That Workplace Experience Podcast

Nick Shackleton-Jones on Work, Learning & the Future of the Workplace

THEM Design Season 1 Episode 9

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0:00 | 37:22

In this second bonus episode of That Workplace Experience Podcast, host Dan Moscrop is joined by psychologist, author and workplace learning expert Nick Shackleton-Jones for a wide-ranging conversation about work, learning, identity and the future of the workplace.

Known for his hugely popular commentary on return-to-office culture and corporate life, Nick brings humour, honesty and a healthy dose of scepticism to the realities of modern work. Drawing on experiences spanning Siemens, the BBC, BP, Deloitte and beyond, he explores how workplaces shape behaviour, identity and learning — often in ways organisations fail to recognise.

Together, Dan and Nick discuss why challenge — not information — is what truly drives learning, the unintended consequences of remote work on social development, and why so many offices unintentionally communicate control, uniformity and hierarchy before anyone even sits down at their desk. They also unpack neurodiversity in corporate environments, the emotional mechanics behind human learning, and why small acts of recognition matter far more than expensive reward schemes.

The conversation also dives into the future of AI and work, exploring everything from cognitive outsourcing and workplace surveillance to what happens when technology becomes better than humans at the very things we once considered uniquely ours.

Part workplace critique, part philosophical exploration, this special bonus episode offers a provocative and thought-provoking look at how organisations can create more human, engaging and meaningful experiences at work.

Download the Workbook to find out more about Nick Shackleton-Jones.

Video production and camera: Calum Lindsay

Camera: Miguel Santa Clara

Illustration: Phoebe Gitsham