Workplace Visionaries

About Workplace Visionaries

Workplace Visionaries is the podcast for leaders building a more connected, creative and sustainable future of work. Hosted by Jane Young and produced by HubStar, the show brings you bold ideas and practical insights from workplace innovators - from Real Estate, HR, IT and workplace experience leaders to consultants, academics and change-makers shaping the future of work. Get actionable takeaways and a behind-the-scenes look at how top workplace thinkers plan, lead and innovate. https://hubstar.com/

Publisher

Jane Young | HubStar

Category

business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

22 Jul 2025

Latest episode

3 Nov 2026

Latest episodes

10 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   3 Nov 2026

   #10 - Kay Sargent - The Future of Work Needs a Wake-Up Call

   AI made up a quote and pinned it on Kay Sargent. Now people repeat it on podcasts as if she said it. Kay asks where we're heading as a society and how to shape a future that's good for generations to come. With Jane Young, she connects AI, longer lifespans and the spaces where we think, learn and work. It's a conversation for anyone feeling overwhelmed and underwhelmed at once. • How small, unquestioned choices add up to a path nobody chose • Working backward from 2070 • Why the office is moving from factory to forum • Why benchmarking gets you to average, and who average leaves out • Finding agency in the middle of the change Kay Sargent of HOK has practiced interior design for 40 years, received the American Society of Interior Designers' highest honor, and serves on the Delos advisory board and CoreNet Global. Find Kay at hok.com and on LinkedIn: Kay Sargent.

2. 

   3 Nov 2026

   #9 - Brian Aman - Designing the Adaptive Workplace

   A full office can still be failing the people in it. Brian Aman asks what badge data can't answer: is the space actually doing its job? Brian is a workplace strategy and corporate real estate transformation leader at Rogers, with roots in architecture and workplace design. He argues the industry measures efficiency (who came in, how often) but not effectiveness. When Wi-Fi heat maps showed open-plan desks in high use, he walked the floor and found at least half the people there on Teams video calls. In this episode: Why surveys show what people prefer, not whether a space suits the work Matching a work activity signal to Wi-Fi and sensor data to catch mismatches What happens when colleagues' spoken AI prompts start colliding Why the workplace shouldn't be asked to fix policy, leadership or culture problems A 10-year road map toward autonomous buildings Follow Brian on LinkedIn. Workplace Visionaries, hosted by Jane Young, produced by HubStar. Follow the show for new episodes.

3. 

   2 Nov 2026

   #8 - Deborah Simmons - Listen First, Design Smarter

   Jane Young sits down with Deborah Simmons, a strategic insight consultant who applies her background in user experience research and business transformation to workplace strategy. Her work starts with understanding how people actually live and work and where the friction lies. She then translates that behavioral insight into better space decisions, ones that reflect the lived experience of the people you're designing for. In this episode: Why the best workplace insights rarely come from surveys alone How to turn workplace data into meaningful decisions instead of expensive mistakes Why better workplaces start with listening, not just validating preconceived ideas How to create offices that people genuinely choose, rather than simply comply with Deborah says LinkedIn is the best place to connect with her, so find her there. And follow Workplace Visionaries, the podcast that gets real about the present and future of how people work, hosted by Jane Young from HubStar.

4. 

   2 Nov 2026

   #7 - Brian Huber - Mandates Won't Fix Your Empty Office

   What if your office should be sized by how many people show up on your busiest days, not by headcount? Pinterest did exactly that and ended up with more space per person and a smaller portfolio. Brian Huber has led workplace and occupancy strategy at Pinterest for almost five years. Before that, he spent about 12 years in occupancy and workplace planning at Salesforce through its hypergrowth, as the San Francisco HQ grew from 8 floors to roughly 75. He studied anthropology at UCLA. In this episode: Why workplace planning is shifting from counting desks to predicting demand How Pinterest moved to neighborhoods, cutting workstations from about 50-60% of its space to 10-15% The 80th-percentile rule for sizing space around the three busiest days What Salesforce's hypergrowth years teach about planning for uncertainty Why data only helps if you ask the right questions, and why Brian calls meeting-room booking data almost useless Brian's view: well-designed space can cut cost and strengthen retention and culture at the same time. For practitioners building workplaces that are better for employees and better for the business, this one is for you. Workplace Visionaries is hosted by Jane Young and produced by HubStar.

5. 

   13 Feb 2026

   #6 - Mika Cross - The Connection Crisis: How to Lead Fractured Teams to 100% Engagement

   In this episode of Workplace Visionaries, Jane Young sits down with Mika Cross—workplace transformation strategist, federal human capital expert, US Army veteran, and sought-after voice on the future of work who's testified as an expert witness for the US Senate. Mika brings a perspective you won't hear anywhere else, shaped by her experience in the US intelligence community, the Department of Labor, and working with some of the most complex bureaucracies in the world—including achieving 100% employee engagement scores in large government organizations. We dive deep into what Mika identifies as the number one workplace problem in 2026: connection. With teams fractured by layoffs, restructuring, rapid AI adoption, and the lingering effects of the pandemic, disconnection is driving burnout, quiet quitting, and change resistance across organizations of all sizes. This conversation goes beyond surface-level workplace advice. We explore why 70% of change initiatives fail and what successful organizations do differently, how to build genuine psychological safety (not the corporate buzzword version), why attendance data alone won't solve your hybrid work challenges, and what Gen Z actually needs to thrive in remote and hybrid environments. Mika shares real stories from the trenches: structuring telework in the intelligence community with top-secret clearance 20+ years ago, leading teams through government shutdowns and crisis, teaching Army leaders about the science of humor and connection, and designing well-being programs that go far beyond gym memberships. Whether you're wrestling with hybrid policies, rebuilding trust after layoffs, or trying to support your team through relentless change, this episode offers practical wisdom grounded in decades of experience transforming workplaces from the inside out. Connect with Mika Cross on LinkedIn (Work Life Champion of the Universe), visit mikacross.com, or check out her company at strategyworkatwork.us

6. 

   22 Oct 2025

   #5 - Mark Ma - RTO Mandates Cause Brain Drain: The Data on Who Really Quits

   Return-to-office mandates increase turnover—but it's your senior employees, skilled workers, and women who are leaving at the highest rates. Mark Ma, research professor at the University of Pittsburgh, breaks down what the data actually shows about RTO mandates, brain drain, and the future of work. His research has been featured in the Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Fortune, BBC, and more. This conversation goes deep on the disconnect between workplace policies and what actually drives performance: • Why RTO as a "cheap layoff" backfires spectacularly • The management training crisis: why leaders don't know how to lead hybrid teams • Why we're measuring productivity completely wrong (and how to fix it) • AI's impact on jobs and the case for 3-day work weeks • How flexible work affects mental health, families, and birth rates • Social mobility decline and why younger workers are opting out of career advancement • Why amenities and coffee badging miss the point entirely Mark brings rigorous research, honest takes on what's broken, and a genuinely optimistic long-term vision—even while acknowledging the rocky road ahead. BONUS: Mark offers to help organizations run free pilot experiments on hybrid work policies. If you're willing to test your assumptions instead of defending them, reach out. From tactical workplace insights to big-picture questions about meaning, policy, and the future we're building—this conversation will change how you think about work.📚 CONNECT WITH MARK MA:• LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-ma-b34912139/ )• University of Pittsburgh (https://business.pitt.edu/professors/mark-ma/)

7. 

   14 Oct 2025

   #4 - Brian Elliott - Why RTO Mandates Fail: Trust, Data & the Future of Hybrid Work

   RTO mandates are up 77%. Actual attendance? Up just 2%. So what's really working in hybrid work—and what's just expensive performance theater? Brian Elliott (former VP at Slack, Executive Leader of Future Forum, and author of "How the Future Works") joins Jane Young to cut through the noise with data, not opinions. We dig into: • Why employee monitoring destroys performance • The real cost of proximity bias in your organization • What separates high-performing hybrid teams from struggling ones • Why "just trust people" fails without the right systems • Flexibility schedules: the breakthrough nobody's talking about • How executive visibility bias drives terrible workplace decisions Brian brings years of research scaling distributed teams through Slack's hypergrowth, plus refreshingly blunt takes on what leaders are getting wrong about the future of work. If you're questioning your RTO policy, trying to build high-performing distributed teams, or wondering why your hybrid strategy isn't working - this conversation is packed with practical, data-backed answers. 📚 Brian's book: "How the Future Works" 🔗 Future Forum research: futureforumresearch.com

8. 

   23 Jul 2025

   #3 - Tanisha Krishnan - Why 75% of Leaders Are Wrong About Office Usage

   Tanisha Krishnan reveals the shocking disconnect between what leaders think is happening in their offices and reality - and why treating employees like customers is the key to hybrid work success. The Head of Workplace UK at BNP Paribas shares how her unique background in architecture and design thinking helps organizations solve their biggest workplace challenges through data-driven, user-centric approaches. Learn about the 75% vs 19% reality gap, why employees should be treated as "customers on the inside," and how to prepare for a 74% millennial/Gen Z workforce by 2030. Essential listening for anyone navigating the complexity of hybrid work. Hosted by Jane Young | Produced by HubStar (https://hubstar.com/)

9. 

   22 Jul 2025

   #2 - Bex Moorhouse - Why Sunday Night Feelings Reveal Everything About Your Culture

   Bex Moorhouse reveals the simple test that exposes toxic workplace culture - and why being called "a machine" at work is actually a red flag. The founder of Invigorate Spaces, who's transformed workplaces for Nike, Facebook, Disney, and 20th Century Fox, shares her journey from burnout to creating workplaces that actually care about humans. Discover the Sunday Night Test that reveals your true culture, why "high performance" shouldn't mean constant performance, and how leaders can be umbrellas instead of pressure funnels. This conversation will give you fresh hope that even one person can transform workplace culture. Hosted by Jane Young & Joe Harris | Produced by HubStar (https://hubstar.com/)

10. 

    22 Jul 2025

    #1 - Dr Craig Knight - Why 70% of Productivity Measurement is Dead Wrong | Workplace Visionaries

    Dr. Craig Knight reveals the shocking truth about productivity measurement - and why most companies are doing it completely wrong. The organizational psychology expert shares how he's achieved 50% wellbeing improvements, 32% productivity gains, and up to 19% intelligence increases by challenging everything we think we know about workplace performance. Discover why subjective productivity measurement is "utterly pointless," how open plan offices were designed using prison surveillance concepts, and why one floor improvement generated £1.5M in additional income. This conversation will completely change how you think about measuring and improving workplace performance. Hosted by Jane Young & Joe Harris | Produced by HubStar

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.