Work 2.0: The Podcast

Jaksot

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  AI Can Write Your 30-60-90. Can You Defend It? | Megan Smith (SAP Americas), Ep. #46 14.09.2026 15min

  Your job candidate’s 30-60-90 plan may be excellent…it may also be AI.So what happens when their first project goes sideways, the stakeholders are disappointed, and there is no polished document to hide behind? Rachel Wells speaks with Megan Smith, Head of People and Culture at SAP Americas, about AI hiring, scenario-based interviews, performance management, and the early-career ladder that companies are dismantling. They unpack SAP’s approach to developing future leaders, why relationship-building may become a premium career skill, and the dangerous difference between impressive output and real capability.Who should listen* CHROs and people leaders redesigning hiring and performance systems around AI.* Talent acquisition teams dealing with AI-generated applications and interview credibility.* Early-career and learning leaders building stronger leadership pipelines.* Managers responsible for coaching, mentorship, and hybrid-team connection.* And yes, even job-seekers seeking to sharpen their edge Work 2.0: The Podcast examines AI, power, and the changing economics of work, bringing researchers, executives, and technology leaders together to discuss what technological change means for organizations and the people inside them.Follow the show for more conversations on artificial intelligence, agentic AI, the future of work, leadership, organizational transformation, and the changing relationship between humans and intelligent systems.Featured guest: Megan Smith, Head of People and Culure, SAP Americas🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube Podcasts, and more.Don’t forget to rate, review, and share this episode with a co-worker or friend. Get full access to Work 2.0 at therealrachelwells.substack.com/subscribe
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  Replit’s CEO Amjad Masad on AI Skills & The SaaS Reckoning | Ep. #45 10.09.2026 7min

  As AI makes software creation dramatically cheaper through vibe coding, what happens to the SaaS companies businesses have spent years paying for? Rachel Wells sat down with Replit co-founder and CEO Amjad Masad at the opening of the company’s new London headquarters for an exclusive interview about AI skills, workforce readiness, and the pressure on software companies to keep innovating.In this Work 2.0 conversation, Masad explains why ideas, judgment, and deep domain expertise may carry greater value as AI agents take on more execution work. They also discuss London’s AI talent, the future of coding, and what young people entering the workforce need to develop now.Read the Forbes write-up here.Work 2.0: The Podcast examines AI, power, and the changing economics of work, bringing researchers, executives, and technology leaders together to discuss what technological change means for organizations and the people inside them.Follow the show for more conversations on artificial intelligence, agentic AI, the future of work, leadership, organizational transformation, and the changing relationship between humans and intelligent systems.Featured guest: Amjad Masad, Replit CEO🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube Podcasts, and more.Don’t forget to rate, review, and share this episode with a co-worker or friend. Get full access to Work 2.0 at therealrachelwells.substack.com/subscribe
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  LinkedIn: The AI Jobs Boom Has A Women Problem | Ep. #44 07.09.2026 25min

  AI jobs are growing rapidly, salaries are rising, and companies are racing to secure technical talent. But according to LinkedIn research, women accounted for only 26% of new AI hires in 2025 and hold just 13% of technical AI leadership roles.In this episode of Work 2.0, Rachel Wells speaks with Matthew Baird, economist at LinkedIn’s Economic Research Institute, and Sarah Steinberg, LinkedIn’s global public policy partnerships lead, about what is happening beneath the AI hiring boom.They unpack LinkedIn’s “AI triple penalty,” the shrinking share of women in some of the fastest-growing technical roles, the degree barrier inside AI hiring, and why the most gender-balanced AI role may also be one of the least secure.The conversation also examines skills-based hiring, sponsorship, STEM pipeline leakage, AI startup hiring, and why representation increasingly matters to business competitiveness, product development, trust, and economic growth.For professionals trying to understand where AI opportunity is actually flowing, this episode asks: who gets to participate in the AI economy, and who gets to lead it?Work 2.0: The Podcast examines AI, power, and the changing economics of work, bringing researchers, executives and technology leaders into conversations about what technological change actually means for organizations and the people inside them.Follow the show for more conversations on artificial intelligence, agentic AI, the future of work, leadership, organizational transformation and the changing relationship between humans and intelligent systems.Featured guests: Matthew Baird, Sarah Steinberg🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube Podcasts, and more.Don’t forget to rate, review, and share this episode with a co-worker or friend. Get full access to Work 2.0 at therealrachelwells.substack.com/subscribe
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  Medium’s CEO Talks AI Search, Human Curation, and the Future of Writing | Ep. #43 31.08.2026 23min

  AI search is reshaping where the best writing lives and who readers can trust. Rachel Wells speaks with Tony Stubblebine, CEO of Medium, about how private publishing communities are gaining ground, why AI detectors cannot settle authorship, and why human curation is becoming indispensable. In this episode, they examine AI-generated content, content quality, expert knowledge, provenance, and the rising value of lived experience as platforms decide what to surface. The conversation is a must-listen for hobbyist writers, journalists, authors—indeed, anyone who directly or indirectly makes a living through publishing content online.Work 2.0: The Podcast examines AI, power and the changing economics of work, bringing researchers, executives and technology leaders into conversations about what technological change actually means for organizations and the people inside them.Follow the show for more conversations on artificial intelligence, agentic AI, the future of work, leadership, organizational transformation and the changing relationship between humans and intelligent systems.Featured guest: Tony Stubblebine, CEO, Medium🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube Podcasts, and more.Don’t forget to rate, review, and share this episode with a co-worker or friend. Get full access to Work 2.0 at therealrachelwells.substack.com/subscribe
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  98% Of Companies Have Had Rogue AI Agent Incidents. Here’s What Happens Next | Ep. #42 24.08.2026 29min

  About 98% of organizations surveyed experienced at least one AI agent-related incident that disrupted business or the organization.So what happens as companies hand AI agents more autonomy, access, and decision-making power?In this episode of Work 2.0: The Podcast, Rachel Wells sits down with Kavitha Mariappan, Chief Transformation Officer at Rubrik, and Vaibhav Sahgal of Economist Enterprise to examine new research into the risks emerging as agentic AI moves deeper into organizations.They unpack what an AI agent incident actually looks like, from unauthorized access and sensitive data exposure to corrupted business data, cascading agent-to-agent actions and threats that can spread at machine speed.The conversation goes deeper into a problem many organizations are only beginning to confront: What happens when an autonomous AI system has already acted before a human can intervene?Rachel, Kavitha, and Vaibhav explore:* Why 98% of surveyed organizations reported disruptive AI agent-related incidents* What happens when AI agents operate beyond their authorized permissions* Why traditional enterprise security controls may struggle with autonomous AI* Whether an AI “kill switch” can actually stop the damage* The difference between stopping an AI agent and reversing what it has already done* Why companies need visibility into every AI agent operating across the organization* How least-privilege access, data minimization, and anomaly detection can reduce the blast radius* Why third-party AI systems could become a major enterprise vulnerability* What “assume breach” means in an AI-powered organization* Whether companies could eventually be required to disclose major AI agent incidents to regulators, investors and customersWe discuss how organizations can remain resilient when software can reason, act and interact with other systems at machine speed.Work 2.0: The Podcast examines AI, power and the changing economics of work, bringing researchers, executives and technology leaders into conversations about what technological change actually means for organizations and the people inside them.Follow the show for more conversations on artificial intelligence, agentic AI, the future of work, leadership, organizational transformation and the changing relationship between humans and intelligent systems.Featured guests: Kavitha Mariappan, Chief Transformation Officer, Rubrik; Vaibhav Sahgal, Economist EnterpriseEconomist Enterprise produced the research discussed in this episode in collaboration with Rubrik.🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube Podcasts, and more.Don’t forget to rate, review, and share this episode with a co-worker or friend. Get full access to Work 2.0 at therealrachelwells.substack.com/subscribe
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  Could Your First Remote Job Damage Your Career Growth? | Dr. Joshua Mask, Ep. #41 17.08.2026 29min

  Is remote work hurting Gen Z’s pay, professional development, and long-term career growth?In this episode of Work 2.0, Rachel Wells speaks with Temple University economist and former recruiter Joshua Mask about his new research separating the effects of remote work from generative AI on entry-level jobs and young workers.Mask’s research found that people entering remote-work-exposed occupations after 2020 earned about 1.8% less per hour and 2% less annually. On a $50,000 salary, that represents roughly $1,000 a year. But the explanation is more complicated than the headline.The difference could reflect the money workers save by avoiding a commute. It could reflect pandemic-era learning loss. It could also reveal a deeper early-career problem: remote workers may receive less training, feedback, professional socialization and access to the relationships that help people progress.Rachel and Joshua examine:• Whether remote work is affecting entry-level pay• Why the first few years of a career are economically significant• The relationship between remote work, AI and entry-level jobs• Why remote-capable jobs are often highly exposed to generative AI• What young professionals may miss when beginning their careers fully remotely• How proximity, feedback and informal learning influence career advancement• Why relationship-building could become more valuable as AI automates routine work• How employers can develop young talent in remote and hybrid workplaces• Why companies still need a strong talent pipeline in the AI era• What leaders risk when they treat AI as a replacement for workforce developmentThis conversation moves beyond the familiar return-to-office argument. It examines how remote work is changing the way career capital, workplace relationships and professional credibility are built, particularly for graduates and early-career professionals.WHO SHOULD WATCH OR LISTEN?This episode is for:• Gen Z professionals, graduates and people beginning their first job• Employees considering fully remote or hybrid roles• Parents, educators and career advisers supporting young professionals• CEOs, HR leaders and talent acquisition teams• Managers responsible for remote onboarding, training and development• Employers building entry-level talent pipelines• Anyone concerned about AI, remote work and the future of entry-level careersWork 2.0 is the podcast about AI, power, and the future of work, hosted by Rachel Wells.🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube Podcasts, and more.Don’t forget to rate, review, and share this episode with a co-worker or friend. Get full access to Work 2.0 at therealrachelwells.substack.com/subscribe
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  The Resume Is Failing Job Seekers. Can AI Interviews Fix Hiring? | Greenhouse CEO Daniel Chait, Ep. #40 03.08.2026 30min

  The resume has long been the gateway to work. Now it may be failing the very people it is supposed to represent.In this Work 2.0 conversation, Greenhouse CEO Daniel Chait explains the “AI hiring doom loop”: candidates use AI to submit more applications, employers use AI to filter the flood, and more qualified people struggle to be seen.Chait shares with Rachel why recruiters are handling 412% more applications while teams are roughly half the size they once were, why he says about 97% of applications may never receive human attention, and how an earlier landmark study found identical resumes with traditionally Black-sounding names received 50% fewer callbacks.Can structured, transparent AI interviews move hiring beyond credentials, college names, and keyword-stuffed resumes? Or will AI deepen the distrust already breaking the job market?Listen for Chait’s case for skills-based hiring, candidate choice and transparency, third-party bias audits, and the durable skills graduates need as AI reshapes work.This episode is for job seekers, recent graduates, career changers, recruiters, hiring leaders, and anyone frustrated by sending applications into a system that increasingly feels impossible to navigate.Work 2.0 is the podcast about AI, power, and the future of work, hosted by Rachel Wells.🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube Podcasts, and more.Don’t forget to rate, review, and share this episode with a co-worker or friend. Get full access to Work 2.0 at therealrachelwells.substack.com/subscribe
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  Substack, Pangram, and the Future of AI Content | Rachel Wells, Ep. #39 27.07.2026 15min

  Substack has partnered with Pangram to introduce AI text detection, reigniting the debate over AI-generated content, creator authenticity, and whether readers can still trust what they consume online.In this solo episode of Work 2.0, Senior Forbes Contributor Rachel Wells examines Substack’s new “scan for AI text” feature and what it could mean for writers, journalists, newsletter creators, thought leaders, and the wider creator economy.As platforms such as LinkedIn become increasingly saturated with generic AI content and automated engagement, Rachel argues that transparency will become one of the most important sources of credibility online. She explains why readers and paying subscribers deserve to understand how creators use artificial intelligence, particularly when they are purchasing access to someone’s expertise, perspective, and original thinking.Rachel also shares her own AI writing workflow, including how she transforms original voice notes, ideas, reporting, and industry insights into structured Work 2.0 newsletters while retaining her distinctive voice. She contrasts ethical AI assistance with handing the entire creative process over to a machine and mass-producing content without genuine expertise behind it.The episode also explores Rachel’s TRUST AI Framework, why transparency is essential for successful AI adoption, and how creators and organizations can use AI to improve their work without sacrificing human judgment, credibility, or trust.Topics include:• Substack and Pangram’s AI detection partnership• AI slop on LinkedIn and social media• Trust, transparency, and authenticity online• Ethical AI use for writers and content creators• The future of newsletters and digital publishing• Human expertise in the generative AI era• Rachel Wells’ TRUST AI Framework• How to use AI without surrendering your voiceWork 2.0 is the podcast about AI, power, and the future of work, hosted by Rachel Wells.🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube Podcasts, and more.Don’t forget to rate, review, and share this episode with a co-worker or friend. Get full access to Work 2.0 at therealrachelwells.substack.com/subscribe
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  A Psychologist Talks Layoffs, Emotional Agility, & Safety In The AI Workplace | Susan David, Ep. #38 20.07.2026 37min

  Are you worried about the impact of AI on your workforce and on your wellbeing and mental health? Join Rachel Wells and guest Susan David, a leading psychologist, as they dive into the critical human skills needed for 2030 and beyond.In this episode, we unpack why AI is commoditizing expertise and why “human-centric” leadership is now the single biggest predictor of successful organizational transformation. Susan shares actionable insights on:* Building psychological safety in the workplace.* Moving beyond basic EQ into Emotional Agility to manage ambiguity.* The difference between “wounds” and “scars” in professional leadership.* Why self-compassion is the ultimate antidote to shame during workplace layoffs and uncertainty.If you are a leader, HR professional, or employee navigating the changing dynamics of work, this conversation provides the tools to stay grounded, resilient, and human in an automated world.🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube Podcasts, and more.Don’t forget to rate, review, and share this episode with a co-worker or friend. Get full access to Work 2.0 at therealrachelwells.substack.com/subscribe
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  How AI Reveals the Hidden Leaders Traditional HR Systems Overlook | Eric Mosley, CEO, Workhuman, Ep. #37 13.07.2026 12min

  In this episode of Work 2.0: On the Road, Rachel Wells speaks with Eric Mosley, Founder and CEO of Workhuman, about the human intelligence transforming the future of work.For more than two decades, Eric has focused on the role of recognition, connection, and purpose in organizational life. He explains how thousands of everyday recognition moments can create a powerful source of people data.Those moments can reveal:* Who employees trust and rely on* Who is already demonstrating leadership* Which skills and talents traditional systems overlook* How work actually gets done inside an organization* Which people may become future leaders* Where AI can generate deeper insights for HR and executivesThis conversation examines why recognition data may become one of the most important sources of intelligence for AI-powered human capital management.Rachel and Eric also explore the growing importance of human experience, workplace behavior, leadership potential, and human intelligence in an AI-driven economy. If you work in senior leadership, people management, or HR, this is a must-listen.Topics discussed:* AI in HR and leadership* Human intelligence* Employee recognition* Hidden workplace talent and eadership potential* People analytics* And the future of work🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube Podcasts, and more.Don’t forget to rate, review, and share this episode with a co-worker or friend. Get full access to Work 2.0 at therealrachelwells.substack.com/subscribe
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  Neil Patel On Life After the Website: What Every Marketer Needs To Know About AI & Search, Ep. #36 29.06.2026 24min

  In this episode, Rachel Wells sits down with Neil Patel (NP Digital) for SXSW London, discussing how AI, large language models, and search agents are changing where customers find and buy. We talk:* Implications for publishers and content professionals* The rise of platform and agent‑driven commerce* What marketers must track now * The skills marketing professionals and leaders need to build immediatelyPractical advice includes structured data, fresh content, digital PR, and using industry‑trained AI and AI+human workflows, plus real examples like HighLevel and Ubersuggest for tracking and performance.Why listen:Ideal for founders, marketing leaders, publishers, and content teams who need to adapt quickly: concrete next steps and a mindset for experimentation in an AI-first landscape. Learn which metrics matter now and discover how to avoid AI slop.🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube Podcasts, and more.Don’t forget to rate, review, and share this episode with a co-worker or friend. Get full access to Work 2.0 at therealrachelwells.substack.com/subscribe
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  AI Hiring Tops 1M Jobs & Brings 118% Salary Surge, With PwC's Chief AI Officer Dan Priest, Ep. #35 22.06.2026 26min

  In this episode, Rachel Wells sits down with Dan Priest, Chief AI Officer at PwC, about the newly released AI Jobs Barometer 2026 and what it means for graduates, leaders, HR teams, and high-achieving professionals.What you’ll hear:* Why AI-exposed roles are growing and paying more: AI-skilled jobs show an average wage premium of 62%, with some industries seeing premiums as high as 118%.* Rapid demand for AI skills: job postings requiring AI skills rose 66% year-on-year.* Where the growth is happening: healthcare, professional services, financial services and consumer markets are leading the way — and manufacturing is catching up (a ~14% uptick in AI/developer roles).* How wages are shifting: many AI-exposed roles are seeing wage growth (some categories around ~20%), even as entry-level hiring dynamics change.* The “U‑shaped” labor market: why high- and low-exposure jobs are moving the most, while middle-skill roles lag.* What early-career professionals and leaders should do: rethink hiring, invest in apprenticeship-style training, and focus talent on growth and innovation agendas.Why listen:If you hire, lead, mentor graduates, or are charting your own career path, this episode breaks down where opportunity and risk live in the AI era. Practical advice on skills, hiring, and where to invest in AI talent.🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube Podcasts, and more.Don’t forget to rate, review, and share this episode with a co-worker or friend. Get full access to Work 2.0 at therealrachelwells.substack.com/subscribe
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  Josh Bersin + Rachel Wells Explain: Will AI Cut HR Teams 50% Before 2030? Ep. #34 16.06.2026 23min

  Join Rachel Wells on Work 2.0 on this early-released episode as she chats with renowned HR analyst and podcaster Josh Bersin about how artificial intelligence will reshape HR by 2030. Josh explains why HR headcount could shrink 30–50% for administrative roles as AI and “super-agents” automate record-keeping, scheduling, and training authoring — while strategic HR work expands from ~30% to 75%.Rachel and Josh discuss practical guidance on:* Reimagining processes instead of simply automating old workflows* How HR can move from compliance-heavy work to enabling dynamic teams and company growth* The role of domain-specific AI like Galileo in plugging into company data to deliver manager-level insights, skills comparisons, and performance recommendations* Reskilling pathways for HR professionals to move into coaching, AI supervision, and business-partner rolesThis episode is a must-listen for HR leaders, managers, and founders, offering actionable ideas to start simplifying recruiting, L&D, and performance workflows today and build a people-first strategy for 2030. Get full access to Work 2.0 at therealrachelwells.substack.com/subscribe
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  Meet the Chief HX Officer Replacing HR, With KeyAnna Schmiedl (Workhuman), Ep. #33 15.06.2026 14min

  Rachel Wells takes Work 2.0 on the road!In this episode, Rachel Wells chats with KeyAnna Schmiedl, Chief Human Experience Officer at Workhuman, about how leaders can preserve trust and human connection as AI reshapes work. KeyAnna explains why transparency, compassionate listening, and humility are non-negotiable leadership behaviors right now, and why HR (or People/Experience teams) must be given the appropriate resources to experiment and guide organizations through technological change.We dig into the biggest risks of rushed AI adoption, how honest communication about job impact builds trust (and enables innovation), and why flatter, more collaborative org structures will become essential as work becomes more fluid. If you want practical thinking about protecting culture while adapting to AI, this episode is for you.🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube Podcasts, and more.Don’t forget to rate, review, and share this episode with a co-worker or friend. Get full access to Work 2.0 at therealrachelwells.substack.com/subscribe
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  Netflix's Ryan Serhant + Rachel Wells Talk AI, Talent Attraction, and the "Attention Economy," Ep. #32 08.06.2026 21min

  In this episode, Rachel Wells sits down with Ryan Serhant (Million-Dollar Listing, Owning Manhattan star, and founder & CEO of SERHANT.) after his SXSW London talk to unpack why “attention is the product,” how founders can become media companies, and what AI really means for teams and salespeople. Ryan explains how he turned real estate into a scalable media asset, the thinking behind his proprietary AI assistant S.MPLE, and practical approaches to hiring, culture, and retaining top talent in a rapidly changing workforce.What you’ll hear:* Why every business is a media company, whether you like it or not* Ryan’s AI-native OS that automates admin so agents spend more time selling.* Ryan’s hiring philosophy: people join for opportunity and stay for results; give autonomy, clear expectations, and room to grow.* Common CEO mistakes in AI adoption Listen if you want actionable thinking on media-led growth, practical AI adoption for revenue teams, and how to build an innovative culture that attracts future-ready talent.🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube Podcasts, and more.Don’t forget to rate, review, and share this episode with a co-worker or friend. Get full access to Work 2.0 at therealrachelwells.substack.com/subscribe
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  Who Wins When White-Collar Jobs Get Pushed Below The Algorithm? With Sangeet Paul Choudary, Ep. #31 01.06.2026 30min

  What actually happens when AI doesn’t just automate tasks, but reorganizes how work is coordinated, who holds power inside organizations, and which roles remain economically defensible? In this episode, Rachel Wells discusses with Sangeet Paul Choudary — author of Reshuffle: Who Wins When AI Stacks the Knowledge Economy — how work is being redesigned and “reshuffled” in the AI era, and who holds ultimate control.You’ll hear:* How AI shifts skill premiums from people into tools and platforms* The “below the algorithm” risk: when expert judgment is absorbed by models* How to capture new value and stay entrepreneurial in a rapidly-evolving AI-centered worldWho should listen* Leaders redesigning orgs and teams* People in knowledge work who are worried about role value and career strategy* Strategists, product managers, and HR/people ops leaders exploring practical AI adoptionOrder Sangeet’s book, Reshuffle: Who Wins When AI Stacks the Knowledge Economy.🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube Podcasts, and more.Don’t forget to rate, review, and share this episode with a co-worker or friend. Get full access to Work 2.0 at therealrachelwells.substack.com/subscribe
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  Who Keeps Us Safe When AI Writes Its Own Code? With Scott Beale (CEO of ISC2), Ep. #30 28.05.2026 27min

  In the race to deploy AI, are we skipping the obvious safety measures that would prevent harm? ISC2’s new CEO, Scott Beale, and I map a practical roadmap for leaders: secure‑by‑design, measured AI safety KPIs, and turning “shadow AI” from an organizational embarrassment into a governed advantage.Three quick takeaways* If you can’t measure AI safety, you can’t govern it — safety metrics must sit beside revenue and churn on the dashboard.* Banning AI drives usage underground; certification, role‑based permissions, and monitored adoption create control.* Cyber professionals will shift from rote operations to judgment, governance, and cross‑functional leadership.Who should listen* CEOs and boards deciding on AI adoption and funding* CISOs, security teams, and tech leaders planning workforce reskilling* Policy-makers, nonprofit leaders, and anyone focused on AI ethics and organizational risk🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube Podcasts, and more.Don’t forget to rate, review, and share this episode with a co-worker or friend. Get full access to Work 2.0 at therealrachelwells.substack.com/subscribe
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  Tabitha Brown on Building a Business Empire From Authenticity, Ep. #29 25.05.2026 21min

  In this episode of Work 2.0, Rachel Wells interviews Tabitha Brown about the business behind her brand and warmth. Best known for her viral moments and soulful vegan cooking, Tabitha reveals the strategic choices that turned spontaneity into a sustainable brand: closing a restaurant and pivoting into retail, building family-led partnerships, protecting human connection in an AI era, and her plans for a production company focused on supernatural, soul‑centered storytelling.Listen for practical advice on:* How small, consistent actions compound into opportunity* Why in‑the‑moment authenticity is irreplaceable* And how to collaborate with loved ones without blurring boundaries. Warm, candid, and deeply practical, this conversation offers takeaways for creators, leaders, and anyone building something that outlasts AI. Get full access to Work 2.0 at therealrachelwells.substack.com/subscribe
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  Adecco CEO Denis Machuel Explains The AI Workplace Readiness Gap Crisis, Ep. #28 21.05.2026 24min

  What does it take to scale AI across an organization? Rachel Wells talks with Denis Machuel, CEO of Adecco Group, about key findings from the newly-released 2026 Business Leaders Report — a survey of 2,000 C‑suite leaders across 13 countries. The conversation reveals a worrying gap: the proportion of “future‑ready” organizations has dropped, and only a minority of leaders have talent strategies that clearly show how AI will create opportunities for workers. Denis argues that successful AI adoption hinges on people‑centered leadership: measuring trust as a business metric, co‑designing job changes with employees, prioritizing upskilling (only 22% of leaders feel confident they’re developing AI skills), and deploying agents where they augment frontline work. He shares real examples from Adecco on how co‑design and focusing agents on client‑facing processes have increased job satisfaction and adoption. A must‑listen for leaders who want to avoid resistance and wasted investment, and instead build an AI‑enabled workforce that works with people, not to replace them.🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube Podcasts, and more.Don’t forget to rate, review, and share this episode with a co-worker or friend. Get full access to Work 2.0 at therealrachelwells.substack.com/subscribe
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  Leading Artemis II: NASA's Vanessa Wyche on Mission, Teams, and "Grit," Ep. #27 18.05.2026 19min

  Join Rachel Wells for a conversation with Vanessa Wyche, Director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center, who led teams on the ground through the Artemis II mission. Vanessa breaks down how mission success is engineered through readiness and systems thinking, and defines “gritty” leadership.She also shares how NASA is bringing AI into everyday work with a “summer of AI” that invited teams to experiment. If you work in high‑stakes decision‑making, building lasting leadership pipelines, or practical AI adoption across functions, this episode is for you.What you’ll learn* How NASA tested Artemis II and built team structures that demand clear judgment * The “summer of AI” approach: treating AI as a tool for every role, from comms to engineers * Vanessa’s leadership framework: vision, readiness, and what “grit” means🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube Podcasts, and more.Don’t forget to rate, review, and share this episode with a co-worker or friend. Get full access to Work 2.0 at therealrachelwells.substack.com/subscribe