Digital Workplace Impact

In this episode of Digital Workplace Impact, DWG CEO Nancy Goebel speaks with Mary Kay (MK) Tisch, Head of Enterprise AI and Digital Workplace at Zuora, about what it really means to become an AI-first organization and why the future digital workplace may be defined by employee intent rather than destinations such as intranets. Drawing on her experience at Zuora, MK explains how employee behaviour revealed a fundamental shift in expectations: people no longer want to navigate complex information environments; they want to ask questions, get answers, take action and return to their work. This insight led Zuora to rethink the relationship between the digital workplace and AI, bringing them together in a single agenda focused on removing friction from everyday work. The conversation explores the practical realities of AI implementation, including enterprise search, curated AI toolkits, agile governance models, content ownership and rapid experimentation. Rather than committing to a single platform, Zuora has adopted a portfolio approach that allows teams to evaluate, adopt and retire tools quickly as the technology landscape evolves. For digital workplace and business leaders, one message stands out: AI success should not be measured primarily through headcount reduction. Organizations should focus instead on eliminating process friction, improving employee experiences and enabling people to work in smarter, more effective ways. The result is a compelling vision of a digital workplace transformed by AI, powered by governance and centred on meaningful outcomes. Guest speaker: MK Tisch Head of Enterprise AI and Digital Workplace, Zuora Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Every year organizations pour money and resource into employee communications – launching new apps, newsletters, channels and campaigns. And yet, employees still struggle to find information, feel connected to colleagues, and work out what matters. Maybe the answer isn’t yet another channel but a more coherent communication ecosystem. In this episode of Digital Workplace Impact, DWG CEO Nancy Goebel talks with Sharon O’Dea and Jonathan Phillips, co-authors of the book Digital Communications at Work, about how to optimize digital channels so that people start to use, value and trust them. Sharon and Jonathan introduce their five-layer model – Plan, Collaborate, Publish, Distribute and Discuss – and explain why the process of publishing does not equal communication. They explore how discovery and user needs should shape channel choices, why adoption matters more than launch, and how leaders should move beyond vanity metrics to measuring outcomes and impact. The conversation also examines how AI is reshaping digital communications. From personalization and planning, to analysis and employee feedback, its potential extends far beyond merely generating copy. But realizing that potential requires human judgement, accurate source content, ownership and strong governance. For digital workplace practitioners and leaders, this episode offers a practical way to rethink channel strategy, adoption, measurement and AI governance. Listen for ideas that can help you build a more joined-up communication ecosystem and deliver greater value for employees and the organization. Guest speakers: Sharon O'Dea DWG member alumna, author and co-founder of Lithos Partners Jonathan Phillips Author and co-founder of Lithos Partners Sharon and Jonathan are co-authors of Digital Communications at Work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How can digital workplace leaders move beyond counting activity to using data to demonstrate real business value? In thisepisode of Digital Workplace Impact, DWG’s Nancy Goebel talks with Data Scientist Felipe Archila about lessons gained whilebuilding digital workplace analytics capability at The Coca-Cola Company, and how those insights are shaping his move intodata and analytics within finance. Felipe explains why gathering data for volumes of email, Teams messages and page views rarely tells the whole story. Effective measurement combines quantitative signals with qualitative feedback, recognizing the needs of employee personas and keeping workplace experience and what people need in order to get their jobs done front and centre. The conversation explores privacy-first workforce analytics, the importance of partnering with legal and privacy teams, andhow measurement must evolve as generative and agentic AI become increasingly embedded in everyday work. Felipeemphasizes the need for curiosity, listening, translation and continuous iteration. For digital workplace leaders seeking to connect digital behaviours with business outcomes, this episode offers practical guidance on choosing meaningful measures, building trust and adapting analytics for an AI-enabled workplace. Guest speaker: Felipe Archila Director, Product Delivery – Data & Analytics The Coca-Cola Company Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this thought-provoking episode of Digital Workplace Impact, Hannah Soye, Chief People and Culture Officer at Haiilo, joins host Nancy Goebel to explore why genuine dialogue is becoming one of the most valuable ingredients of a successful digital workplace. Together, they examine how organizations can move beyond traditional top-down communications and create a culture where employees actively participate, contribute ideas and, most importantly, feel heard.  Drawing on her extensive experience leading people and culture initiatives, Hannah shares practical insights into what builds trust, strengthens engagement and helps organizations create meaningful employee experiences at scale. The conversation looks at the relationship between HR, internal communications and digital workplace teams, highlighting the importance of authenticity, employee voice and well-designed communication ecosystems. A key message from Hannah is to spend less time on crafting the perfect message and instead focus on listening to your audience. The discussion also tackles timely topics such as information overload, problems with AI-generated content and how to reach diverse employee groups through the right channels at the right moments. Full of actionable ideas, this episode offers valuable guidance for digital workplace, communications and people leaders who want to create stronger connections, encourage participation and build more responsive, people-centred organizations.  Guest speaker: Hannah Soye Chief People and Culture Officer, Haiilo Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information overload is a challenge facing organizations of every size, yet few have taken the time to understand its true impact on employees. In this episode of Digital Workplace Impact, DWG CEO Nancy Goebel speaks with Aletta van Asperen, Senior Communications Innovation Strategist at ING Group, about the organization's research into what it has termed 'infobesity' – the overwhelming volume of messages, notifications and content competing for employees' attention every day. Drawing on focus groups and employee communication diaries, ING uncovered valuable insights into how information flows through a large, complex organization. The research highlighted two major themes: duplication of communications and the challenge of relevance, with employees reporting that only around half of the communications they receive feel directly relevant to their work. Aletta explains how ING is using these findings to drive a long-term transformation focused on reducing noise, improving communication quality and creating a more streamlined digital workplace experience. The discussion explores collaboration between communications, HR and technology teams, the growing importance of content governance in the age of AI and why communicators must act as advocates for employee experience. Digital workplace leaders and practitioners will gain practical insights into reducing information overload, improving content effectiveness and creating sustainable change that helps employees focus on what matters most.  Guest speaker: Aletta van Asperen  Senior Communications Innovation Strategist, ING Group Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does ‘good’ really look like in today’s digital workplace – and how can you tell if your organization is on the right track? In this episode of Digital Workplace Impact, Nancy Goebel is joined by DWG Director of Technology and Operations, Sarah Escott, to explore the DWG 2026 Awards – and what the Awards reveal about how to achieve an excellent digital workplace. Far from requiring perfection, the Awards shine a light on organizations delivering real impact, grounded in practical progress, learning and iteration. The conversation unpacks how the Awards have evolved to reflect today’s fast-moving, resource-constrained environment, including a simplified entry process designed to encourage and facilitate broader participation. Leaders will gain practical advice on crafting a compelling entry, from shaping a strong narrative to using visuals effectively. Beyond recognition, the episode highlights the wider value of entering – from benchmarking your progress and sharpening your storytelling, to connecting with peers and learning from others across the industry. If you’re driving digital workplace change, this episode offers both inspiration and actionable insights. Guest speaker:Sarah Escott,DWG Director of Technology and Operations Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this thought-provoking episode, Nancy Goebel is joined by Stacey Taylor, a marketing-led transformation leader and former Visa executive, to explore how a product mindset can unlock breakthrough adoption of generative AI.At the heart of the conversation is Stacey’s ACT approach – Audience, Connection and Tuning – a powerful way to reframe change from a one-off project to an ongoing product experience. For digital workplace leaders navigating relentless waves of transformation, this shift is both timely and practical.Drawing on her experience leading GenAI adoption at Visa – including an impressive 98% uptake – Stacey shares how deep audience insight, role-based value propositions and a strong network of trusted internal influencers can turn change fatigue into genuine pull. She also highlights the often-underestimated role of market-facing teams, who bring an ‘outside-in’ perspective and can accelerate adoption through compelling, real-world use cases.The discussion then moves on from launch to sustained impact. Stacey introduces the ‘tuning’ mindset – continuously listening, adapting and refining based on feedback and data – along with a pragmatic measurement menu, from adoption velocity to repeat usage and engagement signals.This episode will be an inspiring listen for anyone looking to drive meaningful AI adoption at scale. It reframes GenAI not as a tool rollout, but as a human capital transformation, offering a clear, actionable path towards making that shift a success Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it really take to make AI work at scale inside large organizations? In this episode of Digital Workplace Impact, DWG Chief Executive Nancy Goebel sits down with Melissa Reeve, author of Hyperadaptive: Rewiring the enterprise to become AI-native, to explore why so many AI initiatives stall – and what leaders must do differently to calm the hype and achieve lasting impact.  Drawing on her background in Lean, Agile and DevOps thought leadership, Melissa argues that AI is not just a technology shift but a fundamental rewiring of the operating model. She introduces the concept of the ‘hyperadaptive’ organization – one that can sense and respond in near real time by compressing decision-making, workflows and governance. Crucially, becoming AI-native is as much about people, culture and leadership as it is about tools.  The conversation unpacks the difference between being AI-enabled and AI-native, before examining why rushing to automate without strong foundations erodes trust. Melissa shares her practical five-stage Hyperadaptive Model, explains why dynamic governance and AI literacy matter more than pilots, and makes a compelling case for investing in new roles and learning systems such as AI activation hubs.  With encouraging job predictions from the World Economic Forum and a real-world example from Moderna, this episode challenges leaders to think systemically and take a deliberate, long-term approach to AI.  Guest speaker: Melissa Reeve, Author of ‘Hyperadaptive: Rewiring the enterprise to become AI-native’ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Digital Workplace Group CEO and host of Digital Workplace Impact, Nancy Goebel, is joined by long-time community practitioner and author Chris Catania to explore why community is no longer a ‘nice-to-have’ but a strategic advantage for modern organizations.Drawing on his new book The Community-First Advantage, Chris makes a compelling case for treating community as a system – one that builds trust, drives growth, reduces cost and strengthens loyalty at a time when traditional command-and-control leadership is fast becoming obsolete. Based on 20 years of research and interviews with more than 100 leaders, he introduces two practical frameworks designed for leaders under pressure to deliver results while not contributing to the ‘loneliness epidemic’ that can too easily prevail if workplace change is not handled correctly.The ADAPT model focuses on leadership mindset – authenticity, decision, agility, purpose and trust – and shows why leading with humanity and openness is essential in the age of hybrid work and AI. Chris then translates belief into action through the ‘three E’s’ of experience, enablement and evaluation, offering clear guidance on where to invest in community, how to bring stakeholders with you and how to connect community activity to ROI that stands up to CEO and CFO scrutiny.Citing real examples – from LEGO’s transformation journey to lessons on measuring value beyond metrics alone – this episode is packed with insights for digital workplace leaders looking to build trust-based organizations that can adapt and thrive in the AI era. Guest speaker:Chris Catania, Author of ‘The Community-First Advantage’ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For this episode of Digital Workplace Impact, DWG consultant and researcher Shimrit Janes joins Nancy Goebel to explore why change agility has become a critical capability for digital workplace teams navigating constant disruption. Drawing on DWG’s latest research, the conversation reframes change from a series of planned events into an ongoing, human experience that requires sensing, responding and adapting in real time. Shimrit introduces a powerful metaphor that runs throughout the episode – traditional change management as classical music, while change agility is jazz. While structured approaches still matter, today’s digital workplace demands the confidence to improvise, experiment and respond together when the pace of change accelerates. From generative AI and organizational restructuring to shifting ways of working, the episode explores how teams can move from reacting under pressure to building sustainable readiness. Listeners are taken through the three dimensions of change agility – personal, relational and strategic – with practical insights into mindset, psychological safety, decisionmaking and governance. The discussion is grounded in realworld examples, including awardwinning case studies from organizations such as Vodafone and EY, showing what change agility looks like in practice at scale. This is a thoughtful, inspiring listen for anyone leading or supporting the digital workplace in this era of constant change. If you are grappling with overlapping change, AI adoption or growing uncertainty, this episode will help you slow down just enough to go faster – and thrive in the process.  Guest speaker: Shimrit Janes DWG Consultant and Researcher Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.