The New Way We Work

There’s no question: School looks different this year. Some students will attend in-person classes. Others will participate in a hybrid model, mixing online and in-person classes. Still others will stay entirely virtual, logging into classes from their bedrooms or kitchen tables.In this episode of Secrets of the Most Productive People's Reinventing Education series, contributing editor, Lydia Dishman, joins Kate Davis to discuss how teacher's across the country are preparing for the coming school year.

Amidst a growing global pandemic with persistent outbreaks and a patchwork of reopening plans, one of the biggest issues facing our nation is what to do about education and childcare for the countries over 73 million children. The far reaching impact of ongoing school closures in America has the ripple effect on all aspects of life and the economy. Over the next month we will talk to teachers about how they are dealing with remote learning or the idea of returning to the classroom. We’ll hear from epidemiologists about how we should be planning for inevitable outbreaks, and explore both the private and public sector solutions to both taking care of kids' education and well being and retaining and supporting working parents.On today's episode, Fast Company Associate Editor, Yazmin Gagne, joins host, Kate Davis, to tell the story of three families and the struggles they are facing while working, caring for and educating their kids.

Secrets of the Most Productive People will be back in your feeds on August 31st where we'll be exploring one of the biggest issues facing our nation during the COVID-19 pandemic: the reopening of schools.

Dorianne St Fleur--Diversity & Inclusion Strategist, Career Development Coach and Founder of Your Career Girl Inc.--joins Secrets of the Most Productive People to discuss how to look for a job during the pandemic.If you have a problem in your career or on the job hunt, tell us about it. Leave us a voicemail at ‪833-582-3278, send an email to MostProductive@fastcompany.com or tweet with #FCMostProductive and we will find an expert to answer your question. Subscribe to Secrets of the Most Productive People on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

On this week’s episode of Secrets of the Most Productive People, we talk about the mental health struggles so many of us are facing right now. We also speak with Alice Boyes, a former clinical psychologist and the author of The Healthy Mind Toolkit and The Anxiety Toolkit. Boyes gives us insight into the accommodations that employees have a right to at work and offers tips on how to broach the subject of mental health issues with your manager.If you have a problem in your career or on the job hunt, tell us about it. Leave us a voicemail at ‪833-582-3278, send an email to MostProductive@fastcompany.com or tweet with #FCMostProductive and we will find an expert to answer your question. Subscribe to Secrets of the Most Productive People on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

This week we’ll learn about a new toy robot that could help children socialize, a good alternative to Rosé and some handy productivity tips.  Be sure to check in with us next week for another roundup of helpful tips and creative ideas to stay positive throughout this challenging time. You can subscribe to Fast Break on Apple podcasts or wherever you listen.If you like this show, please leave us a rating or a review.

This week, Fast Company deputy editor Kate Davis and Head of Video and Podcasting Scott Mebus are talking about parenting during a pandemic. How can working parents attempt to get everything done, what should managers do to support all of their employees, possible tensions among those without kids, and how this unprecedented time may be forcing us to rethink work overall. When shelter in place orders went into effect in most of the country in March, parents across industries had to scramble to find childcare. For those of us lucky enough to not only keep our jobs but have jobs that can be done from home has meant trying to do the impossible: work and take care of children full time. They also talk with Dr. Jennifer Goldman-Wetzler, an expert on conflict and organizational psychology, the founder of Alignment Strategies Group, and the author of the new book Optimal Outcomes: Free Yourself from Conflict at Work, at Home, and in Life. You can listen and subscribe to Secrets of the Most Productive People on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, RadioPublic, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Presenting Fast Break, a new podcast from Fast Company Magazine.This week we’ll learn about how some companies are adjusting their advertising game, why the L.A Clippers are helping change the way people watch sports, and some self care tips for working moms.You can subscribe to Fast Break on Apple podcasts or wherever you listen.If you like this show, please leave us a rating or a review.

As COVID-19 has spread, many aspects of our working lives have changed. Some of us wear masks and face-shields; some join meetings from our couches; others juggle conference calls and toddler nap times. For leaders overseeing teams, there are also new challenges. As information about the virus and economic conditions change rapidly, leaders must make quick (and often painful) decisions about staffing, shutting down offices, and pivoting business plans overnight.Meanwhile, there are the more mundane—but still critical—day-to-day challenges of overseeing a team effectively during a global pandemic. How do you hold meetings when your team is suddenly all remote? How can you accommodate more flexible employee schedules while still meeting productivity goals? How often should you be communicating with your employees? To get answers to these questions, on this week’s episode of Secrets of the Most Productive People, assistant editor Pavithra Mohan and I speak with Eric Pliner, CEO of YSC consulting. Pliner, who is an executive coach for Fortune 500 companies, also shares his thoughts on the importance of thinking long term and acting in a way that will elevate company culture beyond the immediate crisis.You can listen and subscribe to Secrets of the Most Productive People on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, RadioPublic, or wherever you get your podcasts.

In the this bonus episode of Secrets of Secrets of the Most Productive people, hosts Pavithra Mohan and Julia Herbst discuss how you can continue your professional connections and develop career skills while sheltered at home during this pandemic.