About the Guest

Melanie Wendland is a pioneering design strategist with over 18 years of experience in service design and a decade applying design to global health challenges. Specialising in reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health, she combines design, behavioural science, and data to drive better decision-making and social impact. As co-founder of Sonder Collective, where she led as chairwoman until 2022, and former Director of Service Design at Scope Impact, Melanie has spearheaded innovative approaches to tackle complex global health issues.

Currently pursuing a PhD in Health Sciences, Melanie is a sought-after advisor, mentor, speaker, and lecturer on service design and social innovation. She has collaborated with world-leading organisations, including The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, WHO, and Merck for Mothers, to create transformative change in global health.

This Episode Covers

Exploring Alternative Business Models: Businesses can operate beyond traditional hierarchies by adopting models like cooperatives, which emphasise shared ownership, democratic decision-making, and reinvesting profits back into the organisation to create sustainable and inclusive structures.

The Role of Human-Centered Design: Human-centered design is a problem-solving approach that focuses on understanding the needs and experiences of people. By collecting insights, creating prototypes, and refining solutions, organisations can develop products and services that are effective, relevant, and meaningful.

Addressing Complex Challenges Through Research and Design: Combining thorough research with thoughtful design can help solve large-scale societal issues. For example, blending qualitative interviews and quantitative data can inform strategies that directly address community needs or systemic problems like public health challenges.

Decentralised Leadership and Decision-Making: Decentralised organisations demonstrate that leadership doesn't always require traditional hierarchies. By distributing roles and responsibilities based on expertise rather than position, these systems allow teams to operate flexibly while maintaining transparency and collaboration.

Practical Strategies for Business Innovation: Gathering feedback from users or customers and analysing it effectively is crucial for innovation. Businesses can improve their offerings and customer experience by using structured processes to build solutions that reflect real-world needs.

Integrating Structure and Creativity for Success: Effective organisations find a balance between creative freedom and structured systems. Clear processes for decision-making, transparent communication, and feedback systems enable teams to operate efficiently while fostering innovation and collaboration.

Links

• Website: Sonder Collective
• Social media: Linkedin

About the Guest

Lord Mark Price is a celebrated figure in the business world, best known for his contributions to enhancing employee engagement and happiness. As the former Managing Director of Waitrose and former Deputy Chair of the John Lewis Partnership. He is now the founder of WorkL, the leading global employee experience platform helping individuals to work happier and organisations to improve commercial performance by prioritising employee happiness.

Mark is a member of the House of Lords, and serves as a Non-Executive Director of Coca-Cola Europacific Partners. His commitment to ethical business practices includes former chairmanship of The Fairtrade Foundation and Business in the Community, as well as his presidency of the Chartered Management Institute. He was also formerly Minister of State for Trade and Investment under David Cameron.

Mark has written a range of business books on his Six Step Methodology, Employee and Customer Happiness, his new book Happy Economics explores the intricate links between employee engagement and economic performance.

This Episode Covers

The Importance of Workplace Happiness: Happiness at work is essential for driving productivity and commercial success. Organisations with happy employees benefit from lower staff turnover, reduced sick leave, and improved customer service, all contributing to higher profits.

Six Factors of Happiness at Work: To enhance workplace happiness, focus on six critical areas: reward and recognition, information sharing, empowerment, well-being, instilling pride, and ensuring job satisfaction. These factors are foundational to creating a positive and productive work environment.

Culture and Management Matter: Organisational culture and management styles play a significant role in employee happiness. Companies that promote trust, recognition, and empowerment generally see higher levels of employee engagement and satisfaction.

Cost-Effective Strategies for Improvement: Many strategies to improve workplace happiness, such as personalised recognition and empowerment, are low-cost. Implementing these can lead to significant improvements in employee morale and productivity.

Global Perspectives on Workplace Happiness: Globally, workplace happiness varies, with countries like the UK scoring lower compared to developed nations the US. Understanding and addressing cultural differences in workplace practices can help improve overall employee satisfaction and productivity.

Tailored Management Approaches: Recognising individual differences among employees is crucial. Effective management involves personalising support and empowerment to meet the diverse needs and preferences of employees, thereby enhancing job satisfaction and organisational performance.

Links

• Website: WorkL
• Social media: LinkedIn
• Take the free WorkL Happy at Work Survey here

John "Sinx" Sinclair is an entrepreneur and co-founder of Ustwo, a globally renowned digital product studio celebrated for its cutting-edge work in design, technology, and innovation. Founded in 2004 alongside childhood friend Matt Miller (Mills), they started working together to explore and build digital products when they were just starting to become a thing.

Ustwo grew rapidly, initially specialising in mobile design, and is now celebrated for its mix of client services, self-developed intellectual property, and joint ventures. Over two decades they have built a culture of trust, collaboration and honesty where everyone can inspire each other to bring out their most creative and considered thinking. They value diversity and inclusion, believing we work better when every individual brings their perspective to the table.

An award winning agency, Ustwo’s accolades include a BAFTA for the cultural phenomenon ‘Monument Valley’ (launched on the stage of Apple’s WDWC) and were recognised at the Fast Company Innovation by Design Awards.

A true advocate for innovation and collaboration, Sinx and Mills made a groundbreaking decision in April 2022 to transfer the majority ownership of Ustwo to its employees under an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT). This move ensured that 62% of the company is owned by its current and future employees, reinforcing Ustwo’s independence, preserving its values, and unlocking entrepreneurial potential across the organisation. Ustwo employees, or "partners," now share a stake in the company’s success and are represented on the board, driving its future collectively.

This Episode Covers

• How Sinx transitioned from being a hands-on designer to a leadership role, implementing a leadership team, and eventually stepping away from day-to-day operations while maintaining a guiding presence.
• The transition of UsTwo into an Employee Ownership Trust model, how the model works, its implications for the company, and the pros and cons, including its impact on recruitment, client relationships, and the company's independence.
• Navigating the ups and downs of running a creative business, especially during uncertain economic times, the importance of staying engaged, adapting to market trends, and building strategies for sustainability.
• The importance of planning for leadership transitions and career progression to ensure continuity and growth.
• Sinx desire to leave a lasting legacy through UsTwo, focusing on producing impactful work, nurturing people, and proving the viability of the EOT model in creative businesses.
• Clarifying common misconceptions, such as the belief that employees run the company outright, and explaining the role of the trust and board in governance.

Links

• Website: Ustwo
• Social media: LinkedIn