Podcasts exploring modern work
Both of our podcasts come from WorkLife with Adam Grant. Adam Grant is a workplace psychologist, and in each episode he talks with experts about how work is changing. Our first episode is about what makes a team work well. Our second one is about mental health at work.
Podcast 1: How to design teams that don't suck
Authored by: [name]
Source: WorkLife with Adam Grant (2024)
What the episode says
Many teams do worse than the people in them could do alone. In this episode, Adam Grant looks at research on what makes teams work. He talks with Anita Woolley, a professor who studies teams, and with members of a famous Olympic hockey team that beat a much stronger team. The main point is simple: a great team is not just a group of star players. Teams do better when members listen to each other, everyone gets a turn to speak, and people trust each other. Picking the best people is not enough — how they work together matters more (Grant, 2024).
Why it matters
Almost every job now needs teamwork. Companies often just put their best workers together and expect great results. This episode shows that does not work by itself. A team needs the right mix of people, clear goals, and trust.
Course concepts
Diversity — Diversity means a team has different kinds of people in it, with different skills and backgrounds. A good mix helps a team, because people bring different ideas. A team of only stars can still fail if they are all the same.
Climate of trust — A climate of trust means team members believe their teammates will do their part and not let them down. When trust is high, people speak up and share ideas. When trust is low, people hold back.
Teamwork — A good team does three things: it gets the work done, its members are happy, and the team can keep working together in the future. The hockey team in this episode won because they played as one team, not as single stars.
Podcast 2: We should allow sad days, not just sick days
Authored by: [name]
Source: WorkLife with Adam Grant (2021)
What the episode says
Workers can call in sick when their body is unwell. But most workplaces do not let workers take time off when their mind is struggling. In this episode, Adam Grant explains what people get wrong about mental health at work. One manager in the episode tells workers, "It's okay to call in sick. It's okay to call in sad too." The episode also talks with a leader from Parks Canada who tried to build a workplace where people care about each other, and with a famous basketball player who spoke openly about his depression (Grant, 2021).
Why it matters
How workers feel affects how well they work. If workers have to hide their feelings and act happy all day, they get tired and stressed, and many quit. Workplaces are changing: good employers now support mental health, not just physical health.
Course concepts
Emotional labour — Emotional labour means a worker has to show feelings they do not really feel, as part of the job. For example, a server or cashier must smile and act cheerful even when they feel sad or stressed. Doing this all day is tiring.
Job satisfaction — Job satisfaction is a worker's good feeling about their job. Workers who feel cared for at work are happier with their jobs and stay longer.
Leadership — Leaders set the tone at work. When a leader says it is okay to not be okay, workers feel safe to be honest, and the whole team does better.
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