A recent study found that many American workers are experiencing increased stress levels, with personal finances being a major cause of concern. The study also found that workers are worried about politics, the economy, and the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on job security. Moreover, the Pew Research Center found that job satisfaction among American workers is low, particularly when it comes to opportunities for training, pay, and promotions. The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report predicts that 44% of workers’ skills will be disrupted in the next five years, … read more >
The article discusses the continuing debate around return to office mandates post-pandemic. It states that despite investments in office spaces and some companies requiring RTO, employee resistance remains high. A contrarian perspective presented is that there may be an undersupply rather than oversupply of offices in years ahead. As pandemic fears subside, the demand for collaborative workspaces could increase, especially from younger workers.
Additionally, the article argues that the office versus remote binary debate is overly simplistic. Companies need to consider that the future is likely …
If your agency is towards the low end of the client vendor value chain, and by that I mean execution-focused, your services are always in danger of being unecessary. How can you avoid that?
The goal is to become indispensable in theory and flexible in execution. Specifically, you should move up the vendor value chain until you reach a node that is never not required. And then park your focus at that node. If you get all the strategy from that node, then you can control the execution downstream. But, you have to remain flexible, not favoring any particular mode of execution, in order to capture …
Generative AI is disrupting the corporate chore of responding to request for proposals (RFPs). Companies like Twilio are using generative AI tools to quickly generate suitable responses to RFPs, saving time and increasing productivity. The AI-generated responses are reviewed and edited by human staff before being sent to clients. This development is seen as a step towards replacing the RFP process with more efficient alternatives. The use of generative AI in sales teams is expected to increase, with other companies like Google also adopting similar tools. read more >
The article discusses the negative impact of AI anxiety and employee monitoring on workplace stress and mental health. A survey conducted by the American Psychological Association found that workers fear losing their jobs to AI and that being monitored at work causes stress, irritability, and burnout. The survey also revealed that employees who are monitored reported poorer mental health compared to those who are not monitored. The article emphasizes the importance of open communication and addressing employee concerns to improve mental well-being in the workplace. read more >
“Even though A.I. is moving into the next phase of its development, the birth of the industry came at the “perfect time” for the global/U.S. economy, the partners write. The U.S. economy is facing an existential problem whereby it risks not having enough workers to fill all of its jobs. Essentially, the current, extremely tight labor market will be a permanent fixture of the economy rather than a recent trend. “The U.S. workforce fell into a wormhole and disappeared,” Kedrosky and Norlin write."—A.I. came at ‘perfect time’ to save the economy, VC says | Fortune
The article discusses a phenomenon called “quiet cutting” where companies are finding ways to cut jobs without officially firing employees. Layoffs are down, but workers are receiving messages that their jobs are gone. The article highlights the jarring nature of this approach and suggests that it is a way for companies to avoid negative publicity associated with layoffs. The key insight is that while the number of layoffs may be decreasing, companies are still finding alternative ways to reduce their workforce. read more >
“Kedrosky and Norlin believe demographic trends will ultimately lead to a drastic decline in overall productivity as industries like retail, manufacturing, and health care struggle to fill open positions. There’s some indication that those trends are, in fact, here to stay. The overall labor force participation rate is still about a percentage point lower than it was in February 2020. In a workforce the size of the U.S.’s that can equal several million workers."—A.I. came at ‘perfect time’ to save the economy, VC says | Fortune
The article discusses a framework for classifying customer support teams into four personality types based on the axes of “Simplicity” and “Activity.” The “Simplicity” axis measures the complexity of support tickets, while the “Activity” axis measures the level of action or interaction required to resolve tickets. The four personality types are Knowledge Guardians, Enthusiastic Explorers, Thoughtful Analysts, and Complex Navigators. Each personality type has specific automation solutions and industries associated with them. The article emphasizes … read more >
The key insights from this article are that Harvard Business School professor Amy Edmondson is well known for her research on psychological safety in the workplace, which is important for building innovative and healthy cultures. The move to remote work has raised concerns about employees hiding or covering up things, and organizations are trying to figure out the best hybrid work model. The article also mentions that hiring managers and job candidates often lie to each other during the hiring process. read more >
