In this episode of Empowering Workplaces, hosts Sanja Licina, PhD, and Maddie Grant welcome Cassie Holmes, a professor at UCLA’s Anderson School of Management and author of the best-selling book “Happier Hour: How to Beat Distraction, Expand Your Time, and Focus on What Matters Most.”

This episode might just transform the way you think about time and happiness in your professional and personal life. Discover the surprising findings from Cassie’s research, including the relationship between discretionary time and happiness, the power of turning routines into rituals, and the importance of savoring everyday moments. You’ll leave this episode with practical insights to invest your time more wisely and find joy in the ordinary.

In today’s episode, we talk about the pivotal role that data and people analytics plays in considering whether to, or the best way how to have your workforce retun to the office. This topic has been top of mind for most employers for months now, with many still looking for a better way to make decisions on the best way forward.

Join us for an insightful and data driven conversation with Serena Huang, PhD, Founder and CEO of Data with Serena and Chief Data Officer at Abe, that sheds light on the importance of tailoring strategies to meet the unique needs of employees while fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion and creating a culture of wellbeing.

In today’s episode, Eric Ortega, Employee Experience Manager and Culture Coach at World Market, takes us on a journey through the company’s remarkable transformation, driven by the redefinition of their values, and how they use them to guide their culture transformation. Discover how they truly leaned into their employee feedback, navigated organizational change, and empowered their workforce to create a workplace where everyone thrives.

Eric shares both strategic and practical advice from the first moment that World Market decided to evaluate their values, all the way to how they are bringing them to life during every step of their employee journey. This episode is a must listen for all culture champions who are looking for better ways to use employee surveys as a part of their organizational strategy, especially when it comes to redefining their organizational values and using them to ignite their culture.

In this episode, we talk about embracing your true self in the workplace, featuring our special guest, Erin Coupe, founder of Authentically EC, and whose personal journey from the corporate world to self-discovery serves as a powerful testimonial to the significance of staying authentic.

Join us as we unveil Erin’s inspiring story, her strategies for self-exploration through journaling and meditation, and the profound impact that embracing your genuine self can have on your overall life satisfaction. If you’ve ever felt confined by the pressures of conforming to external expectations, this episode is a must listen.

Join Sanja Licina, PhD, and Maddie Grant as they engage in a thought-provoking conversation with Janet Pogue McLaurin, Gensler’s Global Director of Workplace Research, in this episode of Empowering Workplaces. Explore the transformative insights from Gensler’s 2023 Workplace Survey Report, uncovering the evolving needs and desires of employees in the post-pandemic era.

Discover the balance between remote work and in-person collaboration, as well as the crucial role of thoughtful office design in boosting productivity and enriching experiences.

Join host Sanja Licina, PhD, along with special guests Jasenka Šabanović Facilitator & Executive Coach Facilitator & Executive Coach at The Fast Forward Group and Guille Santana, Marketing Manager at QuestionPro for an insightful exploration of the “Wheel of Life.”

In this episode, we delve into the art of achieving work-life harmony and well-being. Discover the transformative power of assessing and nurturing the diverse facets of your life – from career and relationships to health and personal growth. As we hear stories of self-discovery and growth, you’ll gain insights into aligning your values and priorities to lead a purpose-driven life.

Join hosts Sanja Licina, PhD, and Maddie Grant in this enlightening episode of Empowering Workplaces as they dive deep into the world of imposter syndrome with their esteemed guest, Aoife O’Brien, founder of Happier at Work. Discover how organizations can support job seekers in overcoming imposter syndrome and unleash their true potential. Aoife shares her personal journey from the fast-moving consumer goods industry to becoming an expert on workplace culture, imposter syndrome, and podcasting. Learn how imposter syndrome affects visibility, novelty, and representation, and gain insights into recognizing and managing these challenges.

In this thought-provoking episode of “Empowering Workplaces,” hosts Sanja Licina, PhD, and Maddie Grant engage in a fascinating conversation with the esteemed guest, Juana Bordas. As a leadership and diversity expert, author of “The Power of Latino Leadership,” and the founder of Mestiza Leadership International, Juana brings a wealth of knowledge and experiences to the discussion.

Juana shares her multicultural background as a Nicaraguan-born Spanish Indian with French and Mexican heritage. Having immigrated at a young age, she reflects on the sacrifices made by her parents to provide her with a better life, and how this experience has shaped her understanding of multicultural societies.

In this episode, we sit down with Kori Gorman, director of catering and events for entertainment, as we dive into the value of face-to-face meetings and the significance of building strong relationships in the corporate world.

Discover how remote work has provided a unique opportunity to glimpse into the personal lives of employees, bringing a newfound sense of authenticity and human connection to professional interactions. Kori explores the impact of creating comfortable, relaxed environments that foster organic collaboration and meaningful conversations.

In this episode of Empowering Workplaces, we dive into the crucial topic of psychological safety with renowned experts Dr. Karolyn Helbig and Minette Norman, authors of the book “The Psychological Safety Playbook.”
With years of experience and research, our guests shed light on the importance of psychological safety and how it enables high-performing teams, fosters innovation, and cultivates a sense of inclusion and belonging. Discover practical strategies for individuals and organizations to enhance psychological safety and create safer, more empowering workplaces.
Join us as we explore what psychological safety means, how it impacts workers, and why it is gaining significant attention in today’s workplaces.

Join us in today’s episode as we venture into the intriguing world of the Future of Work, together with our special guest Al Adamsen, CEO of My Future of Work and author of the Future of Work Study. This time, we explore the profound implications of technological advancements, AI, automation, and globalization on both organizations and individuals.

Throughout our conversation, we emphasize the importance of evidence-based decision-making, effective governance, and integrated approaches within organizations. Moreover, we delve into the advocacy for a purpose-driven workplace experience that aligns individual, team, and organizational goals, all while addressing the crucial aspects of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

In this episode, Maddie Grant reports from on-site in San Diego at the WorkHuman conference (“the world’s most transformative HR conference”), where she interviews Tom Libretto, President at Workhuman, Khalil Smith, Vice President, Inclusion, Diversity, and Engagement at Akamai Technologies, and Peter Church, Chief People Officer at Point32Health, about how to empower humans in the workplace and what’s top of mind for these industry experts.

In this episode of Empowering Workplaces, hosts Maddie Grant and Sanja Licina, PhD, sit down with Jim Frawley, bestselling author of “Adapting in Motion” and TEDx Speaker, to discuss the exciting world of AI and how individuals and organizations can adapt to the changes it brings. They delve into Jim’s insights on executive development, the impact of AI on different industries, and the need for continuous adaptation. Discover how to navigate the evolving landscape of AI and harness its potential to transform work and unleash creativity. Join the conversation and learn how to embrace change in an AI-driven world.

In today’s episode, we are joined by Meisha-ann Martin, Ph.D, Senior Director of People Analytics and Research at Workhuman, to discuss a specific way leaders can demonstrate their commitment to creating an inclusive and empowering work environment. Discover the hidden patterns and biases that affect diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and learn how people analytics can help bridge the gap between organizational intent and employee experience. Get ready for an enlightening conversation that will empower you to make a real difference in your workplace.

In this episode of Empowering Workplaces, hosts Sanja Licina, PhD and Maddie Grant discuss the impact of managers on employee mental health with Dr. Richard Safeer, Chief Medical Director of Employee Health and Wellbeing at Johns Hopkins Medicine and author of A Cure for the Common Company. The conversation centers around the surprising data point that 69% of employees say their manager has a big impact on their mental health, which is equal to the percentage of respondents who said their spouse has a big impact.

The discussion touches on the responsibility of managers to show up for their people with empathy and compassion, and the role of organizations in equipping managers to support employee wellbeing. Dr. Safeer provides insights and tips for creating a healthy workplace culture that empowers employees and leaders to prioritize mental health and wellbeing.

In this episode of Empowering Workplaces, we sit down with Claudia Miller, a sought-after career coach for women in tech, to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing women in the industry. Claudia shares her personal journey of navigating the corporate world as a first-generation college graduate and how she became a successful career coach. We delve into the importance of networking, developing business skills, and leveraging them to advance your career. We also explore the data that shows women graduate with many STEM degrees but often face barriers to entering and advancing in the tech industry. Join us for an insightful conversation on how women can navigate career growth in tech and break down the barriers to success.

In this episode of Empowering Workplaces, healthcare executive leadership coach and bestselling author Dr. Lizette Warner joins us to discuss the importance of authenticity and energy in leadership. Dr. Warner shares her background in healthcare and leadership development, and how she came to write her book Power, Poise, and Presence: A New Approach to Authentic Leadership.

She explains the concept of biomarkers and how they can be used to identify the things that indicate a problem in leadership, and emphasizes the importance of taking care of oneself and filling one’s own energy cup to show up authentically in the workplace.
We also share an interesting data point: According to a recent QuestionPro Instant Answers Survey, 64% of people feel like they can be their authentic selves at work as a leader. However, 28% of people responded with “somewhat”, 5% said “not really”, and 4% said “not at all.” Tune in to hear Dr. Warner’s insights on how to cultivate authenticity and energy in your leadership style.

In this episode we chat with Jamie Notter, workplace culture expert and one of the brains behind the WorkXO Culture Assessment, which is part of QuestionPro Workforce Employee Experience Platform. Jamie shares some fascinating data about “culture patterns” that have emerged from collecting over 2m data points from hundreds of organizations.

Does your company suffer from “awkward collaboration”, “heavy agility” or “incomplete innovation”? Find out in this fascinating conversation.conversation.