328: Creating Space for Better Work with KeyAnna Schmiedl

How can you create the conditions for people to do their best work?In this week’s episode, Aoife focused on workplace motivation, with particular attention to intrinsic motivation and self-determination theory. Rather than relying only on pay, rewards, carrots, or sticks, Aoife explores 3 universal psychological needs: autonomy, connection, and mastery.In This Episode, You’ll Discover:Why intrinsic motivation comes from creating the right conditions for people to do their best work, rather than relying on rewards or pressureHow autonomy looks different for different people, and why some need freedom and choice while others need clearer guidance, direction, and boundariesWhy the same management style can land very differently, leaving one person feeling micromanaged and another wanting more detail and support How shared language can help your team talk openly about frustration, motivation, and what’s getting in the way of their best work How to build connection by helping people see the impact of their work on customers, revenue, objectives, and team outcomesRelated Topics Covered:Psychology Safety, Purpose at Work, Facing Challenges Connect with Aoife O’Brien | Host of Happier at Work®:Website LinkedIn YouTube Related Episodes & Resources:Episode 279: Trust & High Performance at WorkEpisode 293: Recognising & Understanding your Drivers at WorkAbout Happier at Work®Happier at Work® is the podcast for business leaders who want to create meaningful, human-centric workplaces. Hosted by Aoife O’Brien, the show explores leadership, career clarity, imposter syndrome, workplace culture, and employee engagement — helping you and your team thrive.If you enjoy podcasts like WorkLife with Adam Grant, The Happiness Lab, or Squiggly Careers, you’ll love Happier at Work®.Editing by Amanda Fitzgerald.Website: https://happieratwork.ie LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aoifemobrien/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HappierAtWorkHQ

Are we using AI to make work better, or just to create more work?In this bonus episode, Aoife shares the key takeaways from her conversation with KeyAnna Schmiedl, Chief Human Experience Officer at Workhuman, recorded live at the Unleash conference in Paris. They cover rethinking work from first principles, leading with better questions, sustainable performance, and what to do with the time AI gives back.In this episode, you’ll discover:Why AI is an opportunity to rethink work, not just do the same tasks fasterHow leaders can shift from having all the answers to asking better questionsWhy performance should be measured by how results are achieved, not just what is achievedHow to make it safe for people to challenge you and push backWhat happens to the time AI saves, and whether it goes to more output or more human workHow to link your approach to AI to your thriving talent modelListen to the Full Episode Connect with Aoife O’Brien | Host of Happier at Work®:Website LinkedIn YouTube Connect with KeyAnna Schmiedl | Chief Human Experience Officer at Workhuman:WebsiteLinkedInEpisodes You’ll Love:Episode 251: How I Use AI in my Business and Personal Life with Aoife O’BrienEpisode 312: Maximsing AI Productivity with Rebecca HindsEpisode 321: Redesigning Work in The Age of AIAbout Happier at WorkHappier at Work is the podcast for business leaders who want to create meaningful, human-centric workplaces. Hosted by Aoife O’Brien, the show explores leadership, career clarity, imposter syndrome, workplace culture, and employee engagement — helping you and your team thrive.If you enjoy podcasts like WorkLife with Adam Grant, The Happiness Lab, or Squiggly Careers, you’ll love Happier at Work.Join Aoife O’Brien for weekly insights on leadership, workplace culture, career clarity, imposter syndrome, and creating work that works for you.Editing by Amanda Fitzgerald.Website: https://happieratwork.ie LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aoifemobrien/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HappierAtWorkHQ

Do you want to redesign work around people, purpose, and better outcomes?In this episode of the Happier at Work podcast, recorded live at the Unleash conference in Paris, Aoife spoke to the incredible KeyAnna Schmiedl of Workhuman. Together, they explore the future of work, artificial intelligence, leadership, and what it really takes to make work better. Rather than starting with the latest AI tool, they focus on identifying the problems people experience at work and finding the right technology to support meaningful solutions.In This Episode, You’ll Discover:Why AI adoption must start with people and the problems they’re trying to solve.The importance of redesigning work around outcomes rather than tasks.How leaders can move from having all the answers to asking the right questions.Why organisations need to care about how results are achieved, not only the results themselves.Related Topics Covered:AI at Work, Capabilities, Workplace Contribution Connect with Aoife O’Brien | Host of Happier at Work®:Website LinkedIn YouTube Connect with KeyAnna Schmiedl | Chief Human Experience Officer at Workhuman:WebsiteLinkedInEpisodes You’ll Love:Episode 251: How I Use AI in my Business and Personal Life with Aoife O’BrienEpisode 312: Maximsing AI Productivity with Rebecca HindsEpisode 321: Redesigning Work in The Age of AIAbout Happier at Work®Happier at Work® is the podcast for business leaders who want to create meaningful, human-centric workplaces. Hosted by Aoife O’Brien, the show explores leadership, career clarity, imposter syndrome, workplace culture, and employee engagement — helping you and your team thrive.If you enjoy podcasts like WorkLife with Adam Grant, The Happiness Lab, or Squiggly Careers, you’ll love Happier at Work®.Join Aoife O’Brien for weekly insights on leadership, workplace culture, career clarity, imposter syndrome, and creating work that works for you.Editing by Amanda Fitzgerald.Website: https://happieratwork.ie LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aoifemobrien/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HappierAtWorkHQ

How do you build trust at work, and what behaviours might be quietly eroding it?In this solo episode of the Happier at Work podcast, Aoife O'Brien explores the foundations of trust in the workplace and why trust between individuals deserves more attention. She distinguishes trust from psychological safety and examines how people’s different starting points, experiences, and expectations shape the way they decide whether someone is trustworthy.In This Episode, You’ll Discover:Why people have different default levels of trust.The three foundations of workplace trust: ability, benevolence, and integrity.How capability and context influence whether someone can be trusted to deliver.Why good intentions aren’t enough if your behaviour doesn’t demonstrate care for others.Related Topics Covered:Capabilities, Personal Development, Relationships at Work Connect with Aoife O’Brien | Host of Happier at Work®:Website LinkedIn YouTube Related Episodes & Resources:Episode 279: Trust & High Performance at WorkEpisode 218: How Can You Improve Happiness & Trust at Work with Matt PhelanAbout Happier at Work®Happier at Work® is the podcast for business leaders who want to create meaningful, human-centric workplaces. Hosted by Aoife O’Brien, the show explores leadership, career clarity, imposter syndrome, workplace culture, and employee engagement — helping you and your team thrive.If you enjoy podcasts like WorkLife with Adam Grant, The Happiness Lab, or Squiggly Careers, you’ll love Happier at Work®.Editing by Amanda Fitzgerald.Website: https://happieratwork.ie LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aoifemobrien/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HappierAtWorkHQ

In this bonus episode, Aoife shares her key takeaways from her conversation with Jeff Wetzler about genuine curiosity and psychological safety at work. It works as a refresher if you've heard the full episode, and as a nudge to put the ideas into practice. In this episode, you’ll discover:Why applying pressure when someone hasn't done what you expected tends to backfire, and why genuine curiosity works betterWhat gets in the way of curiosity: fear of the answer, time pressure, and the threat response triggered in high-stakes momentsStep 1: Build genuine curiosity. Step 2: Create psychological safety. Step 3: Ask high-quality questions. Step 4: Listen.Step 5: Close the loop. Connect with Aoife O’Brien | Host of Happier at Work®:Website LinkedIn YouTube Connect with Jeff Wetzler | Author and Human Potential & Learning Expert:WebsitePodcastJeff’s BooksLinkedInEpisodes You’ll Love:Episode 316: Mastering Your Inner Narrative with Owen FitzpatrickEpisode 228: Fostering Genuine Curiosity and Building Trust at Work with Julie PhamEpisode 296: Learning in The Age of AI with Damon LembiAbout Happier at WorkHappier at Work is the podcast for business leaders who want to create meaningful, human-centric workplaces. Hosted by Aoife O’Brien, the show explores leadership, career clarity, imposter syndrome, workplace culture, and employee engagement — helping you and your team thrive.If you enjoy podcasts like WorkLife with Adam Grant, The Happiness Lab, or Squiggly Careers, you’ll love Happier at Work.Join Aoife O’Brien for weekly insights on leadership, workplace culture, career clarity, imposter syndrome, and creating work that works for you.Editing by Amanda Fitzgerald.Website: https://happieratwork.ie LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aoifemobrien/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HappierAtWorkHQ

How can leaders create enough psychological safety for people to share what they really think?In the latest episode of the Happier at Work podcast, Jeff Wetzler, author of ‘Ask: Tap into the Hidden Wisdom of People Around You’, explains how curiosity, thoughtful questions, and active listening can help leaders access the collective intelligence within their teams and organisations.In This Episode, You’ll Discover:Why genuine curiosity starts with asking, “What can I learn here?” rather than focusing on what you want someone else to do.How leaders can create psychological safety by acknowledging the power of their position and choosing contexts where people feel more comfortable speaking honestly.The importance of opening up first, explaining why you’re asking, and showing that you can handle difficult feedback.Why frontline workers often hold valuable knowledge about customers, patients, processes, and organisational challenges.How the quality of a question determines the quality of the information you receive.Related Topics Covered:Psychological Safety, Building Trust at Work Connect with Aoife O’Brien | Host of Happier at Work®:WebsiteLinkedInYouTube Connect with Jeff Wetzler | Author and Human Potential & Learning Expert:WebsitePodcastJeff’s BooksLinkedInEpisodes You’ll Love:Episode 316: Mastering Your Inner Narrative with Owen FitzpatrickEpisode 228: Fostering Genuine Curiosity and Building Trust at Work with Julie PhamEpisode 296: Learning in The Age of AI with Damon LembiAbout Happier at Work®Happier at Work® is the podcast for business leaders who want to create meaningful, human-centric workplaces. Hosted by Aoife O’Brien, the show explores leadership, career clarity, imposter syndrome, workplace culture, and employee engagement — helping you and your team thrive.If you enjoy podcasts like WorkLife with Adam Grant, The Happiness Lab, or Squiggly Careers, you’ll love Happier at Work®.Join Aoife O’Brien for weekly insights on leadership, workplace culture, career clarity, imposter syndrome, and creating work that works for you.Editing by Amanda Fitzgerald.Website: https://happieratwork.ie LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aoifemobrien/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HappierAtWorkHQ

Are you sure someone is underperforming, or are you missing what’s preventing them from doing their best?In this solo episode of the Happier at Work podcast, Aoife O'Brien explores the assumption that people are doing their best and what it changes for leaders. Rather than quickly labelling someone as lazy, difficult, unmotivated, or incapable, she encourages you to look more closely at capability, role fit, expectations, resources, psychological safety, workload, and your own contribution to the situation.In This Episode, You’ll Discover:Why assuming people are doing their best helps leaders look beyond quick judgments.The role of capability, including skills, knowledge, experience, strengths, and confidence.How a mismatch between someone’s strengths and their role can affect performance.The importance of clear expectations, appropriate autonomy, resources, support, and psychological safety.Related Topics Covered:Personal Development, Psychological Safety, Capabilities at Work Connect with Aoife O’Brien | Host of Happier at Work®:Website LinkedIn YouTube Related Episodes & Resources:Episode 289: Leadership Choices that Define your CultureEpisode 295: From Individual Strengths to Team CapabilityEpisode 297: Creating Space for Talent to ThriveEpisode 315: Imposter Syndrome: Why Confidence ≠ CapabilityAbout Happier at Work®Happier at Work® is the podcast for business leaders who want to create meaningful, human-centric workplaces. Hosted by Aoife O’Brien, the show explores leadership, career clarity, imposter syndrome, workplace culture, and employee engagement — helping you and your team thrive.If you enjoy podcasts like WorkLife with Adam Grant, The Happiness Lab, or Squiggly Careers, you’ll love Happier at Work®.Editing by Amanda Fitzgerald.Website: https://happieratwork.ie LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aoifemobrien/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HappierAtWorkHQ

In this bonus episode of the Happier at Work podcast, Aoife O'Brien shares her key takeaways from her insightful conversation with Kate Donovan on burnout. Drawing on Kate's upcoming book Mismatch, Aoife unpacks the idea that burnout isn't about needing a perfect fit at work, most of us just need a "good enough" match most of the time. When that match breaks down across areas like workload, autonomy, fairness, community, values, and reward, burnout can creep in.Here are some of the key takeaways:Mismatch, not perfection, is the goal.Most of the time we need roughly a 75% match between our needs and our environment — not a total match — for things to feel like they're working.Six core areas of mismatch drive burnoutWorkload, autonomy, fairness, community, values, and reward.Burnout is a kind of stress you cannot recover from:A helpful reframe for identifying when normal stress has tipped into something more serious."Toxic" is overused.Some workplaces really are toxic, but many difficult experiences are better understood as a mismatch — a distinction that can be empowering rather than blaming.Physical signals matter.People who've experienced this kind of neglect may struggle to notice basic physiological needs (hunger, thirst, needing the bathroom, tiredness) — a warning sign that can also mask the approach of burnout. Connect with Aoife O’Brien | Host of Happier at Work®:WebsiteLinkedInYouTube Connect with Cait Donovan | Author, Culture & Leadership Keynote Speaker & Advisor:LinkedInWebsiteEpisodes You’ll Love:Episode 241: Exploring The Phases of Burnout with Aoife O’BrienEpisode 294: The Realities of Leadership Mental Health with Melissa DomanAbout Happier at WorkHappier at Work is the podcast for business leaders who want to create meaningful, human-centric workplaces. Hosted by Aoife O’Brien, the show explores leadership, career clarity, imposter syndrome, workplace culture, and employee engagement — helping you and your team thrive.If you enjoy podcasts like WorkLife with Adam Grant, The Happiness Lab, or Squiggly Careers, you’ll love Happier at Work.Join Aoife O’Brien for weekly insights on leadership, workplace culture, career clarity, imposter syndrome, and creating work that works for you.Editing by Amanda Fitzgerald.Website: https://happieratwork.ie LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aoifemobrien/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HappierAtWorkHQ

How can you recognise burnout, understand its root causes, and create a better match between people and the workplace?In this episode of the Happier at Work podcast, Aoife O'Brien speaks with Cait Donovan, author of the upcoming book ‘Mismatch: Why Good People Burn Out in Good Organisations’, about the difference between chronic stress and burnout, the role of workplace mismatches, and why burnout is blameless. Cait explains that burnout is defined by a lack of recoverability, with recovery taking 12 to 18 months on average.In This Episode, You’ll Discover:The difference between chronic stress and burnout, and why recoverability is the key distinction.Why burnout can take 12 to 18 months to recover from.How childhood experiences and emotional neglect can affect interoception, agency, and the ability to notice stress signals.Why burnout is blameless, with contributing factors often found in both the individual and the workplace.Related Topics Covered:Workplace Culture, Mental Health, Chronic Stress at Work Connect with Aoife O’Brien | Host of Happier at Work®:Website LinkedIn YouTube Connect with Cait Donovan | Author, Culture & Leadership Keynote Speaker & Advisor:LinkedInWebsiteEpisodes You’ll Love:Episode 241: Exploring The Phases of Burnout with Aoife O’BrienEpisode 294: The Realities of Leadership Mental Health with Melissa DomanAbout Happier at Work®Happier at Work® is the podcast for business leaders who want to create meaningful, human-centric workplaces. Hosted by Aoife O’Brien, the show explores leadership, career clarity, imposter syndrome, workplace culture, and employee engagement — helping you and your team thrive.If you enjoy podcasts like WorkLife with Adam Grant, The Happiness Lab, or Squiggly Careers, you’ll love Happier at Work®.Join Aoife O’Brien for weekly insights on leadership, workplace culture, career clarity, imposter syndrome, and creating work that works for you.Editing by Amanda Fitzgerald.Website: https://happieratwork.ie LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aoifemobrien/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HappierAtWorkHQ

How do you know what your team is truly capable of?In this episode of the Happier at Work podcast, Aoife O'Brien explores why current performance, job titles, CVs, and manager perceptions don’t always reveal someone’s full capability. She shares her own experience of working in a role that didn’t fully use her strengths, and explains how limited opportunities, low confidence, a lack of psychological safety, or the wrong working conditions can hide valuable talent within an organisation.In This Episode, You’ll Discover:Why organisations often look externally for skills and capabilities that already exist internally.The difference between task-based skills and broader capabilities, including strengths, knowledge, experience, and confidence.How psychological safety affects people’s willingness to speak up, experiment, challenge, and fail.Why confidence can mask someone’s true capability at work.Related Topics Covered:Human Capability, The AI Age, Psychological Safety Connect with Aoife O’Brien | Host of Happier at Work®:Website LinkedIn YouTube Related Episodes & Resources:Episode 289: Leadership Choices that Define your CultureEpisode 295: From Individual Strengths to Team CapabilityEpisode 297: Creating Space for Talent to ThriveEpisode 315: Imposter Syndrome: Why Confidence ≠ CapabilityAbout Happier at Work®Happier at Work® is the podcast for business leaders who want to create meaningful, human-centric workplaces. Hosted by Aoife O’Brien, the show explores leadership, career clarity, imposter syndrome, workplace culture, and employee engagement — helping you and your team thrive.If you enjoy podcasts like WorkLife with Adam Grant, The Happiness Lab, or Squiggly Careers, you’ll love Happier at Work®.Editing by Amanda Fitzgerald.Website: https://happieratwork.ie LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aoifemobrien/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HappierAtWorkHQ