8. Equip Yourself with "Manager Tools"

'Flexible' or 'hybrid working' is no longer a novelty but an everyday reality for many. But how will this new era change the way we think about workspace design? In this bonus episode we visit architects Urban Soul Project in Thessaloniki, Greece, to talk to managing director Tassos Georgantzis about the importance of designing your workspace with the company's culture in mind and the need for it to function as much more than just the place you come to work. Plus: we get practical advice from Klaus Pronarth at global furniture designer Steelcase, and learn why their Learning and Innovation centre in Munich features smart paths of circulation and an on-campus café, as a way to encourage socialising and spontaneity .

In this special episode we are joined by Pim de Morree - one half of Employee Experience royalty Corporate Rebels. Pim and co-founder Joost Minnaar ditched their frustrating office jobs to embark on a journey as a couple of rebels visiting pioneers who are changing the status quo of workplaces. Today, we learn what they discovered. We talk about organisational design, their famous bucket list, the origins of the brand, and more. Plus: all about mushroom management and why it fails.  Episode Notes:  Pim de Morree and Joost Minnaar founded the Corporate Rebels blog in 2016, to share their thoughts and findings from visiting workplaces around the world that inspired them. Since then the brand has expanded to include the Corporate Rebels Academy, presentations & workshops, the Corporate Rebels book, and more.  Books mentioned:  "Corporate Rebels: Make Work More Fun" (2020) by Pim de Morree and Joost Minnaar "Maverick: The Success Story Behind the World's Most Unusual Workplace" (1993) by Ricardo Semler  "Turn the Ship Around!: A True Story of Turning Followers into Leaders" (2013) by L. David Marquet "Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World" (2015) by General Stanley McChrystal "Reinventing Organizations: A Guide to Creating Organizations Inspired by the Next Stage in Human Consciousness" (2014) by Frederick Laloux

We're back! On this episode: what does it take to be a fearless organisation? One where employees can raise new ideas, concerns and even share mistakes without hesitation. When people feel psychologically safe, organisations thrive: better ideas, greater risk taking, more learning and fewer disastrous decisions. Amy Edmondson, Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at the Harvard Business School her groundbreaking research on creating psychological safety in the workplace. Plus: the secret behind Pixar's unprecedented success in the entertainment industry.  Episode Notes:  Amy Edmondson is the Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at the Harvard Business School. She studies teaming, psychological safety, and organizational learning. Her most recent book, "The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation and Growth", offers a practical guide for organizations striving for success in today's economy.  

There's a lot more to Onboarding than the first day and week. Guests Michael Watkins, author of 'The First 90 Days' and Christoph Drebes, founder of Mystery Minds, walk us through the steps we can take to support our new employees: how do we invest in their learning process? How does onboarding internal promotions differ from external hires? What about junior vs senior employees? Plus: what you need to know about getting to the break-even point.  Episode Notes:  Michael Watkins is the author of 'The First 90 Days: Proven Strategies for Getting Up to Speed Faster and Smarter', a book The Economist has dubbed "the onboarding bible." He's the co-founder of Boston-based consultancy Genesis Advisers, and Professor of Leadership and Organizational Change at the IMD Business School in Switzerland.  Christoph Drebes is the  co-founder of Mystery Minds, a platform aiming to humanise the digital world by offering innovative networking and collaboration solutions.   

In this special episode we share our extended interview with Mark Horstman, legendary co-host of the multiple award-winning 'Manager Tools' podcast, to discuss how we, as managers, can create a positive employee experience. We talk about the common misconceptions around coaching, how to give and receive feedback, good and bad interview practices, and Mark's book, 'The Effective Manager'. Plus: how to build trust with your direct reports. Episode notes:  Mark Horstman is the co-host of multiple-award-winning podcast 'Manager Tools'. He is also the co-founder of the management consulting and training firm of the same name, an initiative which came about as a result of the podcast's success. Mark has written the book, 'The Effective Manager'. 

More than 1 in 5 companies are preparing for a reduction in office space in the coming year. Guests Dave Ulrich and Christoph Drebes share their expert insight: What does the future of work look like, and how should we manage, develop, and enable our talent in the new hybrid reality? Plus: what kind of capabilities should HR professionals have to support their company in the future? Episode notes:  Dave Ulrich is a professor at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. He is also a co-founder and partner at the RBL group, a consulting firm on the forefront of strategic HR transformation, leadership capability development, and strategy implementation. Christoph Drebes is the director & co-founder of Mystery Minds, an organization that focuses on humanizing the digital world. They offer creative solutions that help establish meaningful connections between people in any company. mysteryminds.com  

They say that the true test of leadership is how well you can manage your team during transitions. Guest Caryn Davis shares an intimate view of her experience managing change at The Coca-Cola Company, including the recent pandemic turbulence and remote working. We also get the scoop on how to create an amazing offboarding experience that will benefit exiting employees and companies alike. Plus: the importance of maintaining an alumni network.  Episode Notes:  Caryn Davis is Vice President of the HR Europe Operating Unit at The Coca-Cola Company, where she has worked for nearly three decades.

In this special episode we sit down with Matthew Wride, co-author of 'The Employee Experience: How to Attract Talent, Retain Top Performers, and Drive Results'  to discuss taking EX to the next level. What are the explicit and implicit contracts we have with our employees? How do we achieve expectations alignment? What are Moments of Truth (MOTs) and why do they matter? Plus: how to create MAGIC (hint: it's an acronym)  Episode notes:  Matthew Wride is the COO for DecisionWise, a leadership and management consulting firm providing leaders with tools and resources to improve the employee experience.    

It's time for a shift in perspective. The offer process isn't just about picking the right candidate for our company- it's also about making sure they pick us and have a great experience while they're at it. Guests Tijana Kovacevic and Cristina Almeida share their trade secrets: what should we be including in our offer letter to a potential new hire? We also discuss onboarding: how should we plan for our employee's first week at work, and how do we personalise remote onboarding? Plus: what you should know about that often-overlooked period between the offer and your employee's first day on the job: pre-boarding.  Episode Notes:  Tijana Kovacevic is Head of People Development at fin-tech company Wise, formerly known as TransferWise.  wise.com  Cristina Almeida is  a brand strategist, platform manager -and a self-declared storyteller- at MAZE, a Lisbon-based impact investment firm that accelerates and invests in solutions for social and environmental challenges. maze-impact.com  

If 100 people apply for a position and only one gets the job, that means 99 people get rejected. So how do we make the interview process valuable for the 99%? How do we shape and communicate our culture to make sure we're hiring the perfect match for our company? In this episode, guests Nico Blier-Silvestri and Nikos Moraitakis join us to discuss all things recruitment - a process that starts earlier than you think! Plus: what does the future of remote recruitment look like?  Episode Notes:  Nico Blier-Silvestri is the co-founder of HR software start-up Platypus: a culture lifecycle tool that allows organizations to have an understanding of their cultural drivers via the values of their employees. The aim is to use this data to attract, recruit, manage, and retain the right talent.  platypus.io Nikos Moraitakis is the co-founder and CEO of Workable, one of the world's leading talent acquisition softwares, helping companies undertake effective and efficient hiring.  workable.com