Podcast · Business

Working It

by Financial Times · English · Business

New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 19 min
Latest: 28 Jan 2025
Language: English

Latest episode

28 Jan 2025 · 26 min

Finale: How work has changed since we started this show

After more than three years, and 153 episodes, this is the final Working It podcast. Isabel Berwick gathers three colleagues (and friends) to discuss what they’ve learned about the world of work since the show first launched. So please, if you will, join Isabel, Andrew Hill, Emma Jacobs and Anjli Raval in the kitchen for a slice of ‘Working It’ cake, and a heartfelt goodbye to the podcast. Subscribe to the Working It newsletter here. Presented by Isabel Berwick, produced by Mischa Frankl-Duval, mixed by Simon Panayi. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Cheryl Brumley is the FT’s head…

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

S2 · E99 · 21 Jan 2025 · 15 min

Why being a CEO is so lonely (and how to fix that)

Running a business is rewarding in plenty of ways – not least in terms of salary. But it can also be extremely lonely. Having friends at work becomes complicated (or even impossible), and you can’t be sure if people like you, or if they’re just saying what they think you want to hear. If you’re the boss, how can you learn to live with those downsides? To find out, Isabel Berwick speaks to Allan Barton (former MD of the waste disposal firm Shanks), and Tiffany Gaskell, co-CEO at the coaching consultancy Performance Consultants International. Subscribe to the Working It Newsletter here . Want…
S2 · E98 · 14 Jan 2025 · 18 min

The science of better workplace conversations

What can we learn about the way we speak by analysing thousands of everyday conversations? That’s a question that fascinates Alison Wood Brooks. Alison, an associate professor at Harvard Business School, and author of the forthcoming book, Talk: The Science of Conversation and the Art of Being Ourselves joins Isabel Berwick to discuss her research. She explains how to plan a conversation even when you don’t know who you’ll be speaking to, how we misunderstand apologies, and why there’s no such thing as too many questions. Want more? Free links: What we talk about when we talk about the…
S2 · E97 · 7 Jan 2025 · 18 min

Why are some bosses infuriating (and others inspiring)?

When you’re a leader, colleagues look for hidden meanings in everything you do. That can make gentle suggestions sound infuriating – and amplify the effect of even off-hand compliments. So how can a leader make sure their words and actions are understood as intended? To find out, Isabel Berwick speaks to Adam Galinsky, a professor at Columbia Business School, and author of the forthcoming book ‘ Inspire: The Universal Path for Leading Yourself and Others .’ Adam has asked tens of thousands of people about what makes a leader inspiring or infuriating. In this episode, he explains the perils…
S2 · E96 · 24 Dec 2024 · 22 min

Best of: How to master the art of schmoozing

This week's episode of Working It – the last of the year – is a repeat of one of our favourite episodes. It features a masterclass in chit-chat from Matt Abrahams, a lecturer in communications at Stanford University, podcast host, and author of the since published book Think Faster, Talk Smarter . Good conversation is an essential tool of self-promotion in the office. So what do we make of Matt’s advice here at the FT office? Host Isabel Berwick gets the views of award-winning FT columnist Pilita Clark and Stephen Bush, who writes the FT’s daily Inside Politics newsletter. Want more? Top…
S2 · E95 · 17 Dec 2024 · 16 min

How to get ahead (without getting promoted)

You thought you were getting that big promotion – but you missed out. What are your next steps? Isabel Berwick speaks to Sarah Ellis (co-founder of careers consultancy Amazing If) and FT Management Editor Anjli Raval to find out. They discuss how to keep your emotions in check after suffering professional rejection, who you should turn to for advice, and why ‘squiggly’ careers are more popular than ever. Want more? Free links: What can I do if I hit a career plateau? ‘The flattening’: tech sector calls time on middle managers A big internal move Presented by Isabel Berwick, produced by…
S2 · E94 · 10 Dec 2024 · 19 min

Best of: How to survive the office Christmas party

It's the work Christmas party season: you're out of the office, and the alcohol is flowing. How can you make sure you don't embarrass yourself (or derail your career)? And how can you bounce back if you do go wrong? Isabel Berwick speaks to FT columnist and veteran party-goer Stephen Bush, author and comedian Viv Groskop and party-shy FT columnist Emma Jacobs to find out. Warning: contains drunken secret Santas, dancefloor embarrassment and toe-curling apologies. Got a Christmas party nightmare you’d like Isabel and Jonathan to help you with? Submit it here:…
S2 · E93 · 3 Dec 2024 · 20 min

How can middle-aged women get the most out of work?

Many middle-aged women leave the workforce with plenty left to give. What can managers do to stop that from happening? Isabel Berwick speaks to Lucy Standing, founder of Brave Starts, a not-for-profit that helps older workers realise their potential. Isabel and Lucy are joined by writer and comedian Viv Groskop, who coaches and consults widely in the corporate world. Together, they discuss how women can ask the right questions about company culture, the factors you can’t fight at work, and why the last thing older workers want is another training course. Want more? Free links: The perils of…
S2 · E92 · 26 Nov 2024 · 18 min

Luck makes careers. Here’s how to get more of it.

Most successful people will tell you that hard work and talent can get you where you want to go. Fewer of them will admit that luck is at least as important. Some of us are born into luckier circumstances than others; but we can all do more to make our own luck, and be ready to capitalise on it when the opportunity arises. In this episode, Isabel Berwick speaks to Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, professor of business psychology at UCL and Columbia, chief innovation officer of ManpowerGroup, and author of books including ‘The Talent Delusion’ and ‘Why Do So Many Incompetent Men Become Leaders?’…
S2 · E91 · 19 Nov 2024 · 18 min

How to get the long-term sick back to work

The UK has a well-known problem with long-term sickness in the workforce – but it’s not alone. In several wealthy countries, the number of young people turning to disability benefits has risen. Why is that? What can managers do about it? And just how much could helping people back to work boost productivity? To find out, host Isabel Berwick speaks to John Burn-Murdoch, the FT’s chief data reporter, as well as Camilla Cavendish, FT contributing editor and columnist. Want more? Free Links: Out of work and unwell: the worrying rise of young people on benefits How companies can deal with in-work…
S2 · E90 · 12 Nov 2024 · 21 min

What I wish I’d known when I started my career

Isabel Berwick writes about how managers and workers can get better at their jobs. But that doesn’t mean she’s always been a perfect employee… In this special episode, Isabel speaks to her former boss (and good friend) Michael Skapinker about how she’s changed over the course of her career, her professional shortcomings, and some of the run-ins the two of them have shared. Later, Isabel and Michael discuss nuggets of career wisdom from FT colleagues including Stephen Bush, Claer Barrett and Jemima Kelly: how important is talent to a successful career? Does anyone care where you went to…
E89 · 5 Nov 2024 · 18 min

How to be a kind manager – without being a pushover

We do not always associate bosses with kindness. But being kind to your team can make workers more engaged, more likely to stick around and more productive. So how can managers weave kindness into their daily work, even if they’re annoyed or dealing with a colleague they are not keen on? Isabel Berwick speaks to Graham Allcott, author of ‘KIND: The quiet power of kindness at work’, and Bonnie Hayden Cheng, a professor at the Hong Kong University Business School and author of ‘The Return on Kindness’. Want more? Free links: How acts of leadership kindness make everyone better Kindness in the…
S3 · E88 · 29 Oct 2024 · 20 min

Best of: Has ‘retirement’ had its day?

Retirement used to be a cliff edge: you’d be working one week, and gardening the next. That’s changing. Now, retirement can mean working on the things you enjoy at a slower pace, and staying engaged with new ideas. Isabel Berwick speaks to author, columnist and Harvard Professor Arthur C Brooks on the science of flourishing in later life, and what older brains can do that younger ones can’t. Later, Isabel talks to former FT journalist Michael Skapinker about the importance of staying engaged with old colleagues and new ideas – even if you’re not doing the same thing every day. Want more?…
S3 · E87 · 22 Oct 2024 · 17 min

How to network without being inauthentic

The idea of networking makes many of us shudder. But connecting with colleagues doesn’t have to mean cold emails and awkward encounters. Alison Fragale tells host Isabel Berwick how ‘strategic socialising’ can help us make genuinely helpful connections at work. They’re joined by Natasha Wood, head of strategy at the FT’s events business, FT Live. Natasha explains how joining colleagues in an ekiden — or long-distance relay race — helped her boost her professional status after coming back from maternity leave. Want more? Free links: Top ways to be a super schmoozer Workplace friendships…
S2 · E86 · 15 Oct 2024 · 18 min

Why the pandemic couldn't kill the 100-hour week

Bankers and lawyers have long had punishing work schedules. Has the pandemic – and a widespread move towards flexible working – changed that? Guest host Bethan Staton speaks to Craig Coben, a former senior investment banker at Bank of America and Deutsche Bank, as well as Suzi Ring, the FT’s legal correspondent. They discuss why client satisfaction trumps work-life balance, why law firms can’t just hire twice as many lawyers to work half as hard, and what bankers actually do during a 100-hour work week. Want more? Free links: The ‘80-hour circuit breaker’: Wall Street banks tackle workloads…
S2 · E85 · 8 Oct 2024 · 17 min

How to survive a corporate shake-up

Corporate reorganisations can be hugely unsettling for employees, whose working lives can change overnight. What can managers do to make these periods of flux as easy as possible for their charges? Isabel Berwick speaks to work researcher Christine Armstrong, and Andrew Hill, the FT’s senior business writer. They discuss how to get ahead of gossip, why clarity is king when you deliver bad news, and the dirtiest office secret of all: that work isn’t your whole life. Want more? Free links: Silent lay-offs are rarely as quiet as bosses hope We’re all busy again’, say UK restructuring experts…
S2 · E84 · 1 Oct 2024 · 19 min

Amazon ends remote work. Will other firms follow?

Amazon has ordered its staff back to the office five days a week from January. Will other companies follow its lead? Host Isabel Berwick asks Kevin Delaney, the editor-in-chief of media and research firm Charter, what the data says about the efficacy of remote work. They’re joined by the FT’s Emma Jacobs, who argues being in the office is not the solution to every workplace problem. Want more? Free links: Amazon orders staff back to office 5 days a week Amazon says workers need to be in the office. Most of Silicon Valley disagrees. The office is not the only solution Presented by Isabel…
S2 · E83 · 24 Sep 2024 · 23 min

Working It live: How to get ahead without burning out

Leaders are always under pressure – but the most successful ones know how to manage it. In this special episode, recorded live at the FT Weekend Festival in London on September 7, Isabel Berwick speaks to psychologist Dr Audrey Tang, who explains how managers can better resist the pressures of their work. Tang, author of books including ‘The Leader’s Guide to Resilience,’ tells Isabel about the importance of bosses modelling healthy behaviour, why skills (as opposed to strengths) can make workers unhappy, and how to know when a colleague is about to burn out. Want more? Free links: The…
S2 · E82 · 17 Sep 2024 · 18 min

Why you should take more risks, with Nate Silver

Every career involves choices; every choice involves risk. But being able to size up those risks, and think coolly about which are worth taking, can make the process of choosing between options much easier. The problem? Most of us aren’t actually very good at evaluating risk. In this episode, Isabel Berwick speaks to statistician, writer and sometime poker player Nate Silver to find out how we can take better risks in our careers. Silver, founder of analysis website FiveThirtyEight and author of the new book On the Edge: The Art of Risking Everything ’ explains why fear plays an outsize risk…
S2 · E81 · 10 Sep 2024 · 21 min

Why you can’t ‘hack’ your way to productivity, with Oliver Burkeman

Lots of productivity advice tells you how you can cram more into your day, but accepting you can only do so much might be the only productivity “hack” that works. Oliver Burkeman, author of the smash-hit 2021 book Four Thousand Weeks , talks to Isabel Berwick about his new book, Meditations for Mortals , which lays out practical steps to living a less frantic life. Oliver tells Isabel why delaying our professional gratification can become a trap, how we should deal with our monstrous email backlogs and why pragmatism beats idealism every time. Want more? Free links: How can you manage your…
S2 · E80 · 3 Sep 2024 · 19 min

Who ate my lunch (hour)?

If you like your colleagues, the lunch hour is probably a highlight of your working day. But fewer and fewer of us are actually using it to, well, lunch. Since flexible working has become the norm, people have increasingly ‘banked’ their lunch hour, and spent their break time running errands, exercising, or seeing their kids. Stanford university professor Nick Bloom tells host Isabel Berwick. But is something lost if we don’t break bread with our colleagues? Is eating ‘al desko’ really so bad? And what’s the secret to a great homemade lunch? FT Magazine Food and Drink editor Harriet Fitch…
S2 · E79 · 27 Aug 2024 · 19 min

What managers get wrong about Gen Z

Managers can’t get their heads around Gen Z employees. Why won’t they work late? Why do they talk like that? And do they even want to be here? But instead of emphasising points of difference with younger workers, we should get better at understanding their motivations. In this episode, Isabel speaks to researcher and futurist Chloe Combi, who has interviewed more than 20,000 young people about what they want. Chloe explains why Gen Z workers often clash with millennials (and how to give them better mentors). FT columnist Pilita Clark vents about her biggest Gen Z bugbear: the fact that…
S2 · E78 · 20 Aug 2024 · 18 min

Why working on holiday could make you worse at your job

You’ve worked hard all year, and the summer holidays have finally arrived. But it’s not like all your colleagues have downed tools. Would it be so bad if you checked your emails – just quickly – to make sure your team don’t need you? Well, yes it would, actually. In this episode, author and journalist Brigid Schulte tells Isabel Berwick why holiday work is a failure of management – and can cost employees their good health. Isabel also speaks to freelance journalist Oliver Balch, who recently asked senior executives about whether they really disconnect on their holidays. Want more? Free…
S2 · E77 · 13 Aug 2024 · 19 min

How much ambition is too much? With Lucy Kellaway

In most workplaces, expressing ambition is non-negotiable. We’re all meant to strive, to want more, and to summit ever more impressive professional peaks; but only a handful ever reach the top. Besides, does ambition really make us happy? In this episode, Isabel Berwick speaks to Stefan Stern, author of ‘Fair or Foul: The Lady Macbeth Guide to Ambition.’. They discuss why even the highest achievers can never accomplish enough.’ Later, Isabel speaks to teacher and former FT journalist Lucy Kellaway, who explains why tempering your ambition can be the difference between satisfaction and…
S2 · E76 · 6 Aug 2024 · 56 min

Coaching Real Leaders: How can I set the right boundaries in a new job?

Working It is taking a break this week, so we’re bringing you a podcast we think you’ll enjoy: Coaching Real Leaders, from Harvard Business Review. The show takes you inside real-life coaching sessions with veteran leadership coach Muriel Wilkins. In this episode, Muriel speaks to ‘Sarah’, who has experienced burnout in more than one of her previous roles. Muriel investigates the causes of Sarah’s burnout – and points her to new habits that may stop her burning out again. To take part in the FT audience survey and be in with a chance to win a pair of Bose wireless headphones, please click…
S2 · E75 · 30 Jul 2024 · 20 min

You messed up at work. What now?

There’s plenty of finger pointing taking place following the CrowdStrike software outage that took down millions of computers all over the world earlier this month. So what’s the best way to deal with big mistakes in the workplace – and can you win back trust after a huge error? Senior editor Hugh Carnegy, who administers the FT’s corrections and complaints process, tells host Isabel Berwick how he handles mistakes by editors and correspondents, and Sandra Sucher, professor of management practice at Harvard Business School, joins the conversation to talk about how trust is lost and regained…
S2 · E74 · 23 Jul 2024 · 20 min

‘Power hours’: how to make the most of your working day

We all experience peaks and troughs over the course of a working day. Knowing how to manage them can make us much more productive. Isabel Berwick speaks to Daniel Pink, bestselling author of books including When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing , about why people work best at different times of day – and how we can harness those differences to do our best work. Later, producer Mischa Frankl-Duval speaks to Aaron Levie, CEO of Box. Aaron is a committed night owl. He explains his unusual schedule, and how it affects his leadership. Want more? Free links: Fewer meetings, more memos:…
S2 · E73 · 16 Jul 2024 · 17 min

How much should a leader know about their team?

CEOs ultimately take responsibility when something goes wrong on their team. But leaders have a lot on their plates. How can they stay on top of what the people under them are doing, without burning themselves out? To learn more, Isabel Berwick speaks to Cath Bishop, a former Olympic rower who now helps businesses create sustainable working cultures, and the FT’s senior business writer Andrew Hill. To take part in an audience survey and be in with the chance to win a pair of Bose QuietComfort 35 wireless headphones, click here . Click here to find T&Cs for the prize draw. Want more? Free…
S2 · E72 · 9 Jul 2024 · 16 min

How to make your mark as a new leader

When you step into a senior job, your in-tray is stuffed (just ask the new UK prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer). People who work under you are trying to win you round; the colleagues you beat out for the top job may be looking to sabotage you. And, as guest Laura Empson – a professor in the management of professional services firms at Bayes Business School – tells guest host Andrew Hill, some staff are even complaining about the chicken sandwiches. Laura explains how to cut through the noise when you start a new job, and the importance of throwing “live chickens” to the crocodiles. To take…
S2 · E71 · 2 Jul 2024 · 14 min

How to know when it’s time to quit

We’re conditioned to believe that persevering in a tough situation is more noble than quitting. But decision strategist (and former poker champion) Annie Duke tells host Isabel Berwick that that’s not always the case. Too often when we’re faced with a stick-or-twist decision at work, we underplay the positives that may come from a change – and overplay the negatives. Want more? Free links: Quitting is underrated Quitting a job does not make you a failure Why living experimentally beats taking big bets Presented by Isabel Berwick, produced by Mischa Frankl-Duval, mixed by Simon Panayi. The…

About Working It

Whether you’re the boss, the deputy or on your way up, we’re shaking up the way the world works. This is the podcast about doing work differently. Join host Isabel Berwick every Wednesday for expert analysis and watercooler chat about ahead-of-the-curve workplace trends, the big ideas shaping work today - and the old habits we need to leave behind. Brought to you by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Working It is a English business podcast from Financial Times. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Financial Times
Language: English
Category: Business
New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 19 min
Latest episode: 28 Jan 2025
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1591925469
Rights: Financial Times

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