Sparking Joy at Work with Ingrid Fetell Lee (S4:E1)

Look around you. Is there anything nearby that makes you smile? Our guest today argues there is a distinct connection between our surroundings, our wellbeing and our mental health. She even suggests there is time we can find joy in our physical environment even if we’re not feeling happy. Ingrid Fetell Lee is the author of Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness, and the founder of the website The Aesthetics of Joy. She empowers people to find more joy in life and work through design. Her popular TED talk “Where Joy Hides and How to Find it” has been viewed more than 17 million times. During our conversation, Ingrid explains the difference between joy and happiness which includes why moments of joy are actually more attainable than you may think. She also helps us understand how even small changes to our workplace can make a significant difference in how we feel. Additional resources: - Learn more about Ingrid Fetell Lee’s research and books at https://aestheticsofjoy.com/ - Enroll: Design a Home You Love with Ingrid Fetell Lee https://shop.aestheticsofjoy.com/products/design-a-home-you-love - Ingrid Fetell Lee’s TED Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/ingrid_fetell_lee_where_joy_hides_and_how_to_find_it - Read insights about how to design moments of joy at work www.steelcase.com/WBnew - Get the latest workplace design, insights and research: www.steelcase.com/subscribe Work Better podcast is hosted by Chris Congdon. Produced by Rebecca Charbauski. Creative art direction by Erin Ellison and Emily Cowdrey. Technical support by Mark Caswell and Jose Jimenez. Digital publishing by Areli Arellano and Jordan Marks. Editing and sound mixing by SoundPost Studios.

Om Podcasten

Welcome to Work Better, the podcast where we think about work and ways to make it better. Four overarching macro shifts are fundamentally changing work and will continue to alter the landscape for years to come. Some of these shifts have been building for years, while others seem to have happened all at once. It’s the magnitude of the change, along with the pace, that is uncharted territory. First, we’re living on screen. We’re spending more time collaborating on-screen than in-person. We have more meetings than ever and most people stay at their desk for video calls instead of going to a room to connect in person. No wonder people are feeling more lonely and isolated. We’re in the middle of an AI supercycle – a period of dramatic growth and change. People are learning how to make AI their new co-workers. It’s changing jobs and the skills we need at a dizzying pace. Sometimes that pace can be overwhelming. Meanwhile, the number of companies setting serious carbon reduction targets jumped 102% in one year. There’s a whole new mindset about sustainability. New types of jobs are being created, roles are changing, and people need new skills—essentially a culture change. It’s all good, but it’s a lot. Another big shift is mental health, which is on everyone’s minds. For employers it’s even more top of mind than physical health. Gen Z is coming into the workforce with higher levels of anxiety and people of all ages feel like their work-life balance is getting worse. With all the change around us, we need workplaces to be more like thriving communities. Because communities are both places and relationships. We need places that help us build connection, trust and a sense of shared purpose. By understanding how these shifts change behavior, we can create more resilient workplaces that build community and help people perform and feel better. This season on Work Better, we’re sharing ideas about how work is changing and why we need community more than ever. Help us spread these ideas by sharing an episode with a friend or a colleague. Work Better is brought to you by Steelcase, a global design and thought leader in the world of work. We help people do their best work by creating places that work better. Stay-up-to-date on design, insights and research to help people work better at steelcase.com/subscribe.