Location:
United States
Description:
You spend so much time on work, why accept the status quo, when there are ways to do it better? Get expert advice, research and hacks that will crush your inertia. Join Lisa Leong and other This Working Lifers as we experiment and explore the latest in the world of work. We cover policy issues, like hybrid workplaces and remote work, employee wellbeing and organisational culture, the use of AI, employee surveillance, employee engagement, diversity and inclusion. We talk about progress on wider issues that relate to work, like work life balance, organisational change, restructures, and casualisation. On This Working Life our focus is on everything related to the people in a workplace too, including culture, individual experiences, performance management and career advice.
Language:
English
Episodes
Meet Digital Don, the identic AI agent
3/22/2026
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 their potential and 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
Duration:00:25:15
Is more annual leave the answer to preventing burnout?
3/15/2026
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
Duration:00:25:15
Esther Perel on conflict and power struggles at work
3/8/2026
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! thisworkinglife@abc.net.au
Guest:
Esther Perel, New York Times bestselling author and psychotherapist
Duration:00:34:14
It's okay, you can take a break
3/1/2026
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 Well
This program was first broadcast on 27th June 2025
Duration:00:25:15
Can I give you some feedback?
2/22/2026
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 School
This program was first broadcast on 3rd July 2025
Duration:00:25:15
Unlock the power of a four day week
2/15/2026
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
Duration:00:25:15
The ultimate guide to fixing meetings
2/8/2026
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 thisworkinglife@abc.net.au
Duration:00:25:15
How to start strong in a new job
2/1/2026
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
Duration:00:25:15
Reinvent your career in 2026 with Dorie Clark
1/25/2026
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
Duration:00:25:15
Lost hope at work? Here’s how to get it back.
1/18/2026
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
Duration:00:25:16
The power of a good night’s sleep
1/15/2026
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 University
Dr 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
Duration:00:25:16
Stuck at a career crossroad? Here's how to move forward
1/8/2026
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 breaks
This episode was first broadcast on 30th May 2025
Duration:00:25:16
Can "leisure-crafting" help you thrive?
1/1/2026
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
Duration:00:25:16
Tired and overwhelmed? Boundaries can help
12/25/2025
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
Duration:00:25:16
Are we giving kids the wrong career advice?
12/18/2025
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 Exploration
Kate McBeath, who works with career advisors in schools in Australia and New Zealand
This episode was first broadcast on 7th March
Duration:00:25:16
Learn to 'North Star' 2026 with Wankernomics
12/11/2025
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, Wankernomics
Charles Firth, Customer Engagement Jedi, Wankernomics
Duration:00:25:07
How to optimise your holiday to start 2026 refreshed
12/4/2025
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 Being
For a copy of the recovery resources mentioned in this story, email us at thisworkinglife@abc.net.au
Duration:00:25:16
Are you working under a non-compete?
11/27/2025
It’s estimated that 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)
Duration:00:25:07
Is your lack of people skills holding you back?
11/20/2025
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 thisworkinglife@abc.net.au
Duration:00:25:07
Transfer, recall, repetition: what helps you learn at work
11/13/2025
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
Duration:00:27:16