In this episode, host Bob Fox is joined by Julia Hobsbawm, a globally recognized author, speaker, and thought leader on the future of work, workplace culture, and social health.
Julia shares her personal journey from a nontraditional career path in media and communications to becoming one of the leading voices reshaping how we think about work in a post-pandemic world. Together, they explore her groundbreaking new report, “The United State of Work,” which marks five years since the global lockdowns began and examines how work has fundamentally changed across 12 countries.
They discuss:
- The rise of hybrid work and the collapse of traditional workplace norms
- Global patterns in flexible work, talent mobility, and AI adoption
- Surprising progress in places like the UAE and the evolving role of physical office space
- The launch of Workathon and Julia’s bold vision for a World Work Organization
- Why the future of productivity depends on rethinking leadership, wellbeing, and the human experience of work
This conversation is essential for corporate real estate professionals, architects, designers, workplace strategists, HR leaders, and business executives who are shaping or navigating the evolving world of work.
Key Moments:
01:40 Welcome & Guest Intro
03:22 Julia Hobsbawm on Her Career Journey
05:00 Finding Her Focus on Work and Connection
07:20 How the Pandemic Sparked the Nowhere Office
10:16 Why The United State of Work Was Created
11:30 Global Reflections: 12 Countries, One Challenge
13:02 Key Metrics: Flexibility, AI, Talent Mobility
13:49 Ranking 12 Countries
16:30 What Success Looks Like in a Post-COVID Work World
18:27 Productivity, Anthropology & Ethnography
19:54 The Human Centric Workplace
20:45 Office Design & the Physical Workplace
21:57 Retrofitting Cities: London, NYC & the Future of Urban Work
22:50 The Shift from Attraction to Iteration in Office Strategy
23:15 AI and the Convergence of Physical and Digital Work
24:45 The Workathon Work Frame: Six Pillars of Work Transformation
27:15 Why Geography, Generations & Culture Matter
28:02 Vision for the World Work Organization
31:45 Closing Thoughts & Invitation to Join the Movement
Inspired to Take Action?
Download The United State of Work Workathon Report
NEW! Visit WorkathonTV
Connect with Julia Hobsbawm on LinkedIn
Visit the World Work Organization
Credits:
- Created & Directed By Bob Fox
- Produced By Work Design Studios