"Dear Boss, you need help" (full video: https://uxcopenhagen.com/product/just-one) Sending everyone home to work was a catalyst for people to reexamine not only how, when, and where they work, but why, resulting in deep, structural changes to employee expectations. But what drives engagement at work is the same factor now as it was pre-pandemic: an employee’s relationship with their manager. This is why Rachel Gogel believes that good people managers matter more now than ever before. Being forced into remote work exacerbated an underlying issue at many organizations, which is: Most don’t provide the necessary tools to foster great (or even good) people leaders. With hybrid work models becoming the new norm — in which fully in-person and remote work are two ends of a fluid spectrum of options — the role of the “boss” is effectively evolving. While most people associate “the future of work” with the rise of the entrepreneurial generation or the development of emerging “work-from-anywhere” models centered on employee wellness, we’ll explore the inevitable next wave of design leadership. Throughout this talk, Rachel shares some of her research and key findings so that the people leaders of tomorrow can act boldly to reimagine an employee experience that is more purposeful, individualized, and mobile — and prepare them not just for post-pandemic “normalcy” but for the year 2030, when most companies will be decentralized, the majority of the workforce will be self-employed, and the project-based economy will be prevalent. Rachel Gogel (she/her) is a Paris-born, San Francisco-based queer creative director and designer whose skills range from branding, strategy, and design management to art direction, editorial, and product design. She runs her own small consultancy as an independent creative culture officer where her approach is informed by experiences both in-house and agency side. Over the last fifteen years, Rachel has continued to use design as a tool for change — from launching story-driven initiatives at Departures and Godfrey Dadich Partners to building multidisciplinary teams at The New York Times’ award-winning T Brand, GQ, and Meta. In 2022, some of her main projects included supporting internal brand work at Airbnb, advising on Jeff Staple’s new magazine MYLES, and building a brand identity for Jacqueline Novogratz’s latest passion project, Anew. Outside of her studio practice, she is also the Women in Leadership & Design (WILD) Chair on the AIGA SF Board of Directors and an Adjunct Professor at the California College of the Arts (CCA) where she teaches classes called “Leadership by Design” and “Designing Your Career” for graduate students completing their Master’s in Interaction Design. As a passionate design leader and experienced people manager, Rachel believes in fostering inclusive spaces that unlock human potential. To watch the full video with Rachel, please visit https://uxcopenhagen.com/product/just-one At https://uxcopenhagen.com/shop/, you can also purchase merchandise, and access to recordings from our previous events. From 2020-2024, you can also get access to entire live-streams, including Q&A sessions, workshops, and extra bonuses, from the events. ©Helle Martens ©hellemartens.com ©uxcopenhagen