This Working Life

How do you react in a crisis? Are you fight, flight, fawn or flee? We all react differently to moments of panic and stress but one thing we all have in common is that they cause us to make rash and poor decisions. Are we stuck like this or can we re-train ourselves to respond to panic and act or lead with a clear head? Guest:Dr James Donald, Senior Lecturer in Work and Organisational Studies at Sydney University and co-author of The Clear Leader=======You can binge more episodes of the This Working Life podcast with your on the job correspondent Lisa Leong on the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. Please email us at [email protected] if you would like to get in touch, we read them all and love hearing from you! 

Artificial intelligence use in the job hunt is happening so fast it's hard to keep track and applicants and employers are feeling harassed by the speed of the change.  Candidates find themselves trapped in a paradox where they need to write applications that make it through the screening while also standing out when an application eventually reaches a human decision maker. AI interviews are increasingly popular as well for hiring organisations which job hunters are reporting can make the process depressing and dehumanising. Research on the impact of these tools in their first years also suggests that the use of AI tools for hiring runs the risk of discriminatory practices being baked into the process. There's also a concern that employers run the risk of ending up with a distinct lack of diversity of thought in their teams. But employers and hiring managers love these tools and argue that they can improve the process for job candidates as well. So, what do we do? Lisa logs on with a legal researcher into the impact of AI hiring models and gets the goods from behind the digital curtain on how to beat the bot!  Guests: Dr Natalie Sheard, Lawyer and McKenzie Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Melbourne studying discrimination by AI systems, particularly those used in employment.Rudy Crous, Organisational psychologist and CEO of AI Human Relations firm Compono ========You can binge more episodes of the This Working Life podcast with your on the job correspondent Lisa Leong on the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. Please email us at [email protected] if you would like to get in touch, we read them all and love hearing from you! 

Are you just too tired to work? Australians feel exhausted. Eighty two per cent of Australian knowledge workers reported being on the verge of burnout last year, and businesses are scrambling to catch up with the cost of mental fatigue. But sleepiness can be a killer too and a major shift is underway in how Australian industries treat tiredness in the workplace. It's not a new phenomenon, people were talking about "brain fag" in Victorian England, but the way we think about fatigue and the way we treat it in the workplace is in flux. So why are we so tired and what can we do about it? Lisa puts matchsticks in her eyes and tries to solve the tiredness trap. Guests: Dr Drew Dawson, Professor, Director of Research Development at Central Queensland University and expert in Fatigue Management StrategyDr Elizabeth Stephens, Associate Professor of Cultural Studies at the University of Queensland and co author of the new study - A Cultural History of Workplace Fatigue which will conclude in 2029Dr Kari Leibowitz, Health Psychologist, Speaker and author of How To Winter: Harness Your Mindset to Thrive on Cold, Dark, or Difficult Days Further Listening & Reading!Dr Kari Leibowitz on This Working Life in 2023 speaking about the power of harnessing stress===========You can binge more episodes of the This Working Life podcast with your on the job correspondent Lisa Leong on the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. Please email us at [email protected] if you would like to get in touch, we read them all and love hearing from you! 

Australia’s richest person and long time supporter of Australian Swimming Gina Rinehart has been offering cash bonuses for Aussie swimmers at the Commonwealth games, $20,000 for a gold medal! It can be a nice to have after a huge challenge or a drawcard to make people work harder, but there can be a danger to motivating your team with extra dollars.So, Is Gina Rinehart right, do cash bonuses work?  What actually motivates us?  Lisa digs into the world of motivation and incentives to try and figure out what works for us and how you can motivate people without alienating them.  Stacey Parker's co-authored article on compensation and design for Motivation ScienceMark Puncher's work sheet on connection with work Guests: Dr Stacey Parker - Associate Professor and endorsed Organisational Psychologist at the University of Queensland's School of PsychologyMark Puncher - CEO of Employer Branding Australia==========You can binge more episodes of the This Working Life podcast with your on the job correspondent Lisa Leong on the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. Please email us at [email protected] if you would like to get in touch, we read them all and love hearing from you! 

Speaking out at work is hard. It's even harder in a culture of silence. To take the decision to break the quiet is an act of bravery, ands it's one many of us are unwilling to risk. But the dangers of a culture of silence are many, and they impact employers and employees alike. While it can be a scary thing to do, research has found that people staying silent to protect their own heath and wellbeing almost always have worse results for their mental health in the long term in a silent workplace. Lisa speaks, loudly, with an expert on why people stay quiet. Guest: Dr Nate Zettna: Lecturer in leadership at the Business School of The University of Sydney 

After the 100th email auto reply, the AI application screening and writing the umpteenth cover letter of the week, the job hunt can feel like a real drain. If you're feeling like it's harder to find a job now than last time you were looking you are not alone. A combination of people staying put, international forces and a tight economic market have all impacted the white collar worker world. And that's before we think about AI!Despite unemployment numbers remaining pretty flat the Australian Bureau of Statistics found that in the first 3 months of this year one point one million people without a job wanted one, with one million available to start within four weeks. Job application numbers per role are up as well. Employment website Seek found that in May this year job advert numbers were down 4.5% on May last year, and that applications per job advert have gone up 5.5% in a year.  So what can we do if we need a gig? How do we prepare ourselves and our children for a rapidly changing world of work? Lisa digs into the data and goes hunting for answers for you. Guests: Hari Hara Priya Kannan - Chief Data Scientist at The Demographics Group Nic Cola - CEO of RMIT Online ========You can find more episodes of the This Working Life podcast with your on the job correspondent Lisa Leong on the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. Please email us at [email protected] if you would like to get in touch, we read them all and love hearing from you! 

Are you being asked time and again to be the one who gets everything done, is your reward for crushing it, just more “it” to crush?  You might be paying a competence Tax!  Research consistently shows that people who are seen as high achievers are stacked with more of the same rather than being given pathways to doing new things. it's a story a lot of people can relate to but it can be a very difficult trap to escape. Lisa is joined by a world expert in what she calls "the curse of competence" to give you the tools to break the hex! Guest:Dr Ruth Gotian: Success researcher, Associate Professor at Columbia University and Author of The Success Factor and the Financial Times Guide to Mentoring.==========You can find more episodes of the This Working Life podcast with your on the job correspondent Lisa Leong on the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. Please email us at [email protected] if you would like to get in touch, we read them all and love hearing from you! 

When you’re under the pump, it can feel like taking a break at work is impossible. But that can be habit forming, and bad for your physical and mental health. Learn the benefits of building breaks into your workday, and how to do it in a way that feels manageable. 

You may have heard of greenwashing, now experts are worried about wellness washing where workplaces paper over the cracks with wellbeing measures but leave the chasms underneath.  

You're starting a new job but you don't have what you need, or you certainly feel like you don't!Why is this such a universal experience and why are employers so happy to leave people to sink or swim? We dive in to the good, the bad and the ugly of onboarding and try to figure out how we can be doing it better, for bosses and for workers. Lisa also checks in with the Australian HR Institute about new research showing the global "job hugging" trend has arrived on our shores. Guests: Dr Talya Bauer - Professor of Management at Portland State University Sarah McCann-Bartlett - Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of the Australian HR Institute ===========You can binge more episodes of the This Working Life podcast with your on the job correspondent Lisa Leong on the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. Please email us at [email protected] if you would like to get in touch, we read them all and love hearing from you! 

AI usage is on the rise, but its implementation within jobs and workflows is causing problems. Research shows there is a capability gap amongst Australian workers, and a lack of AI fluency and context-poor AI use is creating job strain. What can leaders do to turn this around?Guests: Dr Rebecca Hinds, head of the Work AI Institute at Glean Dr Sean Gallagher, founder of Humanova and the former Director of Swinburne University's Centre for the New Workforce

Tying together what your team does within your organisation’s strategy is a key skill for middle managers and something workers at all levels can benefit from.  Learn how a strategy is put together and ways you can work towards it. Guests:Brandon Lee, Associate Professor at Melbourne Business School, consultant, researcher and executive educator   Rebecca Murray, principal of strategy consultancy, Marlborough and Ferdinand 

If you’re always busy but feel as though you’re not getting on top of things, you may be experiencing cognitive and emotional overload. Liane Davey, the ‘Teamwork Doctor’, calls this “thoughtload” and offers ways to manage overwhelm and focus attention, to improve productivity and wellbeing in individuals and teams. Guest:Liane Davey PhD organisational psychologist and author Thoughtload: Manage the Madness and free your Team to do great Work

Once you’ve made the decision to quit your job, it’s worth considering how to do it in a way that fits the situation. The researcher who coined the term, “The Great Resignation” shares his insights on different resignation styles, from the “grateful goodbye” to “bridge burning” and what managers can learn from the way employees quit.  Guest:Professor Anthony C. Klotz, UCL School of Management, author Jolted, Why we Quit, When to Stay and Why it MattersCheck out our companion episode Should you really quit your job?

The researcher who coined the term, "The Great Resignation", says most of us are only one event away from quitting our jobs. He calls them “jolts” and describes the one that led Oprah to quit her new job at 60 Minutes, and Jürgen Klopp to give up his successful role as manager of Liverpool FC. What motivates us to quit, what should we consider before we do it? Guest:Professor Anthony C. Klotz, UCL School of Management, author Jolted, Why we Quit, When to Stay and Why it MattersLook out for our companion episode Try This: how to quit in your podcast feed. 

The narrative around AI at work is moving away from “job apocalypse” towards jobs transforming. So how do you redesign roles to improve productivity and take care of the psychosocial safety and wellbeing of workers?Guests:John Curtin Distinguished Professor Sharon Parker, Director of  Centre for Transformative Work Design, Curtin University If you’d like to try the S.M.A.R.T. job design assessment, the link is here.  

Have you struggled to make lasting behaviour change at work, and wondered why you can’t get to the next level?  The author of bestsellers Hooked and Indistractable, spoke with readers who loved his books but couldn’t nail the change part. He spent the next five years researching what was missing, Beyond Belief is the result.  Nir Eyal, behavioural design expert, author, Beyond Belief: The Science-Backed Way to Stop Limiting Yourself and Achieve Extraordinary results

Working for longer can help you financially, as well as giving you purpose, a social life and a healthier brain. We speak with three Australians working past retirement age, and an expert coach who helps individuals and organisations achieve longevity goals.Guests:Ronni Kahn AO, social entrepreneur, Founder and Visionary in Residence, OzHarvest  Brian James, co-founder, The Copper Doctors Alison Hernandez, co-founder, Re-create 100 Scientia Professor Henry Brodaty, co-director of Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing, UNSW, 2026 Senior Australian of the YearYou can find Professor Henry’s Brodaty’s healthy brain ageing tips at the end of this episode.

Circadian rhythms dictate our peak times or chronotypes and they vary across the workforce, so why does everything start so early? Learn how these biological rhythms interact with cognitive and emotional performance and how practicing circadian-influenced leadership can help get the best out of your team. Guest:Stefan Volk, Professor of Management at the University of Sydney Business School 

Jackie O’s lawyers claim ARN breached workplace health and safety obligations by failing to protect her psychosocial health while she was working with co-host Kyle Sandilands.  As the case heads to court this week, find out how leaders should manage psychological safety at work, and learn the potential consequences if they fail to do so. Guests:Martyn Campbell, former Chief Executive of SafeWork SA and Secretary-General of the International Association of Labour inspection. Fay Calderone, employment lawyer and partner, Hall and Willcox and author, Broken to Safe: tackling toxic workplace cultures and burnout

Marcus Buckingham’s latest research shows that love is a driver of super productive human behaviour. He argues the case for "designing love in" to experiences at work.Learn how to create experiences that inspire your colleagues and staff to say, "I love that!"Guest:Marcus Buckingham, global researcher focused on unlocking strengths, increasing performance and pioneering the future of work. Author, Design Love In

Worrying about your young person’s future? The impact of AI is already changing the job market in some industries.So what’s the best approach for guiding them into a career during this time of uncertainty? Guests:Alana Kilmartin, speaker and author, Unserious Careers: a fun guide to the first five years of your careerDavid Carney, Executive Director, Career Industry Council of Australia 

When your boss sends a text complimenting your work, it feels amazing! But if they point out a mistake in front of your peers, you may feel shattered. What does it take to be an inspiring leader, and how can you avoid being an infuriating one? Guest:Adam Galinsky, Paul Calello Professor of Leadership and Ethics at the Columbia Business School This interview was recorded at the Power, Status and Influence Research Conference, for the Melbourne Business School.

You may soon have a digital clone of your work-self that can take care of many of your tasks, make decisions on your behalf, and even give presentations as you.  As the emergence of “identic AI” generates more potential for digital human twins in organisations, we discuss the ethics of using them. Guests:Don Tapscott, co-author, You to the Power of Two, Redefining Human Potential in the Age of Identic AI 

With burnout and overwork a problem for staff and employers alike, a proposal to add an extra week to annual leave balances for Australian workers is on the table.  We speak with a business that already offers five weeks of annual leave per year, and hear from management and labour law experts on whether this add on is the answer, or if there's a better solution.Guests:Shae McCrystal, Professor of Labour Law, The University of Sydney Law School Carol Kulik, Bradley Distinguished Professor, Centre for Workplace Excellence, Adelaide University Greg Day, Co-worker Experience Manager, IKEA 

What’s really behind the reaction a colleague has when you disagree with them? And how do you manage a conflict when it arises? Esther and Lisa delve into workplace conflict and power dynamics and explore how to understand them and find a way through.  Plus answers to your questions and an exercise Esther wants you to test out for Try This. Don’t forget to report back! [email protected]:Esther Perel, New York Times bestselling author and psychotherapist  For more from Esther Perel, check out these episodes from our colleagues at All in the Mind: Family estrangement and infidelity: Esther Perel answers your questionsMind Hacks: Esther Perel 

When you’re under the pump, it can feel like taking a break at work is impossible. But that can be habit forming, and bad for your physical and mental health. Learn the benefits of building breaks into your workday, and how to do it in a way that feels manageable. Guests:Kira Schabram, Assistant Professor of Management & Organisation at Smeal College of Business, The Pennsylvania State University Vanessa Miles, organisational psychologist, Transitioning WellThis program was first broadcast on 27th June 2025

It's an important part of monitoring and improving performance, but when feedback is given or received in the “wrong” way, it can damage relationships and affect work. Here’s a masterclass to help you get better at giving and receiving feedback. Guests: Roisin McCann, facilitator who works with organisations to build leadership capacity and develop a better culture of feedback and strategic communication James Donald, senior lecturer, University of Sydney Business SchoolThis program was first broadcast on 3rd July 2025

What have we learned so far about reducing working hours without losing productivity, and what are the tips and tricks for ensuring a four day week is a success for staff, organisations and customers?The Launceston city council is in the process of moving towards a four day week.   Guests:John Hopkins, Professor of Management, Deakin Business School Anne Rayner, founder, Productivity Bargain 

Our calendars are filled with meetings, but what are they really achieving?Learn how to cut out unnecessary gatherings and make the ones that remain, more meaningful and efficient. Guest:Rebecca Hinds PhD, organisational expert and author, Your Best Meeting Ever For a copy of the resources mentioned in this episode, email us at [email protected]

So you landed the job, congrats! Now it's time to start your new role.What steps can you take and what can your new employer do, to set you up for success?  Guests:Kate Flaherty, National President of the Career Development Association of Australia, leadership coach and counsellor Jonathon Woolfrey, WA State President & Non-Executive Director, Australian HR Institute, managing partner, Talenting 

If you’re feeling stuck and ready for a change, why not harness the momentum of the new year to turn that around? Whether it’s a new job or a whole new career, Dorie shares her approach to help you figure out what’s next, and how to make it happen. Guest:Dorie Clark, Top 50 business thinker and executive education professor, best selling author, Reinventing You: Define your Brand, Imagine your Future

When work feels difficult, practising hope could help you find a way forward. A former chief wellbeing officer at Deloitte shares evidence-based strategies for developing hope that will improve worker wellbeing and performance. Guest:Jen Fisher, workplace wellbeing expert, author, Hope is the Strategy

Four in ten Australians are not getting enough sleep, and work could be a part of the problem.  Whether you work 9 – 5 or irregular hours, lack of sleep impacts performance, safety and can compound work stress. So how can you balance work responsibilities and sleep? Guests:Dr Moira Junge, CEO Sleep Health Foundation, Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor, Monash UniversityDr Charlotte Gupta, Senior Postdoctoral Research Fellow, School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, Appleton Institute, CQ University This episode was first broadcast on 20th June 2025

Career regret is a common phenomenon, with more than half of people recently surveyed expressing dissatisfaction with their career choice.Why do so many people have career regret, and what practical advice can help those who are at a career crossroads? Guests:  Leah Lambart, Career and Interview Coach, resident career expert for SEEK  Annie Louey, celebrant, comedian and writer who has experienced and interviewed others about career breaksThis episode was first broadcast on 30th May 2025

Pick something you enjoy doing and you can 'leisure craft' it! We learn about the benefits of this technique as a way of improving your personal wellbeing, and your performance at work. Plus we'll give you some practical tips on how to 'leisure-craft' in Try This.Guest: Alex Hamrick, Assistant Professor of Management, Robins School of Business, University of Richmond This episode was first broadcast on 2nd May 2025

If you have a tendency to take on too much, you might want to look at the boundaries you have with your co-workers and your boss.  It seems hard, but setting boundaries could improve your life, and your work as well. Boundaries expert Nedra Glover Tawwab teaches you how. Guest:Nedra Glover Tawwab, therapist and author of New York Times best seller, Set Boundaries, Find Peace This episode was first broadcast on 21st March

In helping young people prepare for a life of work, asking them what they want to do for a job, or what they’re good at may limit their options. Learn a different way of thinking about careers that focuses on challenges, rather than job titles. Guests:JP Michel, organisational psychologist and author, The World Needs You: A New Mindset for Career ExplorationKate McBeath, who works with career advisors in schools in Australia and New ZealandThis episode was first broadcast on 7th March 

Have you been bamboozled by the language colleagues use at work? What’s the best way to describe yourself on LinkedIn? Charles and James from Wankernomics want to help you use more buzzwords, so you can move into upper management. James Schloeffel, Chief Disruptor and Strategy Optimisation Evangelist, WankernomicsCharles Firth, Customer Engagement Jedi, Wankernomics

Should you lie on the couch or go hiking with friends? Discover what to do before, during and after a holiday to get the most out of it.Experts share the best ways to fully recover from work stress and offer practical tips to make that post-holiday glow last longer.Guests: Stacey Parker, Associate Professor in the School of Psychology, University of Queensland   Ty Ferguson, Research Fellow in the Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA) research centre at the University of South Australia Greg Stark, Director, Better BeingFor a copy of the recovery resources mentioned in this story, email us at [email protected]

Almost half of Australian workers are impacted by some kind of post-employment restraint. The government plans to ban non-compete clauses for middle and lower paid workers. But how do you strike the balance between an employee’s right to move jobs and a business’ right to protect their commercial interests? Guests:Paula McDonald, Professor of Work and Organisation, QUT Centre for Decent Work and Industry Charles Cameron, CEO Recruitment Consulting and Staffing Association of Australia and New Zealand (RCSA) 

If your career progression has stalled it may be because you lack emotional intelligence and the ability to regulate your behaviour in the workplace. A Harvard Business School expert says the key to great leadership is understanding yourself so you can manage others, and she’s helped thousands of people do it.  Guest:Margaret C Andrews, managing director The MYLO Center,  author of Manage Yourself to Lead Others For a copy of Margaret’s Six questions for Self Understanding Worksheet, email us at [email protected]

What are the best ways to learn at work, and how can you make that new information stick?Understand the science of learning and how online courses and workshops can be designed to optimise motivation and opportunities to practise.Guests: Michelle Ockers, Founder and Chief Learning Strategist, Learning Uncut Ryan Jesson, cognitive scientist, School of Psychology, University of Queensland 

New research has uncovered early warning signs of burnout that could help you get on top of it, before it goes too far. Learn strategies to identify these signs, recover from work stress and prevent burnout. Dr Ben Searle, organisational psychologist, consultant and researcher Luke Martin, Senior specialist and clinical spokesperson, Beyond Blue For more details on Ben’s Recovember Challenge follow him on LinkedIn or visit his websiteIf you or someone you know needs mental health support, call Beyond Blue for free 24/7 on 1300 22 4636 or via email or webchat at www.beyondblue.org.au/getsupportYou might like to check out our episode The Burnout Shop featuring pioneer of burnout theory, Christina Maslach.

A Westpac employee with parental responsibilities was recently awarded the right to work from home five days a week, by the Fair Work Commission.How might this decision affect business hiring practices, and the working conditions parents are allowed by their bosses in future? Guests:Dr Giuseppe Carabetta, Associate Professor of workplace and business law with the UTS Business School Emma Walsh, CEO Parents at Work  For more information and free resources for small organisations visit https://familyfriendlyworkplaces.com/

Have you ever turned up to work and thought...where is everyone?! Empty offices and flexible work is part of the reason why so many people are experiencing work loneliness, but it's not the whole picture.We explore how organisations can diagnose work loneliness and build more connected workplaces. Guest:Connie Noonan Hadley, organisational psychologist, Research Associate Professor, Boston University Questrom School of Business and Founder, Institute for Life at Work. And big thanks to "Jade" for sharing their experience of loneliness at work.

Lisa is joined by Panio Gianopolous, co-founder and editorial director of the Next Big Idea Club, as they each nominate three non-fiction books related to work that have changed the way they work and live. Tune in to Radio National’s Top 100 Books countdown, Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th October from 1pm. Or catch up anytime on the ABC Listen app.Panio’s picks:The Work of Art: How Something Comes from Nothing by Adam Moss  Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout by Cal Newport Grit: Passion, Perseverance, and the Science of Success by Angela Duckworth Lisa’s picks:The Design of Everyday Things, Don Norman Improv Wisdom, Patricia Ryan Madson The Art of Possibility, Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander Extra pick: Atomic Habits, James Clear 

How can reorganisations, restructures and redundancies be managed in a way that works for everyone?With obligations to manage psychosocial hazards now front of mind, this process has never been more important. Guests:Melinda Bell, partner at Norton Rose Fulbright in Melbourne Leonie Green, founder and consultant, Conscious WorkplaceAlso check out our related episode Your role is being made redundant, now what?

There are lessons you can take from the careers of David Bowie and Oprah about identity and authenticity.Being “authentic” in your life and career is something we’re told to aspire to. But can that be taken too far?Dr Tomas, Chamorro- Premuzic, Professor of Business Psychology at University College London and Columbia University, author, Don’t Be Yourself: Why Authenticity is overrated and what to do instead  Julianna Pillemer, Assistant Professor of Management and Organisations, NYU Stern School of Business 

Need help organising your desk or kitchen table workspace? Get decluttering tips that will help clear your mind and your home. Guest:Amy Revell, decluttering expert For more on the psychology of decluttering, check out the All In the Mind episode, Is clutter making you feel bad?