Episode 44 | Special Guest Episode: David Burke of Workhuman

Written by Niamh Moynihan | Feb 25, 2025 7:00:00 AM

Episode Summary

In this episode of the Better Workday Podcast, Niamh Moynihan welcomes David Burke. They discuss the importance of creating a human-centric workplace, the role of employee recognition, and the challenges of maintaining connections in hybrid work environments.

Learn how celebrating achievements and personal milestones can help employees feel valued and connected. Niamh and David also discuss the challenges of balancing flexibility with connection in hybrid and remote work environments and how to develop leadership practices that truly value people.

Key Topics Discussed

Human-Centric Workplaces:

WorkHuman’s HR tech solutions prioritise employee recognition and engagement to build inclusive and connected workplaces. Their recognition tools celebrate both professional achievements and personal milestones, supporting a sense of belonging and visibility at work.

The Value of Connection:

David highlighted the importance of fostering strong connections within teams. Fun, meaningful interactions and moments of shared humour help build camaraderie and reduce stress, even in challenging circumstances.

Balancing Flexibility and Connection:

Hybrid and remote work models provide autonomy but make informal collaboration and a sense of belonging more challenging. Leaders must be intentional about nurturing connection while supporting individual flexibility.

The Role of Leaders

Leaders play a critical role in creating clarity, reducing friction, and creating environments where employees feel valued, safe, and supported. A great workday stems from employees feeling connected to their purpose and the organisation's goals.

Information Overload:

With the influx of emails, notifications, and tools, focusing on deep, impactful work has become more difficult. Key skills like managing asynchronous communication and using AI tools effectively can help simplify workflows.

Advice for Creating a Better Workday:

David suggests being intentional about understanding what matters to you and deliberately focusing on factors like recognition, clarity, and human connection. Building better workdays requires continuous effort to create environments where people thrive, feel empowered, and enjoy their work.

Episode Takeaways

Employee recognition isn’t just about work—it’s about celebrating the whole person.
Movement and exercise play a key role in mental clarity and workplace productivity.
Leaders must set the tone by modelling a balance of work, breaks, and connection.
Hybrid work requires a new level of intentionality to maintain team cohesion and engagement.

David is Head of Global Talent Acquisition and Employer Brand for Workhuman®, the world’s fastest-growing integrated Social Recognition® platform. Based out of Ireland, David has been intimately involved in recruiting at scale for the global technology sector for 20 years. He has been an adviser to many successful scaling organisations on their talent acquisition and brand strategies and the evolution and impact of culture in the modern workplace.