Twelve TED Talks on Aspects of Work and Life

Twelve TED Talks to Watch

Who hasn't heard of TED , the non-profit devoted to spreading ideas which began life as a one-off conference in 1984 bringing together Technology, Entertainment and Design? Almost 40 years later it's still going strong having branched out including NPR’s TED Radio Hour, global TEDx conferences , and is available in more than 100 languages. Their aim, they say, is to make great ideas accessible and to spark conversations and, in that, they have succeeded.

Everyone loves a good TED talk, be it for ongoing learning, inspiration, sharing ideas with communities, boosting confidence, finding information or simply looking for fresh ideas. Whatever your reasons, here are some TED talks centred around aspects of work life, some with tips and others with fascinating insights to get those grey cells going.

1. The happy secret to better work

Shawn Achor is the CEO of Good Think Inc., who researches and teaches about positive psychology.

In this fast-paced talk Shawn explains how we believe we should work hard in order to be happy, and how this may be wrong way around. In this very funny and fascinating talk, psychologist Shawn Achor argues that, actually, happiness inspires us to be more productive.

2. The Power of Introverts

Susan Cain is the author of "Quiet," which urged society to cultivate space for the undervalued, indispensable introverts among us.

In a culture where being social and outgoing are prized and rewarded above all else, it can be difficult to be an introvert. Susan Cain argues that introverts bring extraordinary talents and abilities to the world, and should be encouraged and celebrated. See also her book, in which she discusses how the modern world is designed for extroverts to succeed via group thinking, open plan offices, team learning etc, and how the greatest thought leaders and innovators of the past used quiet time and solitude to harness their creativity.

3. Rethinking Flexibility at Work

Adam Grant , Organizational psychologist

In this episode of his Worklife series Adam Grant discusses how flexibility is much more than where you work – but also about having the freedom to make choices about what you work on, who you work with, and when and how often you work. Here he examines the science and practice of creating more autonomy– and making it work for people and organizations. Unlike most TED talks, this one is approx 40 mins long.

4. Creating Inclusive Workplaces for All

Catarina Rivera ( @blindishlatina) is a public speaker on disability, accessibility and inclusion and a DEI consultant.

In this insightful talk, Catarina Rivera walks us through work experiences thogh the eyes of a person with disabilities. She cover interesting data and shares best practices for disability inclusion. As a Diversify Outdoors member she is redefining public perception of blindness by telling her story to the world.

5. What baby boomers can learn from millennials at work -- and vice versa

Chip Conley is a disruptor and entrepreneur in the hospitality industry.

For the first time ever, there are five generations in the workplace at the same time. In this talk, Conley shows how age diversity can make companies stronger and calls for different generations to mentor each other at work, with wisdom flowing between old and young alike.

6. 3 steps to stop remote work burnout

Morra Aarons-Mele, a writer, is described as an anxious overachiever who is working to normalize anxiety.

While many have taken to remote working like a fish to water, for some people it has been challenging. Too much screen time, too many video calls and too few boundaries. Morra Aarons-Mele shares advice on what you can learn from the introverts in your life about protecting your energy and your limits

7. 3 tips for leaders to get the future of work right

Debbie Lovich is a managing director and senior partner at BCG.

Work that's dictated by a fixed schedule, place and job description no longer makes sense, says leadership expert Debbie Lovich. In this talk, following the cultural shift towards remote work sparked by the pandemic, Lovich gives three essential tips to leaders to allow employee autonomy (while remaining productive), how companies can let go of rigid bureaucracy and we can all reshape work to better fit our lives.

8. Blind people do not use the Internet. How can they?

Clive Loseby is an accessibility expert

In this talk Clive explains how most websites fail to meet the needs of people with disabilities, with some great examples to demonstrate it doesn’t need to be that way. His insights are simply explained along with some easy tips such as the "tab test".

9. Want to be more creative? Go for a walk

Marily Oppezzo studies how the movement of the body can affect the movement of the mind.

We all have experienced challenges coming up with new ideas. According to research by behavioural and learning scientist Marily Oppezzo, getting up and going for a walk might be all it takes to get your creative juices flowing. In this fun talk, she explains how walking could help you get the most out of your next brainstorm.

10. Why working from home is good for business

Matt Mullenweg is the co-founder of WordPress, the web publishing platform and the founder and CEO of Automattic.

As the popularity of remote working continues to spread, workers today can collaborate across cities, countries and even multiple time zones. How does this change office dynamics? Matt Mullenweg, CEO of Automattic (which has a 100 percent distributed workforce), shares his experience of how we can make sure that all employees, both at the office and at home, feel connected.

11. It’s Time To Stop Ignoring Disability

Adam Grant is an organisational psychologist

In this episode of his podcasts, Adam discusses some much needed steps workplaces are taking to support people with disabilities– and those without. Disability is far more common and far more diverse than many realise. Often, people are reluctant to reveal their disabilities, and managers unsure how to address them. Read the transcript or listen here.

12. Why some of us don't have one true calling

Emilie Wapnick, writer and community builder.

What do you want to be when you grow up? If you're not sure you want to do just one thing for the rest of your life, you're not alone. In this illuminating talk, Emilie Wapnick describes the kind of people she calls "multipotentialites" -- those of us with many interests, many jobs over a lifetime, and many interlocking potentials. Are you one?