I'm Ben Jackson, the founder of workplace culture strategy firm, Hear Me Out. For years, I've been listening to people tell the truth about work, the kinds of stories that usually stay hidden behind NDAs.

 Through these conversations, I've discovered something important: whether you're dealing with office politics or trying to protect your mental health, the challenges you're facing aren't unique to you.

That's why I created Work Face. Every week, you'll hear stories from people who've faced similar challenges. Stories that will help you navigate the tension between being yourself and doing your job, protect your well being without derailing your career, and find the confidence to speak up when it matters most.

Together, we're asking the questions about work that everyone has, but no one brings up. We hope these conversations will help you put words to what feels wrong in your own workplace and give you the confidence to inspire change.

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Work Face is produced by Hear Me Out, a culture strategy firm for leaders with the courage to listen. We help them cultivate trust by having real conversations with employees at all levels about what’s working and what’s not.

Learn more at hearmeout.co and follow us on Instagram, Bluesky, and LinkedIn.

When was the last time your company announced a new wellness initiative? Maybe it was a meditation app subscription, or a fitness challenge, or another program promising to optimize your performance. Now ask yourself: When was the last time someone at work just asked how you were feeling?

Ashwin Rodrigues, a freelance writer whose work has been featured in Defector, GQ, The New York Times, Vice, and Wired, shares his journey from burned-out tech worker to wellness culture critic, exploring how corporate wellness programs focus on perks over genuine human connection.

(00:00) The Egg Problem
(03:07) Young and Insecure in Big Tech
(10:59) An Unhealthy Sense of Urgency
(14:29) Finding an Escape Route
(24:12) Tech's Obsession with Optimization
(28:02) When Wellness Programs Miss the Point
(35:15) Building Care Into Company DNA
(40:18) Protecting Your Own Mental Health

Ashwin Rodrigues is a freelance journalist whose work explores the intersections of technology, wellness, and culture. His recent piece in The New York Times, “I Refuse to Cede My Love of Fitness to the Far Right,” examines how wellness culture has become both a coping mechanism and a source of anxiety for tech workers.

Follow him at ashwinrodrigues.com or on Bluesky.

Further reading:

I Refuse to Cede My Love of Fitness to the Far Right by Ashwin Rodrigues

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Work Face is produced by Hear Me Out, a culture strategy firm for leaders with the courage to listen. We help them cultivate trust by having real conversations with employees at all levels about what’s working and what’s not.

Learn more at hearmeout.co and follow us on Instagram, Bluesky, and LinkedIn.

These days, the platforms we use at work look a lot like social media. But on most teams, these digital workspaces are run almost entirely without moderation.

Allegra Rosenberg, a writer, fandom expert, and cultural critic, shares her experience as a major label talent scout and explains why allowing off-topic channels in Slack might be a bigger risk than you'd expect.

(00:00) Everything is Everywhere Online
(02:32) Insecurity in the Music Industry
(14:20) Slack Channels as Digital Infrastructure
(17:27) Breaking into New York Media
(24:44) The Dark Side of Employee Engagement
(25:11) Why "No Structure" Isn't Freedom
(28:52) Dealing with Workplace Disillusionment
(29:00) Finding Better Ways to Connect

Allegra Rosenberg is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in The Atlantic, National Geographic, and The New York Times. Her forthcoming book on the history of fandom culture will be published by W.W. Norton. She’s also the founder of Terror Camp, a polar exploration conference.

Follow Allegra on Bluesky and find her work at allegrarosenberg.com.

See also:

The Smart Cow Problem on Wikipedia
Depths of Wikipedia on Bluesky
The Tyranny of Structurelessness by Jo Freeman

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Work Face is produced by Hear Me Out, a culture strategy firm for leaders with the courage to listen. We help them cultivate trust by having real conversations with employees at all levels about what’s working and what’s not.

Learn more at hearmeout.co and follow us on Instagram, Bluesky, and LinkedIn.