PODCAST · business
The Floorplan
by Bond University
The Floorplan is a thorough and sometimes funny exploration of our attempts to navigate the modern workplace and the future of work. Steven Spielberg says he wakes up so excited that he can’t eat breakfast. But for most of us, work is far less fulfilling. The way we design jobs and where we expect people to perform can be dull at best and dehumanising at worst.
Episodes
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Human potential, leadership and the future of work w/ Chris Ickler (S7E2)
What if the key to organisational success wasn't getting people to comply, but creating the conditions for them to flourish? In this episode of The Floorplan, Libby Sander speaks with Chris Ickler. Chris spent more than 40 years at Bose Corporation. He retired in 2020 as one of the company's...
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What if work isn't supposed to be the centre of our lives? - with Ellen Scott (S7E1)
Season 7 of The Floorplan introduces you to UK journalist, author and workplace commentator Ellen Scott, who challenges some of our assumptions about work, ambition and purpose. Ellen explores hustle culture, quiet quitting, burnout and boredom, drawing on her own experiences with OCD and...
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What if work is to blame for your crisis of conscience? With Dr Wendy Bonython (S6E8)
What are the legal ramifications of being pressured to act unethically at work? In this fascinating episode of The Floorplan, Libby Sander speaks with Bond University’s Dr Wendy Bonython about moral injury in the workplace. So what's moral injury? Glad you asked! Moral injury is the psychological...
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Taking medicine to the masses and the biology of work w/Dr Mike Todorovic (S6E7)
This week Libby is joined by Bond University Associate Professor of Physiology Dr Mike Todorovic - an internationally recognised medical educator, researcher and science communicator whose work has reached more than 100 million people worldwide. From burnout, stress and ADHD to sleep…
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Overcoming fear of change in an ever-changing world with Lola Berry (S6E6)
Podcaster, nutritionist, content maker and actor Lola Berry is back to help us navigate the ever-shifting sands of contemporary life. Lola appeared in an earlier episode of The Floorplan HERE. About Lola Berry Lola has been active in the media world in Australia for over a decade; speaking on TV...
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New York, AI in Leadership & Why Your Best Thinking Might Happen Outside the Office (S6E5)
In this first solo episode addition to The Floorplan lineup, Libby reflects on a trip to New York for an AI in leadership event, shares insights from the field, and explores the spaces she worked from—cafes, hotel lobbies, bookstores—and what the research reveals about why they matter. She also...
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Cutting through workplace noise with Joe Pardavila (S6E4)
Broadcaster, speaker and popular podcaster Joe Pardavila joins Dr Libby Sander on The Floorplan for an insightful conversation on the power of effective communication, navigating change, culture, and cutting through workplace noise. Drawing on a 24-year radio career and his work with business...
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YouTube phenomenon jmancurly joins The Floorplan (S6E3)
Excited to bring you a fascinating guest this week. His name is Julian Elchakieh, but if you are one of his 4.94 million subscribers on YouTube, you’ll know him as jmancurly. Some call him the 'VR King'. Most just know him by the look. You can’t miss it. Electric blue curly hair. A strip of…
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A deep dive into the future of privacy with special guest Fahmi Syed. Also, has Matt found workplace Utopia? And what on earth is a ‘tree lobster’? S6E2
In the final edition of The Floorplan for 2025, Libby and Matt expand upon a topic discussed in an earlier episode - the role blockchain might play in the fight to protect personal privacy. Our special guest is the President of the Midnight Foundation, Fahmi Syed, a significant voice in...
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Popcorn brains, infinite workdays and the concept of digital minionship w/ Professor Marek Kowalkiewicz (S6E1)
The Floorplan returns! Do we ever stop working? A resounding no according to a new study. What are popcorn brains and do you have one? And Professor Marek Kowalkiewicz joins the podcast to ponder digital minionship and the augmentative qualities of workplace AI that excite him. Note: During this...
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BONUS EPISODE - Behind the scenes at SXSW Sydney
Libby Sander made her SXSW Sydney debut last week when she appeared asa panellist alongside Andy Walshe from Liminal Collective, Ben Johnston from Josephmark and Ben Hamley from JLL to talk about 'Why AI's best gift is making us more creative.' Not only did she present, but she listened and...
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What on earth is resenteeism? Can soccer save us? And was Snoop Dog any good? With special guest Bruce Daisley. S5E8
In their fifth season finale Libby and Matt consider the cost of resentment at work and ponder whether workplace sporting teams are an answer to flagging job enthusiasm. While on matters sporting, there's also a bit of grand final talk (well, it is the season...) And a VERY special guest this…
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What's in a (room) name? AI gets sci-fi. And a gamer's guide to our workplace future w/ Assoc Pr James Birt (S5E7)
Does your workplace have quirky names for its rooms? Ever wondered why? AI in the headlines this week as some big employers initiate some significant changes. And Bond University's Associate Professor James Birt joins the podcast. James was studying AI before most of us owned a smartphone. He...
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The psychopaths who manage us, facts to support your leave request and the science of boredom feat. Professor Cynthia Fisher (S5E6)
This week Libby and Matt contemplate the value of boredom. These days boredom is easily avoidable - instant entertainment is only a short scroll away courtesy of the complex multimedia platforms we carry in our pockets. It wasn't always thus, of course. Can we benefit from being bored? What about...
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Getting your (work)flow on and what is a Eudaimonia Machine? With David Dewane (S5E5
Ever been so immersed in a task you’ve completely lost sense of yourself, forgotten about time and place, and been so absorbed in the act of doing something that all distractions simply fade away? If so, you may have entered that special place where your individual skill matches the complexity of...
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What it's like to work at Google and troubling trends in workplace ageism (S5E4)
So much to discuss this week. Is a simultaneous bias by employers against both younger and older workers starting to gather steam? Data out of an Australian Human Rights Commission report seems to suggest it. But when all the talk is 'skills shortage' and when younger workers aren't so keen on...
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The price of workplace loneliness, unbossing, and, well, SWORDFIGHTING 😲 . (S5E3)
Matt and Libby consider the economic cost of unhappiness at work and ponder the price of anxieties brought on by the speed of workplace change. And if younger employees aren’t particularly interested in taking up management roles, who will be the leadersof the future? Libby enjoys a terrific chat...
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Are snacks the future of happy work? And esteemed Stanford economist Pr Nick Bloom (S5E2)
A bumper edition this week with Libby back from the Big Apple! Both Libby and Matt share some tales from the road and ponder whether the secret to a happy workplace may be found through its (collective) stomach. Also, Libby enjoys an in depth chat with Stanford University economics and management...
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The nomadic working life, the longevity boom, and why Gen X-ers are stuck in a rut. Featuring Ella Cotterell. (S5E1)
That'll be ASSOCIATE Professor, thank you! The return of The Floorplan coincides with a promotion to Associate Professor for our favourite organisational behaviour expert. And a richly deserved nod it is! How good! To kickstart the new series, Matt and Libby discuss the longevity industry boom…
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Skydiving in space and other tests of human potential with Dr Andy Walshe (S4E7)
A very special episode with very special guest to end the fourth series of The Floorplan! Freshly returned from her annual trip to Japan with Bond University Business School students, Libby spends a fascinating hour with Dr Andy Walshe. Andy is a globally recognised leader and expert in the field...
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Building perfect places with Isaac French. (S4E6)
Can you build a perfect workplace? Isaac French thinks so. "People are hungry for one-of-a-kind experiences. Spaces with soul, and that tell a story. And anyone with a dream and some good old-fashioned work can make good on that opportunity," he says. In a complicated, rapidly moving world where...
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The politics of flexi-work, polyworking, and recharge days. Also Professor Raj Choudury. (S4E5)
Professor Raj Choudury from Harvard Business School joins The Floorplan to discuss, among plenty of other things, his new book The World Is Your Office: How Work from Anywhere Boosts Talent, Productivity, and Innovation. And perhaps policy makers will be once bitten, twice shy when it comes to...
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The Floorplan hosts Charles Hoskinson. (S4E4)
Technology entrepreneur Charles Hoskinson joins the podcast to talk about early influences on his thinking, decentralised governance, trust, challenges in cryptocurrency, and the problem he'd most like to solve. A fascinating conversation with a deeply thoughtful and insightful leader. About...
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The dark art of 'taskmasking', large CEO salaries, the AI insight creep and architectural psychologist Michal Matlon. S4E3..
A packed episode this week with Libby and Matt considering the implications of research suggesting AI is beginning tounderstand us better than we understand ourselves. Also, what do young employees REALLY think about ever-fattening CEO paycheques? And a discussion about ‘taskmasking’ – basically...
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Procreation leave in Tokyo, sex (sic) leave in Darwin, and even the bean counters reckon 4-day weeks add up! With Leschen Smaller. S4E2
This week Libby and Matt discuss the Governor of Tokyo's workplace initiative that he thinks will prop up Japan's sluggish population growth - as long as marriage is the end goal, of course. Libby is surprised to learn Darwin has something similar on the go (sort of). And a fascinating practical...
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Career catfishing, office ghosting and an interview with talent agent-to-the stars turned meditation coach, Daisy Mack. S4E1
Libby and Matt take a look at a very Gen Z phenomenon that should make employers and recruiters alike think twice about overstating the merits of workplaces. Daisy Mack joins the podcast too. Once a high-flying talent agent who represented some of entertainment's biggest names at William Morris...
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Latest WFH research, the looming 'Big Detachment' and designing workplaces for well-being with Dr Jenna Mikus. S3E6.
In their final episode of the year, Libby and Matt discuss the latest research on work from home (WFH) practices and ponder a Gallup report that suggest the time may now for those who want to trade down their work ambitions to focus on a better life. Workplace wellbeing expert Dr Jenna Mikus and...
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When thriving at work is the opposite of what's really happening. S3E5
Why are Australians hording their annual leave? Libby and Matt discuss. They also consider some interesting research pointing to a less collegiate work experience for younger employees. And after a couple of BBC radio presenters made their true (not particularly kind) feelings public via a 'reply...
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Thinking laterally about managing conflict. Featuring Dr Vicki Webster. S3E4
Organisational psychologist and leadership expert Dr Vicki Webster returns to the podcast to encourage us to think a little differently about how we handle workplace conflict. While on conflict, can we 'AI' our way out of difficult workplace conversations? Also, do stand-up desks help or hinder...
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The cost of hangovers, workplace incentives, and personality hires. S3E3
Libby and Matt deliver a quick whip around of the organisational behaviour stories and issues making headlines. Among them: The insane economics of boozing on a school night. Do workplace incentives do what they're meant to? Which jobs make us happiest? Do underperforming nice people have their…
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Finding talent, keeping talent. Featuring Holly Brailsford. S3E2
We all know the pandemic changed the workplaces and the work market dramatically. In this episode, Libby and Matt think through what - and why - certain changes have stuck and discuss what talent-hunters and jobseekers alike may have learned. Libby's special guest is CEO and co-founder of…
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Big ideas, little execution. Featuring Ben Hayden Smith. S3E1
Dr Libby and Matt ponder why modern organisations are almost always big on the idea of innovation but often really small on implementing the change required for it.
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Neurodivergence in the workplace. Featuring Chloé de Ruffray. S2E8
Dr Libby and Matt discuss neurodivergence in the workplace. They gain insight from psychologist and speaker Ella Cotterell who was diagnosed with autism at 26. Ella is also a Somatic Trauma Educator and Feminine Embodiment practitioner.
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Can you plot your way to the perfect job? Featuring Lola Berry. S2E7
Dr Libby and Matt reflect on their unusual career trajectories as they consider the method in searching for an ideal working life. They are joined by author Lola Berry who talks resilience, happiness, and challenging yourself.
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The zombie (leadership) apocalypse is upon us! Featuring Pr Alex Haslam. S2E6
This week Libby and Matt dig into the scourge of 'zombie leadership' and ponder the broader ramifications of it. Zombie leadership is an idea built on the popular perception that that leaders are special, and that we can’t work or succeed without them. Libby speaks at length to Professor Alex...
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Pseudo-productivity, and the problem with busyness. S2E5
Freshly returned from a Bond University Business School Japan Study Tour, Dr Libby reports on dream Tokyo workspaces occupied by clothing giant Uniqlo and real estate group JLL. This episode also explores 'pseudo-productivity' and busyness.
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What does the ideal workplace look like? Featuring Ben Hamley. S2E4
This episode unlocks organisational mysteries. We also chat with work futurist Ben Hamley from real estate giant Jones Lang LaSalle.
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What will make the four-day week a reality? Featuring Dr Dale Whelehan. S2E3
Dr Libby and Matt ponder why we seem to be stuck on the idea of a 5-day working week. Their special guest is Dr Dale Whelehan, CEO of 4 Day Week Global.
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The value of thriving at work. Featuring Professor Gretchen Spreitzer. S2E2
Dr Libby and Matt speak to Professor Gretchen Spreitzer about the value of thriving at work, and explore why we might not be thriving in our lives.
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What's in store for work in 2024, and the right to disconnect. S2E1
Dr Libby and Matt look at the merits of legalising a right to switch off from work and ponder the issues most likely to emerge in the next twelve months.
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How work is changing, and the drivers of happiness. Featuring Ella de Ruffray. S1E8
In the final episode of Season 1, Dr Libby and Matt discuss 2023's recurrent organisational behavioural themes. They also have a stab at predicting the issues that will dominate in 2024.
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The problem with meetings, and how to make them better. S1E7
Meetings are highly unpopular, often demotivating, usually inefficient, and definitely costly. Here's the science on how we can make them better.
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Redefining networking. Featuring Julia Palmer. S1E6
In this episode, Dr Libby and Matt talk about the research on networking. Dr Libby chats with relational expert Julia Palmer about simple skills to improve our relationships.
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How much clutter is too much? S1E5
Dr Libby and Matt talk us through the financial, mental, and physical cost of a messy office. They also explore what the research says about less mess.
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Teams in the new world of work. Featuring Professor Markus Baer. S1E4
Dr Libby and Matt look at the research on "teamwork making the dream work". They are joined by organisational behaviourist Professor Markus Baer from Washington University.
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The dark side of organisations. Featuring Vicki Webster. S1E3
Dr Libby and Matt look into the uglier side of organisational behaviour. Joining them is organisational psychologist Dr Vicki Webster.
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Cult cultures. Featuring Priyal Sodha. S1E2
Dr Libby and Matt take a look at the hit-and-miss of cult workplaces. Think workplace mediation spaces, Michelin-star cafes, puppy daycare, and slippery slides. Libby talks to management consultant Priyal Sodha who lifts the lid on the culture of overwork.
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Can we really work from anywhere? Featuring Alice Drew. S1E1
Dr Libby and Matt ponder the covid pandemic as 'the great workplace disruptor'. Libby also talks to Alice Drew about her role as Head of Place Futures at Lendlease.
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
The Floorplan is a thorough and sometimes funny exploration of our attempts to navigate the modern workplace and the future of work. Steven Spielberg says he wakes up so excited that he can’t eat breakfast. But for most of us, work is far less fulfilling. The way we design jobs and where we expect people to perform can be dull at best and dehumanising at worst.
HOSTED BY
Bond University
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Floorplan have?
The Floorplan currently has 48 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Floorplan about?
The Floorplan is a thorough and sometimes funny exploration of our attempts to navigate the modern workplace and the future of work. Steven Spielberg says he wakes up so excited that he can’t eat breakfast. But for most of us, work is far less fulfilling. The way we design jobs and where we expect...
How often does The Floorplan release new episodes?
The Floorplan has 48 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to The Floorplan?
You can listen to The Floorplan on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The Floorplan?
The Floorplan is created and hosted by Bond University.
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