ReportWire

Tag: Workplace culture

  • Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In Finds Women Are Leaning Out in the Workplace

    Sandberg argues that standardized processes are essential to closing the widening ambition gap. John Lamparski/Getty Images

    Twelve years after Sheryl Sandberg’s best-seller Lean In sparked a workplace movement urging women to push for advancement, many are now leaning out. A new survey by LeanIn.org, the nonprofit Sandberg founded alongside the book’s release in 2013, conducted with McKinsey & Company shows a notable drop in women’s ambition.

    LeanIn.org’s annual “Women in the Workplace” report, released Tuesday (Dec. 9) and based on data from 124 companies in the U.S. and Canada, finds for the first time that women are less likely than men to say they want a promotion. In 2025, 80 percent of women sought a promotion compared to 86 percent of men. In prior years, ambition levels were aligned. Last year, for example, both were at 70 percent.

    “We do see that ambition gap, but only when women don’t get the opportunities and support they need,” Sandberg said in an interview with Bloomberg on Tuesday. 

    She said the gap stems from persistent barriers at every career stage. Two in 10 companies now say women’s advancement is a low or nonexistent priority—a figure that rises to three in 10 for women of color. About half of the companies that previously contributed to the report also no longer prioritize advancing women, Sandberg said.

    Day-to-day, these barriers are reflected in how ambition is perceived and rewarded. Women are 30 percent more likely than men to be labeled “aggressive” when they ask for raises or promotions, and men in senior roles are 70 percent more likely than their female peers to be selected for leadership training.

    Sandberg argues the solution is straightforward: “Standardize your processes. Establish criteria in advance that everyone agrees to that are universally applied.”

    The report also notes the impact of post-COVID return-to-office mandates. A quarter of surveyed companies now offer fewer remote and hybrid options—policies that disproportionately affect women, who make up about two-thirds of U.S. caregivers. Women who work mostly remotely face stigma for using flexibility benefits, whereas men generally do not.

    Gender diversity programs are also shrinking. Nearly one-sixth of companies have reduced formal leadership sponsorships and scaled back programs designed for women. These cuts come amid the Trump administration’s rollback of DEI efforts and the rise of natalist policies that encourage women to have more children.

    As rhetoric promoting stay-at-home motherhood gains traction, Sandberg said the data doesn’t support the idea that staying home is inherently better for families. These expectations, she added, “were never really gone.” Even now, she said, “Do I really think we ever fully encouraged leadership in…women as much as men?” The answer is no.

    “If you can afford to be a full-time spouse and a full-time parent as a man or a woman and you want to do that, I think that can be deeply fulfilling work,” said Sandberg. “Most women don’t have that option.”

    Ultimately, Sandberg said expanding leadership opportunities for women is an economic imperative. “It’s a question of economic productivity,” she said. “Do we want to get the best out of our workforce?”

    Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In Finds Women Are Leaning Out in the Workplace

    Rachel Curry

    Source link

  • The 3-Question Formula for Better Team Meetings

    Most leaders don’t need more meetings, they need better ones. Yet, leaders and teams tolerate the same symptoms week after week—updates no one listens to, conversations that drift, and a mysterious ability for an hour-long meeting to end with no meaningful decision made. The problem isn’t the people. It’s the prompts. 

    Meetings shape how a team thinks, behaves, and prioritizes. However, most agendas unintentionally reinforce the wrong things. Status updates over insights, activity over outcomes, and safety over candor. If you want meetings that actually improve performance, alignment, and momentum, you don’t need a new methodology. You just need three questions. These questions cut through the noise, get past politeness, and help teams think critically about where they’re heading and what’s getting in the way. 

    1. What’s something stupid that you need to stop doing? 

    Yes, stupid. Not inefficient, suboptimal, or in need of improvement. By using the blunt term, it does something powerful. It liberates honesty. 

    Organizations accumulate bad habits the way garages accumulate junk. No one remembers why something was put there. It’s just been there forever. This question gives permission to challenge legacy processes, outdated rules, pointless tasks, and the silent “we’ve always done it this way” mentality. 

    It reframes improvement from a critique to a shared pursuit. When a team identifies behaviors to stop doing, two things happen: They reclaim time and energy. They also signal that challenging the status quo is not only safe but expected. 

    Stopping something is often more productive than starting something. 

    2. What’s one thing you need to overcome your current challenge? 

    Most teams talk about challenges in vague, surface-level terms. However, rarely do they articulate one thing that would unlock progress. This question forces people to move from explanation to action. It also gives leaders valuable insight: 

    • Do people lack clarity? 
    • Do they need resources? 
    • Is there a skill gap? 
    • Is the real obstacle structural, cultural, or interpersonal? 

    Individuals get clarity on what they need, and leaders get clarity on how to support them without guessing. The question turns challenges into solvable problems and reduces the mental load that comes from carrying unspoken obstacles. 

    3. What’s one thing you need to keep doing and double down on? 

    Teams rarely take time to identify what is working. They fixate on problems, and in the process, they unintentionally abandon their strengths. This question ensures you don’t throw out the good while trying to fix the bad. It shines a light on behaviors, processes, and strategies that are delivering a return-on-investment — so you can amplify them. 

    When teams double down on their strengths, engagement increases, focus sharpens, and high-value behaviors become part of the culture instead of accidental wins. 

    Why these three questions lead to better team meetings

    Because they accomplish three things most meetings fail to do: eliminate waste, remove obstacles, and focus on what drives value. These questions are simple, but they’re not simplistic. They work because they’re designed for candor, clarity, and forward momentum. They reshape meeting culture from passive updates to meaningful dialogue. 

    How to use them  

    You can integrate these questions into: 

    • Weekly team meetings 
    • One-on-ones 
    • Project kickoffs 
    • Retrospectives 
    • Leadership roundtables 

    The key is consistency. When teams expect these questions, they start paying attention differently. Instead of hoarding frustrations, they come prepared with solutions and become more strategic by default. Perhaps most importantly, they build trust. Because when people feel empowered to speak honestly, ask for help, and celebrate wins, the team gets better—not incrementally but exponentially. 

    The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

    The final deadline for the 2026 Inc. Regionals Awards is Friday, December 12, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply now.

    Andrea Olson

    Source link

  • 5 Toxic People Who Holding You Back at Work

    It doesn’t matter how nice or well-meaning you are—there’s always going to be that toxic person in your life who wants to vampire the energy right out of you. While toxic people can be anywhere you go, many of them end up in the workplace. According to one study, 80 percent of employees report that their workplace is toxic. 

    You probably already have a good sense of who the toxic people in your life are, but for clarity’s sake, there are five you should seriously consider cutting out of your life now and forever. These toxic people are only standing in the way of your success and well-being. 

    1. The person who never listens to you 

    This isn’t the person who disagrees with you or criticizes you—it is the person who never hears a word you say. You may be excited to hang out with them because they tell such entertaining stories or you just love the conversation, but they never remember the littlest fact about you despite having known you for years. It’s just the way they are and not because they have a problem with you or because you are a bad person. This person just doesn’t care, and that is a problem. 

    2. The person who always brings you down 

    This person could be your neighbor, colleague, or even your friend. They are constantly putting you down, usually just to make themselves feel better. It’s not that they complain all the time, or that they are a negative person in general, though they may well be. The issue is they need you to feel bad about yourself to make themselves feel better. This negative person must be cut out of your life because that kind of person eats away at your self-confidence. 

    3. The person who gets in the way of your taking risks 

    For growth and success, you have to take a few calculated risks every now and then. If you have someone in your life who is constantly trying to stop you from taking the necessary risks to reach success and is always putting the brakes on you trying something new, that person is getting in the way of your growth and, ultimately, your long-term success. 

    4. The person who always tries to defeat you 

    Shared interests are a great reason to keep people in your life. However, there has to be a line drawn between shared passion and constant unhealthy competition. Co-workers should support you, and you should support them. Friendships and work relationships that are all about competition and one-upping are exhausting and unproductive. 

    5. The person who always wants to hold you back 

    If you can’t change and grow with them, they will do everything they can to hold you back in the past, in both life and business. Cut them loose, as you should spend your present only with people you want to have a future with. Cleaning out your life of these toxic people will make room for the right people. 

    The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

    The final deadline for the 2026 Inc. Regionals Awards is Friday, December 12, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply now.

    Peter Economy

    Source link

  • Toxicity in the Workplace Doesn’t Need to Be Managed, but Replaced With Engagement

    A recent Inc. article stopped me in my tracks: “It’s Not Just You: This Survey Says Most U.S. Workplaces Are Toxic.” That’s not just a headline, it’s a condemnation. If it’s true, Karl Marx would be grinning from the grave. 

    This isn’t just an American issue. Globally, employee engagement is falling, worker dissatisfaction is rising, and toxic cultures are making headlines. The root cause? Believe it or not, it was identified by Marx himself. Employees feel alienated from their work, unsupported by their leaders, and treated more like liabilities than partners. It’s a leadership failure, and it’s costing companies dearly. 

    However, there’s good news. Toxicity is not permanent. In fact, creating a healthy workplace culture may be the most profitable thing you can do. 

    What a toxic workplace looks like today 

    A new study by Massachusetts-based job seeker site Monster offers troubling insight into the current state of the workplace: 

    • 30 percent of job seekers say workplace confrontation is worse than it was three years ago 
    • More than 20 percent report more “mean” behavior among co-workers in the past year 
    • 54 percent believe company culture should evolve, rather than expecting employees to adapt to outdated norms 
    • 55 percent think personal boundary overreach from managers is inappropriate 
    • 62 percent say companies should post more “niceness reminders” 

    Many respondents couldn’t even tell the difference between personality clashes and outright hostility. Also, a rising number of workers are using sick days just to escape their environments, either temporarily or permanently. This is more than a morale problem. It’s a business problem. Culture-driven turnover costs U.S. companies billions annually. Toxicity doesn’t just hurt companies—it hemorrhages them. 

    The antidote to toxicity 

    For three decades, I’ve worked with companies to improve business results and the lives of employees who drive those results. In my experience, the healthiest and most profitable organizations have one thing in common: They partner with employees to serve customers. 

    When companies make this partnership real—not just lip service—everything changes: behavior, accountability, creativity, and engagement. Want proof? Let’s look at a real-life example. 

    Inside a thriving culture: One Week Bath 

    At One Week Bath, where I own 30 percent of the company, our team is remarkably diverse—across gender, identity, religion, nationality, and political ideology. However, none of that creates conflict. Why? Because our shared focus is on profitably serving customers, together. 

    Every week, the company holds an all-hands meeting. Employees celebrate five-star customer reviews, recognize department wins, and forecast and track company-wide progress. When profits increase, bonuses rise—and the whole team sees the connection. 

    Matt, the founder, came up with a peer recognition program that encourages employees to spotlight great work by colleagues. Every month, we read them aloud. Smiles. Applause. No toxicity. Just team. 

    Recently, Jess, our head of marketing, told us a customer found us by asking ChatGPT, “What’s the best bathroom remodeling company in L.A.?” ChatGPT’s answer? One Week Bath. The room erupted in cheers. Because everyone, from installers to schedulers, knew they had played a role in that moment. 

    The quick turnaround 

    A common myth is that cultural transformation takes years. In my experience? It can happen in months—if the company gets clear on two things: Serving the customer is everyone’s job. Improvement is a team sport. 

    We often start with an economic engagement diagnostic, which helps leaders understand where they stand and what to do next. However, the formula for change is simple: involve employees in meaningful work, reward them for shared success, and focus everyone on delivering value. 

    The result? Culture shifts fast. Toxicity fades when employees feel seen, heard, and valued, because they are seen, heard, and valued. 

    Scaling success: From private to public companies 

    This shift isn’t just for smaller, founder-led businesses. Look at Nucor, America’s most successful steel company. For decades, Nucor has outperformed competitors in one of the world’s toughest industries. Meanwhile, legacy players like U.S. Steel are in long-term decline, fending off bankruptcy. What is the difference? 

    Nucor has long practiced decentralized decision making, cross-functional teams, and performance-based pay. Videos and employee testimonials are filled with pride, ownership, and optimism. You don’t need to squint to see it: Their employee environment is exceptional—and so is their financial performance. Culture isn’t a side dish at Nucor. It’s the main course. 

    Economic engagement is the antidote 

    Unfortunately, companies are increasingly heading in the opposite direction. An MIT Sloan Management Review analysis found that toxic culture was the single best predictor of attrition during the early phase of the “Great Resignation.” Toxicity in the workplace makes it 10 times more predictive of turnover than compensation. That’s not sustainable. You can’t save your way to growth, especially when employees are already disengaged. 

    Further, according to the Society for Human Resource Management, toxic workplace culture may have cost U.S. organizations up to $223 billion over five years due to turnover and absenteeism. The real solution isn’t just niceties. It’s shared purpose, shared problem solving, and shared success. When employees feel like partners, they stop looking for the exit. They look for ways to win. 

    Across our work, we’ve found that the companies that score highest on economic engagement—where employees are actively involved in serving customers and improving the business—are also the ones with the healthiest cultures and strongest results. These companies outperformed their peers, not just in profitability but in employee satisfaction, retention, and growth. It’s a consistent pattern: Healthy cultures aren’t just nice—they’re profitable. 

    Where to begin 

    If you’re dealing with a toxic workplace or simply want to prevent one, here’s where to start: 

    If you want to accelerate the journey, our economic engagement diagnostic is a proven tool to do exactly that. 

    Toxic workplaces aren’t inevitable. They’re a reflection of bad management systems. However, here’s the truth: Toxicity doesn’t need to be managed—it needs to be replaced. Replace it with ownership, purpose, and shared success. You’ll build a better culture, a better company, and a better bottom line. 

    The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

    The early-rate deadline for the 2026 Inc. Regionals Awards is Friday, November 14, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply now.

    Bill Fotsch

    Source link

  • In the Age of AI, Leadership Is Under Pressure. It’s Only Going to Get More Intense

    Walmart CEO Doug McMillon recently addressed a workforce conference at Walmart headquarters with an opening phrase that has all leaders on edge. “It’s very clear that AI is going to change literally every job,” he said. McMillon said this to a room full of Walmart executives and leadership teams from other organizations.  

    What he meant, and what was restlessly perceived, is that leadership isn’t safe from the reach of AI. He went on to say that there may be a job that AI won’t change, but he has not yet heard of it. It is reported that the room fell silent after McMillion’s words sank in. I’ve recently witnessed the same holding of breath with my own leadership clients.  

    The thing that McMillian didn’t hit on, though, is that AI has already changed every job. It has moved from a projected future of change to one that’s already here. But for the most part, leadership doesn’t know how to act or react.  

    An unstoppable force 

    You’re probably already using AI to write emails, think about projects from several angles, and even to help navigate tricky situations. AI will test leaders’ adaptability, foresight, and team alignment. It will also quickly highlight leadership gaps. What you can do, and what I coach my clients to do, is stay ahead of this rapidly shifting technology. Treat AI as a learning tool by teaching your teams to experiment, think critically, build contingency plans, and utilize the technology collaboratively.  

    I’ve seen leadership build AI onboarding teams and develop AI think tanks to understand the options and utilize the technology to advance and create, which is a great approach. However, I’ve also seen those same teams whisper in hallways about the ability this technology has to replace jobs completely. They ask each other how they can hold it back or avoid the inevitable from happening. However, as McMillan said, “the objective is to create the opportunity for everybody to make it to the other side.”  

    Stopping the panic 

    As a leader in the AI age, you have two options: You can lead with caution and trepidation or you can open meetings to discussion, be transparent, and communicate with your teams about what’s coming in the way of AI and what they can expect. You can even ask teams to create AI workflows and think critically about its limitations.  

    I recommend the latter way of communicating with your team because transparency is needed now more than ever. It’s easier to stay quiet and integrate AI into the everyday workflow overnight by hiring a few people to oversee the technology. However, being as open and honest as possible with the people you lead builds trust in your leadership. This is the trust that’s necessary to stop the spread of panic and fear of an AI takeover.  

    Leadership will change too 

    AI is also putting a new spotlight on ethics. As a leader in the age of AI, your role is to safeguard your team against privacy concerns, biases, and fairness dilemmas. Leadership has always been a position based on ethics, but its reach extends much further with AI.  

    Navigating a human-AI hybrid workforce will challenge you to recall the reasons why you became a leader and hold fast to your values. AI is going to push leaders to stand up and stand firm while leading transparently. This may seem like the time to lead with quiet uncertainty, but the opposite is true. AI is about to expose the underbelly of leadership. Those who don’t hold their seat with strength will be swept aside. 

    The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

    The early-rate deadline for the 2026 Inc. Regionals Awards is Friday, November 14, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply now.

    Jerry Colonna

    Source link

  • 3 Ways to Communicate Better With Gen-Z Employees

    For those leading a multigenerational workforce, connecting with and engaging Gen-Z employees may prove to be a challenge. While every generation works differently, there has been a noticeable rift between the work style of Gen-Z and that of Millennials or Gen-X.  

    Born between the mid to late 1990s and early 2010s, Gen-Z comprises approximately 27 percent of the global workforce and is expected to account for two-thirds within a few years. Surveys show that Gen-Z workers value authenticity, transparency, personal growth, and other aspects that may not be highlighted in traditional workplaces. It’s no wonder that traditional leaders have found difficulty in communicating with this sector of workers.   

    The question is, as a non-Gen-Z leader, how can you manage these workers most effectively? The following are specific tools I give my clients to build their relationships with Gen-Z employees.   

    Step into their shoes.   

    Before trying to “fix” what they are or aren’t doing, take a step back and look at things from their point of view. Ask yourself: What do your Gen-Z employees value? How do they like to communicate? Understanding their perspective is the first step toward bridging the gap.   

    1. Lead with authenticity and clarity.   

    Gen-Z grew up in the age of information overload. They’ve spent years filtering through noise to decipher what’s real and what’s not. That means they have a finely tuned radar for vague or inauthentic messaging. For example, the practice of large corporations laying off workers without reasoning or direct communication doesn’t fly with Gen-Z. This method leaves a negative impact on those left to fend for themselves.   

    As a leader, you’ll earn their respect by being transparent. When you make a decision, don’t just share what you’ve decided, explain why you made that choice. If you’re still working through something, simply say so. Overcommunication is favorable.  

    Admitting you don’t have all the answers doesn’t undermine your authority. Instead, it builds credibility. For example, if you need to fire an underperformer, be honest with them. To take it a step further, drop performance reviews and instill a culture of feedback that allows for a constant flow of both positive and negative conversations. Once established, your employees won’t be surprised if they are cut. They will know it’s coming.  

    2. Encourage dialogue, not hierarchy.   

    Gen-Z thrives in environments where ideas flow freely, and collaboration outweighs hierarchy. They don’t want to feel less respected and seen as “kids” due to their age and experience, but rather as equal adults who have a seat at the table.   

    Before finalizing a project or policy, invite their input. Ask questions like:   

    • “Can I get your opinion on this?”   
    • “How would you approach this challenge?”   

    When they see their feedback being heard and acted on, engagement will naturally increase. It’s not about giving up control—it’s about co-creating success rather than using a top-down approach.  

    3. Meet them where they are—digitally.   

    This generation communicates differently, to say the least. Quick, visual, and efficient is the norm. Slack messages, voice notes, or short videos may feel informal to some leaders, but to Gen-Z, these are legitimate everyday tools for productivity and connection.   

    Instead of dismissing these habits as “unprofessional,” be open to their value. Ask how they use these platforms to collaborate or learn. You might uncover new ways to improve communication across your whole organization.   

    Remember, it’s not about replacing traditional communication. It’s about broadening it. Communicating in person will always be most effective, so you can also educate younger generations in the value of non-tech communication.   

    The future of the workplace with Gen-Z 

    Gen Z is redefining what effective communication looks like at work. They crave authenticity, value inclusion, and expect technology to make things easier, not harder. If you can adapt your leadership style to meet them half-way, you’ll not only strengthen employee engagement and commitment, you’ll also cultivate a culture that’s built for longevity. 

    The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

    The early-rate deadline for the 2026 Inc. Regionals Awards is Friday, November 14, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply now.

    Carol Schultz

    Source link

  • How to Lead With Respect in Challenging Times

    The cost of contempt in the workplace is high, but the rewards of respect are invaluable.

    Entrepreneurs’ Organization

    Source link

  • Why Clear Expectations Are the Key to Employee Productivity and Morale

    Adi Klevit, an Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) member in Portland, Oregon, is the co-founder of Business Success Consulting Group, which helps leaders create and document custom processes and tailor-made management systems that ensure consistency. We asked Klevit how clear procedures and expectations in the workplace can drive productivity, confidence, and team morale.

    When roles aren’t clear, employees end up duplicating efforts, stepping on each other’s toes, or delivering work that misses the mark. The result? Frustration, resentment, and eventually, talented people walking out the door, not because they lack ability, but because they lack clarity. 

    Why clarity matters 

    I’ve seen this play out countless times, and the research backs it up. According to Effectory’s HR Analytics, employees who have clarity about their role are 53 percent more efficient and 27 percent more effective than those without it. That’s a 25 percent performance boost. Other studies show the same pattern. Role ambiguity is strongly linked to higher turnover intentions and lower job satisfaction. 

    Here’s the kicker: Many fast-growing companies avoid putting structure in place because they’re afraid it will slow them down. However, clarity isn’t red tape. It’s what allows you to grow at speed without chaos. 

    A real-world example 

    At a financial services firm we worked with, one client services team member stood out. She was diligent, smart, and genuinely wanted to excel. She completed a task for a client, sent it off, and thought she nailed it. However, when her adviser reviewed it, he was disappointed. The problem wasn’t her effort. It was that expectations weren’t defined or documented anywhere. She felt like she had failed, even though she had done her best with the information she had. 

    Her motivation took a hit, and eventually she began looking for another job. The firm lost a great employee not because of performance, but because she was never given clarity on what “good” looked like. The truth is she didn’t fail—the system did. 

    On the flip side, I’ve also seen clarity turn things around. One client in professional services decided to start small by documenting their client onboarding process. Within weeks, they cut mistakes in half, sped up turnaround times, and gave their employees more confidence. That single process win energized the team and created momentum to tackle other areas. 

    What actually works  

    The solution isn’t complicated, and it doesn’t have to bog your company down. Start small, keep it lean, and build as you grow. Here are five practices I’ve seen transform both productivity and morale: 

    • Map one process flow. Don’t boil the ocean. Start with a high-impact workflow, such as onboarding or invoicing. Even a whiteboard sketch can show everyone where they fit and prevent gaps. 
    • Define ownership at each step. Be crystal clear about who owns what, who contributes, and who needs to be informed. This avoids duplication and finger-pointing. 
    • Set success metrics. Don’t just say “do the report.” Spell out what a successful report looks like so employees know when they’ve nailed it. 
    • Connect the dots. Help employees see not just their tasks but how their work impacts others. That perspective builds collaboration and trust. 
    • Keep it current. Businesses evolve. Review and adjust your processes so clarity today doesn’t turn into confusion tomorrow. 

    These steps can be rolled out quickly by your managers and department heads, but only if leadership champions them. 

    The leadership mindset shift 

    Clarity is the foundation of productivity and scale, and it starts at the top. As CEO, your role isn’t to write out every process. Instead, it’s to set the tone. You model respect for clarity by following the systems yourself, and you make sure your leadership team sees procedures as empowerment tools, not bureaucracy. 

    Think of it this way: While your managers own the details of process mapping, you own creating a culture where clarity is valued and followed. Your company reaps the benefits of faster scaling, smoother onboarding, and a team that doesn’t need to be micromanaged. I’ve seen leaders lose top performers simply because they didn’t live by their own systems. If you want your team to respect the process, then you have to lead by example. 

    Clarity brings freedom 

    Clarity isn’t bureaucracy. It’s the structure that frees people to do their best work. When employees know what’s expected, they don’t just perform better; they feel valued, motivated, and engaged. For fast-growing companies, clarity is what makes scale possible. Without it, growth creates chaos. With it, growth creates freedom. 

    The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

    Entrepreneurs’ Organization

    Source link

  • A Delayed Response to Staffing Issues Is a Costly Mistake. Here’s Why It Matters

    In the bustling world of business, staffing issues can crop up unexpectedly, presenting challenges that demand immediate attention. Yet all too often, business owners find themselves tempted to adopt a wait-and-see approach, hoping that problems will resolve themselves over time. However, this seemingly passive stance can prove detrimental to the health and success of your enterprise in more ways than one. 

    Picture this: You notice a dip in productivity or a decline in team morale, perhaps stemming from a particular employee’s performance or behavior. It’s easy to brush it off, attributing it to a temporary slump or external factors. However, ignoring these red flags, even for a moment, can set off a chain reaction of negative consequences. 

    The effects of a passive response 

    First and foremost, delaying action on staffing issues can create a toxic work environment. When problems go unaddressed, they fester beneath the surface, breeding resentment and frustration among team members. This toxicity seeps into company culture, corroding the trust and cohesion that are vital for a thriving workplace. 

    Moreover, the ripple effects of neglecting staffing issues extend far beyond interpersonal dynamics. Your business’s bottom line is at stake. Whether it’s decreased productivity, customer dissatisfaction, or increased turnover, unresolved issues inevitably translate into financial losses that could have been prevented. 

    Consider the long-term implications as well. Every day that passes without resolution deepens the roots of the problem, making it increasingly difficult to untangle. What might have been a manageable issue in its infancy can escalate into a full-blown crisis, requiring significant time, resources, and energy to rectify. 

    How to address staffing issues head on 

    So, what’s the alternative? Take proactive steps to address staffing issues head-on, right from the outset. While it may seem daunting, having those tough conversations today can save you immeasurable headaches down the road. Here are a few strategies to consider: 

    • Open dialogue. Foster a culture of open communication where employees feel comfortable voicing their concerns and grievances. Encourage regular check-ins and feedback sessions to nip potential issues in the bud. 
    • Timely intervention. Don’t wait for problems to escalate before taking action. Address issues promptly and constructively, offering support and guidance to help employees overcome challenges. 
    • Clear expectations. Set clear expectations from the outset regarding job roles, responsibilities, and performance standards. Regularly revisit and reinforce these expectations to ensure alignment and accountability. 
    • Continuous improvement. Treat staffing issues as opportunities for growth and improvement, both for individual employees and the organization. Invest in training, mentorship, and professional development to help employees reach their full potential. 

    Remember, your employees are the lifeblood of your business. By prioritizing their well-being and addressing staffing issues proactively, you not only safeguard the health of your organization but also cultivate a culture of trust, resilience, and success. 

    Wait-and-seeing is not an option when it comes to staffing issues. The sooner you confront challenges head on, the sooner you can mitigate their impact and steer your business toward a brighter future. So, don’t delay. Act today and reap the rewards tomorrow. 

    The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

    David Finkel

    Source link

  • Why the Smartest Leaders Watch Their Words

    I was finishing my PhD at Stanford—three kids, big dreams, too little sleep—and on the job market. As I was looking into the top management consulting firms, I discovered a jarring truth: they called people who brought in the business hunters, and those who did the work were called skinners. So, what did that make customers—prey? 

    I wanted to make money and do good work, but I didn’t want to hunt or skin anyone. So I started my own firm and vowed to be different. Then, like most of us, I forgot, until I didn’t. Then, I wrote a book, The Amare Wave, promoting kinder business language and started coaching executives in love-powered leadership. 

    Fast forward to 2025. There was a recent New York Times article about late-night hosts calling for less aggression in American discourse. When comedians are asking people to calm down, you know the world has gone too far. 

    Oftentimes, violent language shows up in business. There’s talk about battle plans, crushing competition, and capturing market share, as if running a company were a military campaign.  

    Language that fuels domination also fuels fear and disconnection. As I wrote in my book, changing your language may be the easiest—and most powerful—entry point into love-powered leadership. 

    Leaders who choose kinder words

    Sister Mary Jean Ryan, longtime CEO of SSM Health, a large Catholic healthcare system, banned violent metaphors entirely. “Target audiences” became “intended audiences.” PowerPoints had “information points,” not bullets. Her reason was that violent language is counter to their goal of creating healing environments.  

    Under her leadership, medical errors fell, patient satisfaction rose, and SSM became the first health system to win the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. When you change words, you change outcomes. Research backs this up. A Washington Post study found that when a CEO’s rhetoric was framed as “declaring war” on competitors, employees were more likely to rationalize unethical behavior. Those who heard neutral or cooperative language instead showed stronger ethical awareness and empathy.  

    This means leadership language isn’t just cosmetic—it’s culture in motion. How you talk shapes how you act. As a leader, when you choose words of care and service, you’re not just being nice. Instead, you’re protecting integrity, trust, and long-term success.  

    Ask yourself these self-reflective questions 

    • Where do you hear—or use—violent or predatory language in your work? 
    • How does that language shape your team’s attitude toward customers, colleagues, and competitors? 
    • What might shift if your company spoke with words rooted in respect and love instead of fear and control? 

    5 small steps to eliminate violent business language 

    • Notice the war talk.
      Start by paying attention. Every “attack plan” or “market conquest” is a clue that old habits are running the show. Track when and where warlike language is in place. 
    • Reframe key phrases.
      Replace “crush the competition” with “out serve the competition.” Replace “target audience” with “intended audience.” Small shifts add up quickly. 
    • Create a word watchlist.
      With your team, list the top 10 aggressive phrases you use and brainstorm Amare alternatives. Post it where everyone can see, such as in the breakroom or if remote, on Slack. 
    • Model what you mean.
      Leaders go first. Use gentle language without losing clarity or conviction. You’ll set a new tone immediately. 
    • Celebrate replacements.
      When someone swaps “attack plan” for “service strategy,” call it out and thank them. Kindness compounds through attention. 

    Team talk: Try this with your team 

    At your next meeting, read aloud a few lines from recent emails or strategy decks. Circle phrases that sound like war. Rewrite them together using language that uplifts, connects, and serves. Notice how the tone changes and how everyone feels. 

    Revolutionary change starts with the words you choose 

    The late theologian Abraham Joshua Heschel said, “Words create worlds.” So let’s create better ones—starting in our inboxes, meetings, and metrics. When you replace “attack” with “serve” or “crush” with “care,” you begin reshaping how your business feels from the inside out. That’s the beauty of language. It’s fast, free, and contagious.  

    A simple word change today can transform how people think, act, and relate tomorrow. May your words this week build bridges, spark hope, and remind everyone around you what business can really be: an act of love in motion. 

    The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

    Moshe Engelberg

    Source link

  • After a Long Nosedive, Boeing Ascends Into Clearer Skies

    Ever since a side panel on one of its 737 Max passenger jets blew out at nearly 15,000 feet in January 2024, news from aviation giant Boeing has been almost unrelentingly awful. At times it was so dire the very future of U.S. industry’s former crown jewel looked doubtful, amid revelations about its flippant attitude toward production safety, and customer threats to turn to European rival Airbus for new airframes Boeing struggled to deliver.

    But now, 21 months after that Alaska Airlines incident terrified the 171 passengers aboard — and goaded the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) into ordering Boeing to entirely revamp its flawed assembly and safety inspection system — the company finally appears to be ascending back toward business success through an overhaul of its once famed culture of safety first. For starters, just this week Boeing announced it delivered 55 planes to customer airlines in September — the highest number for the month since 2018. That wasn’t all.

    The company also said it’s looking to increase output of its best-selling 737 Max to 42 aircraft per month, up from the 38 monthly rate allowed under the production cap the FAA imposed after the Alaska Airlines incident. That’s part of Boeing’s wider return to manufacturing form, which it confirmed today with the additional news it delivered a total of 440 commercial planes to customers during the first nine months of 2025. It also inked gross orders for 96 planes in September, bringing its running total for 2025 to 870 craft.

    That’s the result of an ongoing Boeing workplace revolution of culture, employee attitudes, and manufacturing procedures. That required the company to revamp its assembly and safety inspection processes, and also forced executives to regain the trust of floor workers. Many of those employees were subjected to scorn, retaliation, and even dismissal for alerting superiors to production flaws they’d seen in planes, or reporting dangerously shoddy assembly practices.

    That continuing reform effort is feeding the new, virtuous cycle of business activity Boeing reported this week. It’s also generating cash the company badly needs after losing nearly $12 billion since 2024 — and a whopping $36 billion since 2019. It also appears to have halted the succession of what appeared to be near-death developments following the 2024 Alaska Airlines side panel blowout.

    A critical moment in the turnaround drive came in August 2024, when the Boeing board tapped aviation industry veteran Kelly Ortberg to take controls of the nosediving company. In doing so, Ortberg focused on restoring the manufacturing giant’s former culture of industrial and safety excellence that had been lost in recent decades.

    That occurred as C-suite executives prioritized profitability and shareholder dividends over other considerations — including spending the time and money to fix aircraft flaws employees had reported. It also involved selling off suppliers of essential aircraft components that had long been integrated into Boeing’s manufacturing and assembly operation.

    The new signs that Ortberg’s internal reform campaign is bearing fruit comes at a critical time for the wider airline industry, too. Many carriers complain of having to pare back or delay expansion plans because of a shortage of new planes.

    Indeed, about the only good news Boeing had received since the 737 Max side panel blowout was Airbus’s inability to fully capitalize on the turbulence rocking its American competitor. Enduring post-pandemic disruptions in the European consortium’s supply chain limited its production capabilities, even as Boeing’s own output was reduced by the FAA cap.

    But despite the continued improvements, Boeing still has a way to go before returning to top form.

    Its 440 plane deliveries so far this year are still lower than the 568 aircraft it handed off to customers during the same period in 2018 — when the company’s real problems began. That year the crash of one of its 737 Max planes killed 189 people aboard, and sparked investigations that revealed the manufacturer’s shocking disregard for reported safety lapses.

    Then, in 2019, a second 737 Max operated by Ethiopian Airlines crashed, resulting in 157 deaths. Additional fallout and damning revelations that arose after that accident continued battering Boeing’s reputation for safety, and fueled increasingly miserable financial results. With the 2024 Alaska Airlines incident looking like it could become the coup de grâce, the company’s board replaced the management veteran it appointed in 2020 with the trained engineer and aviation sector executive Ortberg.

    The turnaround at Boeing since Ortberg’s arrival has been dramatic. But the key to keeping that progress going will be convincing the FAA that the company’s internal safety revamp has advanced enough to increase the 737 Max production cap to 42 jets per month. During comments made at a Morgan Stanley investor conference last month, Ortberg seemed confident getting the regulator’s approval was within reach soon.

    “I think we’re pretty aligned,” Ortberg said, according to CNBC. “We’ve got to get this final metric stabilized … (and we’re) planning to be producing at 42 a month by the end of the year.”

    Awaiting that, Boeing got still more good news this week — this time from Europe.

    In another step forward in the company’s reform drive, European Union regulators approved the company’s planned $4.7 billion reacquisition of fuselage manufacturer Spirit AeroSystems, which was previously an integrated part of Boeing’s business and manufacturing structure.

    But the unit was sold off in 2005 under the drive by executives at that time to generate cash and reduce costs by outsourcing production. They then applied relentless pressure on those newly independent suppliers to speed output and reduce prices eating into Boeing’s bottom line.

    Ortberg clearly viewed that decision as a bad move in both industrial and strategic terms. As a result, even as it struggles to return to profitability, Boeing is now corralling considerable finances to reintegrate Spirit AeroSystems — and promising doing so will both streamline production and improve quality control.

    Bruce Crumley

    Source link

  • Gen Z’s Work Values Are Different From Employers. Here’s How Hiring Managers Can Meet in the Middle

    A hiring manager shared something with me that explained the dilemma so many workplaces are facing today. He said, “Job interviews with young candidates have turned into a sparring contest where both parties attempt to clarify what they want out of the job experience.” This observation now has research behind it. 

    NYU professor Suzy Welch released the results of her study on Gen Z and businesses across America. Ms. Welch teaches M.B.A. students and attempts to prepare them for a life of purpose and leadership as they graduate. There’s just one problem. These students have a different set of values than most companies do.  

    Fasten your seatbelt. Welch’s analysis produced an outcome that startled her and her team. A mere 2% of Gen Z members hold the values that companies want most in new hires, which are: achievement, learning, and an unbridled desire to work. Gen Z respondents’ top three values were: 

    • The desire for self-care and personal pleasure or to be happy 
    • The desire to express authentic individuality or to have a voice 
    • The desire to help people or to make a difference in others’ lives 

    Of course, none of these top values are bad, but values are choices, and right now, Gen Zers have chosen to push back on the traditional “work ethic.” They prefer a more “look out for number one” mindset. I can’t always blame them, but for now, employers must figure out how to close the gap between what the organization wants and needs, and what that young potential team member does.  

    The motivators behind Gen Z values in the workplace 

    As I hosted 13 focus groups with members of Gen Z, I had two epiphanies. First, I began to realize they represent the future, and I would do well to listen rather than merely demand that they align with past ways of doing things. Second, as I listened, I heard many say they didn’t want to “hate their work” like so many do today, nor feel bound to it.  

    Further, some said they witnessed their mom or dad “worship their work” and become workaholics. They saw them stressed out and unhappy. No wonder their top priorities on the job surfaced differently in Welch’s study. 

    The secret to meeting in the middle 

    The key to my research emerged when they associated work with hobbies. The young people I met wished that work could somehow be treated as a hobby they participated in, rather than a job. In other words, they did it because they wanted to, not because they had to. Their motivation was devotion, not duty.  

    Herein lies the gap between old and young. I expect them to embrace my kind of work ethic, but I’ve found I see that kind of motivation when I profile their job differently. I began describing the tasks I needed them to perform as a hobby: places where they could connect their talents and their passions. I gave them more autonomy to accomplish tasks with strategies they came up with, rather than the steps I prescribed. Soon, they owned the task, rather than “renting it” from me. 

    Certainly, there are several tasks that need to be done at a specific time. They must meet a deadline because others depend on them. However, this criterion is agreeable since their motivation shifted from duty to devotion. I had their “heart” not just their “head” in the mix. I enjoyed engaged, not disengaged employees. 

    What compromise looks like  

    Consider your favorite hobby growing up. Did you play sports? Did you have a collection of coins or baseball cards? Did you play video games or paint pictures? I found that when I had a great hobby, I could hardly wait to get to it, and my best work might happen at 10:00 pm, not 10:00 am. I was inspired, not forced to do it. Isn’t this what leaders want from their staff?  

    I wonder if this could be what meeting in the middle looks like with Gen Z: 

    • Since we’re paying them, we do require punctuality and outcomes. 
    • Yet, we’re getting their inspired work, from fully engaged teammates. 
    • Our values and their values have found a place to overlap. 

    When it comes to the future, there is a lot of uncertainty. But one fact is that Gen Z will be there. It’s time to adapt and become better leaders. May their push back on traditional values nudge older generations to grow and enable them to achieve more than they felt they could. I have no doubt this will allow both leaders and teammates to get on the same page. 

    To get a copy of my new book, The Future Begins with Z: Nine Strategies to Lead Generation Z as They Disrupt the Workplace. 

    The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

    Tim Elmore

    Source link

  • How to Coach Your Team Instead of Carrying Them

    If your team can’t function without you in the room, you don’t have a team, you have a dependency. Too many business owners confuse supporting their team with carrying them. Instead of learning how to coach team members, they do the work for them. They jump into every problem, solve every issue, and answer every question themselves. It feels like good leadership, but it’s actually just bottlenecking in disguise. 

    The goal of leadership isn’t to be the smartest person in the room. Instead, it’s to build a room full of people who can think, solve, and act without you. That shift, from problem-solver to coach, is one of the most important moves a business owner can make. It’s also the only way to scale without burning out. Here’s how to make it. 

    1. Stop answering every question. 

    When a team member asks you, “What should I do about X?” don’t give them the answer right away. Instead, ask: 

    • What options have you considered? 
    • What would you do if I weren’t here? 
    • What’s the next step you could take? 

    This isn’t about being evasive. It’s about developing their decision-making muscles. Every time you solve it for them, you train them to keep coming back. When you coach them through it, you grow their confidence and capability. 

    2. Trade firefighting for frameworks. 

    Good managers put out fires. Great leaders build fire prevention systems. Start capturing how you think through challenges: 

    • What is your decision-making process? 
    • What questions do you ask before committing to a course of action? 
    • What patterns do you see in recurring issues? 

    Turn those into frameworks your team can use. That could be a decision tree, a checklist, or a step-by-step doc. If it’s in your head, it’s a habit. If it’s on paper, it’s a tool. 

    3. Coach on outcomes, not style. 

    Many owners get stuck correcting how something is done instead of focusing on the result. If a team member gets to 90% of the desired outcome in their own way, then celebrate that. Tweak where needed but resist the urge to micromanage their method. 

    Too much intervening or micromanaging can stifle creativity and growth. Your goal isn’t to build clones. It’s to build capability. Let people solve problems in their own voice as long as the standards are met. 

    4. Create a feedback loop. Then, step back. 

    Coaching doesn’t mean disappearing. It means setting up support and structure: 

    • Weekly check-ins focused on progress, not perfection. 
    • Clear KPIs tied to outcomes, not hours. 
    • Open channels for questions but with the expectation that they will bring solutions too. 

    When you step back with structure, your team steps up with ownership. 

    5. Let go of the hero identity. 

    It feels good to be the fixer, the rescuer, or the one who always has the answers. However, if your business depends on you always being the hero, you’ll never escape the hamster wheel. And your team will never reach their full potential. Great coaches don’t chase trophies. They build champions. 

    Be the multiplier, not the machine. 

    Your job isn’t to do more. It’s to make everyone around you better. Coaching is the leverage point where leadership stops being reactive and starts becoming exponential. It’s the difference between growth that drains you and growth that sustains you. 

    So the next time you feel the urge to fix something for your team, pause and ask: 

    “Is this a task to complete—or a chance to coach?” One builds a to-do list.  The other builds a business. 

    The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

    David Finkel

    Source link

  • Connections in the Workplace Aren’t Just a Nice Bonus. They’re a Competitive Advantage

    In today’s hybrid and remote workplaces, office friendships are becoming increasingly rare. More problematic, the decline of these connections signals more than just a shift in workplace culture. It’s a serious challenge for employers. 

    A recent Fast Company article describes the shift as such, “For centuries, work has been more than a paycheck. It’s been a space where people collaborate, forge meaningful bonds, and find belonging.” But today, that’s changing. Gallup research backs this up. Only 20 percent of U.S. employees report having a best friend at work. That number has been steadily declining, and it matters for everyone, company leaders and owners included. 

    Strong friendships at work drive engagement, loyalty, psychological safety, and retention. Without these connections, companies struggle to build cohesive teams, sustain productivity, and create cultures where people want to stay. 

    What does work when it comes to building meaningful bonds among employees? If leaders study environments where deep friendships tend to flourish—military units, dormitories, sports teams—they can reverse-engineer the key ingredients that reliably produce connection. They can also begin to rebuild the workplace as a place where people belong. 

    Where deep friendships form and why 

    Studies across social psychology and organizational behavior point to a set of high-trust environments where meaningful relationships form quickly and last for years. These include: 

    1. Military units and boot camps
      Why it works: Shared risk, physical hardship, and team interdependence create rapid trust and lasting loyalty.
      Result: Many veterans describe lifelong bonds forged during service. 
    2. College dormitories and campus living
      Why it works: Constant proximity and shared life transitions promote openness and frequent interaction.
      Result: Friends made in college often endure across decades and life stages. 
    3. Sports teams and performing arts ensembles
      Why it works: Collective performance, emotional highs and lows, and shared goals strengthen interpersonal ties.
      Result: Teammates frequently report feeling like “family.” 
    4. Religious small groups and faith communities
      Why it works: Shared values, vulnerability, and consistent rituals promote emotional intimacy and support.
      Result: Many people rely on these communities for lifelong friendship and belonging. 

    What these environments have in common  

    First, people spend a lot of time together. Frequent interaction creates familiarity and builds trust. Second, there’s a shared goal and sense of purpose that pulls people together and gives their effort meaning. Third, they go through challenges side by side. Facing stress, uncertainty, or pressure as a group creates a powerful sense of unity.  

    Next, these environments make room for honesty. When people feel safe being themselves, real connection follows. Finally, there’s joy. Fun moments, shared jokes, and celebrations of success that strengthen bonds and leave lasting impressions. 

    Taken together, these ingredients do more than build successful teams. They build lasting relationships, and there’s no reason they can’t exist at work. With intention and structure, companies can foster the same kind of connection and benefit from the trust, loyalty, and performance that come with it. 

    Real friendships drive results  

    Years ago, I worked with the Zambian Consolidated Copper Mines, with a workforce of more 50,000 unionized miners. The goal was simply to increase copper production to meet critical delivery targets and consequently raise cash to pay down a huge amount of debt. We identified five bottleneck operations and created improvement teams for each. Teams that achieved throughput improvements earned self-funded bonuses. 

    Four of the five teams thrived. They collaborated, succeeded, and celebrated their bonuses together. One team failed, despite their best intentions. Why? Team size. At 2,000 members, it was simply too large to allow the trust, camaraderie, and proximity that fuel human motivation. The other, smaller teams had formed real friendships. That made the difference. 

    A repeatable pattern for connection and performance 

    Throughout the years, I’ve worked with hundreds more companies and a clear pattern for excellence emerged: 

    • Gather input on key challenges including employee surveys 
    • Align around a focus for improvement 
    • Make progress transparent to everyone 
    • Establish team-based, self-funded bonuses that reward measurable success 
    • Celebrate wins together, publicly and meaningfully 
    • Explore new areas of focus 
       

    Sound familiar? It should. These steps align closely with the five drivers of economic engagement—a proven approach to increasing both productivity and connection. 

    Economic engagement helps companies build stronger relationships and stronger results by making employees true stakeholders in the business. It turns hired hands into partners. Here’s how: 

    1. Customer engagement connects owners and workers with the noble goal of serving customers by providing what customers value.  
    2. Economic understanding aligns owners and workers with a common understanding of what defines success for the company.  
    3. Economic transparency enables owners and workers to see how the company is doing and learn from successes and failures.  
    4. Economic compensation gives owners and workers a shared stake in the results, making them economic partners in the company. 
    5. Employee participation leads to lower turnover and better relationships between owners, managers, and employees.  

    These five pillars generate engagement, profits, and friendship. As employees work side-by-side toward common goals with transparency and shared rewards, bonds naturally form. 

    Want better results? Build better relationships 

    The truth is that a workplace without connection is a workplace at risk of disengagement, turnover, and burnout. The solution isn’t a ping-pong table or a forced happy hour. Its structure, strategy, and shared ownership. Friendship, in this sense, isn’t just a nice bonus. It’s a competitive advantage. 

    As Harvard Business Review noted, employees who have strong social connections at work are more productive, more resilient, and more loyal. Data from Gallup shows that those with a “best friend” at work are seven times more likely to be engaged in their job. 

    Leaders in the workplace have spent decades chasing productivity, engagement, and profitability. What they may have missed is more human. If your workplace is low on friendship, don’t settle. Rethink how your teams work together. Rethink how they share goals, risks, wins, and rewards. The best way to build it isn’t through perks or platitudes. It’s through economic engagement. 

    The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

    Bill Fotsch

    Source link

  • Zepeda: Building thriving workplaces through recognition, growth | Long Island Business News

    In Brief:
    • Overwork culture (996 philosophy) destroys value; engagement creates it
    • Recognition, authentic feedback and role clarity boost employee fulfillment
    • Empowerment fosters innovation, accountability and problem-solving
    • Companies that prioritize culture outperform those relying on fear and long hours
    • Future-ready workplaces measure success in resilience, growth and shared purpose

    In my last column, I discussed the lesson of 996 culture, an overwork philosophy that destroys value. Now, the next question is obvious: what actually creates it? The answer isn’t complicated, but it does require courage. Sustainable business success comes from workplaces where people feel valued, fulfilled and empowered.

    When employees feel their contributions matter, engagement rises. Recognition —done consistently and authentically—has outsized impact. It reinforces purpose, reduces attrition, and strengthens alignment between individual effort and organizational goals. Treating people like replaceable parts leads to disengagement. Treating them like essential partners creates loyalty.

    People don’t want to just get paid. They want growth, challenge and meaning in their work. Fulfillment doesn’t require grand gestures; it comes from clarity of role, opportunities to learn and visible pathways to progress. When employees believe their work connects to something bigger than a paycheck, they bring energy and creativity that no time clock can measure.

    Micromanagement and fear extract effort. Empowerment multiplies it. Giving employees autonomy, trusting them with decisions, and equipping them with resources creates accountability and innovation. Empowered employees aren’t just compliant—they’re invested. They solve problems before they escalate and spot opportunities others miss.

    Decades of organizational research show the same pattern: Workplaces that invest in recognition, growth and empowerment outperform those that rely on pressure and long hours. They adapt faster to change, recruit more effectively and retain their best people longer. In today’s economy, talent isn’t just a line item— it’s the competitive edge.

    Executives face a choice: Chase the illusion of productivity through overwork, or build durable systems where people thrive. The companies that win the next decade won’t be the ones squeezing extra hours. They’ll be the ones creating cultures of clarity, trust and shared purpose—where success is measured not just in revenue, but in resilience.

    The future of work is not about grinding harder. It’s about working smarter, leading better, and building organizations where people can excel without sacrificing their health or humanity.

    Want managers who maximize effectiveness with clarity, not fear? Let’s talk!

     

    Jaime Raul Zepeda is EVP, principal consultant for Best Companies Group and COLOR Magazine, part of BridgeTower Media.

    Wondering whether your organization is on the right path to win? Talk to us at Best Companies Group so we can analyze your organization’s health, your team dynamics, and your leadership’s effectiveness. We’ve helped over 10,000 companies understand and improve their workplace using data-driven strategies. Send me a note at [email protected].


    Opinion

    Source link

  • Why it Might Pay to be ‘Playful’ at Work

    The office, many people would have you try to believe, is a serious place where serious people do serious things to bring in serious revenues — and earn serious rewards. Just look at the uptight traditional ideas about what’s acceptable office wear to get a hint at this notion. But new research suggests that if you’re careful about it, mingling a little of a particular childhood trait into your office habits might actually be a good thing. Playfulness, it seems, can earn you respect from your colleagues and bosses.

    The research, newly published in Nature, defines playfulness as being a complex, “multifaceted trait” which melds being social with lightheartedness, intellectual creativity, and being whimsical. It’s quite easy to imagine someone behaving like this in the home, or at a non-work social activity, and the researchers point out that there’s plenty of studies into the value of play in these settings — but not necessarily about its value in the workplace. 

    What might playfulness in a work setting look like? It’s pretty easy to imagine that a playful office character might be one who uses puns, and maybe gentle pranks from time to time…but it doesn’t have to be so directly humor-related — playfulness could include silliness or irreverence at opportune and non-disruptive moments, like suggesting a silly answer to a question in a group environment. Playful people are “often spontaneous and intrinsically motivated,” (i.e. they may be true to their own ideals, even in a strict team setting) the report notes, and being playful in the office is a “highly observable” phenomenon.

    The study concludes that the key thing being playful in an office setting does is signal that a particular person is being authentic. And this authenticity really can shape the relationships that a playful worker has with their colleagues and superiors. In fact a worker can earn “unique social power when perceived as authentic,” the report notes, placing that person in a pivotal role in building relationships among team members. The effect may be even more pronounced in a highly competitive team climate, with authenticity leading to “more social support, less social undermining, and higher leadership judgments from their peers.” In other words, a playful person seen as being true to their own character earns better support from their colleagues, which will carry through into day-to-day duties, there’s less chance for the kind of in-fighting between workers which can impact efficiency, and being authentic may make your peers see you as more of a leader-type. 

    You may have gotten this far and thought all this is so much psycho-babble. But there’s actually plenty to learn from this study for your own organization.

    As long as being playful doesn’t stray into being disruptive, the fact that this trait is linked to authenticity is important. Many reports link authenticity with better workplace results, since it’s good to be around authentic people — particularly in leadership roles. 

    The report also notes that there may be a trend among workers to suppress their “natural instincts to play” due to “increasing competitive pressures in the contemporary business world.” And with so many headlines covering layoff after layoff, the pressure AI is exerting on the job market, the rise of more strict management thinking, and many other factors this makes sense. 

    But the researchers suggest “employees should not be afraid to express their playful nature in the workplace, as it can facilitate positive social effects, especially in a highly competitive work climate.” Similarly, since some people are not naturally playful, and authenticity is about being genuine, then the report encourages companies to “make room and allow for play and playfulness at work,” which may boost innovation, team dynamics and allow workers unique qualities to “shine through at the workplace.”

    Kit Eaton

    Source link

  • NCAA assists athletes who face harassment on Venmo

    Venmo announced a partnership Tuesday with the NCAA to support athletes who face harassment on the payment app, which has embraced its popularity on college campuses with school spirit-branded debit cards and an option for athletes to receive money from their school directly in the PayPal app.

    The partnership includes a reporting hotline for athletes and the NCAA to call in potential cases of abuse, such as when former Auburn quarterback Payton Thorne said he received payment requests from angry sports bettors following a loss last season.

    “The harassment we are seeing across various online platforms is unacceptable, and we need fans to do better,” NCAA President Charlie Baker said in a news release. “We applaud Venmo for taking action, and we need more social media companies and online platforms to do the same.”

    Venmo said it would provide a best-practices guide for athletes to “stay safe” on its platform.

    “Venmo will monitor student-athletes’ accounts on an ongoing basis to help mitigate an influx of requests based on game performance and work directly with them to implement additional security measures as needed,” the news release said.

    The payment app in July announced Big 12-branded debit cards with special perks, leaning into its belief that Venmo plays “an integral role in the way millions of college students, athletes, alumni, and fans engage with each other and move money in their daily lives.”

    “Venmo’s origins are on college campuses. It’s where our network took hold,” Geoff Seeley, chief marketing officer at Venmo’s parent company, PayPal, said in a news release.

    PayPal also announced in June an agreement with the Big 12 and Big Ten that allows schools to pay their players directly through its platform.

    ___

    AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports

    Source link

  • Sony raises the price of the Playstation 5 in the US

    NEW YORK — Sony has raised the price of its PlayStation 5 consoles being sold in the United States by $50.

    “Similar to many global businesses, we continue to navigate a challenging economic environment,” Sony Global Marketing Vice President Isabelle Tomatis wrote in a blog post. “As a result, we’ve made the difficult decision to increase the recommended retail price for PlayStation 5 consoles in the U.S. starting on August 21.”

    The price change affects the standard Playstation 5, the Digital Edition and the Pro. According to Sony, prices for games and accessories remain unchanged and that this round of increases only affects consoles sold in the U.S.

    When the Tokyo-based Sony reported earnings earlier in August, the company said it was working to diversify its supply chain to alleviate the impact of U.S. tariffs.

    Sony is the last of the big three console makers to raise prices this year. Microsoft bumped up prices for the Xbox consoles in March, and Nintendo has increased the prices for both its original Switch console and accessories for the Switch 2.

    Source link

  • MrBeast probe ends with some employees fired but finds no proof of sexual misconduct allegations

    MrBeast probe ends with some employees fired but finds no proof of sexual misconduct allegations

    NEW YORK — Online video production company MrBeast said Friday it has fired somewhere between 5 to 10 employees following an investigation into the YouTube empire’s workplace culture.

    A company spokesman declined to put a precise number on the firings, say which employees were let go or for what reasons. But the shakeup comes as Jimmy Donaldson, who draws millions of views under the MrBeast alias with highly produced stunts and giveaways, deals with accusations of impropriety against himself, his collaborators and others within his multimillion-dollar production company that have threatened his family-friendly image.

    Investigators only identified “several isolated instances of workplace harassment and misconduct,” according to a two-page letter sent Friday by Alex Spiro, a trial lawyer who led the investigation by white-shoe law firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan and whose clients have included Jay-Z and Elon Musk.

    The nearly three-month probe concluded that there was no basis behind allegations that MrBeast team members committed sexual misconduct or “knowingly” employed people with “proclivities or histories towards illegal or questionable legal conduct.”

    Spiro said the team interviewed 39 current and former employees. Millions of documents from phones, emails, and messaging platforms including Discord and Slack were also reviewed, according to the letter.

    The controversies surrounding the so-called King of YouTube began snowballing this summer. Ava Tyson, a Donaldson friend and fellow creator accused of sharing inappropriate sexual messages with minors over multiple years, left the channel in July. Also circulated online by YouTuber Rosanna Pansino was a 2017 recording of Donaldson making racist comments and using homophobic slurs.

    A preliminary July shoot for his ambitious “Beast Games” Amazon Prime Video show was quickly hit with safety complaints from some contestants who said they faced “limited sustenance” and “insufficient medical staffing” while competing for a $5 million grand prize.

    MrBeast in turn has hired new executives, including a head of personnel and a general counsel, according to Spiro, and additional employees are getting “targeted training and executive coaching” for undisclosed violations of company policy.

    The company “has grown exceedingly quickly from a YouTube start-up comprised of a group of talented young individuals to a much larger entity,” Spiro wrote to MrBeast’s Board of Directors. “It is not uncommon that policies and practices essential in a mature company would lag behind commercial success.”

    Donaldson has largely remained silent on the matters. He recently launched a prepacked lunch brand alongside internet personalities Logan Paul and KSI — marking his latest entrance into the food market after his chocolate bar and burger chain were met with mixed reviews. His 325 million YouTube subscribers have continued to see their feeds filled with outlandish, high-energy videos like the recently titled “100 Identical Twins Fight For $250,000.”

    In a Friday post on X sharing Spiro’s letter, Donaldson wrote that he “was asked to refrain from making public statements to enable a detailed and unbiased investigation.”

    Pansino, one of Donaldson’s most vocal critics, responded on X that the findings of “workplace harassment and misconduct” and “multiple firings” mean “it might be time for a bigger investigation.”

    Donaldson’s level of fame and growth place him in “pretty rare company,” said advertising lawyer Robert Freund, whose practice helps creators resolve disputes. He said he suspects the letter was released in attempt to assure stakeholders “that he’s running a professional operation.”

    “I don’t see anything fishy or suspicious about what we’ve been presented with here as the public,” Freund told The Associated Press.

    ___

    Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. For all of AP’s philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy.

    Source link

  • Marshall is retiring as the CEO of the Mavericks at the end of 2024 but will remain as a consultant

    Marshall is retiring as the CEO of the Mavericks at the end of 2024 but will remain as a consultant

    DALLAS (AP) — Cynt Marshall is retiring as CEO of the Dallas Mavericks at the end of the year, and then she will stay on for another year as a consultant in the organization where she is credited for a comprehensive overhaul of workplace policies.

    Marshall, a former AT&T executive, was introduced by the Mavericks in February 2018, about a week after a Sports Illustrated report detailed years of incidents of sexual harassment and misconduct in the franchise’s business office.

    When hired, Marshall became the first Black female CEO in NBA history. She will retire as CEO effective Dec. 31 and will remain in the consultant role through December 2025.

    “Cynt Marshall is a force of nature. I like to say her superpower is bringing people together, but the truth is she has many superpowers,” said Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont, whose family bought a majority stake in the team last December.

    “Cynt has always gone above and beyond in everything she has done, and her leadership of the Dallas Mavericks is no exception. She is an indelible fixture in the history of this franchise, and we are eternally grateful,” Dumont said. “The positive impact she has had here will be felt for a very long time.”

    The franchise said in a news release that Marshall redefined the Mavericks’ culture. That began with the creation of a 100-day plan to implement a revamped corporate culture, setting new standards for inclusion, business effectiveness and corporate responsibility.

    ___

    AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

    Source link