In Conversation… with Barry Schwartz

Episode notes

In this episode of the Future of Work Hub’s In Conversation podcast, Lucy Lewis sits down with Barry Schwartz, emeritus Professor of Psychology at Swarthmore College and Visiting Professor at the Haas School of Business at Berkeley. Barry draws on 50 years of research at the intersection of psychology, behavioural economics and business to explore what motivates people at work. They discuss how fostering meaningful work and autonomy offer significant opportunities for organisations to unlock better outcomes and why trust – rather than rules and incentives – should be the foundation of effective leadership. Key takeaways Prioritise meaningful work. The long-standing Industrial Age belief that pay is the primary motivator to work still shapes how many organisations design jobs, yet research shows that people do their best work when they are given autonomy, opportunities to think and collaborate, and feel that their work matters. Create an employee proposition grounded in what people actually want from work. Engage in open, ongoing dialogue to understand what motivates employees and remain flexible as expectations shift amid economic uncertainty and technological disruption.