“Flexible work” is really important. Or so we keep hearing. But what does that mean? And who is it important to, exactly? The data can certainly confusing. One report says 60% of women and 52% of men would quit their jobs if employers do not allow some work flexibility/hybrid work arrangement. On the other hand, in a 2021 study, 67% of supervisors consider [...]
Welcome to #cybermonday - if you're choosing to participate that is. Inflation is the word on consumers' lips. For retailers? It's promotions. Newly budget-minded and cautious shoppers are being met with expanded promotions from the likes of Amazon, Walmart, and Target—and those are just the big names. The idea is to capture early holiday shopping dollars with early discounts. Essentially, we're looking at [...]
What are the long-term effects of social media? No one really knows. And a new documentary finds parents are surprisingly OK with that. The film, TikTok Boom on PBS, looks at the rise of TikTok and its social-political, cultural, and economic influences. And especially how the app impacts teens’ mental health. If you think about it, it’s been less than two decades since we’ve [...]
Did you know that if you have a job interview lined up, Lyft will give you a ride to it, for free? Seriously. The company has partnered with the United Way and Goodwill to offer free rides to interviewees — and if they get the job, Lyft will also grant them three weeks free rides to and from work and job trainings. Check [...]
The debate rages on between remote and in-office work, with very strong opinions on both sides — at least according to the headlines. Fiverr Business says, “A Third of U.S. Bosses/Executives Want Employees Back to Keep Track of Them.” But nearly half of employees said they’d consider quitting if forced to come back to the office five days a week. In my own role [...]
Are you one of the 52% of millennials and Gen Z folks considering changing jobs this year? That’s the staggering number out of McKinsey data, and frankly, it doesn’t surprise me. They posit that the Great Reshuffle is far from over suggesting that 43% of all employees are somewhat or extremely likely to consider changing jobs this year. On the lower end, only [...]
Where do your best ideas come to you? If you said SHOWER, well, you’re not the only one. But what is this “shower effect?” And how can you, uh, use it outside the shower? University of Virginia and University of Minnesota researchers set out to determine why “mindless” tasks like showering can inspire those brilliant thoughts. Turns out, it really hinges on that [...]
We tend to think of grit as the highest of benevolent traits. People who finish marathons even after they’ve broken a bone, that kind of thing. But as Annie Duke, former professional poker player, puts it, in a lot of arenas (like poker), “knowing when to quit is a survival skill that separates elite players from the rest of the pack.” Put another [...]
Are you sure your remote workers are productive? There’s only one way to find out: surveil them! I am kidding. A recent Microsoft survey concluded that managers have a little something called “productivity paranoia” going on. They’re afraid that remote workers aren’t getting enough done, despite the fact that remote workers nearly unanimously report being MORE productive when working from home. But the [...]
The average 10-person meeting costs an organization $2,340, according to Glassdoor, based on mid-level salary averages. There are other costs that can’t be easily quantified, like bored, annoyed employees being interrupted in the middle of their valuable work. Yet for all their bad juju, meetings remain a central feature of most workplaces. Columbia Business School professor Christopher Frank suggests asking yourself 4 questions [...]