New Census figures found that while 15% of the U.S. worked from home in 2022, the numbers are much higher in the Northeast and on the West Coast. That highlights how RTO mandates might actually be playing catch up to the rest of the country, rather than setting a standard. 

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What happens when HR is the bad actor?

September 25, 2023  ■  4 min read

HR at a property maintenance company harassed an employee, ultimately forcing him to resign due to the hostile work environment. Granted, it's an extreme example of what happens when HR isn't competent, but it's a reminder that HR professionals make mistakes too. And that can damage culture.

Why it’s time to focus on the oldest generation of workers

September 26, 2023  ■  6 min read

By 2030, a whopping 150 million jobs will shift to workers over the age of 55, according to a new global study from management consultancy Bain & Company. It predicts that older and experienced workers will make up more than a quarter of the workforce by 2031. And it’s happening globally.

Will RTO usher in a new phase of quiet sidelining?

September 25, 2023  ■  4 min read

A small share of workers are returning even on days they aren’t expected to come back, and company leaders are taking note.

Latest

‘The CEO doesn’t trust us’: Employee confessions on how RTO is causing divisions

September 29, 2023  ■  5 min read

The return-to-office movement isn’t being handled smoothly and the result is that many employees who are coming into the office, as well as those working remotely, are starting to feel tension towards their coworkers. We spoke to two execs for our latest Confessions instalment, who explained what’s really going on.

Workers are starting to sue over RTO mandates

September 28, 2023  ■  3 min read

Last week a former Astrazeneca senior director sued the drugmaker saying it breached her contract by refusing to pay her a performance bonus of more than $120,000, and stock options valued at more than $65,000, due to her working from home last year.

‘Return to visibility’: Companies double down on inter-office dating policies

September 27, 2023  ■  4 min read

Last week, both BP’s CEO and Cboe Global Markets CEO resigned after failing to disclose their personal relationships with colleagues. Workplace experts say we’re “rusty” about in-office protocols and need refreshers on codes of conduct when it comes to in-office dating.

Why it’s time to focus on the oldest generation of workers

September 26, 2023  ■  6 min read

By 2030, a whopping 150 million jobs will shift to workers over the age of 55, according to a new global study from management consultancy Bain & Company. It predicts that older and experienced workers will make up more than a quarter of the workforce by 2031. And it’s happening globally.

What happens when HR is the bad actor?

September 25, 2023  ■  4 min read

HR at a property maintenance company harassed an employee, ultimately forcing him to resign due to the hostile work environment. Granted, it’s an extreme example of what happens when HR isn’t competent, but it’s a reminder that HR professionals make mistakes too. And that can damage culture.

Will RTO usher in a new phase of quiet sidelining?

September 25, 2023  ■  4 min read

A small share of workers are returning even on days they aren’t expected to come back, and company leaders are taking note.

WTF Explainers

WTF are radius rules?

September 22, 2023  ■  4 min read

These rules are a part of companies’ specific RTO policies and stipulate only staff who live within a certain distance of offices need to come back. But the gnarly issue of presenteeism and proximity bias remains acute as we settle more firmly into various hybrid working setups.

WTF is quiet cutting?

September 08, 2023  ■  4 min read

It is leading some to see work place reassignments as a passive yet also hostile attempt to push workers to quit on their own without having to pay them severance.

WTF is keystroke tech? (and how it’s used to spy on workers)

August 18, 2023  ■  4 min read

Keystroke tech is one of a few tools companies have to more closely monitor exactly how staff spend the hours they are expected to work. But how worried do employees really need to be?

Special Edition
AI and the Future of Work

WorkLife’s artificial intelligence special edition breaks through the hype around AI – both traditional and generative – and examines what its role will be in the future of work, for desk-based workers.

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Culture

TikTok Trend Watch: The 5 to 9 routine

September 20, 2023  ■  6 min read

People are reframing how they approach their day, focusing on their 5 to 9 routines before and after work, rather than the workday itself and saving their best activities for the weekend.

Will RTO put the kibosh on napping at work?

September 19, 2023  ■  3 min read

Workers are having to give up the afternoon naps they’ve slipped in working remotely as they return to offices.

As student debt repayment restarts, companies prioritize education benefits

September 15, 2023  ■  5 min read

According to 2023 SHRM employer survey data, tuition assistance of some kind is offered by 48% of responding employers. These benefits aren’t new, but continue to gain popularity as the cost of living increases and it becomes a more attractive employee benefit. 

Leadership

Stress mounts for middle managers amid RTO, hybrid transitions

September 07, 2023  ■  3 min read

Return to office mandates, economic concerns, restructured teams and added responsibilities are making their jobs harder than ever.

Proposed DOL rule could bump salaries for some workers

September 06, 2023  ■  4 min read

Exempt employees don’t get OT unless they make less than $36,568 per year. That number could be bumped to $55,068 a year. 

Here are the winners and losers of RTO mandates

September 05, 2023  ■  7 min read

The return-to-office movement is underway, although too much has changed for there to be a blanket blueprint for the entire working world. But as with all major pivots, some stand to benefit more than others, at least in the short term.

Talent

Leaders are unaware of employees’ preferences for working 9 to 5

September 20, 2023  ■  3 min read

Workers are equally divided on their preferences for either blending work and personal tasks throughout their days or setting strict boundaries. And some experts say that leaders should think more deeply about what people mean when they refer to flexibility and autonomy.

Here are five reasons why people are quitting after being promoted

September 18, 2023  ■  4 min read

New data from ADP found that nearly one-third of people quit their jobs within one month of receiving a promotion. It’s an alarming statistic for managers and recruiters who have long looked at extending a promotion as one of the main tools to boost employee loyalty and encourage them to stay on that path for years to come.

Here are four types of toxic coworkers and how to deal with them

September 12, 2023  ■  4 min read

Whether they’re insecure, overly confident or just a bad person to work with, you’ll encounter them in your career.

Special Edition
WorkLife Awards

Company culture has never been more important for organizations looking to attract and retain the best talent and the strongest cultures are built on values that run deep throughout the organization. The WorkLife Awards will recognize the top employers and the values that make them unique.