For decades, work was governed by an unspoken social contract. Employees would trade their time, loyalty, and often large chunks of their personal lives for financial stability and upward mobility. The classic metrics of success—long hours, climbing the corporate ladder, and devotion to a single employer—were considered badges of honor. But today, that contract is being rewritten. The signs are everywhere: people are challenging the very foundation of what work should be, rejecting the notion that more time spent equals greater success. Instead, workers are pushing for a new arrangement—one that reflects a future of less work. READ MORE
Back-to-office orders have become common. Enforcement not so much
Since Cynthia Clemons' employer announced last month that she was required to be in the office two days each week, the switch from remote work hasn't been smooth.
The self-described extrovert, who works as an organizer for the nonprofit Abundant Housing LA, said she so far hasn't "gotten into a rhythm of being productive at a desk again." READ MORE
Inside Amazon warehouse where robots have taken over and cry at humans
Amazon warehouses have been taken over by robots with eyes than can yell at humans - and now they're treated as coworkers.
Robot humaoids will be coming into the home in five to 10 years and US army generals want to use robots on the frontlines, but they've already taken over Amazon's fulfillment center in Nashville, Tennessee. READ MORE
The 3 most undesirable traits of leaders—and how to fix them
We have all been there before: A micromanaging manager who does not trust employees to carry out their job roles competently. An unempathetic manager who only has her self-interests at heart and does not recognize the feelings of others. An inarticulate manager with poor communication skills who encourages a culture of non-transparency and second-guessing.
For organizations with workplace leaders who demonstrate these undesirable traits, are they at risk of losing their best talent? Are employees really leaving managers and not organizations? READ MORE
Anti-ESG proxy votes surge but they’re not passing
Shareholders have gotten better at getting anti-ESG proposals into company proxy statements for a vote but they remain widely unpopular, two analyses of the 2024 proxy season show.
Between January 1 and June 30, shareholders filed 108 proposals that in some way reject environmental, social and governance goals in the boardroom, an analysis by The Conference Board shows. READ MORE
AI in the Workplace: Answering 3 Big Questions
In November 2022, OpenAI launched ChatGPT, marking a new era in artificial intelligence. Since then, corporate investment in AI has soared, with businesses aiming to boost productivity. According to Gallup’s latest study on AI adoption, 93% of Fortune 500 CHROs say their organization has begun using AI tools and technologies to improve business practices.
However, most workers remain unaware of these efforts. Only a third (33%) of all U.S. employees say their organization has begun integrating AI into their business practices, with the highest percentage in white-collar industries (44%). READ MORE
Elon Musk’s X is worth nearly 80% less than when he bought it
The social media platform formerly known as Twitter is worth almost 80% less than two years ago when Elon Musk bought it, according to estimates from investment giant Fidelity.
X no longer trades publicly after Musk shelled out $44 billion to take it private in October 2022.
However, Fidelity discloses what it believes is the value of its shares of X, and those estimates serve as a closely watched barometer for the overall health of the company. READ MORE
After Employee Died at Her Desk, Union Slams Wells Fargo for Allegedly Ignoring Her: ‘Went Unnoticed’ for 4 Days
Following the death of 60-year-old Wells Fargo employee Denise Prudhomme, who was found dead days after clocking into her Arizona office in August, one union didn't mince words when it came to the company.
In the statement, obtained by The Arizona Republic and NBC affiliate KPNX, a union that represents Wells Fargo workers said, "We are saddened and outraged by the devastating tragedy and loss of our coworker, Denise Prudhomme, who worked as a Business Execution Consultant in Corporate Banking in Tempe, Arizona." READ MORE
CEO exits up at unprecedented rate, study finds
Chief executives are leaving their posts at a higher rate than last year, when CEO departures hit an all-time high.
The latest CEO Turnover Report from coaching firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas found that 1,450 CEOs had announced their exits as of the end of August, marking the highest-year-to-date total on record. That is up 15% from the 1,261 departures recorded by the same time period last year, which was the previous year-to-date record. READ MORE
Employees voted on the worst workplace jargon. Here’s the number-one phrase that annoys your coworkers
The modern workplace is getting harder and harder to navigate. Between mass layoffs, return-to-office mandates, long hours, and the constant barrage of Slack pings and emails, it’s no wonder workers love to hate their jobs.
But if you’ve survived the latest org “restructuring,” with its “realigning,” “redefining,” and “downsizing,” you’ll probably agree that one of the most annoying things about working today is all the corporate jargon. Simply put, telling your boss you’ll “circle back” or “put a pin in it” is cringe. READ MORE
Which companies have dropped DEI so far?
Sometimes, diversity, equity and inclusion work is a matter of compliance. Sometimes, it’s a matter of building a culture of inclusion and belonging. Four years out from the summer of anti-racism and unconscious bias trainings, employers are still grappling with the best approach to DEI.
The Society for Human Resource Management eliminated “equity” from its acronym — although a SHRM staffer previously told HR Dive that conversations about the program name are a “distraction” from inclusion work. READ MORE
Chipotle, Amazon, and Uber All Land on New York City's 'Employer Wall of Shame'
New York City released its first wall of shame for employers in the Big Apple that includes the likes of Chipotle, Uber, Amazon, alongside plenty of other big names.
New York City Comptroller Brad Lander released the list in early September, along with a dashboard that compiles employers within New York City that have violated some type of labor law. This encompasses everything from harassment and wage theft to union busting efforts and offering unsafe working conditions. READ MORE
Remote Workers Get Bad News
There's bad news for some remote workers who have gotten comfortable with their work from home arrangements: The end might be near.
More than two-thirds of professional companies in America said their new job ads will no longer have the option of fully remote work this year, according to a survey of 700 companies by international recruitment consultancy Robert Walters. READ MORE
ChatGPT maker says its new AI model can reason and think ‘much like a person’
OpenAI has unveiled a new artificial intelligence model that it says can “reason” and solve harder problems in science, coding and math than its predecessors.
The model, the first in a series called OpenAI o1, was released Thursday as a preview, with the firm saying it expects regular updates and improvements. It will gradually become available to most ChatGPT users. READ MORE
Looking for a job? These 5 states have most competition
Job-hunting in the current labor market can be a daunting prospect, especially as other candidates pursue the same openings.
Competition has ramped up this year as LinkedIn job listings in all 50 states have seen increases in the number of candidates seeking consideration for roles, Resume.io reported in a new study.
Uber and Waymo to offer driverless ride-hailing trips in Austin and Atlanta
Uber announced Friday it is expanding its partnership with Alphabet’s Waymo to offer robotaxi rides in Austin, Texas, and Atlanta beginning in early 2025. Shares of Uber jumped 5% on the news while Alphabet rose about 1%.
Uber riders in those cities can be matched with a driverless Waymo car for some trips, according to the companies. The rides will only be available through Uber’s app, unlike in San Francisco and Los Angeles where riders book through the Waymo app. A Waymo spokesperson said it had no plans to partner with Uber in San Francisco and Los Angeles. READ MORE
‘How Elon Musk Destroyed Twitter’ authors say platform is ‘a tool for controlling political discourse’
Elon Musk is nearly as inescapable as Donald Trump. The owner of SpaceX and Tesla and the world’s richest man, Musk makes headlines weekly. But these days, it’s more for X, where he stirs up controversy by seemingly amplifying right-wing views and reposting comments suggesting that women should not have the right to vote (only “high status males” and some others should). Musk also recently hosted an interview with Trump that was filled with falsehoods. Last week, Trump proposed a government efficiency commission headed by Musk. READ MORE
“Are You Saying No to Elon Musk?”: Scenes from the Slash-and-Burn Buyout of Twitter
At around 9:00 a.m. on October 27, 2022, Parag Agrawal, the CEO of Twitter, summoned his leadership team into one of the large glass-doored conference rooms that lined the suite of offices on the seventh floor of Twitter’s San Francisco headquarters. After months of tension and worry, there was a grim clarity in the air—Musk was finally completing the acquisition.
Twitter’s top-ranking employees crammed into the room. Agrawal’s deputies were there, as well as vice presidents from finance, product, human resources, and sales. Even more executives dialed in on video conference from New York and around the globe, their faces tiling the screen at the end of the room. READ MORE
Apple, Google owe whopping tax bills and fines due to EU's crackdown on Big Tech
Apple and Google were both handed separate defeats Tuesday in their defenses against the European Union's efforts to rein in the dominance of major tech firms.
The EU's top court, the European Court of Justice, sided with the bloc's executive arm, the European Commission (EC), in a case that requires Apple to pay some $14 billion in back taxes to Ireland. The high court also upheld a $2.7 billion fine against Google for alleged antitrust violations. READ MORE
Will robots take over Tesla factories?
Tesla has been working on its Optimus robots for years, infamously, debuting its project in 2021 with a person dancing in a costume. Musk has said the humanoid robots will enter limited production for internal usage next year.
By the end of 2024, he expects more than 1,000 robots will be working at Tesla. Two robots are already on the factory floor, although Tesla has not said what duties they perform. READ MORE