Bad bosses, tough conditions and colleagues who put us in the shade; we all have work problems sometimes and Working It is here to help you solve yours. Host Isabel Berwick teams up with Jonathan Black, director of the Oxford university careers service and writer of the FT’s Dear Jonathan career advice column, to help three listeners. Submit your workplace dilemmas, questions and worries here: https://telbee.io/channel/ygf7_gly04xgtckcb0g56a/ FT subscriber? Sign up to get Isabel’s free Working It newsletter in your inbox every Wednesday, 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 of audio. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’ve all been there: the presentation we’re dreading, the deadline we’ve been avoiding, the boss breathing down our neck. So how best to cope with the resulting stress and pressure? Host Isabel Berwick sources top tips from Chris Hunt, a bomb disposal operator, and Mark Wilson, professor of performance psychology at the University of Exeter. Both also explain how pressure affects you physiologically. Want to get in touch? Write to Isabel.Berwick@ft.com  Do you have a workplace dilemma you’d like Isabel and Jonathan Black, director of the careers service at Oxford university, to help you with? Submit it using this link.  Free FT links: Workplace anxiety - and how to overcome it FT subscriber? Sign up to get Isabel’s free Working It newsletter in your inbox every Wednesday, 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 of audio. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

LinkedIn started life as a simple jobs site. Now, it’s something far more complex, with influencers vying for attention, and tech bros spinning improbable yarns about how hard they work. How can ordinary people get better at using the site without becoming bores? How much is it acceptable to share about yourself on LinkedIn? And what can we learn from the site’s power users? Isabel Berwick speaks to Meagan Loyst – a LinkedIn “Top Voice” – to find out. Later, Isabel speaks to Hannah Murphy, an FT reporter who covers social media, to learn more about the way LinkedIn has changed – and what might happen next. Free Links: Influencers and CEOs take their brands to LinkedIn What is Ryan Reynolds doing on LinkedIn? LinkedIn’s Ryan Roslansky: ‘You can only learn how to be a CEO by being a CEO’ Why Linda Yaccarino took on the wildest job in Silicon Valley 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 of audio. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Introducing Life and Art, from FT Weekend. It's a new twice-weekly culture podcast from the Financial Times. On Monday, we talk about life, and how to live a good one, in a one-on-one conversation that explores everything from food and travel to philosophy and creativity. On Friday, we talk about “art” – in a chat show! Three FT journalists come together to discuss a new cultural release across film, TV, music and books. Hosted by Lilah Raptopoulos, together with the FT’s award-winning writers and editors, and special guests. Click here to follow Life and Art, from FT Weekend. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Millions of working adults struggle with ADHD worldwide. The condition often affects people’s ability to focus and complete tasks, making professional life difficult. Shortages of ADHD medicines have compounded the problem, with some patients forced to go without, or ration, their medication. How can managers better understand employees who are struggling with ADHD? What adjustments can they make to improve working conditions? And what can workers themselves do to cope? Host Isabel Berwick speaks to Dr Uthish Sreedaran, clinical director for psychiatry at Psychiatry-UK, and Leanne Maskell, founder and director of ADHD Works, which provides ADHD training and coaching. Got a workplace dilemma you’d like Isabel and Jonathan to help you with? Submit it here: https://telbee.io/channel/ygf7_gly04xgtckcb0g56a/ Want to get in touch? Write to Isabel at isabel.berwick@ft.com Want more? Free links: The benefits of revealing neurodiversity in the workplace Employers see the positive side of ADHD and autism We’ve all got ADHD symptoms. Right? Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The UK has a well-reported productivity problem, with mediocre managers, poor communication and chronic underinvestment all hampering growth. What can Britain glean from Norway, Sweden and Denmark, all of which have more productive economies? And what lessons can be learned from Japan, the only major, developed economy that is less productive than the UK? Host Isabel Berwick speaks to FT senior business writer Andrew Hill to find out what ails Britain. Later, she chats to Leo Lewis (the FT’s Asia business editor) and Richard Milne (Nordic and Baltic bureau chief) to learn how the UK could perform better (or worse…) Why productivity is so weak at UK companies  Sweden is navigating an international identity crisis Lessons from Japan: High-income countries have common problems The UK is doing a shoddy job of keeping up with the neighbours Got a workplace dilemma you’d like Isabel and Jonathan to help you with? Submit it here: https://telbee.io/channel/ygf7_gly04xgtckcb0g56a/ Want to get in touch? Write to Isabel at isabel.berwick@ft.com FT subscriber? Sign up to get Isabel’s free Working It newsletter in your inbox every Wednesday: ft.com/newsletters Credits: 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 of audio. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tattoos used to be frowned upon in corporate settings. But as more of us get inked, is that attitude starting to, well, fade? Employers have been easing restrictions on tattoos – but if responses to a recent FT column are any guide, plenty of people still can’t bear them. Isabel speaks to the author of that column, Pilita Clark, about what tattoos can mean for your career. Isabel speaks to tattoo enthusiasts Isabelle Campbell (an FT VP working on product and technology) and Lucy Snell, a recent FT Group intern. Got a workplace dilemma you’d like Isabel and Jonathan to help you with? Submit it here: https://telbee.io/channel/ygf7_gly04xgtckcb0g56a/ Want more? Free links: Tattoos have reached a turning point at work Why millennials are uncovering tattoos at work Tattoos bring a new form of body language to the office  Credits: 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 of audio. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meetings are an inevitable part of office life – but how many of them are actually useful? Host Isabel Berwick speaks to Kaz Nejatian, chief operating officer of ecommerce group Shopify, to find out why the company slashed staff meetings and what the effects of that policy – dubbed “Chaos Monkey” – have been. Isabel also speaks to Dr Joe Allen, director of the Center for Meeting Effectiveness at the University of Utah, to find out how managers can make meetings less painful. Got a workplace dilemma you’d like Isabel and Jonathan to help you with? Submit it here: https://telbee.io/channel/ygf7_gly04xgtckcb0g56a/ Want more? Free link: If you invite someone to a meeting, there has to be a purpose 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 of audio. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Amy Edmondson is a professor of leadership and management at Harvard Business School and one of the world’s most influential management thinkers. She talks to host Isabel Berwick about her new book, Right Kind of Wrong, in which she argues that companies can only hope to succeed when they make it ‘psychologically safe’ for their teams to fail. Plus, Brooke Masters, the FT’s US financial editor, tells Isabel about the time, early on in her career, when she made a mistake. What did she learn from the experience and how does Amy’s thesis play out across the US corporate world? Do you have a workplace dilemma you’d like Isabel and Jonathan Black, director of the careers service at Oxford university, to help you with? Submit it using this link. Make the most of a discounted offer to Isabel’s Working It newsletter here Want more? Free links: The art of making good mistakes FT 2023 business book of the year shortlist Why bosses must take time to learn from failure Psychological failure: the art of encouraging teams to be open 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 of audio. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re getting better at talking about the roles that gender and race play in career progression. What’s less spoken about is class or social mobility. In this episode, host Isabel Berwick talks to John Friedman, professor and chair of economics at Brown University, who studies the impact of childhood inequality, and hears from Sophie Pender, a London-based corporate lawyer and founder of the 93% Club, a UK network that connects and empowers people who went to state school, about how class discrimination continues to affect people at work and what to do about it. Do you have a workplace dilemma? Isabel and Jonathan Black, director of the careers service at Oxford university, are on hand to help you out. Submit it using this link. Want more? Free links here: Harvard faces federal probe over legacy admissions University is more than just a springboard to a job UK youth face being worse off than parents, says social mobility chief KPMG survey on social class and career progression here The 93% Club 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 of audio. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since the start of the pandemic, tens of thousands of people in the UK have retrained as psychotherapists or counsellors. What is it about the field that has attracted so many, and what does this phenomenon tell us about work? Host Isabel Berwick speaks to the FT’s Bethan Staton, who wrote a brilliant piece on this topic, to find out more. Later, she speaks to Michael Skapinker, who worked as an FT reporter, senior editor and award-winning columnist before training as a counsellor. Michael tells us what his new line of work has taught him and why he wishes he’d thought about it sooner. Got a workplace dilemma you’d like Isabel and Jonathan to help you with? Submit it here: https://telbee.io/channel/ygf7_gly04xgtckcb0g56a/ Free links: ‘Profession of the century’: why so many people are retraining as therapists Letter: Therapy is no cure for a society in crisis External Link Therapy at work: banks and law firms among those offering counselling as staff perk Credits: 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 of audio. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Clear communication can be the difference between getting what you want at work, and missing out. But some of us are better at it than others. Host Isabel Berwick speaks to BBC News analysis editor Ros Atkins, best known for his viral explainer videos, about how we can learn to get to the point. Atkins has made his career conveying information effectively. His recent book, ‘The Art of Explanation,’ distils lessons from more than 20 years at the BBC. Some work jargon is a lot worse than others Workplace buzzwords to take seriously — and those to ignore If you thought business jargon was bad... Communication is a ‘leaky process’ What Beyoncé and J-Lo’s Grammy speeches teach communicators 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 of audio. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Not all that long ago, you might have done the same job – or kind of job – for your entire career, but as life expectancy increases and social mores change, a growing number of people are pivoting to new jobs in middle age. In this episode, recorded at the FT Weekend Festival at London’s Kenwood House, Isabel Berwick speaks to three experts to find out why changing careers can have surprising benefits – and how to do it best. Isabel is joined by Jan Hall, founding partner of leadership consultancy No 4 and co-author of a book exploring career change for senior leaders; Ana Baillie, a former financial and professional services lawyer now studying to be a midwife; and FT contributing editor and columnist Camilla Cavendish, author of ‘Extra Time: 10 Lessons for an Ageing World.’ Want more? For a limited time this summer, we're making related articles FREE to read for all Working It listeners: The City workers who swapped the office for the great outdoors  New job, new you? Well, maybe . . . Would it be unwise to leave my well-paid job to pursue a career in film?  I have done the same job for years — how do I now move my career on? FT subscriber? Sign up for the weekly Working It newsletter with one click here. We cover all things workplace and management — plus exclusive reporting on trends, tips and what’s coming next.  We'd love to hear from you. What do you like (or not)? Which topics should we tackle? Email the team at workingit@ft.com or Isabel directly at isabel.berwick@ft.com.  Follow Isabel on LinkedIn  On X, formerly Twitter, you can follow Isabel at @IsabelBerwick Subscribe to Working It wherever you get your podcasts — and do leave us a review! Presented by Isabel Berwick. Produced by Mischa Frankl-Duval. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa and the sound engineer is Simon Panayi. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brits love to moan about their managers – but maybe they have a point. The vast majority of bosses in the UK get no formal training on how to lead, and most MPs don’t think improving the quality of management should be a priority, according to polling and data from the Chartered Management Institute. Host Isabel Berwick speaks to Ann Francke, head of the CMI, to find out where British managers go wrong – and what better leadership could do for the British economy. Later, she speaks to the FT’s US financial editor, Brooke Masters, and Lucy Fisher, the FT’s Whitehall editor and host of the Political Fix podcast. They discuss what UK leaders could learn from their US counterparts, and why bad British leadership starts from the top. Leadership skills neglected for too long, warns UK management body CBI to recruit new president as part of governance overhaul What Lucy Letby tells us about the NHS culture of secrecy and denial Workplace flattery gets you everywhere Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s Friday afternoon in the city. You’re surrounded by office blocks, there’s a restaurant or bar on every corner… so where is everyone? If occupancy and travel data are anything to go by, they’re probably at home. Isabel Berwick speaks to Stanford economics professor Nick Bloom and FT columnist Pilita Clark to find out whether cities will be ghost towns on Fridays for the foreseeable future. She also asks: if people aren’t at the office on Friday, what are they getting up to? Finally, Chris Silcock, the managing director for the UK and Ireland at Kellogg’s tells Isabel why the company lets workers knock off early on Fridays. Want more? For a limited time this summer, we're making related articles FREE to read for all Working It listeners. See: Thursdays really are the new Fridays Get ready for the four-day working week Big US city downtowns ‘stuck’ behind smaller rivals in pandemic recovery FT subscriber? Sign up for the weekly Working It newsletter with one click here. We cover all things workplace and management — plus exclusive reporting on trends, tips and what’s coming next.  We'd love to hear from you. What do you like (or not)? What topics should we tackle? Email the team at workingit@ft.com or Isabel directly at isabel.berwick@ft.com.  Follow Isabel on LinkedIn  On X, formerly Twitter, you can follow Isabel at @IsabelBerwick Subscribe to Working It wherever you get your podcasts — and do leave us a review! Presented by Isabel Berwick. Produced by Mischa Frankl-Duval, with production assistance from Lucy Snell. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa and the sound engineer is Simon Panayi. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New data from Gallup shows that almost one in five Brits say they feel angry at work – a sharp jump from last year and comfortably higher than our European counterparts. So how can we stop getting wound up in the office – and how should we deal with colleagues who fly into a rage? Host Isabel Berwick speaks to Mike Fisher, founder and director of the British Association of Anger Management, about how workplace fury works. Isabel also hears from Liz Fosslien, the bestselling co-author and illustrator of two books about how to embrace emotions at work: No Hard Feelings and Big Feelings. Want more? For a limited time this summer, we're making related articles FREE to read for all Working It listeners. See: Why we are all so angry at work The hell of other people in the office Should you cry at work? And other personal questions FT subscriber? Sign up for the weekly Working It newsletter with one click here. We cover all things workplace and management — plus exclusive reporting on trends, tips and what’s coming next.  We'd love to hear from you. What do you like (or not)? What topics should we tackle? Email the team at workingit@ft.com or Isabel directly at isabel.berwick@ft.com.  Follow Isabel on LinkedIn  On X, formerly Twitter, you can follow Isabel at @IsabelBerwick Subscribe to Working It wherever you get your podcasts — and do leave us a review! Presented by Isabel Berwick. Produced by Mischa Frankl-Duval. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa and the sound engineer is Simon Panayi. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Corporate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programmes are commonplace, and with good reason. They can help with staff satisfaction, retention and improve business outcomes. But all too often they are implemented in incoherent ways. Host Isabel Berwick speaks to Lily Zheng, a DEI strategist and consultant, about how companies can develop initiatives that make a lasting difference. Want more? For a limited time this summer, we're making related articles FREE to read for all Working It listeners. See: Corporate diversity in the crosshairs after US Supreme Court ruling  Exits of diversity executives shake faith in US companies’ commitments Recession is no excuse for going backwards on diversity  FT subscriber? Sign up for the weekly Working It newsletter with one click here. We cover all things workplace and management — plus exclusive reporting on trends, tips and what’s coming next.  We'd love to hear from you. What do you like (or not)? What topics should we tackle? Email the team at workingit@ft.com or Isabel directly at isabel.berwick@ft.com.  Follow Isabel on LinkedIn  On Twitter, you can follow Isabel at @IsabelBerwick Subscribe to Working It wherever you get your podcasts — and do leave us a review! Presented by Isabel Berwick. Produced by Mischa Frankl-Duval. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa and the sound engineers are Simon Panayi and Breen Turner. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Work has changed immeasurably since the pandemic – and office design has adapted too. Laura Beales, co-founder and chief operating officer of Tally Workspace, tells host Isabel Berwick why beer taps are out and phone booths are in, while Ebbie Wisecarver, head of Global Design and Development at WeWork, discusses how the company’s approach to design has matured since Covid-19. Finally, FT columnist Simon Kuper discusses how he made his perfect office: a beautifully appointed, 19th-century flat in Paris. Want more? For a limited time this summer, we're making related articles FREE to read for all Working It listeners. See: How I made my perfect office After 25 years working alone, I tried WeWork Hybrid working enters a third dimension Privacy at work and the rise of the ‘quiet space’ FT subscriber? Sign up for the weekly Working It newsletter with one click here. We cover all things workplace and management — plus exclusive reporting on trends, tips and what’s coming next.  We'd love to hear from you. What do you like (or not)? What topics should we tackle? Email the team at workingit@ft.com or Isabel directly at isabel.berwick@ft.com.  Follow Isabel on LinkedIn  On Twitter, you can follow Isabel at @IsabelBerwick Subscribe to Working It wherever you get your podcasts — and do leave us a review! Presented by Isabel Berwick. Produced by Mischa Frankl-Duval. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa and the sound engineer is Simon Panayi. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Harvard Business Review once published a damning report about middle managers, saying that the very title “evokes mediocrity”. Was that fair? And what does it take to be a good middle manager? Host Isabel Berwick, the FT’s work and careers editor, discusses with Andrew Hill, the FT’s senior business writer and former management editor. This is a repeat of an episode published on October 18, 2022. Want more? Andrew Hill on why being a manager matters more than ever How demands on team leaders are intensifying Forget the toxic boss - meet the toxic underlings FT subscriber? Sign up for the weekly Working It newsletter with one click, here. We cover all things workplace and management — plus exclusive reporting on trends, tips and what’s coming next.  We love to hear from you. What do you like (or not)? What topics should we tackle? Email the team at workingit@ft.com or Isabel directly at isabel.berwick@ft.com. Follow @isabelberwick on Twitter  Subscribe to Working It wherever you get your podcasts — and do leave us a review! Presented by Isabel Berwick. Editorial direction from Manuela Saragosa. Produced by Novel. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you often feel underqualified and full of self-doubt at work, you may be suffering from imposter syndrome. But as host Isabel Berwick finds out in this episode, in some cases that may actually improve your performance. Isabel speaks to Sian Beilock, president of Columbia University’s Barnard College, a cognitive scientist who studies how people perform under stress, and Viv Groskop, author, comedian and host of the podcast 'How to Own the Room'. Sian unpicks the psychological aspects of imposter syndrome while Viv gives us advice on how to manage it and even make it work in your favour. This is a repeat of an episode published on June 28, 2022. Want more? Sian Beilock on how to banish self-doubt at work  … and on overcoming the ‘spotlight effect’  How to get over your fear and learn to speak up Viv’s website https://vivgroskop.com/ FT subscriber? Sign up for the weekly Working It newsletter. We cover all things workplace and management — plus exclusive reporting on trends, tips and what’s coming next.  We love to hear from you. What do you like (or not)? What topics should we tackle? Email the team at workingit@ft.com or Isabel directly at isabel.berwick@ft.com. Follow @isabelberwick on Twitter. Subscribe to Working It wherever you get your podcasts — and do leave us a review! Produced by Novel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.