The New Way We Work

Welcome back to Season 12 of ‘The New Way We Work’!Even in the best of times, there’s always been an undercurrent of conflict between the priorities of corporate leadership and the needs of employees. But in the last several years, that tension has increased noticeably. Whether it’s the ongoing battles over employees returning to the office (or not), the renewed uproar over executive pay, or missteps in handling layoffs, the conflicts between employees and management only seem to grow. This season on ‘The New Way We Work,’ we’re looking at the problems with work, how we got here, and how to solve them. For this first episode, Work-Life editors Julia Herbst and AJ Hess discuss the most fundamental problem with work: that employees and management don’t see eye to eye.

The New Way We Work is back for a new season next week and we are unpacking the biggest problems with work! Problems like lack of pay transparency, how hard work too often goes unrewarded, how the wrong people end up as managers, and so much more.

The impact of AI on finance departments will be huge.

How artificial intelligence is shaping the product journeys from procurement to end customers.

In this podcast, leaders in HR and AI reveal what it will take for businesses to get their staff on board.

According to surveys, the average employee spends more than 4 hours a week in meetings, but around 90% of people consider their meetings to be unproductive. While it’s tempting to eliminate meetings altogether, they are often a necessary part of getting work done. In this recent LinkedIn Audio conversation with ‘Fast Company’ senior editor Julia Herbst, we talked about how to drastically cut down on the number of meetings and make the ones that remain more productive and inclusive. 

Work has changed a lot in the last few years: from the shift to remote work to the struggle over returning to the office, from the great resignation to mass layoffs at tech and media companies, from the rise in union organizing to the rise in AI in workplaces. So what does 2024 hold for companies, leaders, and employees?  Today’s episode is a recording of a recent LinkedIn Audio conversation with Fast Company Staff Editor AJ Hess breaking down advice and predictions for what to expect next.

The end of the year brings a lot of office traditions: holiday parties, year-end bonuses if you’re lucky, and often performance reviews. In this LinkedIn Audio conversation with senior editor Julia Herbst, we talk about common biases to avoid, what to say about areas of improvement, and how to get the most out of the process.

Kate Davis is joined by Fast Company podcast hosts KC Ifeanyi, Yasmin Gange and Josh Christensen to discuss the biggest stories from 2023

Workplaces move through design trends and conceptual themes just like other parts of modern interior commercial design. Remember the evolution of the cubicle farm, or the early 2000s’ startup office with a long communal desk (and ping pong table nearby)? But now, with our in-office and work-from-home routines in flux, what design elements will the future office feature? Fast Company writer Nate Berg talks through several design proposals centered around Gen Z employees, remote workers, and hybrid work styles with some of the top office design firms. Check out our deep dive into new office design concepts, including what both employers and employees are looking for, plus images of these hypothetical workspaces: RTO in 2024: Fast Company’s 8-point guide for designing an office your workers actually want to return to.