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Smiley Poswolsky

Best-Selling Author, TED Speaker, Workplace Belonging Expert

Speaking Fee: $27,500 i Fees vary by event type, travel, and appearance details.

Travels From: San Francisco, CA, United States

Employee Engagement Author Business Corporate Culture Culture Creation Personal Development

Best-Selling Author, TED Speaker, and Workplace Belonging Expert, Smiley Poswolsky helps organizations build trust, connection, and cultures where people feel they belong.

Employee Engagement Business Corporate Culture Personal Development Author Culture Creation

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Meet Smiley Poswolsky

Smiley Poswolsky is an internationally renowned keynote speaker and workplace belonging expert who helps organizations strengthen culture, increase trust, and improve team engagement. His work focuses on helping companies attract and retain top talent, foster human connection, and create environments where people feel valued and supported.

He has spoken at world-class organizations including Apple, Google, Verizon, JPMorgan Chase, Mayo Clinic, and the U.S. Navy, sharing practical tools and insights that resonate across generations and teams. Smiley Poswolsky is available to be booked for corporate and private events. Contact the Mollie Plotkin Group today to inquire about Smiley Poswolsky’s fees.

Want to book Smiley Poswolsky for an event?

Contact the Mollie Plotkin Group at 215-995-0905 to book Smiley Poswolsky for a keynote speech, corporate event, leadership program, workshop, fireside chat, virtual appearance, or other private or professional event.

Our team will help confirm Smiley Poswolsky’s availability, speaking fee, travel requirements, and fit for your audience. To start the booking process, please share your event date, location, audience size, event format, and the type of presentation you are looking for.

The Mollie Plotkin Group is a full-service keynote speaker agency and entertainment bureau that helps organizations secure keynote speakers, entertainers, athletes, celebrities, and thought leaders for corporate meetings, conferences, fundraisers, and special events.

Biography

Workplace Belonging and Culture Expert

Smiley Poswolsky is a bestselling author and workplace belonging expert known for helping organizations build stronger cultures rooted in trust, connection, and engagement. He is the author of four books, including The Quarter-Life Breakthrough, Friendship in the Age of Loneliness, and The Workplace Belonging Toolkit, which have been translated into multiple languages.

His insights focus on creating environments where employees feel a sense of belonging, enabling organizations to engage high-performing teams and retain top talent across generations. His TED talk has been viewed 2 million times, reflecting the broad impact of his ideas on connection and community at work.

Global Keynote Speaker and Thought Leader

Smiley has delivered 700 keynotes to more than 500,000 people across 25 countries, working with leading organizations such as Apple, Google, Verizon, JPMorgan Chase, Mayo Clinic, and the U.S. Navy. His talks combine research-backed insights with practical strategies that leaders can apply immediately.

His work has been featured in more than 100 media outlets, including Harvard Business Review, The Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, The New York Times, The New Yorker, and the World Economic Forum, further establishing his voice in conversations around workplace culture and belonging.

How to Hire Smiley Poswolsky

To hire Smiley Poswolsky for an event, contact the Mollie Plotkin Group with the proposed event date, location, audience size, event format, and program goals. Smiley Poswolsky is available for corporate events, conferences, leadership meetings, private events, workshops, fireside chats, and virtual programs.

After receiving your request, a Mollie Plotkin Group booking agent will review Smiley Poswolsky’s availability, discuss the event details, and get back to you within 48 hours with next steps for securing Smiley Poswolsky for your program.

Smiley Poswolsky Booking Fee

The cost to book Smiley Poswolsky depends on the event date, location, format, audience size, and scope of the appearance. Smiley Poswolsky’s speaking fee starts at $27,500. Speaking fees may vary for keynote speeches, workshops, fireside chats, private events, corporate meetings, and virtual programs.

For the most accurate Smiley Poswolsky booking fee, contact the Mollie Plotkin Group with your event details. Our team will help confirm availability, pricing, and the best format for your event.

Speaking Topics & Programs

Smiley Poswolsky helps organizations understand why human connection and belonging are essential in today’s workplace. His presentations combine research, real workplace challenges, and practical tools that leaders and teams can apply immediately to improve engagement, trust, and collaboration across the employee experience.

Common keynote themes include: workplace belonging, human connection, employee engagement, psychological safety, multigenerational workforce, hybrid work, talent retention, team collaboration

The Power of Human Connection

Why human connection is the foundation of engagement, trust, and performance at work.

In this interactive and actionable presentation, Smiley shows how disconnection is impacting today’s workforce, from low trust to high disengagement. He defines workplace belonging and explains why it drives resilience, well-being, and growth for employees while supporting stronger business outcomes. Audiences leave with practical tools to build connection at every stage of the employee experience.

Understand how disconnection affects trust, engagement, and workplace culture
Learn the core drivers of workplace belonging and why they matter
Apply practical habits to build connection across teams and organizations

Ideal for: organizations focused on improving engagement, culture, and team connection

Belonging in the Future of Work

How to attract, retain, and engage talent by building a culture of belonging.

Smiley explores how hybrid work, constant digital communication, and the rise of AI have weakened workplace connection. He shares data on the cost of loneliness and disengagement, then outlines how belonging can improve retention, engagement, and overall performance. The session provides actionable strategies to help organizations support employees and create a more connected, people-first culture.

Address the impact of loneliness, burnout, and disengagement in the workplace
Build psychological safety and stronger team engagement
Create a culture that attracts and retains talent across generations

Ideal for: leaders and organizations navigating hybrid work, retention, and culture challenges

Engaging the Multigenerational Workforce

Build trust, connection, and collaboration across six generations at work.

This presentation focuses on how organizations can engage employees across generations in a rapidly evolving workplace. Smiley breaks down common misconceptions, highlights shared values across age groups, and shares strategies for improving communication and collaboration. He provides practical tools to help leaders create a culture of trust, flexibility, and belonging that supports all employees.

Overcome generational stereotypes and improve communication across teams
Identify shared workplace values across different age groups
Use simple, actionable habits to strengthen collaboration and engagement

Ideal for: organizations managing multigenerational teams and looking to improve communication and retention

Closing Takeaway

Workplace belonging drives connection, engagement, and performance. Smiley Poswolsky gives teams the tools to create stronger relationships, support their people, and build a culture where employees and organizations can succeed together.

Featured Client Reviews for Smiley Poswolsky

— Head of Global Technology and Operations, MetLife

Thank you, thank you again for the incredible session yesterday.

I know we heard some live feedback together, but wanted to share that the praise is continuing to roll in in waves—we’ve received over 215 responses to the survey (for reference, that’s more than double the volume from last year) and ~80% of attendees have indicated the event exceeded their expectations. The qualitative feedback is so powerful to read—the common themes include “please bring Smiley back, we need this multiple times throughout the year for reinforcement, and everyone should be held accountable to this!” We already have over 100 people registered for the follow-up session with you.

— Talent Acquisition Manager, Prudential