How do we live and work? Join bestselling writers Julia Hobsbawm and Stefan Stern as they discuss the latest news and views with key guests from around the world.
How do we live and work? Join bestselling writers Julia Hobsbawm and Stefan Stern as they discuss the latest news and views with key guests from around the world.
The story of work is a story of design and in this conversation between Julia Hobsbawm, Founder and CEO of Workathon and Ryan Anderson, Vice President of Global Research and Planning at design powerhouse Miller Knoll they cover a century of design's influence in the workplace, declaring an unofficial Movement of contemporary Changemakers just as influential in the story of work today as Herman Miller and Hans and Florence Knoll were did in the twentieth century.
Julia and Ryan explore how place shapes innovation and work relations and the importance of collectives for creativity. From his grandfather's job making furniture to the underlying values of social good, Ryan Anderson's own story of work is told and tells of a passion for how we live and work today.
The Nowhere Office is a Fully Connected production. Music is by Julian Brezon. Discover more at https:workathon.io. and https://www.millerknoll.com/
The Nowhere Office is in New York as Julia Hobsbawm is joined by Ethan McCarty, CEO and Founder of award-winning employee experience company Integral.
Showcasing results from the latest Integral Index on why frontline managers hold the key to performance to why it's actually Gen Z which worries most about AI they also fought on the future of PR in a social media world of of diminishing returns and the rise instead of a"mixternal" communications where the employee voice is key.
You can find the Integral Index here: https://www.teamintegral.com/integral-index/
The Nowhere Office is a Fully Connected production in partnership with Sandstone Global Productions. Music by Julian Brezon. Discover more at workathon.io.
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Julia Hobsbawm is joined by David Marks and Jason Blank, the co-founders of Brockton Everlast, the company behind Fora, the flexible workplace provider.
Recorded at Fora’s building on Soho’s Broadwick Street, they discuss how mixing “workboots and wingtips”, building expertise and business acumen, has shaped their approach to building a better future of work. They also explore property development, the ascendence of small businesses, and how smart, human-centred buildings are reshaping cities.
The conversation also marks the launch of The Fora Institute of Work.
The Nowhere Office is a Fully Connected production in partnership with Sandstone Global Productions. Music by Julian Brezon. Discover more at workathon.io.
Links:
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This week on The Nowhere Office, hosts Julia Hobsbawm and Stefan Stern speak with journalist, author, and broadcaster Rachel Johnson for another addition of My Working Life in a conversation about her unconventional career journey
Rachel shares how she broke into journalism as the Financial Times’ first female trainee, the early mistakes she learned from, and how she built a career on her own terms.
She talks about the challenges of balancing working motherhood with her own ambitions, and why her time at the UK Foreign Office left her frustrated.
The episode also explores her latest project — the Tortoise investigative podcast Master — which looks into the allegations against author Neil Gaiman. Rachel explains what drove her to pursue this complex story and what the experience taught her about the power of persistence and purpose in working life.
The Nowhere Office is a Fully Connected Production in partnership with Sandstone Global Productions.
Music by Julian Brezon.
Learn more at workathon.io.
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How is AI transforming the workplace and what does it mean for employment law? In this episode of The Nowhere Office, host Julia Hobsbawm visits the Bankside offices of Lewis Silkin LLP to speak with James Davies, Senior Employment Partner, about the legal implications of artificial intelligence in hiring, AI regulation, and the future of legal work.
The Nowhere Office is a Fully Connected Production in partnership with Sandstone Global Productions.
Music by Julian Brezon.
Discover more at workathon.io.
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Brian is the CEO of Work Forward, co-founder of Future Forum, and author of How the Future Works. With 25 years of experience at Google and Slack, he offers firsthand insights into corporate America's shifts and sheds light on:
You'll also hear insights from other United State of Work contributors, including:
Read the full United State of Work report at Workathon.io.
The Nowhere Office is a Fully Connected Production in partnership with Sandstone Global Productions. Music by Julian Brezon. Discover more at Workathon.io.
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Joining Julia and Stefan is David Dewane, Chief Experience Officer of Physical Space at Geniant, a design services firm at the cutting edge of workplace transformation.
David shares wide-ranging insights and anecdotes from his work—covering everything from the historical impact of air conditioning and the elevator to the role of human creativity in the age of AI.
He also discusses the evolving discipline of architecture, how its definition is expanding, the influence of UX research, and where the field might be headed.
This episode features Carl Sandburg’s 1916 poem Skyscraper.
🔗 Read The United State of Work report: workathon.io/theunitedstateofwork
The Nowhere Office is a Fully Connected Production in partnership with Sandstone Global Productions. Music by Julian Brezon.
Subscribe and listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major platforms. Find out more at workathon.io.
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Julia Hobsbawm and Stefan Stern are joined by John Bond, founder and executive director of Whitefox Publishing, and Toby Mundy, literary agent and former publisher, to explore and evaluate the business of publishing.
Toby reflects on his career, from founding Atlantic Books, now as a literary agent and serving as Executive Director of the Baillie Gifford Prize. Against the backdrop of the London Book Fair, they discuss how shifts at book fairs reflect broader industry changes. Toby and John offer an insider’s view of the publishing business, from its ongoing challenges to the role of commissioning editors, where the money is, and what makes a book a success.
Julia also sits down with Hannah Bickerton, the new Managing Director of Whitefox, to discuss book marketing in an evolving industry and the potential role of AI in publishing’s future.
This episode is brought to you in association with Whitefox, exceptional publishers for exceptional stories. Learn more at wearewhitefox.com.
The Nowhere Office is a Fully Connected Production in partnership with Sandstone Global Productions. Music by Julian Brezon. Discover more at workathon.io.
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In this episode, Julia Hobsbawm and Stefan Stern talk to Rory Sutherland, Vice Chairman of Ogilvy about his working life. Rory shares anecdotes from a career in advertising and lessons from behavioural science.
The Nowhere Office is a Fully Connected Production brought to you in association with Sandstone Global Productions.
Music by Julian Brezon.
Find out more at thenowhereoffice.com and sandstoneglobal.com.
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In this episode of The Nowhere Office, we bring together three experts with very different perspectives on work to explore how we measure it, how we experience it, and how workplaces are changing.
What is productivity, and why does it matter?
Professor Dame Diane Coyle, economist and Bennett Professor of Public Policy at the University of Cambridge, joins Stefan to discuss why productivity is such a tricky thing to measure what GDP can and can’t tell us. These ideas will be explored more in Diane's forthcoming book, The Measure of Progress. (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Measure-Progress-Counting-Really-Matters/dp/0691179026).
There is also a cameo from Sophie from Romania, of internet fame.
Dr. Melissa Fisher is a cultural anthropologist at NYU and Parsons, who has studied Wall Street’s culture and is now looking at the future of work. She shares insights into how work is shaped not just by numbers but by history, habits, and human behaviour.
Phil Kirschner, workplace consultant and strategist, helps companies rethink their workplaces and manage the huge wave of change.
The Nowhere Office is a Fully Connected Production in association with Sandstone Global Productions. Music by Julian Brezon.
Learn more at Workathon.io
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For this My Working Life edition of the Nowhere Office, Julia Hobsbawm and Stefan Stern are joined by Sam McAlister, the former Newsnight producer best known for securing the game-changing interview with Prince Andrew.
She shares details of her background from working-class childhood to criminal barrister and her jump into TV. She talks about the joys of her newfound autonomy and the relentless hustle required to make it all work.
Sam takes us behind the scenes of TV news and gives her take on the pernicious role of class in the workplace.
The Nowhere Office is a Fully Connected Production in association with Sandstone Global Productions. Music by Julian Brezon. Learn more at workathon.io.
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Julia Hobsbawm and Stefan Stern are joined by John Bond, founder of Whitefox Publishing to discuss the business of publishing.
We hear about how the industry has changed since the 1980s and 1990s when huge advances were handed out at the drop of a hat and books were acquired on professional instinct. That’s been replaced by data-driven metrics and a clearer understanding of what consumers want.
The episode provides advice for anyone looking to have a book published, explaining the current market, the steps involved and the roles that agents play. The episode features clips for Rebecca Frayn’s novel Lost in Ibiza and Emily Ross and Alastair Crowl’s Just Evil Enough. Both are published by Whitefox.
This episode is brought to you in association with Whitefox—exceptional publishers for exceptional stories. Learn more at wearewhitefox.com. The Nowhere Office is a Fully Connected Production in partnership with Sandstone Global Productions. Music by Julian Brezon. Discover more at workathon.io.
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In this episode of The Nowhere Office, Stefan Stern and Julia Hobsbawm discuss leadership with Barbara Kellerman. Our My Working Life feature is an interview with American union organiser Jaz Brisack, who has been involved with movements at Nissan, Starbucks, and Tesla.
This episode covers:
The Nowhere Office is a Fully Connected Production in partnership with Sandstone Global Productions. Music by Julian Brezon. Discover more at workathon.io.
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Julia Hobsbawm interviews Syreeta Brown, Group Chief People & Communications Officer at Virgin Money. They explore the huge changes that have taken place in the workforce in recent years, whether those changes can be unravelled and discuss how ripping up the rule book can help to get, grow and retain great talent.
Also featured is a clip from an upcoming interview with Barbara Kellerman, renowned leadership writer and academic. She discusses the upcoming inauguration of President Trump, likening his bombastic style to that of a prizefighter.
The Nowhere Office is a Fully Connected Production in partnership with Sandstone Global Productions. Music by Julian Brezon. Discover more at workathon.io.
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This is a tribute to a dear friend of The Nowhere Office, Charles Handy, the management writer, who died this week aged 92.
Julia Hobsbawm and Stefan Stern are joined by the FT’s Andrew Hill to discuss Handy's life and legacy, his extremely sharp predictions about work, the humanism at the heart of his thinking, and his unconventional practices like ‘empty chair’ exercises. We have included an interview with Charles Handy from the very first episode of The Nowhere Office.
In this episode's My Working Life segment, Indrani Sen, Features Editor at Fortune Magazine, tells us about journalism on 9/11 in New York, the sheer fun of her job, anxiety in legacy media, and a possible career shift. This sponsored feature is brought to you in association with Whitefox—exceptional publishers for exceptional stories. Learn more at wearewhitefox.com.
The Nowhere Office is a Fully Connected Production in partnership with Sandstone Global Productions. Music by Julian Brezon. Discover more at workathon.io.
Books mentioned in the episode:
By Charles Handy:
Also mentioned:
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Julia Hobsbawm speaks with Peter Miscovich, Executive Managing Director and Global Future of Work Leader at JLL, to explore the past, present, and future of offices around the world. They discuss the tech transformations in workplaces, quantum computing on the horizon and the massive changes in the past 50 years of work.
In this episode's My Working Life segment, we hear from Birgitte Stoerger of AuPairCare. With years of experience matching au pairs with families, Birgitte shares the joys of her work and the challenges faced by Au Pairs navigating a new life in the US.
This sponsored feature is brought to you in association with Whitefox—exceptional publishers for exceptional stories. Learn more at wearewhitefox.com.
The Nowhere Office is a Fully Connected Production in partnership with Sandstone Global Productions. Music by Julian Brezon. Discover more at workathon.io.
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For this My Working Life edition of the Nowhere Office, Julia Hobsbawm is joined by Iain Dale to discuss his career as a broadcaster, author, publisher, editor, lobbyist and much more.
This week’s My Working Life segment features Olivia Alexander, a SoulCycle instructor. Olivia shares how the pandemic disrupted her musical theatre career and how SoulCycle has not only "filled her cup" but also helped her navigate grief. This sponsored feature is brought to you by Whitefox—exceptional publishers for exceptional stories. Discover more at wearewhitefox.com.
The Nowhere Office is a Fully Connected Production in association with Sandstone Global Productions. Music by Julian Brezon. Learn more at workathon.io.
Also mentioned in the episode: Our Brain Bank: ourbrainbank.org.
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In this News from Nowhere, we bring you a conversation from a recent Workathon event in London: How the Media Works. Ravi Mattu, managing editor of The New York Times' DealBook, and Matthew D’Ancona, editor of The New European, joined Julia Hobsbawm to discuss the state of the media.
Stefan Stern talks to journalist Carole Cadwalladr about the Tortoise-Observer deal. Carole shares candid views on paywalled versus free journalism and what she describes as the breathtaking arrogance and contempt of The Guardian's management.
In this week’s My Working Life, Jess is disappointed in the work ethic of younger colleagues and tells us about hospitality at 30,000 feet.
The Nowhere Office is a Fully Connected Production, in association with Sandstone Global Productions. Music by Julian Brezon.
This episode's sponsored feature is brought to you by Whitefox—exceptional publishers for exceptional stories. Learn more at wearewhitefox.com.
For more information, visit workathon.io.
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In this episode of The Nowhere Office, Julia Hobsbawm is joined by author and speaker Terence Mauri to discuss his new book The Upside of Disruption: The Path to Leading and Thriving in the Unknown.
Terence explores the risks of standing still in an age of rapid change and shares how a serious accident reshaped his career and perspective. The conversation covers warm and cold AI, future readiness, and his philosophy of reduction.
This week’s My Working Life features Declan Hogan, CFO of O’Dwyer Steel, who discusses the business of building. This sponsored feature is brought to you by Whitefox—exceptional publishers for exceptional stories. Discover more at wearewhitefox.com.
The Nowhere Office is a Fully Connected Production, in association with Sandstone Global Productions. Music by Julian Brezon.
Find out more at workathon.io.
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In this episode of The Nowhere Office, Julia Hobsbawm and Stefan Stern welcome leadership coach and author Tiffany Gaskell, who has updated Sir John Whitmore’s classic Coaching for Performance for its sixth edition. Since it was first published, the book has sold over one million copies.
They explore coaching’s origins in sports, the evolution of leadership styles, the impact of the pandemic on leadership, and whether AI could disrupt traditional coaching models.
This week’s My Working Life features Tony Michael from the Village Garage. He and Julia discuss his long career as a mechanic, being a one-man band, and why he never became a pilot.
The Nowhere Office is a Fully Connected Production in association with Sandstone Global Productions.
Music by Julian Brezon.
Find out more at workathon.io
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