“Tomorrowist” Podcast Episode
Workplaces of the Future: How Office Design Drives Performance, Identity, and Purpose
- Video
- Audio Only
Organizations are navigating a paradox. Digital acceleration and AI adoption are reshaping how work gets done, yet leaders are doubling down on the physical workplace. In this episode, host Jerry Won speaks with Dr. Yasmeen Coning, a globally recognized business transformation leader, about why offices are becoming more important in the age of automation. They explore how AI is shifting work toward more collaborative, human-centered moments, and why leading organizations are redesigning spaces to support innovation, culture, and performance.
Dr. Coning also introduces the concept of “workplace identity,” and why fostering a deeper connection between employees and their work may be the key to driving long-term business outcomes.
Related to this Episode:
2025 SHRM Global Worker Project
Explore the complex challenges faced by today’s workforce, and uncover the key trends that will define workplaces of tomorrow.
Business Acumen: Aligning Business Operations and HR
Build cross-functional insight with SHRM’s Business Acumen: Aligning Business Operations and HR program.
The podcast is just the beginning. The weekly Tomorrowist newsletter features articles on the trends redefining the future of work. Explore these must-read insights from the latest issue. Subscribe now to prepare your business for what's next.
News + Insights
Learn how aligning professional purpose with organizational goals to boost engagement, retention, and success in today’s evolving workplace.
Elevate your workplace by shaping a cohesive workplace culture. Find practical steps for HR leaders to assess, align, and sustain a positive environment.
RTO mandates are not shaking remote workers’ preferences for flexibility, presenting challenges and opportunities for employers wanting to stay ahead.
Purposeful leadership aligns values and vision with action. This approach drives performance and helps business leaders build future-ready organizations.
Episode Guest
-
Dr. Yasmeen Coning
Dr. Yasmeen Coning is a globally recognized leader in business transformation and organizational behavior. As Executive Vice Chairman of Consulting at Newmark, she helps companies solve complex business challenges by uniting behavioral science, brand and business strategy, and advanced statistics to drive sustainable growth and performance.
Dr. Coning brings more than 25 years of global experience advising Fortune 500 leaders across industries including finance, technology, healthcare, hospitality, consumer goods, media, and more. She has guided multinational corporations through IPOs, M&A events, and large-scale transformations, applying evidence-based methods to strengthen culture, leadership, and organizational alignment.
Prior to joining Newmark, she served as Global Principal at Ogilvy Consulting, where she led the Center of Excellence for Organizational Behavior & Design and worked with many of the world’s most iconic brands. Dr. Coning is also the Founder and Chairman of EMBER™, the research platform that introduced Collective Organizational Identification (COI™) — a proprietary measurement system and methodology that redefines how organizations align people, purpose, and performance. Recognized as the next major advancement beyond traditional engagement models, COI™ links workforce identification directly to brand and financial outcomes, giving organizations a predictive, data-driven understanding of culture and performance.
With her terminal degree in Business, Dr. Coning is an active scholar-practitioner, maintaining postdoctoral status with Pepperdine University, where she continues to research and advance the science of business.
Episode Transcript
This transcript is coming soon.
Featured Story
Learn how biophilic design boosts employee health and productivity, all while supplementing efforts to attract and retain talent. Explore how to get started today.
Feature Stories
Discover six proactive strategies to combat employee fatigue, reduce business risk, and build resilience in workplaces defined by rapid change and upheaval.
With many U.S. workers fearing that AI poses a threat to their jobs, HR can ease concerns with clear strategy, training, and a strong culture of learning.
Learn how rethinking hiring systems can unlock untapped talent and help build a stronger, more resilient, and future-ready workforce.