Work Better

The Work Better Podcast by Steelcase brings you the latest trends and research shaping the ways people work, today and in the future. Each episode invites leading thinkers in the world of work to share their insights on what’s driving change and ideas for how to make it better. Learn how to improve employee engagement, wellbeing, and productivity by creating workplaces that work better.Stay-up-to-date on design, insights and research to help people work better at steelcase.com/subscribe.

Work Better is a business podcast hosted by Steelcase, with 86 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Steelcase hosts Work Better, a business show with 86 episodes published.

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  Work Better

  The Power of Subtraction at Work with Leidy Klotz (S9:E2)

  Aug 17, 202632 min

  Researcher Leidy Klotz shares a simple but powerful idea: just noticing our surroundings (and choosing where we put ourselves) can boost how we feel and work. He explains how our spaces quietly shape three core needs: agency, competence and connection. When environments give people permission to adjust, move, or truly use a space, wellbeing rises. When they don’t, strain creeps in. Klotz also reveals why subtraction, not addition, is often the overlooked key to creating better places. Leidy Klotz is a professor, researcher and author who studies the intersection of design, engineering and human behavior. He’s best known for his work on how people make decisions about the built environment. Klotz teaches at the University of Virginia. The Work Better podcast is produced by Katie Pace, with assistance from Brandon Lacic. Erin Ellison provides creative art direction. Soundpost Studios edits and mixes the podcast. Sean McManaman provides technical support. Areli Arellano publishes digitally.

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  Work Better

  Why the Best Design Starts with Empathy (S9:E1)

  Jul 14, 202634 min

  Design can unintentionally create friction – or even harm – when it’s built from a narrow set of lived experiences. In this conversation, Omari Souza shares striking examples of how everyday artifacts fail people in ways most of us never see, from automatic faucets that “don’t always function adequately if you have darker skin tones” to bathroom experiences where women navigate 8 to 34 steps compared to men’s 3 to 5. Without frameworks to measure harm and understand out‑group experiences, designers risk reinforcing inequities. One answer is restorative design, which is a practice focused on healing past harms, restoring trust, and returning dignity to the people who interact with the things we create. Omari Souza is a designer, educator and author whose work challenges the field to confront how design can unintentionally create harm. His latest book, Design Against Racism, introduces the concept of restorative design – a framework that urges designers to move beyond “designing for” people and instead design with them to restore dignity, trust and equity in everyday experiences. The Work Better podcast is produced by Katie Pace, with assistance from Brandon Lacic. Erin Ellison provides creative art direction. Soundpost Studios edits and mixes the podcast. Sean McManaman provides technical support. Areli Arellano publishes digitally.

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  Work Better

  The Hidden Rules No One Tells You at Work (S8:E11)

  Jun 23, 202629 min

  “If you know, you know” culture isn’t just a meme; it’s a hidden system that determines who gets access, opportunity and advancement. Dr. Ella Washington breaks down the unspoken rules shaping today’s workplaces and how leaders can make expectations clearer and more equitable. It’s a conversation that reframes what inclusion really requires. Dr. Ella Washington is an organizational psychologist, professor and author whose work focuses on workplace culture, inclusion and the hidden norms that shape careers. She’s the author of Unspoken and a leading voice helping organizations make expectations visible and create more equitable paths to advancement. The Work Better podcast is produced by Katie Pace, with assistance from Brandon Lacic. Erin Ellison provides creative art direction. Soundpost Studios edits and mixes the podcast. Sean McManaman and Jose Jimenez provide technical support. Areli Arellano publishes digitally.

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  Work Better

  Building Critical Connection at Work with Tracy Brower (S8:E10)

  May 26, 202637 min

  It takes about 60 hours to make a friend, and work is one of the few places where that time naturally accumulates. In this episode, Dr. Tracy Brower reveals why those hours matter more than ever, sharing research on how connection reshapes the brain, reduces loneliness, and drives performance, creativity, and wellbeing. She also unpacks how hybrid work, place, and leadership can either accelerate or erode the relationships people need to thrive. Dr. Tracy Brower is a sociologist and workplace expert focused on the intersection of connection, culture, and the future of work. She is the author of The Secrets to Happiness at Work and Critical Connections, and her insights regularly appear in major media outlets. Tracy serves as Vice President of Workplace Insights at Steelcase, where she helps organizations create thriving, human‑centered workplaces. The Work Better podcast is produced by Katie Pace, with assistance from Rebecca Charbauski, Stav Kontis, Chiara Licari, and Brandon Lacic. Erin Ellison provides creative art direction. Soundpost Studios edits and mixes the podcast. Jose Jimenez and Sean McManaman provide technical support. Areli Arellano and Jordan Marks publish digitally.

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  Work Better

  In Praise of the Office with Peter Cappelli and Ranya Nehmeh (S8:E8)

  Apr 27, 202632 min

  Most organizations still haven’t cracked hybrid work — not in a way that truly supports performance, development, or culture. As Peter Cappelli and Ranya Nehmeh put it, “the issue is not whether the office is good or bad,” but that companies haven’t designed hybrid intentionally enough to make it work. Drawing on new research and their book In Praise of the Office, they unpack why culture is weakening, why relationships and learning are eroding, and how leaders can rebuild connection through clearer expectations, smarter design, and more intentional management. Peter Cappelli is a professor of management and director of the Center for Human Resources at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. A leading voice on work, talent, and organizational performance, he brings decades of research on how workplaces function and why management practices succeed or fail. Ranya Nehmeh is a senior HR strategist, author, and executive advisor focused on organizational culture, leadership, and the future of work. She helps global companies navigate complex people challenges with evidence‑based practices and practical frameworks. Together, they co-authored In Praise of the Office: The Limits to Hybrid and Remote Work. The Work Better podcast is produced by Katie Pace, with assistance from Rebecca Charbauski, Stav Kontis, Chiara Licari, and Brandon Lacic. Erin Ellison provides creative art direction. Soundpost Studios edits and mixes the podcast. Mark Caswell and Jose Jimenez provide technical support. Areli Arellano and Jordan Marks publish digitally.

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