But I'm a Professional!

Sometimes our bodies experience events that are complicated and difficult - and not necessarily compatible with how we, our organisation, and even society desires a certain neatness in relation to work. This episode I speak with Dr Heidi Reed from Audencia Business School. Her research looks at Vulnerability and often draws on Ethics of Care. We talk about her research on and lived experience of pregnancy loss while employed. We discuss how bodies that menstruate, get pregnant, become not pregnant, go through menopause, etc. can come to be perceived as too messy, too tricky, and too taboo to deal with in a work space. We reflect on what consequences that may have for the person experiencing loss, as well as those around them. We also discuss the potential for doing things differently, particularly in the face of a rapidly changing Future of Work.ReferencesReed, H. (2025). I can('t) talk about it at work: Stigma entanglement and the Epistemic vulnerability paradox. Gender Work and Organization, 33(2), 367–378. https://doi.org/10.1111/gwao.70044If you don't have Wiley access, request access to the paper herePregnancy Loss Research Group (HR toolkit and other resources)Short interview with Joan Tronto explaining the Ethics of Care.Scheibmayr, Isabella. 2024. “Organizing Vulnerability Exploring Judith Butler's Conceptualization of Vulnerability to Study Organizations.”Gender, Work & Organization31(4): 1385–1408. https://doi.org/10.1111/gwao.13103.

The discourse surrounding the Future of Work still needs a lot of improvement. With far too much power handed over to that which does not have society’s best interest at heart, we may be in danger of forgetting a few important things. We have agency. The future has not happened. There is hope. In this episode, I talk to Dr Nicky Dries of the Future of Work Lab, KU Leuven. We discuss what is still missing from the conversation around jobs, AI, and the future - and what needs to change in the conversation and in our actions. Listen in for a necessary discussion that centers human quality, critiques predictive analysis, and provides alternative imaginaries for possible futures informed by radical hope. ReferencesDries, N., Luyckx, J., & Rogiers, P. (2023). Imagining the (Distant) future of work. Academy of Management Discoveries, 10(3), 319–350. https://doi.org/10.5465/amd.2022.0130Dries, N., Luyckx, J., & Rogiers, P. (2024). What 570 Experts Predict the Future of Work Will Look Like. Harvard Business Review. Frey, Carl Benedikt & Osborne, Michael A., 2017. "⁠The future of employment: How susceptible are jobs to computerisation?,⁠" Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 254-280.Mollick, Ethan, (2023). Detecting the Secret Cyborgs: The AI Trap for Organizations, One Useful Thing. Véliz, C. (2026). Prophecy: Prediction, Power, and the Fight for the Future, from Ancient Oracles to AI. Doubleday.Inquires : nancy@professionaldevelopmentdesigns

Women are frequently told that they ought to be more confident at work. Confidence is offered as a silver bullet of sorts for all and every challenge women encounter in their careers. But do women actually 'lack confidence' at work - or is it simply a convenient way to ignore structural issues? Is it an individual barrier that must be overcome - or are there more useful actions available?This episode, Lara Pecis talks about her recent paper, co-authored with Elisabeth Kelan, "Fix Thyself: Un/Doing Confidence in Women's Entrepreneurship". In it, confidence as an individualized women's issue is analyzed and evidence-based solutions are recommended. We discuss discourse on confidence, what it means and how it shapes exclusions and potentials. We talk about individualization are its outcomes, and actions for real change - such as collective care practices. Pecis, L. (2022) Case Study. Inclusive innovation: Sustaining productivity and socio-economic inclusion through innovation centres, hubs and districts. Available at: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/media/lancaster-university/content-assets/documents/lums/research/Case-Study-Inclusive-Innovation.pdf   Pecis, L. and Banerjee, A. (2020). Inclusive innovation: sustaining productivity and socio-economic inclusion through innovation centre, hubs and districts. Report for ESRC Productivity Insight Network. Available at: https://productivityinsightsnetwork.co.uk/app/uploads/2020/02/PecisBanerjee_InclusiveInnovation_February2020.pdf Policy Impact: work cited in ‘Female entrepreneurship’, Women and Equality Committee (WEC), UK Government, Published on 22 October 2025, available at: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5901/cmselect/cmwomeq/711/report.html   Written evidence for the Women and Equalities Committee, UK Parliament, published on 25/03/2025, Available at: https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/139229/pdf/Inquires: [email protected]

Do you have a career calling? What does it mean and where does it come from? How is it shaped by our work environments? Is it always positive, or is there also a dark side? This episode, I talk with Sophie Gerdel about the concept of a career calling. We discuss what it means, how it can be of use, and its potentials in the Future of Work. Follow Sophie and her work on her LinkedIn. Also, consider taking her short assessment on Calling to reflect on your current role! For more of my work, visit my blog.Further ReadingLSE Business Review article: The Many Ways to Make a Meaningful Career Out of a Calling Gerdel, S., Bergner, S., & Vianello, M. (2025). Fostering calling in the leader–member exchange: individual and team-level effects. Career Development International, 30(3), 309–325. https://doi.org/10.1108/cdi-12-2023-0446Zhou, S., Aitken, J. A., & Kuykendall, L. (2023). Callings can take different shapes: Scope, proximity and duration as new complexifications of calling. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 97(1), 27–46. https://doi.org/10.1111/joop.12459 Inquiries: [email protected]

Are humanoids the future of work?Will humans be replaced by robots in the next decade? Is AI something that ought to be thought of as a colleague? These are some of the questions for my guest today as we discuss the future of robots at work!I talk to Professor Tiziana C. Callari from the University of Turin who pursues these themes in her research. In an effort to separate hype from reality, we discuss what the Future of Robots at Work actually looks like based on her years of research and insights. Our conversation covers themes like: Industry 5.0, human-robot integration, meaningful work, re-skilling, craftsmanship, and so much more!Further reading: Callari, T. C., & Lohse, N. (2025). The Future of Smart Human-Robot Collaborative Working Environments: Towards Meaningful Work for All. A White Paper. doi:10.48352/uobxeps.0001Callari T.C., Puppione L. (2025), "Meaningful work as shaped by employee work practices in human-AI collaborative environments: a qualitative exploration through ideal types". European Journal of Innovation Management, Vol. 28 No. 10 pp. 5001–5027, doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/EJIM-11-2024-1339Inquiries: [email protected]

In season five, I'll talk to scholars and experts who study the world of work. Tune in to hear what evidence-based recommendations they have on topics like resilience, leadership, wellbeing, ageism, AI, dignity, and much much more!

Thank you for listening to this season of But I'm a Professional! I'm pleased to have researched, written, recorded, edited, and produced each and every episode.I'm currently working on two other projects:1. A new podcast called The Problem With Work, with my creative partner Benedetta Castrioto. 2. My personal website Professional Development Designs. There you can find my blog, upcoming group learning sessions, and the option for individual coaching. Good luck out there, Professionals! See you again soon.

In this episode, I attempt to cut through the AI hype and focus instead on practical workplace applications. I explore how professionals can actively incorporate AI into their workflow to reduce hindrance stressors rather than create new ones. Neither 'doomerist' nor overly optimistic, this episode examines the concept of "Human-AI Task Fit" through an Organisational & Occupational Psychology lens. Learn a three-step approach for evaluating where AI can enhance your work: Tools Assessment Task AssessmentCollaborative Effort I'll discuss the research behind successful AI implementation, common pitfalls including bias, errors, and allure - and how to ensure these technologies serve as resources rather than demands in your work. Join me to discover how mindful AI integration can free you up for what makes work meaningful: autonomy, collaboration, and demonstrating your uniquely human competence. If you are concerned about the potential stress of using more technologies in your work, please read my article on AI as a Techno-stress, and make use of the free resources linked within. Good luck, Professionals! Works Cited:Bondanini, G., Giorgi, G., Ariza-Montes, A., Vega-Muñoz, A., & Andreucci-Annunziata, P. (2020).Mollick, E. (n.d.). 15 Times to Use AI - and 5 Not To. One Useful Thing.Raisch, S., & Krakowski, S. (2021)Scholze, L., & Hecker, S. (2024).Wang, Y., & Siau, K. (2019).

What EDI initiative will produce meaningful change in your organisation? Good question. "Of the hundreds of studies we examine, a small fraction speak convincingly to the questions of whether, why, and under what conditions a given type of intervention works," (Paluck and Green, 2009, p.339). That was a review published 15 years ago. Surely, things are different now!"The past decade has seen rapid growth in research that evaluates methods for reducing prejudice," (Paluck et al., 2021, p. 533).Yay!"However, 76% of all studies evaluate light touch interventions, the long-term impact of which remains unclear," (ibid. p. 533). Oh. So, what does work? For practical (middle-manager layer) applications of a recent meta-analysis by Costa (2024), listen to this episode.ReferencesCosta, E. (2024). Examining the effectiveness of interventions to reduce discriminatory behavior at work: An attitude dimension consistency perspective. Journal of Applied Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1037/apl0001215Guillaume, Y. R., Dawson, J. F., Otaye‐Ebede, L., Woods, S. A., & West, M. A. (2015). Harnessing demographic differences in organizations: What moderates the effects of workplace diversity? Journal of Organizational Behavior, 38(2), 276–303. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.2040Shea, C.M., Malone, M.F.F.T., Young, J.R. and Graham, K.J. (2019), "Interactive theater: an effective tool to reduce gender bias in faculty searches", Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Vol. 38 No. 2, pp. 178-187.  https://doi.org/10.1108/EDI-09-2017-0187

Normally stress is something we try to avoid at work. In fairness, some days it feels everlasting. However, are all stressors made alike? Is there any use in some? Does it ever help in our work function? In this episode, I highlight some of the research on something called 'hindrance stressors' and 'challenge stressors'. I give you examples of both, and discuss how challenge can be helpful in our professional development. As always, I highlight some practical actions that may put those challenge stressors to good use - for managers and for individuals. References in this episode include: Laying the Foundation for the Challenge-Hindrance Stressor Framework 2.0Oliver Burkeman's Inconvenient TruthBob Sutton, Huggy Rao - The Friction ProjectProf Arnold B. Bakker - various publications Differences among a satisfied, a meaningful, and a psychologically rich working life Dispositional effects on job and life satisfaction: The role of core evaluationsBad is Stronger Than GoodEvaluation of the “rethink stress” mindset intervention: A metacognitive approach to changing mindsetsRethinking Stress Toolkit Good luck, Professionals!