Culturelab With Aga Bajer

Despite the tremendous success of many companies operating in a nearly fully remote setup during the pandemic, we are now experiencing a shift, with mandates urging employees to return to the office, full-time or part-time. Why the obsession with in-person collaboration? Tune into this week’s Deep Dive with Shani revolving around how we can navigate this brave new world of remote and hybrid work and support teams to perform at their full potential. To join CultureBrained® go to tinyurl.com/culturebrained To learn more about our accreditation program, go to tinyurl.com/accreditationprogram To access our free resources and materials on cultivating thriving cultures, click here: https://www.agabajer.com/resources/ For Bretton Putter's episode "Future-Proof Your Hybrid Culture" go to https://tinyurl.com/BrettonPutter-2 

Picture our ancestors, hunters and gatherers roaming the savannah. Various anthropological studies indicate that the early homo sapiens experienced working together towards a common goal (survival of the species) as a source of fun, meaning, and belonging. However, the modern concept of work seems to have strayed from this original purpose. Closing the gap between our ancestors' experience and today's work culture is the central focus of our conversation with Teresa Clark, a recognized expert on well-being at work. To join CultureBrained® go to tinyurl.com/culturebrained To learn more about our accreditation program, go to tinyurl.com/accreditationprogram To listen to my interview with Jeanette Bronee, go to https://tinyurl.com/JeanetteBronee-CultureLab To access our free resources and materials on cultivating thriving cultures, click here: https://www.agabajer.com/resources/

Let’s be honest - hybrid work can be great, but it can also be quite annoying. In this episode, Bret Putter, the leading expert in hybrid work strategies and practices, discusses hybrid friction at work and how to avoid it. He also shares strategies associated with hybrid work and remote best practices to support your distributed team better. To join CultureBrained® go to tinyurl.com/culturebrained To learn more about our accreditation program, go to tinyurl.com/accreditationprogram To access our free resources and materials on cultivating thriving cultures, click here: https://www.agabajer.com/resources/ Check out Bretton’s latest appearance on the CultureLab Podcast: https://tinyurl.com/BrettonPutter-1

This Deep Dive focuses on how we can reclaim agency over our own well-being and that of our colleagues and cultivate an environment where people can truly thrive. We explore topics related to mental and physical health: the true sense of care at work and how it is linked to finding our purpose, tailoring solutions for well-being, engaging employees in discussions about their own well-being, including metrics that show how well we do, early signs of burnout, the relationship between belonging and well-being, the difference between being and doing, and how to address the stigma of mental health at work. To join CultureBrained® go to tinyurl.com/culturebrained To learn more about our accreditation program, go to tinyurl.com/accreditationprogram To listen to my interview with Jeanette Bronee, go to https://tinyurl.com/JeanetteBronee-CultureLab To access our free resources and materials on cultivating thriving cultures, click here: https://www.agabajer.com/resources/

As organizations grow, they often encounter unique challenges in building and maintaining a thriving culture. The very things that made a company successful in its early stages – its core values, startup mentality, and close-knit team – can become diluted or even lost as the company scales. In this episode, Cameron Herold, the Founder of the COO Alliance and author of Second in Command discusses the importance of investing in employees' skills to keep up with company growth and uncovers how to bring your vision to life by using his jigsaw puzzle approach. To join CultureBrained® go to tinyurl.com/culturebrained To learn more about our accreditation program, go to tinyurl.com/accreditationprogram To access our free resources and materials on cultivating thriving cultures, click here: https://www.agabajer.com/resources/

The Deep Dive with Aga and Shani is your monthly episode about all things culture. This episode focuses on rebuilding a resilient workplace culture as companies face immense challenges nowadays that can have lasting effects on their culture and relationships. Whether you're a seasoned HR professional, a team leader, or an entrepreneur looking to build a strong and resilient culture from the ground up, this episode is for you. To join CultureBrained® go to tinyurl.com/culturebrained To learn more about our accreditation program, go to tinyurl.com/accreditationprogram To access our free resources and materials on cultivating thriving cultures, click here: https://www.agabajer.com/resources/

Rituals are a fascinating aspect of human behaviour. From ancient religions to the modern workplace, they play a significant role in shaping our culture and behaviour. In this week’s episode, Ezra Bookman, the founder of Ritualist, shares practical strategies and real-world examples of how companies have leveraged the power of rituals to create a dynamic and thriving work environment. To join CultureBrained® go to tinyurl.com/culturebrained To access our free resources and materials on cultivating thriving cultures, click here: https://www.agabajer.com/resources/

In this episode, we dive deep into the power of language and how software can help businesses create more inclusive communication and culture. In a time when inclusivity and empathy are more important than ever before, AI-powered natural language processing (NLP) is revolutionizing the way we write and communicate. Our guest, Kieran Snyder, the Co-Founder and CEO of Textio is an expert in NLP and she talks about how we can embrace collaborative intelligence of humans and machines to create a better workplace. To join CultureBrained® go to tinyurl.com/culturebrained To access our free resources and materials on cultivating thriving cultures, click here: https://www.agabajer.com/resources/

THE DEEP DIVE with Aga and Shani: Activating Your Values The Deep Dive with Aga and Shani is your monthly episode about all things culture. This episode focuses on activating company values and creating a culture where values are not just talked about but lived and breathed by every employee. Whether you're a seasoned HR professional, a team leader, or an entrepreneur looking to build a strong culture from the ground up, our podcast has something for you. To join CultureBrained® go to tinyurl.com/culturebrained To access our free resources and materials on cultivating thriving cultures, click here: https://www.agabajer.com/resources/

Do you ever wonder why some teams thrive while others struggle? According to recent studies, the secret sauce to success may lie in something unexpected - play at work. My guest, Kristi Herold, the founder and CEO of JAM and the author of “It Pays to Play” talks about how to incorporate play into how we run our businesses. To join CultureBrained® go to tinyurl.com/culturebrained To access our free resources and materials on cultivating thriving cultures, click here: https://www.agabajer.com/resources/

Is it possible to make a difference and make money? Nikki Gatenby says yes! If you are looking to make a difference in the world while still running a successful business, this episode is a must-listen. Nikki provides valuable tips and ideas on how to be profitable and purposeful and how we can contribute to creating a better world through our businesses. Tune into this episode to learn how to pursue both success and positive impact. To join CultureBrained® go to tinyurl.com/culturebrained To access our free resources and materials on cultivating thriving cultures, click here: https://www.agabajer.com/resources/

When it comes to creating a truly just workplace, many companies today seem fixated on ticking off diversity metrics. But DEIB (diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging) is not just about numbers - it's about creating a culture where everyone feels seen, heard, and valued. Our guest today, Trier Bryant, the President of 82VS, Alloy Therapeutics’ affiliated venture studio that builds and invests in next-generation biotech companies and the Co-Founder and CEO of Just Work, puts it perfectly: "If even your straight white men don't have a good experience at work, increasing the diversity of your workforce will not solve the problem - it will probably make it worse." Tune in to this episode with Trier to learn about creating truly inclusive and equitable workplaces. To join CultureBrained® go to tinyurl.com/culturebrained To access our free resources and materials on cultivating thriving cultures, click here: https://www.agabajer.com/resources/

In this episode, we dive into the importance of innovation in the modern business world. Our guest, Dan Strode, shares insights on how a corporate culture that nurtures creativity and encourages experimentation can foster innovation and give a company a unique competitive edge. He delves into the ways companies can cultivate an environment that values and prioritizes innovation, and how it ultimately leads to success in an ever-changing marketplace. Join us as we explore the role of innovation in driving growth and competitiveness for businesses today. To join CultureBrained® go to tinyurl.com/culturebrained

Drama in the workplace is a major drain on productivity, creativity, and collaboration. It manifests as emotional outbursts, unresolved disagreements, resistance to change, or misalignment with strategic priorities. It’s not just unpleasant - it can cost billions in lost engagement and productivity, exacerbating mental health issues. Fortunately, we can learn how to minimize or even eliminate drama in the workplace, and that’s exactly what we talk about in this episode of the CultureLab podcast with my guest, Caitlin Walker. Tune in to hear us explore her methodology and demos of a series of “clean questions”. To join CultureBrained® go to tinyurl.com/culturebrained

Belonging is not a by-product of success - it’s a necessary condition for any team. In this episode, I am joined by one of the most distinguished experts on belonging and community building, Charles Vogl. Tune in to hear us do a deep dive into some of the foundational principles of nurturing authentic and supportive communities at work - and in life. To join CultureBrained® go to tinyurl.com/culturebrained

Jessica Zwaan has amassed quite a following among HR professionals frustrated with the old way of doing things and keen to develop an agile, evidence-based approach to serve their people and business and to drive performance. Jessica is currently the COO at Whereby, and outside of her company, she is most well known for her approach to people ops as a product. Jessica’s latest book is called Built for People - Develop an Agile, Evidence-based Approach to HR to Drive Performance, and together we explore people ops. Tune in! To join CultureBrained®, go to tinyurl.com/culturebrained

There’s a major positive side-effect to the pandemic - it presents us with the biggest opportunity we’ve had in the past 100 years to redesign the way we work and finally fix the stuff that's been broken since the industrial era. In this episode, Lynda Gratton, a Professor of Management Practice at London Business School talks about how you can make hybrid work. She is one of the foremost global thought-leaders on the future of work, named by ‘Business Thinkers 50’ as one of the top fifteen business thinkers. It’s worth tuning in and learning from her! To join CultureBrained®, go to tinyurl.com/culturebrained

For many people, fun and work don’t mix. We tend to think of work as the serious and virtuous stuff of life. Fun, on the other hand, is perceived as something frivolous, an indulgence that we can rarely afford. But fun at work turns out to be serious business; it’s one of the pillars of thriving cultures, alongside meaning and belonging. Today my guest is an award-winning science journalist, Catherine Price who went down a similar rabbit hole when it comes to fun as I did. Catherine’s latest book is called The Power of Fun - How to Feel Alive Again and together we explore the power of fun at work. Join us! To join CultureBrained®, go to tinyurl.com/culturebrained

Most people struggle with “constructive” feedback. It’s hard to hear it and even harder to give it. We are neurologically hard-wired to avoid feedback like the plague. And yet, we cannot grow and develop without it. Our guest, Kim Scott, discovered that when feedback comes from a place of caring deeply and challenging directly, it can be very effective. She calls it radical candor. If you are not familiar with radical candor, this episode is a great introduction, not just to the concept but also to its origin story. Plus, we have a really interesting conversation about recognizing and addressing bias, prejudice and bullying at work. To join CultureBrained, go to tinyurl.com/culturebrained

“When’s the last time you had a good chat with yourself? The kind of chat where you ask yourself, “How am I in there?” - this is one of the questions Jeanette Bronée likes asking. Rethinker, Culture Strategist, Global Keynote & 2 x TEDx Speaker, Author, CEO & Founder of Path for Life®, Jeanette Bronée is rethinking self-care in the workplace as the foundation for peak performance, engagement, and a culture where people belong and work better together. To join CultureBrained®, go to tinyurl.com/culturebrained