Episodes tagged: Workplace

Skills-based Hiring and AI Making Gen Z Think Again About College

In this episode Steve discusses how the combination of AI adoption and the increasing popular trend of “skills-based” hiring are making some Gen Z students and graduates question the value and need for the traditional four-year college degree as a necessary step in their career progression.

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Key Takeaways from Microsoft’s 2025 Work Trend Index Report

In this episode Steve shares key insights from Microsoft’s 2025 Work Trend Index Report – which forecasts people and AI Agents working more closely than ever, and the potential evolution of the Org Chart to the “Work Chart”.

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Return to Office Mandates Hit Employees with Disabilities the Hardest

In this episode Steve discusses how Return to Office mandates in the Federal workforce and in private sector companies threaten to reverse the progress made by people with disabilities in the workplace. Pandemic era remote working policies have helped increase labor participation for disabled workers to a record high, but this progress may not last if remote working and other accommodations become less available.

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When AI is Really Just an Office Full of Offshore Workers

In this episode Steve shares news about a fintech startup that claimed to use AI to automate e-commerce processes, but it turns out the AI was really just an office full of offshore workers manually facilitating the transactions.

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Americans Want More Factories, but Most Don’t Want to Work in Them

In this episode Steve discusses how most Americans think the country would be better off if more manufacturing and factory jobs were returned to the US, the vast majority don’t actually want to work in these new factories themselves – presenting a challenge for anyone advocating for a large-scale reshoring of manufacturing capacity to the US.

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Is Free Lunch the Key to Luring Workers Back into the Office?

In this episode Steve shares news from advertising giant WPP, whose Return to Office policy has been met by significant employee pushback. Can “Free Lunch Friday” be the key to luring workers happily back into the office?

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Survey Reveals How the Public’s vs. The Expert’s Views on Artificial Intelligence Differ

In this episode Steve shares how a recent Pew Research report shows some pretty important differences in how Artificial Intelligence is viewed by the general public compared to the views of AI experts. Experts are generally more positive about AI and feel it will eliminate fewer jobs overall than does the public – leading to potential challenges for organizations seeking to deploy AI widely in their companies.

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The Company Behind Barbie is Quietly Backing Away from its DEI Positions

In this episode Steve shares how Mattel, the company that makes Barbie, the “most diverse doll in America”, has been quietly eliminating DEI language from its official filings and investor communications. Do these actions stand opposite of how Barbie is developed and marketed?

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How One Major Tech Company is Sticking with Remote Work

In this episode Steve discusses how global technology company Atlassian is sticking with remote working for its 12,000 strong workforce, even while many tech and other firms continue to call employees back to in-person working.

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Gen Z Likes Binge Watching while Working from Home – Is that a Problem?

In this episode Steve shares data from a new survey that reveals over 80% of Gen Z workers stream TV shows or movies while working from home – but is that really an issue that employers should be concerned about?

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