Invisible Worker

• Rethinking Wealth: A New Blueprint for the Working Majority

  When we talk about wealth, we often imagine investment portfolios or property ownership — not hourly wages and unpredictable shifts. Yet for millions of working Americans, income volatility defines their financial lives. Tim Flacke, CEO of Commonwealth, explains how small policy shifts and behavioral design can help turn instability into security.Show notes from our host, Emily Trant: A huge thank you to my guest Tim Flacke, co-founder and CEO of Commonwealth. Commonwealth is a national nonprofit building financial security and opportunity for financially vulnerable people through innovation and partnerships.I first met Tim a few years ago when he was speaking on a panel at a London-based event. He spoke so articulately about the opportunities to do better, that I knew I needed to hear more from him. Despite living on opposite sides of the Atlantic we seem to bump into each other at industry conferences or roundtables a couple of times a year, and I’m a keen subscriber to the Commonwealth newsletter. (Sign up here: https://buildcommonwealth.org/newsletter-signup)Some of the pioneering initiatives we discussed on the show include:Investor Identity toolkit: https://buildcommonwealth.org/research/unlocking-investor-identity-toolkit/ Emergency Savings programme: https://buildcommonwealth.org/our-work/emergency-savings/ Benefits for the Future: https://buildcommonwealth.org/research/benefits-for-the-future-partners/ No matter your role, I encourage you to get in touch with Commonwealth to see how their toolkits can help you to amplify your impact. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• No One Silver Bullet: Rebuilding Financial Health in America

  What does it mean to be financially healthy in America today? Jennifer Tescher, founder of the Financial Health Network, joins us to trace the roots of financial inequality, unpack the data behind money and wellbeing, and explore how employers, policymakers, and institutions can rebuild the promise of the American dream.Notes from our host, Emily Trant:I can’t recall exactly when I first became aware of Jennifer Tescher, but I’ve been a fan of her work for several years now. She set up the Financial Health Network (https://finhealthnetwork.org/) more than 20 years ago, and has been systematically measuring the financial health of Americans ever since. Jen is everything you could hope for in a podcast guest. She’s smart, kind, thoughtful and willing to take a stance on tricky topics. Thank you so much Jen for taking the time to meet with me.Here are some useful resources that we talk about on the show:Financial Health Pulse research (https://finhealthnetwork.org/programs/financial-health-pulse/) for the latest benchmark data. Essential reading!MIT living wage calculator (https://livingwage.mit.edu/) Much of what we speak about is systems change, and that takes time. Here are some of the policies and programs that the FHN has influenced:SECURE 2.0 provisions for automatic enrollment into 401(k) policies and new pension linked emergency savings accounts (PLESAs)US Treasury National Strategy for Financial Inclusion (https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/NSFI.pdf) OCC Vital Signs Initiative (Watch here: https://finhealthnetwork.org/event-session/keynote-address-financial-health-vital-signs/) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• The Courage for Risk: No One’s Coming to Save You

  Of those raised in the lowest income bracket, only 4% reach the top 20% of earners. Jason Desentz, CHRO of Toshiba, is one of them. Desentz explains his philosophy: "Listen, Learn, Lead," and how he leads his people based on his lived experiences.Show notes from our host, Emily Trant: I first met Jason in early 2025 when he was speaking about HR leadership at a conference in Atlanta. As I listened to him talk enthusiastically about the value of hard work, I sat in the audience and misjudged him. He’s a successful HR leader, and I assumed he came from a successful family background and that his ‘hard work’ narrative was cover for his privilege. Boy was I wrong.Later that same day I hosted a roundtable discussion on financial inclusion, and Jason joined in. Afterwards, he came up to me and began to tell me his story. His humble background, how he knows what it feels like to grow up poor, and how that fuels his leadership style.I knew then that his story needed to be told.Jason does a lot of public speaking but he never talks about this part of his life, and I am honored that he was willing to open up and tell his story on the Invisible Worker podcast. Thank you, Jason, for your authenticity, for your courage, and for lighting the path for so many people to follow.Here’s more information on some of the topics we discussed:USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS): (https://www.fns.usda.gov/) for data on SNAP participation, benefit levels, and program expenditures.Pew Charitable Trust: for data on social mobility and the proportion of children who earn more (or less) than their parents. https://www.pew.org/~/media/legacy/uploadedfiles/pcs_assets/2012/pursuingamericandreampdf.pdf Brookings Institution research: finds the U.S. has lower rates of social mobility compared to many other developed countries. It takes about five generations, or 150 years, for a family in the bottom 10% to reach the average income. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• LIVE: The secret ingredient to happier hospitality - Nisha Katona MBE

  We’re wrapping up Season 1 of the Invisible Worker podcast with a very special Live Episode, brought to you from the annual Financial Wellbeing Forum.From barrister to restaurateur, Nisha Katona MBE traded the courtroom for the kitchen and built Mowgli Street Food. But this isn't just another restaurant story. We delve into the secret ingredient behind Mowgli's success: a workforce that thrives. Discover how Nisha's past shaped Mowgli's unique culture and how she's flipping the script on what it means to work in hospitality. Could her methods be the key to a happier, more fulfilled working life for hospitality workforces?Show Notes: This episode is a little bit different since we recorded it live in front of an audience with the amazing Nisha Katona, founder and CEO of Mowgli Street Food. If you’re watching you’ll catch glimpses of the audience and a little bit of interaction. If you’re listening, you might miss one or two gestures (e.g. where Nisha talks about a pile of paperwork being ‘this big’ and shows with her hands) but you’ll still be able to follow the conversation with ease.If you’re curious about some of the stats we discussed, particularly about the hospitality sector, here are some great sources:UK Hospitality has loads of sector stats that I found super interestingI used the Resolution Foundation’s Economy 2030 report for all the info about how much hospitality we consume in the UK vs the rest of Europe AND for data on what features of a job people value more than a payrise. This report is worth reading.The CIPD is also an excellent source of sector information, and it was my go-to for churn dataIf you felt inspired by Nisha and now you want a job at Mowgli, here’s their careers page. If you’re an HR leader or running a business I also recommend reading up on the guiding principles from the Good Jobs Institute. It’s a US-based organisation, but the foundations they recommend hold up in any market.Finally, we’ve supported the Mowgli Trust for this episode. Check out the great work they do.Ps - If you want to be in the audience the next time we record a live episode, subscribe to the Finwell Forum Community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Adam Kay: Life inside the UK's largest employer

  A huge thank you to my guest Adam Kay for coming on the show to talk about his experience being a junior doctor in the NHS. I highly recommend reading his breakout novel, This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor. It paints a vivid picture of life on the frontline of the NHS.If you’re curious about some of the historical and financial information we discussed, here are some of the sources that I used to prep for this show:For the NHS origin story you can browse the national archives for a look back through the 1942 Beveridge report, which recommended the creation of the National Health Service.The King’s Fund data gives a nice snapshot of the NHS in numbers, and breaks down what you get for every £1bn.I also looked at the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings data and the NHS Agenda for Change pay rates to get some comparative earnings data and insight into how well the NHS pays as an employer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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