Narrator: Imagine sitting down for lunch with a close friend, eager to confide in them, only to find their attention is not on you, but on the constant buzz and glow of their phone. Every time you start to share something meaningful, their eyes drift downward. The connection fizzles. The conversation dies. You leave feeling unheard and more alone than when you arrived. This frustrating, disconnecting experience is not just limited to our personal lives; it has quietly invaded our workplaces, creating environments where people feel isolated despite being surrounded by colleagues. In her book, Bring Your Human to Work, author and workplace strategist Erica Keswin argues that this erosion of human connection is costing businesses billions in lost productivity and engagement. She provides a roadmap for reversing this trend, showing how to build workplaces that are not only more successful but also more fundamentally human.

Narrator: A human workplace begins with a simple, yet powerful, principle: be real. Keswin argues that authenticity is not a buzzword but a business imperative. Companies flourish when they are genuine, aligned with their values, and unafraid to show their humanity. This starts by taking company values off the walls and embedding them into the daily life of the organization.

JetBlue is a prime example of this philosophy in action. At its new-hire orientation, known as JetBlue University, the company doesn't just list its five core values—Safety, Caring, Integrity, Passion, and Fun. It brings them to life through powerful, emotional storytelling. New crew members hear recordings of customers praising employees for their compassion and listen to veteran team members share personal stories of how the company supported them. The experience is so immersive that leaders jokingly refer to it as a "cult." The goal is to indoctrinate every employee into a culture where caring for one another is the foundation for caring for passengers. As one crew member explained, "JetBlue takes such good care of me... I want to take care of my passengers." This deep-seated authenticity is how an airline, an industry often associated with stress, becomes associated with love.

Similarly, the ride-sharing company Lyft carved out its market share against the giant Uber by leading with its values. While Uber operated more like a traditional taxi service, Lyft differentiated itself by encouraging human connection—inviting passengers to sit in the front seat and engage in conversation. Its culture was built on values like "Uplift Others," and it empowered its drivers to be brand ambassadors, leading to incredible stories of compassion, like a driver who saved a passenger's life by showing a small act of kindness. Authenticity, Keswin shows, is not just about being nice; it’s a strategic differentiator that builds a loyal following, both inside and outside the company.

Narrator: The concept of sustainability in business has evolved. Keswin expands the definition beyond environmental concerns to include the well-being of the entire human ecosystem a company touches. Playing the long game, much like the famous Stanford marshmallow test, requires companies to delay the immediate gratification of short-term profits to invest in the long-term health and resilience of their people.

This human-centric sustainability is exemplified by Vynamic, a healthcare consulting firm with the audacious mission of being the "healthiest company in the world." Vynamic’s leaders understood that in a high-stress industry, preventing burnout was essential for success. One of their most celebrated policies is "zzzMail," which prohibits sending internal work emails between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. on weeknights and all weekend. Urgent matters must be handled with a phone call, forcing a moment of consideration: "Is this truly an emergency?" This simple rule gives employees the freedom to fully disconnect, creating what one consultant described as "a sense of peace that permeates the rest of your life."

This commitment extends to supporting employees through major life events. Vynamic empowers consultants, even those returning from maternity leave, to choose the projects that best fit their personal and professional goals. This approach, which prioritizes people over process, has resulted in an attrition rate far below the industry average and a flood of top-tier applicants. Vynamic proves that investing in employee well-being isn't a cost; it's a business strategy that yields immense returns in loyalty, engagement, and profitability.

Narrator: In our hyper-connected world, the challenge is finding the "sweet spot" between technology and human connection. Keswin asserts that the most successful companies don't shun technology; they use it strategically to enhance human touch. The guiding principle comes from restaurateur Danny Meyer: "Use tech to enhance touch."

JetBlue once again provides a clear illustration. When the airline introduced self-serve check-in kiosks, the goal wasn't to eliminate staff. Instead, it was to automate the mundane task of printing boarding passes and bag tags. This freed up crew members to focus on the passengers who truly needed a human touch—the flustered mother traveling with three children, the elderly couple needing wheelchair assistance, or the anxious first-time flyer. By automating the impersonal, JetBlue created more time and space for personal, high-value interactions.

This same philosophy applies to internal processes. At new-hire orientations, JetBlue automated the tedious paperwork, allowing the orientation team to spend their time making small talk, learning about the new employees, and building relationships from day one. The best technology, Keswin argues, makes life more efficient so that people can spend their time on what truly matters: connecting with one another.

Narrator: A company’s culture isn't defined by a mission statement plaque; it's forged in the daily rituals of work life. Keswin demonstrates that to build a human workplace, leaders must mindfully redesign two of the most common workplace fixtures: meetings and office space.

Meetings are notoriously inefficient, costing the U.S. economy an estimated $37 billion annually. The solution lies in establishing purpose, presence, and protocols. At Netflix, Todd Yellin, a senior vice president, runs his product strategy meetings with a cardinal rule: no technology. Laptops and phones are banned. To ensure everyone is prepared, a detailed memo is sent out beforehand, and attendees are required to add comments and questions in a shared document. This protocol forces everyone to be fully present and engaged, honoring the time and intelligence of everyone in the room.

Similarly, physical space can be curated to foster connection. At the financial media company Investopedia, CEO David Siegel intentionally designs the seating chart to break down departmental silos. Instead of grouping teams by their reporting structure, he seats people from different functions—like marketing, editorial, and product—next to each other to encourage cross-pollination of ideas. This strategic mixing ensures that relationships are built organically, leading to stronger collaboration and a more cohesive organization.

Narrator: Beyond policies and physical space, the most human workplaces run on the twin engines of purpose and gratitude. Inspired employees, studies show, are over 200 percent more productive than their merely "engaged" colleagues.

Keswin highlights how companies can foster purpose through authentic give-back initiatives. Mack Weldon, a men's apparel company, wanted to incorporate social impact but waited until it found a strategy that aligned with its business. Instead of a generic charity donation, they launched a recycling program. Customers could send back old clothing from any brand, which Mack Weldon would then recycle into new materials. This program not only kept thousands of pounds of apparel out of landfills but also proved to be great for business, as customers who participated had a 220% higher lifetime value.

Gratitude is the other engine. At the fitness company SoulCycle, this is systematized through a program called #Soulitforward. After a year with the company, employees receive a set of pins, each representing a core value. When they see a colleague embodying one of those values, they are encouraged to give that person a pin and share why their actions were inspiring. This peer-to-peer recognition makes gratitude a tangible, frequent, and personal act, reinforcing the culture and making every employee, regardless of their title, feel like a crucial part of the brand.

Narrator: The single most important takeaway from Bring Your Human to Work is that building a more connected, engaged, and successful workplace is not about grand, expensive programs. It is about the disciplined, intentional practice of honoring relationships in every facet of business. It’s in how you run a meeting, where you seat your employees, how you leverage technology, and the way you say thank you.

Keswin’s work challenges the notion that "human" skills are soft and secondary to the hard numbers of business. She proves that fostering authenticity, well-being, and purpose is the ultimate strategic advantage. The book leaves us with a critical question: What is one small, deliberate change you can make tomorrow to honor a human relationship at work, rather than simply completing another task?