Future of Work Roundup - Week of October 10

Welcome to the Future of Work Roundup. Each week, we bring you five top stories—drawing from the latest academic research and industry trends—to give you an easily-digestible snapshot of how work is changing—and why it matters.

BFFs at work

A new Harvard Business Review article reported on the importance of having a best friend at work. Not only is having a best friend at work linked to important business outcomes like profitability and employee retention, but its impact on outcomes like employee satisfaction and retention has increased since the start of the pandemic.

Infusing humor into job interviews

A new Fast Company article reported on the virtues of using humor in job interviews. When used “properly”—like being willing to laugh at yourself but staying clear of knock-knock jokes—humor can help candidates stand out in a crowded applicant pool.

Productivity paranoia and burnout

New research from Microsoft shows that nearly 50% of employees report that they’re burned out at work. One key culprit is “productivity paranoia”—the fear that employees are less productive outside of the office even though they are working longer hours than ever before.

The 90-day rule

The Wall Street Journal reported that Chipotle and other companies use the “90-day rule” as a critical threshold for assessing employee retention rates. The article explains, “Hold on to an employee for three months, executives and human-resources specialists say, and that person is more likely to remain employed longer-term.”

Politics at work

New research from the Society for Human Resource Management finds that discussing politics at work is risky business—and increasingly common. About 45% of employees have gotten into political arguments with colleagues—an eye-popping increase from 3% in 2019.

Thanks for reading. Stay tuned for next week’s Future of Work roundup.