Dan Schawbel Talks About Human Connection in the Digital Age

In this Flashback Friday episode, I revisit my 2018 conversation with Dan Schawbel, a thought leader in workplace trends and human connection. We originally spoke about his book Back to Human: How Great Leaders Create Connection in the Age of Isolation, which explores how technology can be used as a bridge—not a barrier—to meaningful relationships. Since then, Dan has continued to shape conversations around workplace dynamics as Managing Partner at Workplace Intelligence, conducting research with major brands like Amazon and Deloitte. His podcast, 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel, has featured leaders such as Richard Branson and Condoleezza Rice, and his LinkedIn Learning courses have reached over 220,000 students. Key Discussion Points The central theme of Back to Human: using technology to enhance, not replace, human connection. Why leaders need to focus on human-first workplaces to improve engagement and productivity. The benefits of in-person interaction—why one face-to-face conversation is worth 34 emails. The Work Connectivity Index—a tool for assessing the strength of work relationships. How attending events alone can be a powerful networking tool. Strategies for leveraging technology to deepen relationships rather than create distractions. The impact of remote work on workplace connection and long-term employee retention. This conversation is a timely reminder that productivity isn’t just about efficiency—it’s about fostering meaningful relationships. As we navigate hybrid work environments and digital-first communication, Dan’s insights remain as relevant today as they were when we first published this episode. (Originally released November 2018) Links Worth Exploring Connect with Dan: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook Get the book we discuss: Back to Human: How Great Leaders Create Connection in the Age of Isolation Check out Dan's LinkedIn Learning classes (and check out mine too) Listen to Dan's podcast: 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel Read this: Law of Jante, a Scandinavian Code of Conduct Read: The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains by Nicholas Carr Read: How our 269 billion emails a day have made us miserable Check this out: Introduction to Back to Human Watch: The Back to Human Office Party [Comedy Sketch] | Related Conversation: Episode 363: Meaningful Online Connections with Misha Glouberman Related Blog Post: Five Proven Ways To Have a Better Work Day Thanks to all of the sponsors of this episode. You can find all of the sponsors you heard me mention on this episode on our Podcast Sponsors page. Want to support the podcast? Beyond checking out our sponsors, you can subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. You can subscribe on Spotify and also on Apple Podcasts. Not using either of those to get your podcasts? Just click on this link and then paste the podcast feed into your podcast app of choice. Thanks again for listening to A Productive Conversation. See you later. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices