framework.Congratulations to all participating delegates - love your work!

Season 07 Bonus 02: Mock Podcast: "Diamonds were her best friend... until carats became complaints - Part 2Listen to this Part 2 of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Association of Australia (HFESA) 2024 Annual Conference, Brisbane, Queensland special-episode interactive workshop on work design and case law. This episode encourages workshop delegates to examine a case of a jeweller, his magnanimous gift giving to a sales representative, and their mutual workplace experiences. The episode discusses workplace relations, fairness, gift-giving, psychosocial hazards, and organisational management. Listen in as the delegates apply design tools, like personas, empathy mapping, journey mapping, focussed recall, and interactive role play. The delegates use these methods while dissecting this real-world case law that might ring true and sound close to home for you and your work experiences! If you missed it, listen to Part 1 first for context. (Refer also to: Taylor v August and Pemberton Pty Ltd - [2023] FCA 1313). Thank you to Andrew Merlot, Senior Human Factors Consultant, for your queries on high-value, high-impact, low cost, accessible solutions to workplace dymanics and organisational management. These ideas are necessary for small businesses when managing workplace relationships while setting boundaries on the fair distribution and management of workplace reward & recognition strategies. Congratulations to all participating delegates - great work!

Season 07 Bonus 01: Mock Podcast: "Diamonds were her best friend... until carats became complaints - Part 1."This episode was presented during the Human Factors and Ergonomics Association of Australia (HFESA) 2024 Annual Conference, Brisbane, Queensland. The episode outlines the details of workplace affairs when too much bling and not enough boundaries become fodder for a workplace complaint. The dissection of the case of workplace relations between a jeweller and a store shop worker that eroded and resulted in a landmark payout under the Australian Sex Discrimination Act (Refer Taylor v August and Pemberton Pty Ltd - [2023] FCA 1313). "Love makes us do stupid things," says Alan. Sara chimes in with her question, "unrequited love, perhaps?" Trajce outlines the session, including legal dissection, debate, podcaster-for-a-day role play, and work design strategy using service design tools for the analytics. Download and listen in to this episode to learn about the jeweller's gift of jewels exchanged for the gift of a lawsuit! The crowd gets involved and one delegate asked, "Is he still single??!" They were willing to look beyond the alleged 'pat on the bottom' overtures in exchange for the bling!

Season 07 Trailer 06: Special Release Episode Part 3: Shiny things or shadowy motives?Human Factors and Ergonomics Association of Australia (HFESA) Annual Conference 2024 workshop - Special Release Episode Part 3: Shiny things or shadowy motives? On the road and on tour: Listeners become podcasters for a day - Serious learning done playfully.

Season 07 Trailer 05: Special Release Episode Part 2: Shiny things or shadowy motives?Human Factors and Ergonomics Association of Australia (HFESA) Annual Conference 2024 workshop - Special Release Episode Part 2: Shiny things or shadowy motives? This could be a part of your workplace, listen in, and enjoy. If you attended the workshop, you might hear yourself on air - part of the story.

Season 07 Trailer 04: Human Factors and Ergonomics Association of Australia (HFESA) Annual Conference 2024 workshop - Special Release Episode Part 1: Shiny things or shadowy motives? The dimininishing sparkle of blurred lines, crossed boundaries, gift giving, and unclear relationships forming in the workplace.

Season 07 Episode 11: From ‘Command & Control' to ‘Customer Service' – Beyond ‘hazard salad' in psychosocial risk management.The team revel in debate about the new Queensland state and Commonwealth government literature on psychosocial risk management. Sara is relieved to see updates to regulations on psychosocial risks (Work Health and Safety [Psychosocial Risks] Amendment Regulation 2022) because of their focus on work design. Trajce explains aspects of The Commonwealth Code of Practice: Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work (Dec 2023) which includes “intrusive surveillance” as a psychosocial hazard, requiring employer risk management and interventions. The team reference Season 01 Episode 05: Kozorov and The Need for Purpose – an episode devoted to discussions on vicarious trauma in the workplace.Much to Alan's amusement, Sara reveals her anthem song, “Little Miss Can't Be Wrong,” by the Spin Doctors, while lamenting common central office approaches to operate like ‘command and control centres.' “That might work in times of conscription,” she says, “but it fails to incorporate service design to recognise employees as internal customers to the work experience.” She references Dart Lindsey in his view of “Work as a Product,” an idea populated in his recent Harvard Business Review publication.

Season 07 Episode 10: That old chestnut –Pets & work from homePets at home or in the office are a ‘thing' in modern workplaces. Alan explains, “Some organisations host ‘dog for the day' events.” Trajce shares his faith-based workplace perk, a ‘Blessing of the animals,' whether the animal is a police horse, a guinea pig, a dog, or cat. In response, Sara dreams of being blessed which prompts the boys to imagine Sara in all kinds of ‘furry' dress-up costume scenes. In response to Sara's protests, Alan concedes, “Sara is just a party animal.”Trajce describes a Work Cover claim involving a female worker in her home, her puppy, a bunny, and a segregation fence which caused her to trip and sustain an injury. “Outta sight, outta mind,” Sara says as she refers to company policy on safe environments for home-based work. Trajce flashes back to Season 01 Episode 03: Pets & Airfryers, with discussions on the ol' Bluey and the Bees.Alan teases Sara again with her explanations of her post-surgical work ethics, “How Spartan of you,” he remarks cattily. He also teases her about snakes in her bedroom, a result of a feisty kitty delivering gifts from his hunting jaunts.In a final story, Sara recalls stunts that make an advertising impact, like the launch of Lululemon in Australia. The team use this opportunity to try to wrangle some free gifts (anyone listening from Lululemon? If so, drop us a line!)

Season 07 Episode 09: Gilmore versus Blue Care: A hankering for sexWARNING: This episode includes discussion on a workplace sexual assault – we advise listener discretion.Alan introduces the case, Gilmore versus Blue Care, a community home care provider. In this case, a personal carer submitted her claim against her employer because of her report of sexual assault when providing daily living support to older men living in a group home. These men each had various forms of mental health disorders and daily living support needs, necessitating their care provision. However, Alan paints the scenario of collective vulnerability when a female worker is left to work solo in a home with men. He extends the discussion on sexuality and sexual drives, at any age.“We are the only workplace podcast to descend into conversations on sex,” remarks Trajce. “We do more than descend – we embrace this,” says Sara. She continues, “I've got an itch, a hankering for sex.” Trajce jests, “When I am hankering, I yearn for a marshmallow or a burger.” “Some people hanker for very different things, Trajce,” Sara educates. Alan jibes, “You're safe with Trajce as long as you offer an all-you-can-eat buffet!” and advises “If you're an employer, imagining that no one seeks sex in your workplace or your care facility, you're misled.”

Season 07 Episode 08: Bollywood & The Digital FootprintThis episode starts with Sara reflecting on the nature of her spirit animal and the symbols of her brand identity: a mix of frivolity and banditry. For more on spirit animals, tune in to S02 E14: Spirit Animals.Trajce introduces a case on an injured worker who submitted a claim against her employer, a national grocery chain. The claim arose from her experience of heel pain. However, the employer discovered that the injured worker enjoyed dancing and maintained this activity throughout her claim period. In fact, she danced "with great gusto," Bollywood style, “Putting her back into it,” said Alan. When the employee tested the limits of her claims compensation, the grocery chain funded a private investigator to monitor the injured worker. The investigator discovered her social media dance profiles replete with videos of her dancing escapades. “Instagram had a seat at the legal table,” Trajce deliberates. “The digital footprint,” agrees Sara.The team talk about organisational decision making. Sara elaborates on these ideas with a detailed, simple and common case example to apply multi-criteria decision making.

Season 07 Episode 07: AI Ethics: A Beautifully Shambolic DisasterWARNING: This episode includes discussion on a workplace fatality – we advise listener discretion.“Artificial Intelligence (AI) is off its tree!” protests Trajce. “This stuff is dangerous. Its hallucinogenic – a beautifully shambolic disaster. Society must put the rails on it.” “Are you going to try to reign in Sara?” asks Alan, “Impossible!” he follows.Trajce explains his experiencing on using AI to research case law. Tested three times, the AI spit out a different version of events. He warns against the implications to legal practitioners on relying on such inconsistent data and poor research. In contrast, the team reflect on the benefits of closed-domain decision-support systems that are vetted and validated by domain experts, like they've learned through Sara's association with Livemind AI, Lachlan Phillips.The case in question, poorly tested by AI, is one from the rail industry. It involves the dismissal of a long-standing employee who tested positive for a banned substance upon his return to work from his leave. The rabble rousing team, Alan, Trajce, and Sara, can't help but descend into Cheech and Chong and other such movie references. “Say ‘hello' to my little friend,” mimics Trajce from Al Pacino Scarface movie nostalgia. The crew turn this upside down on their debate and wagers on the case outcome – listen in for more!

Season 07 Episode 06: Free to air - The blue channels and digging in the trenchesWARNING: This episode includes discussion on both sex and serious workplace fatalities and injuries – we advise listener discretion.“Have you guys heard about the airline kerfuffle?” nudges Sara, as she shares a media report, “There was a flaw in the movie selection technology.” “It was a bit romantic, maybe a bit too romantic,” agrees Alan. “Bare boobs and prosthetic penises, or so the story goes,” Sara elaborates. She asks the boys, Trajce and Alan, to consider the impacts on workers and the potential for a workplace claim of trauma if exposed to this during work travel.Trajce shares more on his Solvenia experience and the never-ending blue channels in his rental villa. Alan and Trajce share more stories about their accidental graphic movie downloads while viewing in public spaces.Trajce channels “Funky Town,” lyrics while Alan tries to get serious about case law. Alan shares stories about moving plant, reversing mobile plant in tight spaces, and trenching issues. “The weight and unpredictability of working in trenches is worrisome,” Alan explains as he describes the prosecution based on a trenching collapse incident in which a worker was seriously injured. Alan measured 1.6m in the recording studio to dramatically demonstrate the depth of a trench that was a subject of one case. Trajce and Alan share more work health and safety prosecution stories arising from trench collapses. “Just don't do it,” says Sara.Trajce shares more on the harrowing reality of victim impact statements. To link this back to work re-design, Sara explains a fundamental aspect of design strategy, articulating the challenges and crafting a problem-based design statement.

Season 07 Episode 05: Tickle versus Giggle for GirlsWARNING: This episode discusses a fatal incident – we advise listeners to use their discretion.Alan shares a human right's case on 'Tickle versus Giggle for Girls,' an alleged case of discrimination from joining a ‘club' via a service App based on gender identity. “This is squarely political,” says Trajce, “each party has a strong interest group behind them as this case enters into appeal.Trajce shares more stories on these issues and his experience on managing the allocation of toileting facilities (loos and showers) based on gender identify, before this was a ‘mainstream thing' to consider. Sara reflects on her experiences on roadworks projects when no female loos are provided while working remotely. “The boys just whip it out behind the truck, but….” She says, “we have a powerful social need to belong, but it is very complex challenge to design for diversity.”“Hit me with your rhythm stick, hit me,” Trajce raps between recording takes, while Alan shares a second case that highlights the considerations on recreational venues as a workplace. In this case, a scaffolding tower that was left at a football field blew over during a match and it hit and killed a father of a footballer.

Season 07 Episode 04: Cheap and nasty: The unintended consequences of workplace interventionsThis episode extends the discussion from Season 07 Episode 02 on workplace incentives. Thank you, Michael Grima, who shared a media report on paid Tinder leave benefits. “You get paid to go out on a date?” Alan marvels. “Love me, Tinder…” Trajce croons. “I guess being in love is supposed to make you productive,” Sara reasons. Trajce digs in, “Coffee, Botox, I'll take it all. I'll buy in I'm cheap and nasty!”Sara needles the boys to consider the legal implications of a workplace incentive gone awry, like a horrible App-connection date gone wrong if that were funded and supported as paid leave by the workplace. In that vein, Alan shares a case about a young boy who's hand sanitiser ignites when in contact with a museum plasma ball. Trajce comments, “When you introduce one control you often create new hazards.”

Season 07 Episode 03: Passionate or polemic?Alan and Trajce poke the bear of workplace diplomacy with examples from politics. Alan share a story of a city mayor who referred to a new councillor as a ‘ranga.' “What's a ‘ranga'?” asks Trajce. Listen to this episode to find out!Trajce shares more stories about politicians and their apologies to cover their gaffes. In turn, Sara challenges the boys to think about middle-ground and high-ground fatigue, when being politically correct is simply bland. “Passionate or polemic?” Trajce teases, after remarking on the power of words. “Words break your heart,” Alan shares, “we need legislation to mend the heartbreak.” “It's an affair of the heart,” laments Trajce, “before shooting your mouth off it's like the saying, ‘Rethink your second drink, mate.'”Sara and Alan debate the particulars of a workplace initiation prank on an apprentice whose superior allegedly made him ride in a utility vehicle toolbox, if media reports were correct!

Season 07 Episode 02: Workplace incentives to combat the return-to-office ball-&-chainThe WhyWork crew, Alan, Trajce, and Sara, revel in entertaining stories about novel workplace incentives to motivate staff to return to the office. Thanks to Dr Agustin Chevez for sharing the story about cosmetic Botox booths as a workplace return-to-the-office incentive. Alan cautions, “Take care not to make your workplace incentive look like a contractual agreement.”Sara shares her angst about the common phenomenon of workplace mediocrity versus innovation. “If you're free from workplace innovation fatigue,” says Trajce, “call Sara.” She discusses more on Dr. Chevez's work, a workplace provocateur, who has written signposts reflecting his research on workplace innovation, including the crucial need for solo, reflective time. Additionally, the team distinguish between falling into the path of joy through psychological design versus psychosocial work strategies that make the mechanics of work joyous: aesthetics versus machinery in work design.This episode mentions Dart Lindsley and his views on workplace change like the ocean waves that lap the shorelines of the industrial landscape, making incremental progress. Also, the team discuss change models like that instituted by a New South Wales Catholic school principal, Greg Miller, who has transitioned his school to a four-day week.

Season 07 Episode 1: Two Years of WhyWork: Celebrations, Travel, Trivialising Workplace Safety, and DesignCelebrations - The team, Alan, Trajce, and Sara reflect on their two years of podcast recordings together. “Has it been two years?” Alan and Sara marvel as Trajce announces their two-year anniversary.Trajce delivers a delicious view on his recent travels to Montmartre, France, and his experience with the art of Burlesque theatre. He advocates for holiday travel to his recent destination of Slovenia, “It has a Tassie vibe,” he makes as a comparison much to Alan's surprise, “Or maybe it's a Slavic Tasman,” Sara chimes in.Sara commends Trajce on the book that he gifted her, Reality Television and the Art of Trivialising Work Health, Safety, and Wellbeing. She flips some pages to discover stories about contestants and their families sharing tales about the bullying on the television shows. It's a polemic exploration, explains Trajce “Sounds polarising!” replies Sara as Alan searchers for an online dictionary to define the term ‘polemic.' “Who says you can't keep the passion in occupational health and safety?” Trajce cajoles, “Let's keep the party going.”Sara excitedly explains her view on design advisory councils with specialised panellists. These panel teams help navigate solutions to business challenges associated with technology, workspaces, sustainable social systems and person-centred experiences, or defensible safety and assurance systems.

In this special WhyM'scal Mash re-mix episode with Alan, Trajce, and Sara, we dive into the unpredictable world of psychosocial exposures at work, blending excerpts from jaw-dropping, thought-provoking stories from past episodes. From the festive chaos of a Christmas party gone awry (S01 E01: Bubbles of Trouble) to a tourism industry tale featuring unexpected and unwelcome behaviour in shared accommodations (hint: it was more than a piss up, [S02 E07: 4 Men and Women 2]), this mash-up explores the complex and sometimes bizarre challenges that arise when work intersects with human behaviour.It doesn't stop there. We tackle the broader idea of “work from anywhere,” with shocking stories like a wildlife encounter on a mine site where dingoes turned a lunch break into a harrowing ordeal, and a tragic case of a surveyor stung by a bee with devastating consequences. Whether it's working from home, navigating shared spaces, or surviving the unexpected, this episode sheds light on the psychosocial risks workers face across industries and environments.Join us as we connect the dots between these extraordinary tales, offering insights, reflections, and a touch of humour as we ask: What does it really mean to design workplaces to suit such unpredictable times

Season 07 Bonus o1 - Re-Release Episode - a little frivolty to start the new year. What is your Spirit Animal?. The river otter, the wise owl, and the transformation of a deer to a stag and back again. When ‘fuzzy science' can be meaningful in terms of personality profiles, values, and our behaviours. Why not have fun and reflect on who we are, how we are, and why? This episode reveals more intimate details about the mugs from backwater Brissie: Trajce, Alan, and Sara.

Season 07 Trailer 03: We're back to unpack - Botox, sex offences, Bollywood dancing, and work from home topics are on their way to your listening ear.

Season 07 Trailer 02: A teaser on the exploration of the entertainment industry and issues of principal contractors managing subcontractors - it all blows up when there is a fatality.

Season 07 Trailer 01: Botox and Bollywood, a teaser on more to follow in WhyWork Season 07.

Season 06 Episode 15: Turbulence on the groundWARNING: we discuss a passenger fatality - listener discretion advised.Thank you to subscriber, Grace Kennedy, for suggesting this topic. Grace described her experience in the airport arrivals lounge when passengers headed down an escalator to collect their luggage. The passenger congestion was significant, causing a pile up so severe that this led to people back pedalling on the escalator, attempting to walk backward to return to the floor above.“Airports are busy, and this would not be the first time to consider cranky travellers,” remarks Alan. Trajce talks about the themes of crowd control, egress, and the escalator pile on. Sara reflects on the human behavioural aspects of rushing because of a need to compete and win, fulfilling the need for status, and the complex chain of responsibilities in airport management. Trajce asks, “Who owns the problem?” while Sara continues to discuss airport design. Trajce references a story of a death of a passenger who died from natural causes but challenged the work activities.

Season 06 Episode 14: From the club to the courtroomWARNING: This episode includes refences to both sex and suicide - listener discretion advised.Trajce presents a judgement from the United Kingdom involving a lawyer hiring a law student as his legal secretary. The confronting aspect of this scenario? They first met in a strip club where she worked as a stripper to fund her studies.“This reeks of people and power. In this scenario,” probes Sara, “does this lawyer think that he can ask anything of his personal assistant?” Trajce shares more details: in the interview, the lawyer refers to himself as a "God" and the woman as his "obedient slave creature." “Oh, you can't do that,” deplores Alan, “even if it is intended as a joke.” Sara references this to the episode S04 E08: The archaic adage of deserving a good spanking. The team discuss work culture and impact, including the news of an Australian worker who committed suicide allegedly based on work demands.

Season 06 Epsiode 13: From underwear to underworld: Criminal tiesWARNING: This episode includes sexual references - listener discretion is advised.Trajce jokes about purchasing a pair of Tradie's underwear, a discussion thread continuing from Season 05 Episode 04. Trajce wonders if ads like this offend peoples' sensibilities.Alan responds, “There will not be many situations in a workplace when you would contemplate showing a video of people in their underwear.” Sara asserts that context matters, arguing “You can't judge an event for infinity – the spirit of the times matters, the ‘zeitgeist'.” Alan reassures her, “You're exactly right – context matters.”Alan probes Sara's crime connection and she shares a few stories…. Including past generation Mafioso bootlegging connections, FBI shoot-outs, and current family friends.

Season 06 Episode 12: It's going SWM'inglyThe podcasters, Trajce, Alan, and Sara, discuss the conventions of establishing Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS). Alan likens SWMS to mythology, rigorously enforced from powers that be, though he believes that the legal doctrine supporting them is unclear. Alan asks, “Do they really work?”Trajce shares his research on breaches of work health and safety law, including fatal events. “In these cases,” he reveals, “90% of the defendants presented a SWMS – 517 cases, in fact.” In these cases, the SWMS were either not followed, not well considered or constructed, or work simply changed and the workers were confronted by unexpected events. “These ‘unexpected events' are customary,” remarks Sara, “not unusual.” “To sink or swim?” she asks. Trajce uses the phrase, “The Holy Grail of SWMS.” They continue this thread of debate, wondering if a document is well prepared, have organisations helped transfer that embedded knowledge into the minds and operations of people who do the work, while establishing systems to continue to learn from the many work variations that arise in daily routines.Sara leverages this debate to bolster support for the WhyWork Workshop build-your-own sponsored podcast and interactive workshops. These workshops are designed for industry and organisations wishing to dive into resilience engineering, reliability thinking, and contingency planning, using case law and work re-design strategies.

Seaon 06 Episode 11: The collective sighs - let's talk about s-X, babyLet's talk about…. sex as a primal survival urge. The WhyWork Podcast reflect on their debate about the Australian Tradie's underwear ads discussed in Season 05 Episode 04. Sara makes a joke about performance drivers much to the chagrin of the boys, when Trajce quotes a Talking Heads lyric, “We're on the road to nowhere…”Sara explains primal inner-mammal neurobehavioural drivers of human activity, philosophies advanced by researcher Dr Loretta Breuning , and the ways in which these ideas are used in gaming technology, could improve road safety compliance, and can advance work design strategies.Alan loves the linguistics with words like ‘ontological framework' and ‘salutogenesis' and Trajce expounds on these ideas because of his interests in social science. “Your mind works like a prism,” Trajce remarks, “while my mind is like a kaleidoscope.”

Season 06 Episode 10: Moooo – It's a stampede!WARNING: A fatality is discussed in this episode – listener discretion is advised.Country boy Alan shares a story about cows in Wales. In this case, a cow went haywire while farm workers offloaded it from its transit vehicle to a pen. The cow was agitated, jumped off its ramp, killing a 75 y/o farmworker, and injuring another man. “Can you keep the cattle calm?” begs Trajce. They team dissect the case, remarking on the lack of enclosures and barriers as restraints on the spooked bovine creature. This case prompts Trajce to recall one of his prosecutions involving cows at night. “Like SpongeBob SquarePants who does not like taking the trash out at night,” he explains, “these cows get spooked at night. These are live, heavy beasts, not just doughy-eyed innocent creations." Sara, in contrast, shares some cute and marvellous cow stories including stumbling upon the birth of a calf.Trajce remarks, “Well, wasn't' that a buckin' excellent story?”Alan remains on point with stories of tragic circumstances in the case of a fall from heights - a rigger who fell from a hanger on a movie set, while the team debate the merits of fall prevention, protection, and arrest in work design.

Season 06 Episode 09: IRL? In Real Life? Software solutions and AI in work designTrajce struggles with the ideas of ‘flow efficiency,' likening this to urine tract functioning. Sorry, Anna Linning - a subscriber who asked about ‘flow'… Alan connects the idea to Flo's scones, Flo Bjelke-Petersen's famous pumpkin scones. Sara brings the boys back around to discuss psychological flow, theories from Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, and links these ideas to job redesign and software solutions. She shares one of the ViVA team's software solution partners, “Beam me up with Beamible” for agile job design with what-if scenarios and cost analytics to build a business case. Alan tongue twists the word, “discombobulated” because of interrupted workflows, while he shares content on legilsative obligations of company directors. Sara provides a human factors perspective on interruptions - about 20 minutes of task reorientation. She gives the example of nurses getting interrupted during medication administration and the risks for administration error. Sara talks about information and business architecture while organisations grow organically like a wild beast. The design objective, she explains, is to aim for ‘reliability with resilience' – the right ‘tensions', the ‘R&R Tensions.'The conversation takes a twist as Sara discusses her brother's, Robert's, lectures in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the historic development of AI from the 1950's. Sara mentions more of ViVA's tech partners, Lachlan Phillips of livemind.ai, develops closed-domain data support systems, and Real Serious Games for extended reality solutions. She recalls a conversation with Lachlan who asks her about doing a joint presentation, “IRL?” “In real life?” – like there needs to be an acronym to distinguish the real versus virtual world.

Season 06 Episode 08: The sentinel gateway - keeper of the path aheadWARNING: This episode discusses a workplace fatality - listener discretion is advised.Alan shares an industrial safety law case involving the disrepair of a gate, which prompts Trajce to reflect on his early-career prosecution of an industrial gate failure, leading to the news headline, “Fallen gate crushes mum.” The team remark on the feasibility and severity of these events deserving serious assessment, challenging the reliance on probabilistic risk assessments versus consequence. Sara shares a work reality of the difficulty of industrial gate use, especially as a visitor unfamiliar with the urban layout. Trajce solves the problems of reaching industrial gate activation panels from the window of his sportscar by using his selfie stick, causing the team to burst in laughter. “It's funny, right?” Sara asks, “The language, ‘you're off your rails' implies that someone is acting unpredictably, and that they are out of control. Similarly, a gate off its sliding rail, demands some serious intervention. Trajce uses these ideas in lyrical recall of gate-related song titles.

Season 06 Episode 07 - We revisit the right to disconnect.Trajce provokes conversation on the Fair Work Amendment (Right to Disconnect) Bill 2023 among the team again. Sara asks, “Why did we throw legislation at this? I want to know - how did they develop their problem statements? Is this legislation really hitting the mark? Are there system designs to protect workers versus needing to rely on legislation to advance these rights when the world of work has moved on from the 9 to 5pm, five day a week, patriarchal workplace?"“Court is the last resort,” marvels Trajce, “But I think these sensible measures are failing.”Alan explains the origins of these laws, protective of schoolteachers and principals. She asks about why we did not pivot, leverage a rich opportunity in the pandemic, to radically review how and where education is delivered to schoolchildren. Trajce agrees, “Maybe the parents might be less stressed too!”Sara pontificates on workplace rhythms and tribal culture. She speaks about the top level of Maslow's Hierarchy, activities that inspire, elevate, and meet aspirations. Sara explains Charlie Grantham theories on work-life balance versus aspirations that require work intensification: wellness, wellbeing, and wholeness. This episode includes some remix of S05 E03: Grab the Pilates socks - its our 'Right to Disconnect' time!

Season 06 Episode 06: Scope creep and Snag-areesWARNING: This episode includes sexual inferences.“The power of the beep is getting to Trajce's head,” says Alan. “This is a very serious podcast,” Trajce protests.The cause for the bleep is revealed: “Oh my gosh,” Sara says through laughter, “There is a ‘snag, drag, and bag' phrase online describing people pulling fish out of the ocean, a ‘snag drag queen',” she jeers, while exclaiming that, “This is a ‘snag-aree'!”Trajce gets back to case law, telling a story about a newly-appointed receptionist at a UK law firm. He describes all the ‘extra work' she takes on, resulting in work conflict. Sara comments, “This sounds like ‘scope creep'."Sara reports on a media story about the covert reenactment of a congested hospital ER system during a ministerial visit. “A spurious scenario re-enactment?” Trajce is incredulous. Alan exclaims, “Like the boy who cried wolf!” Sara reminds subscribers that these stories are the reason why she and other chapter authors developed the Healthcare Insights book.For more about the origins of the bleep and snag-aree conversation, listen to Season 05 Episode 05: Shimmyin' on the dance floor .

Season 06 Episode 05: I spy with my little eyeSara introduces the topics of ‘design for crime' and surveillance systems with artificial intelligence predictive analytics. Alan speaks about his experiences with intelligent surveillance systems and their ability to see, feel, hear, and determine responses. Alan explains that business must establish their purpose and context when using video surveillance before consulting legal teams. “Bingo!” exclaims Sara, “Explain the design brief.”Alan presents a work health and safety case in which the regulator charged a work health and safety manager for their alleged inadequate development of a work procedure. “Wait, WHAaaaT?” questions Sara, “This will rattle the industry because workplaces encourage worker involvement in developing procedures – it is fundamental consultation.” Alan explains that this is a hallmark case, marking a new area for the intrusion of work health and safety legislation. “There is a high level of immunity for health & safety representatives and government-approved work health and safety officers, but at any other level a worker's involvement represents risk exposure.” “What a discouragement,” resigns Trajce.

Season 06 Episode 04: A bonza boom & crash: Decommissioning with dignityTrajce and Sara compliment Alan's dress sense - smooth, Italian, Mafioso, modelled after a Kappa soccer sports brand, while Sara reflects on her ‘rugby mum' look for the day. Trajce teases Sara with her unlaced shoes in contemporary gangsta-fashion, primed for larceny. “It's a sport and leather vibe,” says Trajce.Trajce contemplates the need to evaluate a design journey, going beyond the pointy end of an event with direct causational pathways. “A designer is a parent of consequences,” he declares. The crew focus on examples of decommissioning in design phases. “Deconditioning with dignity,” Trajce phrases.

WhyNOT? A Wisdom Shot: BONUS. Respectful workplaces contrast with those in which managers demand working to unrealistic standards. Trajce cautions, "Attitudes like this could be construed as belittling, bullying, and harassment."For more on this topic, listen to S05 E11: German work.

Season 06 Trailer 06: An uppy or a downy - potty talk prep - WhaAAT? We've reached the lowest watermark - prelude.

WhyNOT? A Wisdom Shot: BONUS. Alan explains that work health and safety law penalties are deterrants. Often, executives and officers are not intentional criminals, and yet criminal law applies to breaches of workplace health and safety obligations. Alan elaborates, "It's extremely rare that an employer has wanted an employee to be injured or consciously thought about causing injury, but the penalties serve as deterrants and are thought to improve workplace practices across industry." For more on this topic, listen to: S05 E08: Smooth criminal: The sociology of industrial crime.

Season 06 Episode 03: Roger rabbit, reconciling responsibilities: Who's job is it anyway?WARNING: This episode discusses road safety fatal hazard exposures and construction failures.“A cream bun goes a long way for you,” Alan teases Trajce when Trajce admits that he could never prosecute a baker.Alan describes a work health and safety legal case when a football club grandstand roof collapsed during construction. The construction workers were fortunate to avoid significant injuries.Sara regales a story about her drive home from her son's rugby practice when a car sped past theirs travelling up the wrong side of their neighbouring lane. She adds to the story with another event - a car collision that no one wanted to clean up. “Who's job is it anyway?” asks Trajce, as he examines the confronting idea of false comforts, “In systems, we blindly trust,” he says.

Season 06 Trailer 05: A teaser about road construction discussions. WhyWork?

Warning - this trailer mentions fatal incidents.Season 06 Trailer 04: A teaser on the exploration of the entertainment industry and issues of principal contractors managing subcontractors - it all blows up when there is a fatality.

Season 06 Trailer 03: Awww. Stay Louder... Flashback Season 05 E12: Awww. Stay Louder and moving on to the the bulls and the cows... Moooo...

Season 06 Episode 02: An uppy or a downyWARNING: This episode includes discussion about the fatality of a child.“Are you an ‘Uppy' or a ‘Downy'?” asks Alan.“We have reached the lowest watermark on the show here,” says TrajceAlan is entertained by Sara's social media post about universal in public facilities. “Are we living for design or are we designed for living?” queries Trajce.“Exactly!” exclaims Sara, “Design shapes behaviours.”Alan introduces the idea of prosecution of designers. Trajce pontificates on causational chains of responsibilities. Sara recalls a media-reported incident of a badminton racquet malfunction and splintering that allegedly caused the fatality of a child. She advocates for human factors approaches when integrating technologies in work systems.

WhyNOT? A Wisdom Shot: BONUS: "What are your designing for? For what and for whom are you designing? What is your design objective?" Sara prompts, while Trajce expresses his frustration with workplace investigative approaches. He argues that workplace investigators clamour to use an on-trend investigative tool without understanding its scope, merits, or alignment with the industry and geographical jurisdiction. "If you're going to play cricket, make sure that you're on the cricket pitch, and not the football oval." he analogises.

Season 06 Trailer 02: We're back, we're going to bust it up, swimming upstream - tales of Mafia ties, crime & misconduct, bullying, the right to disconnect, complex investigations.

Season 06 Trailer: We're back, fresh from tour - welcome to the system.