In this episode of The Experience Designers, we dive deep into the world of neurodiversity with Tina Squire, an expert in fostering neuro-inclusive environments. Tina shares her personal journey with ADHD and how it has fueled her passion for creating workspaces where neurodiverse individuals are not just accommodated, but truly celebrated. This ep…

“A lot of people think that sport is a nice analogy. It’s really an outstanding analogy. World-class athletes have natural breaks in their schedule. Corporate athletes don’t. I mean, look at the HR data on executives taking vacations. They don’t do it. And if they do, they keep working. So there’s no downtime. And then when you do have downtime, wh…

In this episode, we’re joined by John Sills, managing partner at The Foundation and author of The Human Experience. John shares an incredible story of how a broken train in Switzerland became one of the most memorable customer experiences he’s ever had—and not because it went wrong, but because of how it was handled. Together, we dive into the hear…

''From an ESG perspective, we're looking at the environment, we're looking at social aspects, and we've got increased level of reporting requirements and regulations that have come in. But we've sort of forgotten about the most critical part that sits at the core of every organisation - that's the human being''. In this 14th episode of the Sustaina…

In this episode, Elena Aylott shares her unique journey from executive assistant to Vice President of Global Communications and Employee Experience at Oriflame Cosmetics to founding her own company, The Aylott Group. She emphasizes the importance of trust, adaptability, and community-building within organizations. Key takeaways include the impact o…

''What may hurt somebody, or what somebody may find unacceptable, might not even bother me. We’re all very subjective in that way. But I think coming from a neuroscience point of view, it's the damage that we know that it (bullying) does to the brain. However it manifests itself, however people experience it and whether they call it out or they don…

''Are we making enough progress when it comes to the social elements of sustainability? I don't think we are because we're overly stressed, we're burnt out, we're anxious, we don't spend enough time in nature, with our families, with ourselves really. And from an economic point of view, I also think we're far from where we'd like to be. I think we …

''From an investor's perspective, it's hard to identify intangible benefits from the financial statements. So, when we talk about human sustainability, we need to be clear, because investors pay more attention to actual numbers than whatever term we put those numbers under. The key challenge for evaluation is that we sometimes have to rely on econo…

''Air quality is periodically horrible. Periodically, when needed to be good, it's horrible. When the office is empty, it's pretty good. When you put people in a meeting room, close the door and ask them to start thinking about problems and investments, that's when air quality starts getting really bad. That's when it starts affecting their cogniti…

We are used to leadership being hierarchical. Always talking about the tone from the top. But what happens when we share leadership and power throughout the organization? And challenge our current ways of working in the most profound ways? With Mette Aagaard we explore the benefits, guiding principles and biggest challenges of shifting our corporat…

''You need to realize that if you're 40 years old and if you want to live to be 80, thinking, you know, I'll eat healthy when I turn 60, 70, let me live my life now. It doesn't work like that. One of the biggest risk factors for developing dementia later in life is how you lived your life in your midlife. So we have to realize that actually we have…

''Businesses that take a people first approach, do better when it comes to attracting and retaining talent. They perform better financially. They're more resilient. They bounce back faster. Their people are healthier... So I think many executives that I speak to intuitively understand this, but I also think that they are completely disoriented. Tha…

''As a leader, you have the ability to write your company's brain story for the first time. That's your job as a leader. You need to have a compelling vision that makes sense to as many of your employees as possible. So write your brain story for your company. Talk about mental health, talk about neurodiversity, talk about dementia issues, to boost…

''I do think that right now, the way that the balance sheet works, humans are seen as an expense and not an asset, technically. Until that changes, and there is a movement to change that, that's what it will be seen as: an investment in a human is an expense, not an asset. There's got to be a mind shift'' In this sixth episode of the Sustainable Hu…

"There is a huge gap in knowledge. If you work as an HR Director or a Sustainability Director, you need to know what it is. You need to understand Social Sustainability. And not only understand. I have never met a Sustainability Director that doesn't care about the planet. But I have met a lot of people working in important roles in companies that …

''We tend to think of health as a risk, which it is, but what about thinking about health as an asset? Then it will become our duty to also understand that we have an opportunity to account for everything that provides an opportunity to a business, not just the risk''. In this fourth episode of the Sustainable Human Podcast, our host Linda Jarnhamn…

We often talk about growth as some race to the top. A climb of the ladder, an improvement of our skills, but that narrative actually misses a core aspect of our evolution. Developing our ability to hold and make use of our new capacities. Nele is an organisational psychologist and coach who specialises in vertical development. We dive into what ver…

''Are we capturing the correct metrics? Are we even capturing metrics that matter? How are we leveraging those metrics? How are we interpreting those metrics and are we having honest conversations around what those metrics might show - even though it can be awkward and tough? And then how do we use that to make a difference? Both for the employees …

Par Steve Usher

''We need to be really clear about how an organisation measures human capital and assesses the capabilities overall. As investors become more and more demanding about seeing a more comprehensive overview of ESG, organisations will need to look across HR, ESG, finance and investor relations to take a more integrated approach''. In this second episod…

''Human sustainability takes on a lot of different layers… it’s about making sure that the human element of us has a positive impact on the world, that what we do, doesn’t take away from future generations'' In this first episode of the Sustainable Human Podcast, our host Linda Jarnhamn and Tauni Lanier, Director of the BDO ESG Hub in the UK take a…

Par Shani Persson

A first, short introductory episode of the "Sustainable Human Podcast". A podcast dedicated to the H in the S in ESG. A podcast for leaders who are committed to changing the way organisations approach, measure and report on human sustainability, within and outside of ESG regulations and standards. Hosted by Linda Jarnhamn, founder of flow2thrive, t…

Par Steve Usher

Performance and productivity are two important words in today’s work environment. And also, two charged words, because - what do they actually mean? Many of us will have experienced some kind of arbitrary, unfair, strange administrative process that attempts to evaluate the work that we do. With Linda, we take a scientific and neurological perspect…

What does a humanitarian business such as the British Red Cross do to ensure they’re also human-centric on the inside when creating an experience for their people? Well, they commit to a dedicated people experience team and start their journey of introducing a way of working that puts the employee at the heart of everything. Applying a human-centri…

The cognitive and rational mind dominates our conversation about performance in the workplace, but unlocking our full potential and abilities - and doing so sustainably over time - demands us to engage more than our brains. Only when we listen, learn to understand, and respond to the signals that our body sends us, are we able to actually enhance o…

The humble job interview. Did you know that the first offical job assessment was creating in 1921 by Thomas Edison who designed a written test to evaluate candidates' knowledge. Since then it’s safe to say, the interview has gone various developments. But at the core, it’s two humans coming together. Where so much is going on from a psychological, …

What distinguishes a well-functioning team from a friction-ridden one? How do we know what to spend time on as we start building a team? And what do we need to take ownership of as leaders and co-workers? With Eleni Jacobs we break down the concept of psychological safety and look at the conscious and unconscious dynamics that rule and create our t…

When was the last time you felt discomfort? Did you notice how you reacted? Was it subtle shifts in your body? Or major knee-jerk! How did it feel? What level of discomfort was it? 1 out of 10? 10 out of 10? Regardless of the situation. What's clear is we have a reaction. Sometimes subtle, other times more profound and impactful. This is where the …

Design is a buzzword for everything from products to customer- and employee experiences. But beyond that, it is a mindset and skill-set that requires dedicated practice both by individuals and organizations. With Andre Fangueiro we explore different facets of design, from individual behaviors to leadership, career development and organizational str…

As employee experience continues to evolve from buzzword to creating impact inside of organizations. I was curious to explore the world of customer experience. How did they go from buzzword to a discipline, business function and career choice? What learnings can we leverage for the EX evolution? How can we make better use of connecting these two si…

In this special episode Shani and Steve look back on their first year of running Wonder together and what it means to do life and business in a more human way. They share 10 big lessons they’ve learnt over the course of the year and the different facets of more human.Par Steve Usher

In a quick-paced and demanding work environment, community is something many companies and individuals seek to build - to be less alone, to become more creative, to solve problems more effectively. With Anamaria Dorgo's unique voice and experience in community building, we explore what makes a good community. And how do we go about creating communi…

Theo Smith brings a unique lens to the workplace in the form of Neurodiversity. If you’re struggling to understand what this is or how it applies to your business - I promise you, it is relevant and already exists in your business. It’s just a matter of whether you understand it, are asking the right questions or prepared to adapt and evolve to it.…

When we discuss communication we often end up speaking about strategies for talking to people, how we can convey information and create engagement, but we spend less time understanding how that interaction works and how different people both send and receive messages. Together with Josh Hammonds we try to decode different styles of communication an…

Our ability to collaborate and collaborate constructively is one of the key predictors of productivity, innovation and success overall. Working well together is not just a set of skills, it is also a mindset. Together with Jim Tamm we explore what Radical Collaboration means and dive into the capabilities we need in order to take radical responsibi…

Dieter Veldsmen is Chief Scientist - HR and Organizational Development at the Academy to Innovate HR based in the Netherlands means he’s perfectly positioned to share insights on the current trends and challenges. Together, we explore the increasing focus and need for more human-centricity, the shifts with labour unrest, and not being heard, result…

In environments aimed towards productivity and reaching goals, wellbeing can easily be perceived as a distraction. When in fact, our wellness sets the tone for our relationships, our creativity and our ability to contribute. Together with Teresa Clark, we explore different lenses of wellbeing, such as trust, feedback and creativity and how we can t…

Sally Winston from Qualtrics dives into the dynamic world of employee experience. We explore how employee listening has transformed from annual surveys to continuous insights, empowering organizations to make informed decisions on their time, resources, and budget. We also explore how employee experience evolves as a role and function in shaping th…

Change is often approached with toolkits, frameworks and curves, something that we try to break down into comprehensible pieces to control. Instead, we can choose a different route - seeing change as a mindset, a capability or a state of being. With Alex Budak we dive into the practices and skills we need to practice to live with and drive change i…

Building a people function inside of a scale-up business is a tricky ask. Everything is being created in the moment. Very little stays consistent, and things change constantly. In this episode you'll meet Linnea Bywall, Head of People at Alva Labs. We explore her journey from being employee number 14 to building out their people function, sharing t…

We talk a lot about how to create a meaningful life and strong connections and relationships, to increase our quality of life, but what happens to our needs and preferences when they are pushed to their extreme? When we know we are about to die do we choose any differently? With Carina, we explore her observations of people’s last wishes in palliat…

The experience of work and life have long been treated as two separate experiences, but what happens when we think about work the same way we think about life? With Aga we dive into what corporate cultures look like that make space for us to be human and what is needed for a workplace to send positive ripples into our lives.…

Time to give up organizational charts, KPI’s, control and let go! Organize your company like a planetary system of circles. Let these circles self-organize and run the company. No hierarchy! Whilst your people play roles in these circles – your career doesn't go "up", it's about jumping through circles to constantly learn, contribute and grow.…

Feedback has become a core component of work-life and the way we collaborate, but from a growth- and advancement-perspective it might not be hitting the mark. With Eva Hamboldt we explore how our brains react to feedback, why it might not be the best solution and how we could choose to do feedback instead.…

We discuss the shifts and trends impacting the HR industry. The opportunities created both during and post COVID for the function itself. What prompted SAP to create a new HR model, how they've approached this redesign in order to add value to the organization in new ways.Par Steve Usher

Self-leadership has made a name for itself during the transition into hybrid work, and not always in the best way. With Mia and Malin we explore what self-leadership is and how it can be a tool for us to “bring our full selves to work”. And we talk about misconceptions around self-leadership - what it is NOT - and how we as leaders and co-workers t…

Par Steve Usher

We know the brain is made for survival, but are we good at using its potential to grow and change? With Maria, we lean in to explore how we can help our brains create new pathways and change both our own capabilities, self-awareness and even how we experience life.Par Shani Persson