Work is Weird Now

Is Curiosity Today’s Work Superpower?

What happens when you hit your career peak before 30? Or when the strategies that once worked in your job suddenly fall flat? What if you’re the one always asking questions and getting side-eyed for it?

In our latest Work Is Weird Now episode, we sit down with Emma Davies and Ruta Sudmantaite, co-hosts of the acclaimed Blame It On Marketing podcast.

With 12 seasons of podcasting and deep experien...

In this episode, Alice Phillips and Dan Emery sit down with technologist and leadership thinker Sunil Malhotra to explore the unlikely but essential intersection of yoga and artificial intelligence. The conversation dives into how ancient wisdom can help individuals and organizations navigate the rapidly evolving, often overwhelming world of work shaped by AI.

Sunil shares why work has always been weird, how yoga offers a form of in...

Pride Month can feel like a corporate checkbox.

But this week on Work is Weird Now, we’re cutting through the noise to ask a bigger question:

👉 How do we make allyship at work real—not just performative—for Pride and beyond?

Our guest is Tony Marroney, an operations director, proud gay man, and heels-wearing executive who’s spent over 25 years helping workplaces become more inclusive, sometimes while working in environments that didn...

In this reflective episode, the Alice and Dan look back on the most powerful conversations of Season Two.

From neurodiversity and inclusion to the realities of fatherhood and the underrepresentation of women in AI, this episode explores the complex dynamics shaping today’s workplace.

The discussion also highlights the importance of mindset shifts and cognitive flexibility in a world of constant change.

Wrapping up with a teaser for...

In this special edition, we turn our attention to the evolving relationship between education and the workforce. Hosts Alice Phillips and Dan Emery meet Deputy Head Teacher Sarah Thomas to unpack what it really means to prepare young people for the future of work in today’s rapidly shifting landscape.

From the pressures faced by teachers and the lingering effects of the pandemic to the rising need for work experience, community enga...

Guest: Mark Heywood – podcaster, writer, former investment banking MD, and co-founder of Don’t Quit

This week on Work Is Weird Now, we speak with Mark Heywood about the realities of leaving corporate life and reinventing your career on your own terms.

From his early days in tech at RBS to a screenwriting course in LA and launching his own business, Mark’s story is anything but linear. In this deeply honest conversation, he shares how...

What happens when humans are no longer the smartest species in the room?

In this episode, Dan and Alice talk with David Brown — founder of Future Hand Media and producer of With AI FM — about how AI is reshaping (or wrecking?) the future of work.

Key moments:

• Podcasting as the last human medium: Why real, unfiltered conversations still matter.
• AI’s creative fallout: From audio to copywriting, entry-level creative work is disappeari...

What happens when workplace research meets urban design? In this episode, Dan Emery and Alice Phillips speak with Kasia Maynard, Head of Research and Editorial at WorkTech Academy, about the shifting dynamics of work, cities, and community in a post-pandemic world.

Kasia unpacks how the pandemic accelerated—but didn’t invent—many of the trends we see today: hybrid work, the rise of in-person collaboration, and a growing need for spa...

In this episode of Work’s Weird Now, we sit down with Holly Hobbs, founder and CEO of Apprentivia, who shares her inspiring journey from facing over 30 job rejections to leading a youth employment movement. Holly dismantles the myths around apprenticeships, offers powerful insights into what Gen Z really wants from the workplace, and unpacks how employers can better connect with young talent in a post-AI world.

We dive into mentors...

Guest: Slavina Racheva, Managing Consultant & AI Enablement Lead, Credera UK

What does it mean to be human in an AI-powered economy?

In this episode, Slavina Rachava unpacks the complex intersections between artificial intelligence, gender, and the future of work. We explore why women are more vulnerable to automation, how bias is embedded in the design and deployment of AI, and the urgent need for inclusive leadership and ethica...

In this episode of ⁠Work is Weird Now⁠ hosts ⁠Alice Phillips⁠ and ⁠Dan Emery⁠ engage with ⁠Ellen Donnelly⁠, founder of ⁠The Ask⁠ and creator of ⁠Monday Mornings⁠.

They explore the evolving landscape of work, the rise of mass entrepreneurialism, and the blending of personal and professional lives.

Ellen shares her journey from a conventional career path to embracing flexibility and entrepreneurship, discussing the traits that contribu...

Today’s guest is Simon Lamb, founder and CEO of Purposeful Change, a consultancy that supercharges company culture and helps leaders, teams and organisations thrive in times of change.

Simon has worked with some of the world’s most valuable brands – Microsoft, Nike and HSBC to name a few – and through his work, has touched the lives of more than half a million people in more than 50 countries.

Learn more about Simon and his work here...

In this episode of Work is Weird Now, business incubator consultant Richard Hubbard shares his career journey, reflecting on his experiences from the non-profit sector to the construction industry. He discusses the challenges of leadership, adaptability in midlife, and the importance of personal growth.

Richard emphasises the role of pride and status in his career, revealing how his early experiences shaped his approach to leadershi...

All of our guests so far on the Work is Weird Now podcast have touched on the physical workplace, so it made sense that we opened up the conversation around the role the office will play in the future of work.

To explore the topic, we invited workplace strategy expert, Leeson Medhurst to explore the evolving dynamics of workplace design and strategy, emphasising the importance of hybrid work policies, employee well-being, and the r...

This episode takes an unexpected yet fascinating turn as we meet Aimee O’Keefe, founder of Committed Nutrition. Aimee’s impressive career includes roles as:

Performance Nutritionist for England’s Red Roses (women's national rugby team), Williams F1 racing and creator of Manchester United Women's nutrition department, and founder of Female Football Nutrition, dedicated to unlocking nutrition from grassroots sports.

Why is this relevan...

In this episode of Work Is Weird Now, hosts Alice and Dan sit down with Founder at Marvel FMCG Rich Howell to explore a bold shift in workplace culture: the four-day work week.

As the leader of a UK based recruitment company, Rich shares how his ADHD diagnosis and recent ADHD burnout shaped his decision to prioritise employee well-being - challenging outdated work models and embracing a more flexible future.

Together, they break dow...

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Alastair Moore, a leading figure in AI and machine learning, entrepreneur, investor, and educator, to explore how AI is reshaping industries, jobs, and society.

From the rapid evolution of AI capabilities to its impact on white-collar jobs by 2030, Alastair shares insights on both the utopian and dystopian possibilities of AI-driven work. He discusses the need for education reform, ethical consi...

This week on Work is Weird Now, hosts Dan Emery and Alice Phillips are joined by⁠ Tobi Crosbie⁠, CEO and founder of Making Moves, for a wide-ranging conversation on leadership, parenting and purpose.

Over the course of a decade – Tobi has led his business through significant evolution. In this episode, he reflects on:

• Dad first, always
• His shift to an outward facing CEO and building a personal brand
• Pressure and the mental load men...

From corporate marketing director to founder of The Womenhood, Jess Rad is unapologetically outspoken on the unspoken. In this conversation, she opens up about the realities of menopause, neurodiversity, and how we can all be better allies in the workplace.

In this episode we explore: 🔹 The impact of menopause on women’s careers 🔹 The importance of neurodiversity in building truly inclusive workplaces 🔹 Why curiosity and open dia...