Episodes tagged: Workplace

The Paradox of Work in 2025: Huge Profits, Massive Layoffs

In this episode Steve shares how as 2025 winds down, the U.S. labor market has experienced a wave of layoffs – over 1.1 million so far – in spite of many organizations’ massive profits and all-time highs in the U.S. equity market. What can and should HR leaders do to make sure people are still at the center of workforce planning in the age of AI and downsizing?

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The Next Big Workforce Question: Who Gets Displaced by AI?

In this episode Steve shares new research from MIT that suggests almost 12% of US workers are at risk of being replaced by AI. We break down the news, and what it means for HR leaders who are tasked with navigating through these challenging disruptions.

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More Americans Doubt the Value of a Four-Year College Degree

In this episode Steve discusses recent polling data from NBC News showing that more Americans are doubting the value of the four-year college degree, citing increasing costs, rising debt levels, and an uncertain job market. We break down what this means for HR and Talent pros moving forward.

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Gratitude at Work: A Thanksgiving Workplace Minute

In this episode Steve shares some thoughts on what we can be thankful for at work on this Thanksgiving week in the U.S. And thanks to everyone who takes a few minutes out of their day to check in with us at the Workplace Minute!

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Target’s New “10-4” Policy – Smiles, Greetings, and What Matters in Retail

In this episode Steve discusses Target’s new “10-4” policy for its retail associates which requires workers to smile and make eye contact with customers within 10 feet, and interact with “warm, helpful interactions” when customers are within 4 feet.

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A Sign of the Times: Cutting Paid Holidays in Corporate America

In this episode Steve discusses news from Walgreens, where new Private Equity ownership has taken cost-cutting right to the frontline – by eliminating paid holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas for their retail store hourly employees.

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Why So Many Americans Get Health Insurance from Their Employers

In this episode Steve discusses the history of employer-based health insurance in America, how it came to be, who it benefits, and why considering a single-payer, Medicare for all type system might create better healthcare outcomes and allow companies to focus on their businesses.

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Tech Workers Facing a Reckoning in the Job Market

In this episode Steve discusses how a combination of AI adoption, a drive to cut costs and flatten organizations, and CEO “follow the leader” trends are combining to create a perfect storm of bad news for tech workers in the US. Turns out “Learn to code” may not have been foolproof career advice.

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JPMorgan’s New HQ: The Biggest Bet Yet on Office Culture

In this episode Steve discusses JP Morgan Chase’s new massive, $3 billion HQ tower in Midtown Manhattan and what is suggests about office culture, development, and collaboration. It is the biggest bet yet on the power and importance of in-person working since the end of the pandemic.

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Immigration and the Shrinking Labor Force

In this episode Steve breaks down a new report on the short and long-term impacts to the US labor force of the Trump administration’s policies designed to limit immigration. Restricting immigration could result in talent shortages and slower economic growth for years to come.

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