What Human Leaders Need To Do In The Age of AI with Erica Keswin | S3E2

Return-to-office is making people lonelier, AI is changing the rules of leadership, and most companies are still getting the human part of work wrong. Maya Kadar Kovalsky and workplace strategist Erica Keswin break down what actually makes workplaces feel connected, productive, and worth showing up for.

Maya and Erica unpack why five days a week in the office is usually unnecessary, why some offices drain energy while others create real momentum and why intentional in-person days matter more than attendance for attendance’s sake.

Erica Keswin is a bestselling author and internationally recognized speaker focused on human-centered leadership, employee engagement, and the future of work. She is the author of Bring Your Human to Work, Rituals Roadmap, and The Retention Revolution, and her LinkedIn Learning courses on human leadership have been watched by more than 120,000 people.

Chapters:

00:00 — Why being in the office doesn’t guarantee connection

03:41 — Why “we’re like family here” can backfire

05:42 — Finding the office-day sweet spot

08:10 — Apprenticeship and why early-career employees value the office

09:23 — The research behind the Spaghetti Project

11:09 — The “magic question” for building workplace rituals

12:57 — Turning a daily habit into a meaningful ritual

15:05 — What leaders misunderstand about employee needs

17:25 — Staying human in the age of AI

19:24 — Why thank yous and feedback should stay personal 

Resources and Links:

The Official Workplace Weirdness Amazon Store: https://www.amazon.com/shop/workplaceweirdnesspodcast 

Erica Keswin:

· Website :https://ericakeswin.com/

· Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ericakeswin/

· LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericakeswin

Maya Kadar Kovalsky

· LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayakadar/

Workplace Weirdness™

· Email: info@workplace-weirdness.com

· Website: workplace-weirdness.com

· Instagram: @workplaceweirdpod

· Tiktok: @workplaceweirdpod

· Substack: https://workplaceweirdness.substack.com/

Disclaimer: The content of this podcast is intended for entertainment purposes only and should not be construed as professional, legal, or workplace-specific advice. Listeners are encouraged to seek guidance from qualified professionals for their individual situations.