A roundup of the most insightful conversations from Workday’s Future of Work podcast series in 2025.
Ghadeer Redler
Head of Multimedia, Thought Leadership & Customer Stories
Workday
It sure seems like everyone is wrapped up in year-end recaps and "best of" lists, doesn’t it?
There's a reason these retrospective round-ups are so popular. Looking back at the music we listened to, or the shows we watched, or the topics that trended can serve as a great way to encapsulate sounds, stories, and themes that grabbed our attention most in 2025. It puts everything in perspective.
In this spirit, we figured why not join the wave by taking a look at the top episodes of Workday’s podcast series, Future of Work. Breaking down which questions, concerns, and conversations resonated most with our audience can prove insightful, offering hints of what the coming year will hold.
When people think about the future of work, here’s what draws them in.
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A conversation with:
Kathy Pham, vice president of open technology and AI at Workday
Dr. Danielle Li, AI researcher at MIT and member of Workday’s AI Advisory Board
What was discussed: AI can capture the “unwritten playbook” of top performers and spread it across teams, boosting productivity and consistency. The big question: when an expert’s know-how trains the model, how do we recognize that contribution through pay, credit, and new leadership roles?
Why it matters: People feel the dissonance in real time. AI can lift everyone, yet the experts who power its knowledge base may not benefit. Dr. Li gives leaders a clear, human-centered lens on fairness, incentives, and how to build trust while scaling expertise across the organization.
Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
A conversation with:
Kathy Pham, vice president of open technology and AI at Workday
Dr. Kate Darling, research scientist at MIT Media Lab and research lead for robotics, ethics & society at RAI Institute
What was discussed: A refreshing reframe: instead of copying humans, AI should complement us. The conversation explored where machines shine (speed, analysis) and where humans remain essential (judgment, empathy, ethics). Plus: why responsible, transparent AI design must be built in from day one.
Why it matters: It swapped out anxiety for possibility. Leaders are hungry for a vision of AI that improves work instead of hollowing it out. This episode presents a purposeful mindset shift: build AI to elevate people, protect trust, and make the workplace feel warmer.
Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
A conversation with:
Carl Eschenbach, CEO at Workday
Ashley Goldsmith, chief people officer at Workday
Chris Ernstm, chief learning officer at Workday
What was discussed: Workday leaders unpacked what it takes to move AI from concept to company-wide impact: embed it across functions, and reinvest gains into people and skills. They also tackled the reality of leading both humans and AI agents in an augmented workforce.
Why it matters: Because disruption is the new default. This episode provides listeners with confident, grounded leadership guidance in a time of seemingly endless uncertainty.
Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
A conversation with:
Emma Chalwin, chief marketing officer at Workday
Jannine Zucker, global Workday practice leader and chief commercial officer at Deloitte
What was discussed: AI is speeding up work and raising the premium on human capabilities: curiosity, creativity, collaboration, and ethical decision-making. The episode explored how leaders can navigate tensions around personalization, privacy, and trust, while helping teams evolve through iteration.
Why it matters: It speaks to what many feel: a simmering blend of excitement and apprehension. Chalwin and Zucker candidly addressed what it means to learn out loud, keep humans at the center, and lead with responsibility.
Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
A conversation with:
Josh Tarr, director of skills-based organization at Workday
Sara “SJ” Rowley, associate HR technology director at Dow
What was discussed: Dow’s HR leader framed AI adoption as a cultural journey, as opposed to a tool rollout. Productivity may open the door, but leveling everyone up is the goal. Governance, ethics, skills, and cross-functional partnership are all foundational for success, according to Rowley.
Why it matters: People want change that feels safe and uplifting. This episode offers a practical playbook. When we lead with empathy and build trust through accountability, we help every employee grow into the future rather than bracing for it.
Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
What made these five episodes stick? Here’s a quick rundown of the connective threads that tied together our top podcasts of 2025:
AI is a culture shift: Adoption hinges on trust, leadership mindset, and visionary change management.
Fairness and incentives matter: If AI scales expertise, organizations need new ways to recognize and reward the people who fuel it.
Human skills are rising in value: Curiosity, judgment, empathy, creativity, collaboration, and ethical decision-making are becoming sharper differentiators.
Leaders are navigating emotional tension: Excitement and apprehension are coexisting; the best guidance helps people learn out loud and lean on one another.
Responsible AI is non-negotiable: Transparency, governance, privacy, and data trust aren’t optional luxuries for companies serious about scaling AI.
Optimism gains traction when it’s grounded: The episodes that landed best paired big vision with actionable steps and a people-first tone.
Hopefully this trip back to the future (of work) has you feeling inspired and focused as you think about what’s next. Thanks for listening, and we hope you’ll stay tuned to the Future of Work podcast throughout 2026.
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