Podcasts about employee experience

Join us as we sit down with Mary Baird, author of "Squash the Sunday Scaries," to unpack what's broken at work and how to genuinely improve the employee experience. This episode is packed with actionable insights for HR leaders, people managers, and anyone tired of ping-pong table fixes. Why "work is broken" and how trust issues drive disengagement Old Guard vs. New Guard HR: why your people matter more than policies The true value of employee listening (and which survey questions to actually ask) Simple, practical approaches for having hard conversations and building trust Eight strategic levers to improve employee experience spoiler: compensation isn't one of them Connect with us here: https://www.thesimplifiers.com/book https://mathewblades.com/  

What happens when a digital strategist stops fighting reality and starts leading from it.There are conversations that feel like a strategy session and a therapy session at the same time. This one was both. Mary Brodie came into the Power Lounge and did something rare. She made acceptance sound like the most powerful leadership move you can make.If you work in digital, lead a team, or run your own business, you know the pressure to chase the aspirational audience, the perfect product, the frictionless experience. Mary has spent over 20 years helping companies stop chasing and start seeing. And what she has found is that the women in digital who thrive are the ones who learn to work with what is, not just what they wish were true.Mary Brodie is the Founder and Digital Experience Strategist at Gearmark, a consultancy she has built over two decades across apps, websites, content strategy, lead generation, and full digital experience design. She holds a BA and MA from Simmons College, a certificate from MIT, and an Executive Master's in Corporate Communications from IE University in Madrid. She is currently pursuing her doctorate at Case Western Reserve University, where her research explores how B2B buying teams build relationships with supplier salespeople.Key TakeawaysAcceptance is not passive. It is the foundation of every smart business decision, from knowing your real customers to building a team that actually trusts each other.Your digital experience reflects your internal experience. If your employees are disengaged, that bleeds into every customer touchpoint, every chatbot, every support call.Women in digital and female entrepreneurs online often chase aspirational audiences instead of maximizing the ones they already have. The brands that win know exactly who their customer is and own it.AI is a tool, not a replacement. Using it well means knowing what question you are actually trying to answer and what data you are feeding it.The most underrated skill in women leadership and digital marketing for women is listening. Not the performative kind. The kind where you feel something shift in the room.Mary Brodie said, "Accept yourself and make sure that you're happy with what you're doing and what your output is. Not your perfect foot. Your best foot."Mary Brodie said, "Once you accept that we don't all share the same values, the world becomes a very different place. And it's not a scary place. It's just a different place. And a lot of the world becomes a lot clearer."Timestamps00:00 Welcome to the Power Lounge.01:51 Twenty years of entrepreneurship. What keeps Mary going.04:26 Why Mary kept going back to school, MIT, Simmons, Madrid.07:37 Being the only American in the room. What that taught her.09:41 Customer experience and employee experience are the same problem.13:10 How to know if your company actually has a digital experience.16:33 AI and digital strategy. Tool or replacement.21:00 What gets in the way of leaders communicating their vision clearly.26:54 What a broken internal experience is costing your organization right now.31:08 The Art of Acceptance. What it means as a leadership practice.40:04 What Mary looks for before any strategy or deliverable.41:19 One shift for every woman in the audience.42:37 Power Round. Rapid fire with Mary Brodie.Connect with Mary BrodieEmail: mfbrodie@gearmark.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/marybrodieWebsite: gearmark.comSupport the show

We have all worked at a place where we felt like just another number in a spreadsheet. It is incredibly frustrating when you offer feedback that seems to vanish into a black hole of corporate bureaucracy. But what if your company actually treated your voice like a strategic roadmap for the future? In this episode, DJ Casto, the EVP and Chief Human Resources Officer at Synchrony, joins us to explore how his team transformed their culture to become the number one best place to work in 2026. DJ shares the secrets behind their decade-long journey of separation from GE Capital and how they climbed the rankings by anchoring their identity in the concept of trust. We dive deep into their philosophy of co-creation, where active listening through quarterly pulse surveys and roundtables allows employees to directly design the culture they want to inhabit. Discover how Synchrony applies agile software principles to HR by launching minimal viable products for benefits like personalized wellness coaches and on-site therapists to see what truly resonates with the workforce. We also tackle the modern challenge of AI, moving past the doom and gloom to discuss how technology can actually unlock human creativity and fulfill more enriched roles. You'll learn how to foster employee accountability through a focus on critical experiences rather than rigid job paths. This episode unpacks how you can build a high-trust organization where continuous improvement is a lifestyle rather than a one-time goal. Watch the full video on YouTube ---------- Start your day with the world's top leaders by joining thousands of others at Great Leadership on Substack. Just enter your email: ⁠⁠https://greatleadership.substack.com/ Quick heads-up: my new book, The 8 Laws of Employee Experience, is a practical playbook for building an environment where people do their best work—order a copy here: https://bit.ly/8exlaws

By Phoebe Nieves & Simon Cocking. We look at The 8 Laws of Employee Experience, see more about this book here. This book comes at an interesting time, with a push back from some employers, HR departments and companies who feel that meeting the demands of employees have become too high. Initially when reading this book, we were wondering if there was an anti-woke agenda even being laid down here. Naturally in a period of flux and discourse between different generational needs, perspectives, and goals, it is a tricky path to navigate. Do new entrants have unrealistic expectations from what work should be offering them. At the same time, for employers, it can feel like the amount of time necessary to be expended, to get people up to speed, and delivering a suitable level of work done in return for renumeration offered, is seriously challenging. Jacob Morgan does a good job of finding a wide range of opinions and perspectives to help the reader navigate this challenging subject. The story of his own grandfather, newly arrived in the US, Georgian, barely speaking English, but clearly determined to work hard and return the faith in the first person who would hire him, is a smart, logical, and relevant anecdote. Immigrants are often some of the best hires, they want to work, have moved heaven and earth to even be in their new country, therefore they could be some of your best hires. It is unfortunate we live in a time where it is an easy, lazy, cheap trick to demonize those that look or sound different to us, when they may be a fantastic future asset to your company. Morgan aims to take through the nuances of how to find the best people people for your business, and to then continue to ensure there is value for all parties. Companies with the best retention rates are always to be looked at, and to also have an open door for returning ex-employees too, as they can then bring even more value. Therefore holistic attitudes and approaches can often bring more, and better value for the company and those who work for you, both now, in the past, and in the future. This was a thought provoking read, and one that will reward return visits too. More about the book here Organizations around the world have lost their way. It's time to get back to basics and focus on what really drives people and performance. In chasing talent, organizations have turned employee experience into an entitlement culture – lavishing perks without accountability, lowering standards in the name of empathy, and confusing short-term fixes with long-term solutions. The result? Performance suffers, leaders are scared to lead, and culture drifts. The 8 Laws of Employee Experience is a reset, a new framework to build a future-ready organization in an AI driven world. Best-selling author and professionally trained futurist Jacob Morgan shows that employee experience must return to its core: a value exchange where employees contribute, grow, and lead, and where organizations enable them to thrive. Based on over 100 CHRO interviews at companies like Verizon, Delta, Hilton, IBM,and LVMH, Morgan lays out eight unshakeable laws that form the new operating system for the future of work. This book isn't just about where we are today – it's about where employee experience is going over the next decade, and how leaders can design the future instead of being dragged into it. After reading this book you'll learn how to: Separate signal from noise in an era of trend-chasing with the STEEPLE methodology Discover the eight laws required to build a future-ready organization and how to implement them Use futurist frameworks like the Cone of Possibilities to map out multiple employee experience scenarios Conduct a future-ready audit to see where your company stands today and where it must go next Explore the five potential futures of employee experience and how to steer your organization towards the right one Challenge the myth that employee experience is about making people happy Combining...

In this episode of High Velocity Radio, Lee Kantor interviews Sacha Thompson, founder of The Equity Equation, a Washington, D.C.-based consultancy. Sacha shares how she helps organizations build psychologically safe, authentic workplace cultures by focusing on behaviors and outcomes rather than jargon. She discusses common challenges like leadership-employee misalignment, lack of transparency, and values incongruence. […]

Jacob Morgan is one of the most forward-thinking voices on leadership, employee experience, and the future of work. He is the bestselling author of six books, including Leading With Vulnerability and his latest, The 8 Laws of Employee Experience, released in February 2026. He is a TED Speaker, the host of the podcast Future Ready Leadership with Jacob Morgan, and the founder of the Future of Work Leaders community, a network of CHROs from organizations like Johnson & Johnson, Dow, LEGO, and Northrop Grumman. Jacob returned to the Elevate Podcast to talk to Robert Glazer about the future of leadership, people-first cultures, balancing high support with high standards, and much more. Thank you to the sponsors of The Elevate Podcast Shopify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠shopify.com/elevate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Framer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠framer.com/elevate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Indeed: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠indeed.com/elevate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ethos Life: ⁠⁠⁠ethos.com/elevate⁠⁠⁠ Keeper Security: ⁠⁠⁠⁠keepersecurity.com/ELEVATE⁠⁠ Fora Travel: foratravel.com/elevate Northwest Registered Agent: northwestregisteredagent.com/elevate Whatnot: Search "Whatnot" in the app store to download Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever walked into a meeting and felt like everyone was just wearing a mask of professional perfection while their true selves stayed hidden in the parking lot? It is easy to get lost in the data and the dashboards of modern work, but we often forget that the people behind those numbers are what actually drive the results. We all want to be part of a team where we are seen for who we really are rather than just what we can produce. In this episode, I sit down with Veronique Subileau, the Senior Vice President of HR at UGI Corporation, to explore the invisible roots of corporate culture that turn a 140-year-old energy company into a breakthrough environment. Veronique shares her unique philosophy on why leaders must touch the heart before speaking about results, offering practical tools like her four core questions regarding fun and purpose to foster deep human connection. You'll learn how to navigate the tension between high-performance standards and radical authenticity through the company's poetic values framework while discovering why the shadow you cast as a leader determines the energy of your entire team. We also dive into the future of work as Veronique explains how to invest in humans as much as technology by using AI to unleash time so employees can shift from being human doings to true human beings. This episode redefines the role of the leader as a human prompt engineer who knows how to pull unique creativity and heart out of a workforce in an increasingly automated world. Watch the full video on YouTube ---------- Start your day with the world's top leaders by joining thousands of others at Great Leadership on Substack. Just enter your email: ⁠⁠https://greatleadership.substack.com/ Quick heads-up: my new book, The 8 Laws of Employee Experience, is a practical playbook for building an environment where people do their best work—order a copy here: https://bit.ly/8exlaws

If your CX work keeps getting reduced to dashboards, survey scores, and “please fix this one issue,” it's time to change how you lead. We respond to a listener who's using Experience Is Everything with their team and wants the clearest path from customer experience ideas to real execution. The big theme is simple: structure creates credibility, and credibility creates the room you need to drive meaningful change. We start with the most powerful foundation you can build fast: a CX mission statement. It aligns mindset across the organization, helps you stop acting like a feedback narrator, and gives your team language they can confidently evangelize. From there, we dig into customer experience strategy, because too many organizations never actually write one down. We walk through how to define success in a way that supports organizational goals so your CX work becomes proactive, intentional, and business-led rather than reactive. Then we get practical about culture and discipline. Culture is hard to change, so we talk about scoring where you are today, choosing one area you can influence, and re-checking progress over time. We also cover the CX charter, the document that turns your foundation into coordinated efforts with the right people involved, a clear communication cadence, and shared measures of success. Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a rating and review so more CX leaders can find it.Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Achtung (Werbung in eigener Sache):  Jetzt mein neues Buch kaufen (in Co-Produktion mit Prof. Dr. Johanna Bath): "Die perfekte Employee Journey & Experience" (erschienen im Oktober 2025): Springer: https://link.springer.com/book/9783662714195 Amazon: https://bit.ly/44aajaP Thalia: https://www.thalia.de/shop/home/artikeldetails/A1074960417 Dieses Fachbuch stellt die wichtigsten Elemente der Employee Journey vor – vom Pre-Boarding bis zum Offboarding – und erläutert, wie Verantwortliche in Unternehmen eine gelungene Employee Experience realisieren und nachhaltig verankern können.   Mein Gast: Annegret Bertsch  Was bedeutet es eigentlich, im Ausland nicht nur anzukommen – sondern wirklich bei sich selbst? Genau mit dieser Frage beschäftigt sich Annegret Bertsch. Sie ist zertifizierter Coach für Expatriates und unterstützt Menschen dabei, die emotionalen Herausforderungen eines Lebens im Ausland zu meistern und ihren eigenen Weg bewusst zu gestalten. Sie hat selbst viele Jahre international gelebt, unter anderem in den USA und in China, und weiß aus eigener Erfahrung, worauf es dabei wirklich ankommt. Heute begleitet sie Expats und internationale Fachkräfte – und spricht in ihrem Podcast „Expat Insights" über die oft unsichtbaren Seiten des Lebens und Arbeitens im Ausland.  Hallo Annegret, herzlich willkommen im „GainTalents" Podcast!   Das Thema In der GainTalents-Podcastfolge 454 habe ich mit Annegret Bertsch darüber gesprochen, worauf Mitarbeitende und Unternehmen achten sollten, wenn internationale Einsätze oder berufliche Auslandsaufenthalte geplant sind – und warum dabei weit mehr als nur organisatorische Fragen entscheidend sind. Herzlichen Dank an Annegret für die sehr guten Tipps zum Thema. Viel Spaß beim Reinhören!    Worauf sollten Mitarbeitende und Unternehmen achten, wenn internationale Einsätze oder berufliche Auslandsaufenthalte geplant sind: Erwartungsmanagement muss im Vorfeld auf beiden Seiten (Arbeitgeber und Arbeitnehmer:innen) erfolgen realistische Perspektiven und Szenarien besprechen (keine Schönfärbung!) ehrlich zu sich selbst sein aus Sicht der Arbeitnehmer:innen - kann ich mit dem, was mich dort erwartet auch wirklich gut umgehen? Sofern die ganze Familie mitgeht ins Ausland muss gut evaluiert werden, in wieweit die Lebenspartner auch in dem Land beruflich tätig werden können (Risiko der Isolation ist kritisch!) Kulturelle Aspekte eines Landes müssen landesspezifisch reflektiert werden - was macht das mit mir persönlich - mit meiner Identität Interkulturelles Training muss im Vorfeld erfolgen Achtung: die Realität sieht oft anders aus, als das was im Training dargestellt wurde (es geht um Details) Klassische Themen wie Logistik (Umzug), Visum, etc. müssen gut geplant und organisiert werden Unternehmen sollten eng an den Expatriates dran bleiben: regelmäßige Kommunikation (Anrufe, Infos versenden, etc.) Unterstützung in schwierigen Situationen bieten   #GainTalentsPodcast #InterkulturelleKompetenz #Leadership #InternationalBusiness #NewWork #Auslandseinsaetze #Expatriates #Erwartungsmanagement   Shownotes Links - Annegret Bertsch LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annegret-bertsch/ Website: https://www.coaching-because.com/ Links Hans-Heinz Wisotzky:  Website: https://www.gaintalents.com/podcast und https://www.gaintalents.com/blog Podcast: https://www.gaintalents.com/podcast Bücher: Neu (jetzt überall zu kaufen): Die perfekte Employee Journey und Experience https://link.springer.com/book/9783662714195 Erste Buch: Die perfekte Candidate Journey und Experience https://www.gaintalents.com/buch-die-perfekte-candidate-journey-und-experience LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/hansheinzwisotzky/ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/gaintalents XING https://www.xing.com/profile/HansHeinz_Wisotzky/cv Facebook https://www.facebook.com/GainTalents Instagram https://www.instagram.com/gain.talents/

Employee experience meten via jaarlijkse surveys en engagementscores? Volgens Katarina Coppé (Welliba) volstaat dat vandaag niet meer. In deze aflevering van Brainpickings duiken we in de toekomst van people analytics, AI en employee experience.Katarina vertelt hoe ze met AI en gedragswetenschap meer dan 25 miljoen publieke datapunten analyseerde om te begrijpen wat medewerkers écht ervaren op de werkvloer. Van Glassdoor-reviews tot online gesprekken: externe signalen worden vertaald naar inzichten over cultuur, leiderschap, communicatie en businessperformantie.Je ontdekt:✅ waarom klassieke employee surveys vaak tekortschieten✅ hoe AI HR helpt om sneller en slimmer inzichten te verzamelen✅ waarom blockers belangrijker zijn dan boosters✅ hoe employee experience samenhangt met financiële prestaties✅ welke impact top-down en bottom-up communicatie hebben✅ waarom “hybride luisteren” volgens Katarina de toekomst van HR isEen scherpe en toekomstgerichte aflevering over HR analytics, employee experience, AI in HR, leiderschap en organisatiecultuur.Voor HR-professionals, people managers, leidinggevenden en ondernemers die employee experience niet langer alleen willen meten, maar écht willen begrijpen.#EmployeeExperience #PeopleAnalytics #HR #AIinHR #Leadership #Organisatiecultuur #EmployeeEngagement #Brainpickings #ZigZagHR #WellibaHonger naar meer? SCHRIJF JE IN VOOR DE NIEUWSBRIEF BLIJF OP DE HOOGTE VAN ALLE HR-ACTUA ABONNEER JE OP HET #ZIGZAGHR BOOKAZINE It's a great time to be in HR!www.zigzaghr.be 

In dieser Folge begrüße ich Pascal Jäger, Head of Sales bei Netigate. Gemeinsam beleuchten wir den Ansatz der Total Experience und warum die strikte Trennung von Customer und Employee Experience ein strategischer Fehler ist. Du erfährst, wie Silos zwischen HR und Marketing die Transformation bremsen und warum mangelnde Wertschätzung im Customer Service ein harter Business-Faktor ist. Pascal gibt exklusive Einblicke in die aktuelle Voice of the Employee Studie und erklärt, warum Führungskräfte der entscheidende Hebel für die Umsetzung von Feedback sind. Wir diskutieren, wie moderne Plattformen unstrukturierte Daten nutzen, um echte Wirkung zu entfalten und den Implementierungsgap zu schließen.▿ Alle Links und mehr Informationen findest du auf der Website www.cx-talks.com und in den ►Shownotes auf Spotify (Abonnenten des Podcasts), Apple ("Website der Episode"), alternativ auf https://cx-talks.podigee.io

What happens when you stop focusing on human resources and start focusing on the human experience? Technology is advancing faster than human nature can keep up. If you want to stay relevant, you need a fundamental cultural reset, not just new software.  In this interview, Laura Cushing, the Chief People Experience Officer at Pacific Life, discusses the evolving intersection of organizational culture, employee engagement, and artificial intelligence. She emphasizes a strategic shift toward accountability and transparency as the balance of power moves back toward employers in a post-pandemic landscape. To prepare for an AI-driven future, Pacific Life has implemented a Gen AI Academy and Innovation Labs to demystify technology and help staff reimagine their workflows. Cushing highlights the rising importance of "power skills"—human-centric abilities like coaching and visionary leadership—which remain essential as technical tasks become automated. Ultimately, she argues that HR leaders must cultivate deep business acumen and proactive trust-building to successfully guide their workforces through digital transformation. Watch the full video on YouTube ---------- Start your day with the world's top leaders by joining thousands of others at Great Leadership on Substack. Just enter your email: ⁠⁠https://greatleadership.substack.com/ Quick heads-up: my new book, The 8 Laws of Employee Experience, is a practical playbook for building an environment where people do their best work—order a copy here: https://bit.ly/8exlaws

Send us Fan MailIn this second bonus episode of That Workplace Experience Podcast, host Dan Moscrop is joined by psychologist, author and workplace learning expert Nick Shackleton-Jones for a wide-ranging conversation about work, learning, identity and the future of the workplace.Known for his hugely popular commentary on return-to-office culture and corporate life, Nick brings humour, honesty and a healthy dose of scepticism to the realities of modern work. Drawing on experiences spanning Siemens, the BBC, BP, Deloitte and beyond, he explores how workplaces shape behaviour, identity and learning — often in ways organisations fail to recognise.Together, Dan and Nick discuss why challenge — not information — is what truly drives learning, the unintended consequences of remote work on social development, and why so many offices unintentionally communicate control, uniformity and hierarchy before anyone even sits down at their desk. They also unpack neurodiversity in corporate environments, the emotional mechanics behind human learning, and why small acts of recognition matter far more than expensive reward schemes.The conversation also dives into the future of AI and work, exploring everything from cognitive outsourcing and workplace surveillance to what happens when technology becomes better than humans at the very things we once considered uniquely ours.Part workplace critique, part philosophical exploration, this special bonus episode offers a provocative and thought-provoking look at how organisations can create more human, engaging and meaningful experiences at work.Download the Workbook to find out more about Nick Shackleton-Jones.Video production and camera: Calum LindsayCamera: Miguel Santa ClaraIllustration: Phoebe Gitsham

Andy Storch sits down with Sanjit Kaur to discuss how modern HR leaders can drive business transformation through culture, leadership development, and intentional employee experience. Sanjit shares her journey from frontline contact center roles into executive HR leadership, emphasizing the importance of understanding the business, speaking the language of leadership, and aligning people strategy with organizational growth.Throughout the conversation, Sanjit explores how Cox Automotive is transforming its HR function through technology modernization, inclusive people practices, leadership development programs, and investment in future workforce skills. She highlights the importance of creating safe spaces, empowering middle managers, building a strong learning culture, and preparing employees for the evolving impact of AI and digital transformation. The discussion ultimately centers on one key message: intentional cultures and continuous learning are essential for building engaged teams and future-ready organizations.I hope you enjoy it! As always you can learn more and connect with me on my website (andystorch.com) or LinkedIn. And you can find my books - Own Your Career Own Your Life and Own Your Brand, Own Your Career - on Amazon.Connect with Sanjit Kaur: LinkedIn

Burnout doesn't come from “not being able to handle it.” It happens when CX work becomes an endless stream of urgent requests with no clear priorities. In this episode, we unpack why customer experience leaders burn out trying to solve everything at once, and how a clear CX mission and strategy create the guardrails to prioritize, push back, and lead proactively instead of reactively.We also explore what strategy looks like in practice: focusing on outcomes that matter most, aligning CX work to business goals, and building small habits that keep you grounded. If you're not sure where to start, we walk through a simple reset: picture what “wins” you want one year from now, then work backward into practical next steps. And because CX asks a lot of empathy from you, we close with an essential reminder: show yourself the same compassion you expect your teams to show customers, and build small habits that help you stay centered before taking on one more thing.If this resonates, share it with a CX leader, subscribe so you don't miss what's next, and leave a rating or review to help more leaders find the show.Resources Mentioned:Order your copy of Experience Is Everything -- http://experienceiseverythingbook.comLearn more about CXI Membership™ and apply -- http://CXIMembership.comExperience Investigators -- https://experienceinvestigators.comEnjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

If your organization isn't obsessed with how fast your people can learn, you're already falling behind in the race to "out-learn" the competition. In this episode, I'm joined by Susan LaMonica, the Chief Human Resource Officer at Citizens Financial Group—a super-regional bank with $226 billion in assets and 18,000 employees.  We explore how they are driving a massive workforce transformation to build a team that is ready for the future of work. We dive deep into their journey of becoming a skills-based organization and how they use a "skills taxonomy" and an internal talent marketplace to support mobility and career development. Susan also explains their "measured approach" to AI governance within a heavily regulated industry, including the role of their Generative AI Council. We unpack their "Reimagine the Bank" initiative, where they are rethinking 47 different business processes to drive value and effectiveness. From launching internal "gigs" to tracking productivity metrics like customer NPS and employee sentiment, this conversation is a strategic guide for any leader looking to blend high-tech tools with a human-centered culture. Watch the full video on YouTube ---------- Start your day with the world's top leaders by joining thousands of others at Great Leadership on Substack. Just enter your email: ⁠⁠https://greatleadership.substack.com/ Quick heads-up: my new book, The 8 Laws of Employee Experience, is a practical playbook for building an environment where people do their best work—order a copy here: https://bit.ly/8exlaws

What's the value of employee experience if you can't tie it to business performance results?In this special bonus episode of the Digital HR Leaders podcast, host David Green is joined Katarina Coppé and Jake Mealy, respectively Senior Partner and Chief Data Solutions Officer at Welliba. Drawing on new research analysing over 25 million data points across the S&P 500, they unpack the direct link between employee experience and financial performance, showing why companies with stronger employee sentiment consistently outperform the market. Join them to learn more about: Why traditional employee listening models are breaking down and what's replacing them How external data can reveal competitive blind spots in attraction and retention The surprising link between employee experience and shareholder returns Why “fixing the floor” matters more than chasing high engagement scores How HR can bring employee experience into board-level and investor conversationsPractical steps to move from insight to action - faster Welliba, winner of the 2024 HR Unleash Global Startup Award, is redefining people, culture and organisational insights. Using the latest AI technologies combined with behavioural science, their EXcelerate solution, instantly analyses all available public data, delivering deep insights into people and organisations - without the need for surveys. Discover how you can elevate your talent strategy, transform your workforce, and stay ahead of your competitors. Learn more at offer.welliba.com/insight222-2026 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The traditional corporate ladder is a relic of the past. While we once viewed career growth as a predictable, linear climb, today's AI-driven landscape has replaced that fixed path with a much more fluid reality. In this episode, Denise Kulikowsky, CPO of Tapestry, joins me to explore the rise of the non-linear career path and how forward-thinking companies are formalizing professional fluidity to drive innovation. Tapestry, the parent company of Coach and Kate Spade, utilizes a "walk, run, fly" AI strategy where tools are treated as enablers for employees to proactively direct their own development. Denise reframes the concern that using AI is "cheating" by emphasizing that it is an efficiency tool, provided employees remain accountable for the final output. Denise highlights key strategies like the Talent Communities program, which facilitates six-month global job swaps for senior managers and directors to drive cultural immersion. The company also uses a "magic and logic" approach to build success profiles that define future-ready behaviors like leading with courage and activating the vision. Additionally, she shares insights on bridging the gap between frontline and corporate roles through rotational programs that bring store leaders into the home office. Get the strategic blueprint you need for building a resilient workforce that is adaptable to technological advancement. Watch the full video on YouTube ---------- Start your day with the world's top leaders by joining thousands of others at Great Leadership on Substack. Just enter your email: ⁠⁠https://greatleadership.substack.com/ Quick heads-up: my new book, The 8 Laws of Employee Experience, is a practical playbook for building an environment where people do their best work—order a copy here: 8EXlaws.com

What happens when AI enters the workplace at full speed? In this episode of Deep Leadership, I sit down with futurist, bestselling author, and workplace expert Jacob Morgan to discuss why the future of work will reward high performers more than ever before. We explore the return of accountability in the workplace, the growing divide between high performers and average contributors, and why AI won't replace the best employees—it will amplify them. Jacob also shares insights from his new book, The 8 Laws of Employee Experience, including: Why “entitlement culture” at work is ending How AI will reshape leadership and employee experience Why accountability is making a comeback The future of hybrid work and workplace flexibility How leaders can use AI to amplify humanity instead of replacing it What employees must do now to stay valuable in the AI era This conversation is a wake-up call for leaders, employees, and anyone thinking about the future of work. If you want to stay relevant, future-ready, and valuable in the age of AI, don't miss this episode. Jacob's Book & Resources:The 8 Laws of Employee Experience Book - https://amzn.to/42p6gHm Jacob's website - https://thefutureorganization.com/ Subscribe to Deep Leadership: If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe and share it with someone who wants to become a better leader. Sponsors: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Cadre of Men⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Farrow Skin Care⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Salty Sailor Coffee Company⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Leader Connect⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Qualified Leadership Series⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ____ Get all of Jon Rennie's bestselling leadership books for 15% off the regular price today! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I'm off again. This weekend I'll be heading to London for the Customer Alpha event, where I'll be delivering the keynote for the conference. “Customer Alpha is a leading customer experience event bringing together a cross-industry community of professionals who never stop striving to better understand and deliver for customers.” How cool is that! I'm excited to be there, and talking about my concept of The UN-WOW. The basic idea is that rather than just focusing on those WOW moments, we need to focus on how to deliver value and connection in those basic day-to-day interactions where people don't want to be WOW'ed.  A lot of focus on the WOW is around the idea that things only qualify as experiences when they hit that WOW level. So if you are an experience designer, odds are you are going to shoot for that WOW. But that can be a big hill to climb, and it misses the other types of opportunities that exist which don't involve those dramatically staged moments. Also, staged can feel inauthentic and not organic. To be staged can also feel performative. Performance can also involve a script. The words being spoken are yours, but ones written for you by someone else.  Thus, the UN-WOW is in part a call for the small moments that create connection and a sense of authenticity.  Today's guest on Experience by Design also has thoughts on the role of making connections in human moments as part of customer experience. Natalie Beckerman, Executive Vice President and  Chief Business Officer at iQor, has experience across many different industries, organizations, and continents. Regardless of where she has been, she has seen the same problems which involve the pursuit of efficiency at the cost of humanity. Part of this lies in not using technology in a way that enhances experiences. Seeing this problem led her to write her new best selling book, “When Did You Stop Caring: The Call to Reignite Humanity in a World Obsessed with Efficiency.” In her book, she calls for companies to do better for customers and workers by focusing on what matters: people. Using examples from her career and research, she lays out why it makes sense to start caring not only because it is the right thing to do, but because businesses that care do better. We talk about her career and her book. We also talk about her work with Customer Contact Week, which hosts events around the world. This includes CCW UK which takes place May 11-13, or next week!  Natalie shares her athletic past, including playing on the US National Field Hockey Team and being an All-American at Northwestern University. Along with her Masters degree in Sports Psychology, Natalie links how optimizing performance should be not just about the outcome, but also the impacts that processes, systems, and cultures have on the people who are part of it. We also celebrate her induction into the Rancocas Valley Regional High School Athletic Hall of Fame.  Learn more: Natalie Beckerman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliedbeckerman1/ “When did You Stop Caring”: https://www.amazon.com/When-Did-You-Stop-Caring/dp/1969508442 iQor: https://www.iqor.com/ Customer Contact Week: https://www.customercontactweek.com/  

Join Bhavna Sawnani in conversation with James Tarbit, Ipsos' Global Head of Employee Experience, as they explore how organisations can elevate their employee listening strategies and move beyond simply measuring engagement.James reflects on how listening has evolved from the traditional annual engagement survey into a broader ecosystem of pulse surveys, lifecycle listening, always-on feedback, passive listening, people analytics and conversational AI. Together, they discuss why the annual census still has a role to play, but why organisations need to be more intentional about matching their listening approach to their maturity, decision-making cadence and ability to act.The conversation explores the shift from listening as a measurement exercise to listening as a strategic business capability. James shares why the greatest value comes when organisations connect employee experience data to customer, operational and commercial outcomes, and why listening should start with the question: “What decision are we trying to make?”They also unpack the future of employee listening, including lifecycle listening, AI-enabled insights, synthetic personas, passive signals and the growing importance of testing, experimentation and evidence-based practice in HR.Key takeaways from the episode:- Listening is not the goal, action and improvement are the goal.- More frequent listening only creates value when organisations have the capability to respond.- The biggest risk is not survey fatigue, but inaction fatigue.- Employee listening should be linked to business priorities, customer outcomes and workforce planning.- AI and synthetic personas could help organisations test messages and interventions before rolling them out more widely.This episode offers practical advice for anyone looking to build a more mature, strategic and impact-led employee listening programme.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, Yanique Grant sits down with Jimi Gibson, VP of Brand Communication at Thrive Internet Marketing Agency, to explore how AI is fundamentally changing business visibility online.Jimi shares insights from 20+ years in digital marketing and 70+ podcast appearances, discussing the critical shift from traditional SEO to AI Search Optimization (Answer Engine Optimization and Generative Engine Optimization).Learn why 60% of Google searches don't click through anymore, how to become visible to large language models like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini, and why personal branding is now mandatory for business growth in 2026. Discover what the future holds for AI agents, autonomous task management, and how to ensure your business doesn't get left behind.Key Topics:• From Magician to Marketing Strategist: Jimi's unexpected career path• The 60% Google search shift and what it means for your business• Traditional SEO vs. AI Search Optimization (AEO/GEO)• How to become visible to large language models• The future of AI agents and autonomous helpers• Why YouTube and LinkedIn are critical for AI visibility• The personal branding revolution: Why it's mandatory now• Featured books: Jonathan Livingston Seagull & I'm PossibleResources:Thrive Internet Marketing Agency: thrive-agency.comJimi on LinkedIn: Connect with Jimi for daily AI insights (posts Mon-Fri)Follow Navigating the Customer Experience:X (Twitter): @NavigatingCXFacebook: Navigating the Customer Experience CommunityWebsite: yaniquegrant.com

Dr. Laura welcomes Hall of Fame speaker, author, and workplace culture expert Michael Kerr for a conversation on how leaders shape environments where people and organizations thrive. Drawing on decades of global experience, Michael believes that, rather than depleting us, work should energize us, and that leaders play a defining role in creating cultures grounded in purpose and connection. He shares that leadership is less about managing tasks and more about influencing people in meaningful ways. According to Michael, the leadership goal should be to become a culture leader who recognizes the profound effects of work on our health, relationships, and sense of identity. Together, Dr. Laura and Michael explore how small, everyday moments can have a lasting impact on trust and team cohesion. Culture is built through consistent, human interactions rather than grand gestures. They highlight the importance of simple acknowledgments and thoughtful communication in fostering hope during uncertain times. They also examine the rise of incivility in workplaces and the cost of tolerating harmful behavior, together reinforcing the importance of awareness and accountability in leadership. The message is a powerful reminder that when leaders prioritize people and lead with intention, they not only transform workplaces but also contribute to a better world.  “Leadership is about connecting with humans and influencing them in a positive way toward a better future.” - Michael Kerr “Leaders have a disproportionate impact on the happiness of their employees and the success of their culture.” — Michael Kerr About Michael Kerr: Michael Kerr, CSP (Certified Speaking Professional), Canadian Speaking Hall of Fame inductee, is an international business speaker, very funny motivational speaker, workshop trainer, and the author of six books including, Inspiring Workplaces: Creating the Kind of Workplace Where Everyone Wants to Work, and, most recently, The Humor Advantage: Why Some Businesses Are Laughing All the Way to the Bank. Michael travels the world researching, writing, and speaking about inspiring workplace cultures. He is known as one of North America's leading speakers on workplace culture and on how businesses leverage their humor resources to deliver outrageous results -including lower absenteeism rates, lower employee turnover rates, less stress, more creativity, more effective communication, and increased sales. His hilarious, inspiring, and thought-provoking programs are often rated as having the greatest impact and relevance of any presentation at a conference, which is why Michael is listed as one of Canada's most requested funny motivational business speakers. Resources: Website: MikeKerr.com Inspiring Workplaces Blog Every Other Wednesday podcast Michael Kerr books “Cher: Part One: The Memoir” by Cher   “I Wish I'd Quit Sooner: Practical Strategies for Navigating and Escaping a Toxic Boss” by Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett   Dr. Laura on LinkedIn Where Work Meets Life™ on YouTube Learn more about Dr. Laura on her website: https://drlaura.live   For more resources, look into Dr. Laura's organizations:  Canada Career Counselling Synthesis Psychology Order Dr. Laura's new book today: I Wish I'd Quit Sooner: Practical Strategies for Navigating a Toxic Boss Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A massive wave of retirements known as "Peak 65" is creating a serious crisis for organizations as decades of institutional knowledge begin to walk out the door. This shift in workforce demographics means we must act now to secure our talent pipeline before these experts leave for good. In this episode, CHRO Robin Benoit shares how she and her team at FM are tackling this challenge at its core. We explore their unique mentorship program called AKA (Accelerating Knowledge Advancement), which pulls experts away from their day jobs to help newer employees reach senior-level career growth years ahead of schedule. Robin explains the balance between AI optimization and human interaction, highlighting the danger of using technology to automate entry-level work in a way that "kills off" the learning process for future leaders. We discuss building a "career lattice" for internal mobility and why we need transparent retirement conversations to ensure experienced workers don't block promotion paths while we still benefit from their wisdom through reverse mentorship. This episode is essential for CHROs who want to use succession planning and employee engagement to thrive in the future of work. Watch the full video on YouTube ---------- Start your day with the world's top leaders by joining thousands of others at Great Leadership on Substack. Just enter your email: ⁠⁠https://greatleadership.substack.com/ Quick heads-up: my new book, The 8 Laws of Employee Experience, is a practical playbook for building an environment where people do their best work—order a copy here: 8EXlaws.com

Employee experience is in shambles today. How can you put it back together? Today, we're talking to Jacob Morgan, Author and Futurist at Future Ready Leadership. We discuss why organizations must return to the basics of employee experience in an AI-driven world, how leaders need to adopt five key archetypes to stay relevant, and why designing for flexibility inside your organization is the future of talent retention. All of this right here, right now, on the Modern CTO Podcast!  To connect with Jacob, check out his website here.

It feels like we are on a fast treadmill because technology and AI are changing work so quickly. It is hard to stay ahead when old ways of doing things no longer work in this new, advanced digital world. In this episode, Sue Davies, EVP & CHRO of Markel, discusses navigating organizational transformation and how to build resilience in an AI-driven world. We uncover the "ABCS" (Awareness, Buy-in, Competence, and Sustainability) framework for organizational change to guide employees through the anxieties of technological change. We explore the shift from the traditional career ladder to internal talent mobility and why individual accountability is the key to upskilling for the future of work. Sue also shares how AI tools, like Co-pilot can speed up employee training while keeping human interaction and trust at the center of the business. From reflections on a 40-year career to modern AI pilots, Sue shares a clear focus on building workforce adaptability without losing the human touch. This episode provides a strategic roadmap for CHROs looking to lead their people through AI transformation with confidence and empathy. Watch the full video on YouTube ---------- Start your day with the world's top leaders by joining thousands of others at Great Leadership on Substack. Just enter your email: ⁠⁠https://greatleadership.substack.com/ Quick heads-up: my new book, The 8 Laws of Employee Experience, is a practical playbook for building an environment where people do their best work—order a copy here: 8EXlaws.com

In the seventh episode of That Workplace Experience Podcast, host Dan Moscrop visits 11 Belgrave Road, a thoughtfully reimagined workplace in Westminster that transforms a tired post-war building into a calm, contemporary office rooted in its context.Download the Workbook and watch the episode to see the spaces in full.Joined by Lewis Benmore (Eric Parry Architects), Dan explores how the project balances retention and reinvention—working with 37% of the existing structure to reduce embodied carbon while restoring the rhythm and character of a Georgian streetscape. From a façade designed to sit quietly within its neighbours to the reintroduction of lightwells and active frontages, the building demonstrates how subtle, considered moves can have a lasting urban impact.Together, they discuss the influence of hospitality-led thinking on workplace design, the early integration of sustainability and wellness, and the importance of creating intuitive, connected environments—from welcoming cycle entrances to sightlines that draw you through to a hidden garden at the rear. The conversation also touches on material honesty, adaptable façade design, and how landscape—both at street level and on the rooftop—can foster community and a sense of escape within the city.Video production and camera: Calum LindsayCamera: Miguel Santa ClaraIllustration: Phoebe Gitsham

A guest can arrive because of a great offer and still leave with less trust in your brand. That is the tension at the center of this conversation: the relationship between employee experience, casino marketing, and guest loyalty. We dig into the operational gaps that weaken marketing performance, why the players club desk matters so much, and what regional casino teams can do to better align the internal experience with the promises they are making outside the property. Learn more at www.jcarcamoassociates.com/. Get insights delivered to your inbox: https://bit.ly/3MS2pOz Join the most effective casino marketing training. https://bit.ly/3MXUe3c

In this episode, Kathi Enderes sits down with Rob McAuslan, Vice President for Artificial Intelligence at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), one of the world's largest and most innovative online universities with more than 200,000 students. Before leading SNHU's AI strategy, Rob taught, worked, and volunteered across Africa, the Mediterranean, and East Asia, working with populations ranging from K-12 students to refugees to graduate scholars. That lived experience shapes everything about how SNHU thinks about AI: not as a tool for automation, but as a means of expanding access, amplifying human potential, and meeting learners exactly where they are. SNHU is no ordinary university. As one of the largest and most innovative higher education institutions in the United States, it has built its reputation on making education accessible to learners who the traditional system has often left behind: working adults, career changers, veterans, and underserved communities. Rob's role as VP for AI sits squarely at the intersection of that mission and the most consequential technological shift of our time. Rob and Kathi discuss what it really means to deploy AI with humans at the center, and what that demands of institutions, leaders, and learners alike. The conversation moves through the practical and the philosophical: How do you design AI experiences that honor the dignity and complexity of every individual? What does skills-based, AI-enabled learning look like for someone who has never had access to it before? And what can higher education teach the corporate world about building AI that actually serves people rather than simply processing them? If you're a CHRO, CIO, learning leader, or business executive wondering how to move beyond pilots and hype, this conversation will show you what responsible, scalable AI adoption really looks like—and how to get started in your own organization. Related resources Podcast: The Rise Of The Supermanager – JOSH BERSIN Research: AI Pacesetters: Six Secrets Of The Superworker Company – JOSH BERSIN New Certificate Course in Galileo Learn: AI in L&D Get Galileo: The AI Superagent for You Chapters (00:00:03) - What Works in the Future of Work(00:00:40) - How Southern New Hampshire University Is Taking a Human Approach to AI(00:02:58) - How to Apply AI at Southern New Hampshire University(00:07:49) - Southern New Hampshire University's 4-Stage AI Adoption Model(00:14:16) - One of the issues around AI governance(00:19:13) - Employee Experience and AI in the People Team(00:21:43) - WSJD Live: The AI Policy(00:23:32) - In the Elevator With Provost Rob Ferguson(00:24:06) - What Works In Education? With Rob McAuslan

Technology is moving faster than ever, and many of us feel the pressure to keep up without losing our human touch. We need a clear path to help our teams embrace change while building a culture of trust and growth. In this episode, Lisa Coulson, SVP and Chief Human Resource Officer at Principal Financial Group, joins me to talk about what it means to build an AI-literate workforce at its core within financial services. We explore how their data literacy and employee training program reached 90% of workers and how internal AI tools like "Page" and "Penny" helped with their AI adoption. Lisa shares their step-by-step "funnel" approach to reskilling and upskilling, the impact of AI in leadership development, and how to build an internal talent marketplace to match employee skills with new roles. We also tackle the necessity of governance in a regulated industry and the ongoing challenge of measuring AI's ROI and productivity gains during a workforce transformation. This episode is every CHRO's clear guide for leading a digital shift while keeping the employee experience strong. Watch the full video on YouTube ---------- Start your day with the world's top leaders by joining thousands of others at Great Leadership on Substack. Just enter your email: ⁠⁠https://greatleadership.substack.com/ Quick heads-up: my new book, The 8 Laws of Employee Experience, is a practical playbook for building an environment where people do their best work—order a copy here: 8EXlaws.com

Bill Horan talks with Dean Carter, author of EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE DESIGN (EXD).  Dean will discuss why we should focus on the employee, what are some common misconceptions about EXD,  why he says EXD is designing with people not for them and what is the hardest thing to convince people about EXD.

April 17, 2026: Employer power has officially returned and workers are accepting things they never would have a year ago — but is that actually a bad thing? Then, teen boys are dating their AI chatbots and experts are warning about what that means for the future workforce. And finally, Gallup's 2026 State of the Global Workplace report reveals that global employee engagement has hit a five-year low — and what employees say they actually want from their leaders might surprise you. Watch the full episode on YouTube.   ---------- Start your day with the world's top leaders by joining thousands of others at Great Leadership on Substack. Just enter your email: ⁠⁠https://greatleadership.substack.com/ If you lead people, you design experiences—do it on purpose with The 8 Laws of Employee Experience. Order now: 8EXlaws.com

Companies today are rushing to build an AI strategy, but they often forget to create a human strategy to match it. As technology takes over daily tasks, keeping the human element alive at work is a huge challenge for business leaders. In this episode, Kathie Patterson, Chief Human Resources Officer at Ally, joins us to explore how to balance new AI tools with human emotional intelligence. We uncover how to roll out AI to employees for better efficiency while making sure a human is always in the loop for the moments that truly matter. Kathie explains why leaders need strong EQ and training in crucial conversations to handle conflicts, since frustrating moments like getting stuck in dead-end phone trees prove that people still crave real human connection during stressful times. We also explore balancing workplace empathy with business accountability, offering real support like mental health and fertility benefits without treating adult employees like children. Finally, we look at how to adapt to generational shifts, like Gen Z entering the workplace, and the risks of using AI for HR tasks like hiring and promotions. CHROs will find this episode essential for building a future-ready culture that embraces both high-tech tools and deep human connection. Watch the full video on YouTube ---------- Start your day with the world's top leaders by joining thousands of others at Great Leadership on Substack. Just enter your email: ⁠⁠https://greatleadership.substack.com/ Quick heads-up: my new book, The 8 Laws of Employee Experience, is a practical playbook for building an environment where people do their best work—order a copy here: 8EXlaws.com

Creating an Environment that Employees and Customers Love  Shep interviews Lisa Nichols, CEO and co-founder of Technology Partners and author of Something Extra. She discusses the importance of employee experience, leadership, and organizational culture in delivering exceptional customer experiences.  This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions and more:    What is the connection between employee experience and customer experience?  How does company culture impact the way customers perceive an organization?  Why is employee retention important for delivering consistent customer service?  Why is consistency key to building customer trust and confidence?  What role does leadership play in ensuring a positive customer experience?  Top Takeaways:    How employees are treated within an organization directly impacts how customers perceive and experience the company. When employees feel valued, cared for, and seen, they bring that same energy to every customer interaction.  Employee tenure is an indicator of a healthy workplace, where people feel fulfilled and are unlikely to leave even when opportunities elsewhere arise.  The goal for leaders is to provide opportunities for growth that equip employees with the skills to thrive. Then create a work environment they love and don't want to leave.   Core values must be more than just words on a wall. A great work culture shows up in the hallways, meeting rooms, and customer interactions.   What happens inside the organization is felt by customers on the outside. The leadership, the organization's mission statement, and the team must be aligned, because those on the front lines deliver the customer experience.  People want to know what to expect when they do business with you. Consistent actions and reliable results create trust, which is just as important as product quality.   The consistency and trust built over time make customers confident that, when mistakes occur, the company will address them openly and make things right. Customers don't expect perfect performance, but they do expect reliability.  Successful leaders aren't afraid to ask questions or adopt new ideas. Some of the best lessons come from listening to other people's stories. Leaders who seek feedback and absorb wisdom from others consistently improve.  Plus, Lisa shares more insights from her book, Something Extra: Uncover Your Strengths. Unlock Your Potential. Unleash Your Impact. Tune in!   Quote:   "If we take care of our employees, they're going to take care of our customers, and then our success will follow."  About:    Lisa Nichols, CEO and co-founder of Technology Partners, is the author of Something Extra and a top-ranked podcast host, mentoring leaders to embrace the unique qualities that set them apart.   Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio.    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Preparing a global team for a world that changes by the minute can feel like a race against time, especially when 80% of jobs face major shifts by 2030. In this episode, we tackle the challenge of turning that fear into a high-performance culture that stays ahead of the technology curve. Tracy Platt, CHRO of Newell Brands, joins us to explore top strategies for AI adoption, focusing on the move toward "agentic commerce" and the urgent need for AI literacy across the whole company. We also unpack simple ways to put AI into daily work, like cutting performance management review times from two hours down to 30 minutes. Our discussion highlights the shift from tracking vanity metrics to measuring real business results and why human judgment is the ultimate guardrail for AI-driven work. Tracy shares how managing ambiguity has become the most valuable currency for modern leaders in this brave new world. For CHROs, this episode is your clear roadmap for leading your talent strategy and workforce planning through the rapid evolution of the future of work. Watch the full video on YouTube ---------- Start your day with the world's top leaders by joining thousands of others at Great Leadership on Substack. Just enter your email: ⁠⁠https://greatleadership.substack.com/ Quick heads-up: my new book, The 8 Laws of Employee Experience, is a practical playbook for building an environment where people do their best work—order a copy here: 8EXlaws.com

April 3, 2026: Two major academic papers dropped today alongside fresh labor market data, and together they paint the clearest picture yet of what AI will actually do to the economy and to work. Stanford economists show that 87% of U.S. productivity growth since 1950 came from automation — and explain why AI's impact will be real but slower than the hype due to "weak links" in production. A Chicago Fed forecasting paper reveals that even expert economists admit the range of outcomes is genuinely wide. On top of that: AI is now the #1 cited reason for tech layoffs, a new Forrester study finds most workers still don't know how to use the AI tools their companies deployed, Jack Dorsey argues AI should replace middle management entirely, a startup built an AI coworker that monitors your work and reports to your boss, and OpenAI just bought a media company to control the narrative. Seven stories, one through line: the disruption is real, the timeline is uncertain, and the window to prepare is open right now. Watch on Youtube ---------- Start your day with the world's top leaders by joining thousands of others at Great Leadership on Substack. Just enter your email: ⁠⁠https://greatleadership.substack.com/ Future-ready organizations are built, not hoped for. My latest book, -The 8 Laws of Employee Experience shows how. Preorder here: 8EXlaws.com

In this podcast episode, Dr. Jonathan H. Westover talks with Dean E. Carter about employee experience design.Dean E. Carter, newly named CEO at Instill.ai and co-author of EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE DESIGN, has over two decades of experience as an executive officer for renowned, and Fortune50 companies, such as Patagonia and Sears, as well as a board director for private and publicly traded companies. His views on employee experience and future of work are frequently featured in global publications, podcasts, corporate events, and mainstage keynotes. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this LeaderChat episode, Jacob Morgan, author of The 8 New Laws of Employee Experience, joins the conversation to explore what it means to be a future-ready leader. As organizations invest in transformation, technology, and culture, we ask a deeper question, are leaders equipped to create the kind of employee experience that drives performance? He shares where leadership readiness falls short, why traditional approaches are no longer enough, and how leaders can build trust, stability, and human connection in a rapidly changing world. It's a practical look at how leadership behavior shapes employee experience, and what it takes to prepare leaders for what's next.

The first quarter of 2026 was not just a collection of headlines. It was a definitive "hard reset" for the global workforce, marking the moment where the gap between legacy systems and the new AI-driven reality finally collapsed. In this episode of Future Ready Leadership, we're revisiting the top stories that made it to our Best of the First Quarter edition. We start with the trillion-dollar software sell-off, where the market's reaction to AI-driven workflows signaled a massive shift from humans performing manual tasks to supervising automated systems. This move toward radical accountability is further exemplified by Citigroup's declaration of the end of the "effort era," as CEO Jane Fraser mandated that employees be judged solely on measurable results rather than visible busy work. We then examine Amazon's internal talent mobility strategy, which reframes automation-related job changes as an opportunity for redeployment by giving staff 90 days to find new internal roles. This leads into a discussion on the reset of the HR technology operating model, as boards begin to question the value of traditional seat-based licensing now that AI is becoming the primary interface for data. Finally, we analyze Accenture's decision to tie promotions to AI usage, highlighting the need for a "human judgment receipt" to ensure leaders are rewarding actual performance improvement rather than mere "corporate theater". Watch the full video on YouTube ---------- Start your day with the world's top leaders by joining thousands of others at Great Leadership on Substack. Just enter your email: ⁠⁠https://greatleadership.substack.com/ Quick heads-up: my new book, The 8 Laws of Employee Experience, is a practical playbook for building an environment where people do their best work—order a copy here: 8EXlaws.com

March 24, 2026: Three major research reports dropped today with a combined picture of where AI and work actually stand right now. A landmark NBER working paper of nearly 750 CFOs finds AI had zero measurable employment effect in 2025 — but projects roughly 500,000 job losses this year, concentrated in clerical and administrative roles. The same paper finds a productivity paradox: executives believe AI is working before the revenue proves it, echoing a pattern economists last saw with the personal computer. Anthropic's new Economic Index reveals something most organizations are completely missing: experienced AI users have a 10% higher success rate than newcomers — not because of what they're doing, but because of how long they've been doing it. AI fluency compounds like a skill, not a software license. And a major Gallup survey finds college graduates are more pessimistic about finding a job than at any time since 2013, with software developer postings down 29% and marketing down 27% — but the real explanation goes deeper than AI displacement alone. Watch the full video on YouTube ---------- Start your day with the world's top leaders by joining thousands of others at Great Leadership on Substack. Just enter your email: ⁠⁠https://greatleadership.substack.com/ Quick heads-up: my new book, The 8 Laws of Employee Experience, is a practical playbook for building an environment where people do their best work—order a copy here: 8EXlaws.com

The real bottleneck to AI isn't the code; it's our own ego. We're so hooked on being the "expert" that we've forgotten how to be beginners again, and in a world changing this fast, that's a dangerous place to be. If we want to move forward, we must trade the safety of our legacy habits for the "productive discomfort" of constant unlearning. In this episode, Microsoft's Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer, Amy Coleman, joins us to talk about managing 220,000 employees through a growth mindset and explore the deep link between AI, culture, and leadership. Amy shares how to embrace adaptive leadership, which basically means leading even when you don't have all the answers. She explains why decreasing proximity is the secret to keeping trust alive during massive change by bringing employees closer to the "why" behind every decision. We get tactical as we uncover strategies for large-scale re-skilling, shifting from just tracking activity to rewarding real impact, and using talent redeployment to make sure people can grow their careers without leaving the company. Amy highlights why human judgment and empathy are more valuable than ever, how responsible AI is non-negotiable, and how Microsoft stays scrappy by letting "citizen developers" use AI to disrupt old systems from the bottom up. This episode is your guide to scaling a culture where employees feel like the company truly has their back as they reinvent their careers. ---------- Start your day with the world's top leaders by joining thousands of others at Great Leadership on Substack. Just enter your email: ⁠⁠https://greatleadership.substack.com/ Quick heads-up: my new book, The 8 Laws of Employee Experience, is a practical playbook for building an environment where people do their best work—order a copy here: 8EXlaws.com

March 20, 2026:  The White House dropped its national AI legislative framework today — I go through the whole thing, because there's a provision about preempting state AI laws that is one of the most consequential things to happen in AI policy in years. A columnist at The Sunday Times made an argument that stopped me: the real AI risk isn't losing your job — it's what happens to your retirement if AI disrupts your career at 50 instead of 30. Most people aren't thinking about it this way. They should be. Jensen Huang proposed paying engineers in AI tokens worth half their salary, on top of cash. I explain what tokens are, why elite engineers are leaving high-paying jobs over GPU access, and what it means that the unit of value in the AI economy is shifting from time to compute. The New York Times is calling it tokenmaxxing. And JPMorgan deployed AI to monitor junior bankers' hours — not because they're over-reporting, but because they're deliberately hiding how much they're actually working. Watch the full episode on YouTube ---------- Start your day with the world's top leaders by joining thousands of others at Great Leadership on Substack. Just enter your email: ⁠⁠https://greatleadership.substack.com/ Stop patching problems and start designing an intentional workplace. The 8 Laws of Employee Experience gives you the how. Order a copy here: 8EXlaws.com

March 19, 2026: Jensen Huang had one of the biggest weeks in tech at Nvidia's GTC — but his sharpest line wasn't about chips. When asked why companies are laying off workers, he said simply: because they're out of imagination. We unpack what that means, plus his surprise take on compensation from the All-In podcast. Then Cognizant drops a bombshell update to its 2023 workforce study: 93% of jobs impacted by AI, $4.5 trillion in labor shifting to machines, six years ahead of schedule. Their own words: "We underestimated the technology." But two CEOs are pushing back on the doom narrative — Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick says humans will be "super fine" until AGI arrives, and Tech Mahindra CEO Mohit Joshi argues the demand for human labor isn't going anywhere, and has the data to back it up. We close with JPMorgan Chase's 2026 tech trends report and the concept quietly reshaping what leaders actually do: context engineering. Watch the full episode on YouTube ---------- Start your day with the world's top leaders by joining thousands of others at Great Leadership on Substack. Just enter your email: ⁠⁠https://greatleadership.substack.com/ Stop patching problems and start designing an intentional workplace. The 8 Laws of Employee Experience gives you the how. Order your copy: 8EXlaws.com

Are you designing your employee experience or just letting it happen? Most leaders talk about employee experience, but few intentionally shape it. In this episode, Kevin sits down with Dean Carter to explore why that's a costly mistake. Dean gets to the point: What do your employees actually experience every single day? Because while culture is what your organization is, employee experience is what your people feel. Dean emphasizes that designing employee experience must be intentional, continuous, and co-created with employees rather than imposed on them. He also shares real stories showing how listening in real time, acting on feedback, and giving people genuine agency can transform engagement, trust, and performance, even in struggling organizations. Dean's Story: Dean E. Carter is the co-author of Employee Experience Design: How to Co-create Work Where People and Organizations Thrive. He is newly named CEO at Instill.ai and has over two decades of experience as an executive officer for renowned, and Fortune50 companies, such as Patagonia and Sears, as well as a board director for private and publicly traded companies. His views on employee experience and the future of work are frequently featured in global publications, podcasts, corporate events, and mainstage keynotes. https://www.linkedin.com/in/deancarter/ Looking to Develop Stronger Leaders? Want help developing the leaders in your organization? Reach out to explore how the Kevin Eikenberry Group can support your team at info@kevineikenberry.com.  Book Recommendations Employee Experience Design: How to Co-create Work Where People and Organizations Thrive by Dean E. Carter, Samantha Gadd , Mark Levy  Primal Intelligence: You Are Smarter Than You Know by Angus Fletcher Like this? Understanding the Employee Experience with Jacob Morgan Leading Change Intelligently with Barbara Trautlein Building Community (in 20 minutes or less) with Jennifer Moss Join Our Community If you want to view our live podcast episodes, hear about new releases, or chat with others who enjoy this podcast join one of our communities below. Join the Facebook Group Join the LinkedIn Group   Leave a Review If you liked this conversation, we'd be thrilled if you'd let others know by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. Here's a quick guide for posting a review. Review on Apple: https://remarkablepodcast.com/itunes    Podcast Better! Sign up with Libsyn and get up to 2 months free! Use promo code: RLP  

Many managers today spend more time on paperwork and individual tasks than actually coaching their teams. This lack of true leadership hurts the employee experience and stops a business strategy from succeeding. In this episode, Emily Field and I talk about her strategic transition from a McKinsey partner to becoming a first-time Chief People Officer at LPL Financial. She shares her initial 30-day "learning tour" where she focused on listening to employees to understand the company's unique culture before building her people strategy. We also unpacked her "People Leader Operating System" and a "talent flywheel" designed to improve the talent lifecycle from hire to retire. We explore the 50/50 performance management split to measure both business outcomes and human values, as well as using AI as a "superpower" to assist work while keeping human judgment as the main partner. Emily also explains the "people P&L" dashboard to track leadership data, the "align-empower-reinforce" model for training 1,300 leaders, and the importance of rewiring business processes to remove friction for employees. For CHROs, this is your guide to scaling a people-first culture and building a future-proof organization. ---------- Start your day with the world's top leaders by joining thousands of others at Great Leadership on Substack. Just enter your email: ⁠⁠https://greatleadership.substack.com/ Future-ready organizations are built, not hoped for. My latest book, -The 8 Laws of Employee Experience shows how. Order here: 8exlaws.com

While many companies focus only on buying new AI tools, the real secret to success often lies in changing how leaders think and act to drive a massive business turnaround. In this episode, Anna White, EVP and Chief People Officer at Lumen, joins the show to discuss how a major networking company is transforming its business through a deep focus on leadership and AI. We explore how leaders must shift from being "knowers" to "learners" by embracing curiosity and a growth mindset. The discussion covers practical steps like launching an AI literacy academy for all employees, using "Dare to Lead" training to build courage, and managing the risks of "work slop" by ensuring human judgment always checks AI work. We also dive into real examples of AI pilots, such as the GoalPro tool for aligning targets, and examine how to prepare for a future hybrid workforce where humans manage AI agents. This conversation offers a clear roadmap for HR leaders handling the complex mix of culture change and digital transformation. ---------- Start your day with the world's top leaders by joining thousands of others at Great Leadership on Substack. Just enter your email: ⁠⁠https://greatleadership.substack.com/ Future-ready organizations are built, not hoped for. My latest book, -The 8 Laws of Employee Experience shows how. Order here: 8exlaws.com

March 6, 2026: The U.S. economy lost 92,000 jobs in February — and the headline number is almost the least interesting part of the story. When you break down where the losses actually came from, you get a picture far more complicated than the AI-took-our-jobs narrative dominating social media right now. Healthcare, tech, federal government, manufacturing, transportation — each sector tells a different story, and together they reveal a labor market being squeezed from multiple directions at once: AI, tariffs, Baby Boomer retirements, post-pandemic correction, and a geopolitical shock that just sent oil past $87 a barrel. Meanwhile, the Fed is openly questioning whether it even has the tools to respond — because cutting rates doesn't create jobs for people whose skills have structurally shifted out of demand. Also this week: Uber's CEO says don't come here if you want to coast — and why that lands so differently in this economic moment. A new survey reveals that 90% of companies have AI chatbots but almost none have integrated AI into real workflows — and that gap is driving some dangerous workforce decisions. And the Bank of England just started war-gaming what happens if AI triggers a full economic shock.  Watch on YouTube ----- Start your day with the world's top leaders by joining thousands of others at Great Leadership on Substack. Just enter your email: ⁠⁠https://greatleadership.substack.com/ Looking for what actually moves the needle on performance and retention? It's in The 8 Laws of Employee Experience. Order here: 8EXlaws.com

March 5, 2026: The company making AI (Anthropic) just published real data on what AI is actually doing to jobs — and the finding that should concern everyone isn't layoffs. It's that the hiring door for workers aged 22 to 25 has quietly dropped 14% in AI-exposed fields since ChatGPT launched. Today we cover four stories: Stanford's Erik Brynjolfsson on why minimum wage increases are accelerating robot adoption. Anthropic's brand new labor market study — and why you should read it with a critical eye. The February job cut numbers, which look better than January but hide a more troubling signal. And Vinod Khosla predicting today's five-year-olds will never need jobs — a claim we push back on hard. The data is in. It's more complicated than either side wants to admit.   Watch the full episode on YouTube   ----- Start your day with the world's top leaders by joining thousands of others at Great Leadership on Substack. Just enter your email: ⁠⁠https://greatleadership.substack.com/ Stop patching problems and start designing an intentional workplace. The 8 Laws of Employee Experience gives you the how. Order your copy: 8EXlaws.com

March 4, 2026: The ECB just released new data showing companies that use AI are hiring, not firing — but the full story of what happened to bank tellers reveals why that optimism has a shelf life. USAA CEO Juan Andrade says Gen Z won't be as well off as Boomers and Gen X, and the numbers are stark: entry-level job postings down 29% globally, Gen Z financial insecurity up 18 points in a single year, and an average net worth of negative $22,000. Slack cofounder Stewart Butterfield says most of what passes for work in large organizations isn't actually work — he calls it hyper-realistic worklike activities, and the data shows it's costing U.S. companies $37 billion a year in ineffective meetings alone. And a neuroscientist who testified before the U.S. Senate says Silicon Valley convinced schools they were broken when they weren't, spent $30 billion putting screens in classrooms, and produced the first generation in modern history to score lower on cognitive tests than their parents — and now AI in classrooms is about to repeat the exact same mistake. Watch the full episode on Youtube ----- Start your day with the world's top leaders by joining thousands of others at Great Leadership on Substack. Just enter your email: ⁠⁠https://greatleadership.substack.com/ If you lead people, you design experiences—do it on purpose with The 8 Laws of Employee Experience. Order now: 8EXlaws.com

March 3, 2026: The hype around AI and jobs is loud. The actual data tells a more nuanced story. This week, Stanford economist Nick Bloom released the most rigorous study yet on AI's impact on employment and productivity — surveying nearly 6,000 executives across four countries with the Federal Reserve and Bank of England. The findings are striking: 90% of firms report zero employment impact from AI so far, yet US executives are planning to cut over two million jobs in the next three years based on gains that haven't materialized yet. We break down what that gap means for workers, leaders, and organizations. Plus: CNN pushes back on the viral AI doom-loop narrative — and why "don't freak out yet" isn't the same as "you're fine." Why 43% of workers want to change careers but almost none will — and the psychological trap behind what researchers are calling "job hugging." And the central irony of the AI economy: the companies spending trillions to automate knowledge work can't build the infrastructure to run it because there aren't enough electricians — and why Gen Z is starting to pay attention. ---------- Start your day with the world's top leaders by joining thousands of others at Great Leadership on Substack. Just enter your email: ⁠⁠https://greatleadership.substack.com/ Quick heads-up: my new book, The 8 Laws of Employee Experience, is a practical playbook for building an environment where people do their best work—order a copy here: 8EXlaws.com