Work Sucks, We Know

American work culture has changed dramatically in recent years. As the fog of the early pandemic lifted, workers had more power, the job market is tighter than it’s been in a generation, and many workers are realizing remote work has big perks. Yet, working from home and hybrid work weren’t the product of a lot of considered thought, it was thrust upon us in a crisis. Less time in office, fewer expectations around clock punching and putting in face time seem to make workers happier. But is that because being at home is inherently preferable? Or is it just that we never had a public emergency that forced us to make workplaces themselves more enjoyable environments? How do we lock in reforms that will make work in the new era better for everyone than it was in the pre-pandemic era? Anne Helen Peterson, who writes the Culture Study newsletter on Substack and hosts Crooked Media’s newest podcast Work Appropriate joins host Brian Beutler to talk about the future of work.