Modern workplaces are caught in a contradiction that's quietly eroding organizational effectiveness, and we've become experts at the “performance” of good work culture while struggling to deliver the substance. Leaders sense something's off but often lack a clear framework for diagnosing what's both broken and fixable.

This session cuts through the noise to examine some fundamental truths about contemporary work including how well-intentioned workplace rituals inadvertently erode the very trust they're designed to build. We’ll explore practical employee experience design principles that bring an impact including how to outline clear expectations, ensure meaningful autonomy, provide visible connections to outcomes, and communicate in a manner that respects people's intelligence.

Participants leave with a grounded approach to building environments where people do their best work - without the corporate theater, performance anxiety, or exhaustion that plague so many organizations today. Work, after all, when approached with clarity and humanity, can be incredibly meaningful and satisfying. For everyone.