Are you being "pushed" back into the office without a formal mandate? 🏢

In this episode of the Across the Bar Podcast, Peter Rahbar and Laura Brounstein pull back the curtain on the subtle (and sometimes strange) ways corporate America is changing. We explore the rise of "Hybrid Creep"—the trend of linking promotions and pay to office attendance—and why companies are suddenly scrubbing DEI language from their public-facing materials.

From the "Death of Happy Hour" to bizarre rules like requiring employees to take off their shoes, we break down what these cultural shifts mean for your career and the lack of federal oversight on corporate behavior today.

In this special episode of The Across the Bar Podcast, hosts Peter Rahbar and Laura Brounstein break down the essential roadmap for anyone looking to turn their expertise into a thriving business. Whether you're leaving a corporate role or scaling a side hustle, we cover the administrative, legal, and financial hurdles you need to clear to succeed.

In this episode, we discuss:

🎯 Defining Your Niche: How to figure out exactly what your business is (and isn't).

🚀 The Launch Plan: Setting a timeline and preparing for Day 1.

⚖️ Legal & Admin Basics: Business structures, contracts, and the "boring stuff" that protects you.

💰 Pricing Your Services: Value-based vs. hourly—how to charge what you're worth.

📣 Marketing & Networking: Getting your first client and building a sustainable brand.

On this episode of the Across the Bar Podcast, hosts Peter Rahbar & Laura Brounstein break down the intersection of power, politics, and the future of work—from viral White House portraits to the high-stakes AI arms race in hiring.

📸 The Vanity Fair White House Shoot: We discuss the viral, unretouched White House portraits by Christopher Anderson. Is this a new era of political transparency, or a deliberate "hit piece" using macro-photography?

💰 OpenAI Ends the Vesting Cliff: In a massive move for the AI recruiting wars, OpenAI has eliminated the traditional vesting cliff. We discuss what "Day One" equity means for the talent war and if other tech giants will be forced to follow suit.

🗽 74,000 Applications for Mamdani Jobs: Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani received a staggering 74,000 applications for his administration, with an average applicant age of just 28. We look at why young workers are flocking to local government and what this says about the 2025 job market.

👻 Professional Ghosting is Peak 2025: From "ghost jobs" that never existed to candidates vanishing before their first day, we tackle the "Ghosting Index" and why professional courtesy seems to be disappearing.

On this episode of the Across the Bar Podcast, hosts Peter Rahbar & Laura Brounstein dive into today's hottest workplace issues, including the Michigan football scandal, worker fatigue, explaining COBRA, the structural reasons women are falling behind in the workplace, and office holiday gifts.
 
0:00 Introduction 

3:00 Michigan Football Scandal

8:45 Combatting Worker Fatigue and Burnout in the Office

15:55 COBRA Explained

19:00 The Women's Workplace Gap: Why Women Are Falling Behind in Careers

23:50 Holiday Gift Ethics: Rules for Bosses, Employees, and Secret Santas
Please watch, share and subscribe!

On this episode of the Across the Bar Podcast, hosts Peter Rahbar & Laura Brounstein tackle the biggest buzz in the working world—from looking your best to navigating the hottest AI careers and the ever-tricky art of self-promotion.

🔥 Looking Hot for Work: We discuss the latest trends and why looking good might just boost your career (and your mood).

🧑‍💻 Gen Z Loves the Office (Seriously): Younger workers are leading the charge back to in-person. Find out why Gen Z is embracing the office and what that means for the future of hybrid work.

🤝 IRL Interview Prep: Ditch the video calls—in-person job interviews are making a comeback! We share tips on how to nail your next face-to-face meeting and land the job.

🚨 Code Red at OpenAI & Hottest AI Jobs: After a dramatic week in tech, we break down what the latest shake-ups at OpenAI mean for the industry and which AI careers are booming right now.

📈 Judging Your LinkedIn Posts: How much self-promotion is too much? We discuss the fine line between personal branding and oversharing, and how to make your posts count.

Please watch, subscribe and share this episode of the Across the Bar Podcast with your friends and colleagues!

In this week's episode of the Across the Bar Podcast, hosts Laura Brounstein and Peter Rahbar tackle three essential workplace topics that every leader and employee needs to navigate this season.
📰 This Week's Topics:
🤖 Workplace AI Ambassadors Rise - Companies like ServiceNow are identifying 1,000 high performers to serve as internal AI influencers who train colleagues on AI adoption. How organizations are using peer-to-peer AI champions, what makes an effective AI ambassador program, and why this approach works better than traditional training.
📉 How to Communicate Layoffs with Empathy - Are we really laying off workers by text message? Research shows poorly handled layoffs result in 31% increased turnover and 74% productivity decline among remaining employees Best practices for delivering difficult news, supporting both departing and staying employees, and maintaining trust during workforce reductions in the AI era.
🎉 Holiday Party Dos & Don'ts 2025 - Should you have a holiday party? YES! Essential etiquette rules, legal pitfalls to avoid, alcohol tips, and how to ensure your office party builds culture instead of creating HR nightmares.

Join us for expert analysis on this pre-Thanksgiving edition of the Across the Bar Podcast and get the insight for a strong finish to 2025!

In this week's episode of the Across the Bar Podcast, hosts Laura Brounstein and Peter Rahbar unpack four explosive workplace scandals that are dominating headlines and sparking critical conversations about accountability and culture. This week's topics include:
📋 Epstein E-mails Released - The new Epstein e-mail release and their workplace implications. What corporate leaders need to know about associations, reputational risk, and due diligence.
⚖️ Attorneys Behaving Badly - Kirkland & Ellis attorneys are getting training on how to be nicer to adversaries. How workplace culture could enable bad behavior in the legal industry and elsewhere.
🔥 Condé Nast Union Battle Explodes - Four union employees were fired after confronting HR chief, sparking federal labor complaints. What this high-profile retaliation case means for employee rights, union organizing, and HR accountability.
🧘 Nike Cancels Wellness Week - Why major companies are scaling back employee wellness programs, mental health initiatives, and what this signals about shifting workplace priorities and cost-cutting measures.
👩 NYT's "Women Ruin Workplace?" Backlash - The New York Times podcast controversy asking if women ruined the workplace sparks massive outrage. Analyzing the gender politics, workplace feminism debates, and what went so spectacularly wrong.

Please watch, share and subscribe to the Across the Bar Podcast!

In this week's episode of the Across the Bar Podcast, hosts Laura Brounstein and Peter Rahbar explore the critical workplace trends that reveal where work culture and the economy are headed.
📰 This Week's Topics:
🗳️ Mamdani and your Workplace - What the election of NYC's new mayor Zohran Mamdani means for your workplace, and whether companies will really leave NYC. 
👥 Male Affinity Groups Emerge - The surprising rise of men's vulnerability groups in workplaces. Why companies are creating safe spaces for men and what it means for workplace culture and DEI initiatives.
🌯 Chipotle as Economic Canary - How Chipotle's struggles reveal deeper economic warning signs as customers aged 25-35 pull back spending. What this bellwether brand tells us about consumer confidence, wage pressures, and the two-speed economy affecting your workplace.

Please listen to the Across the Bar Podcast as we discuss these topics and other issues impacting your workplace! Please watch, share and subscribe!

In this Halloween episode of the Across the Bar Podcast, Laura Brounstein and Peter Rahbar discuss the latest issues impacting the workplace, including:
😔 What If You're Asked to Lay Off Your Team? - Navigating the emotional burden of conducting layoffs as a manager, how to have difficult termination conversations, and other basics you should know as a manager
🤖 Should Managers Use AI for Performance Reviews? - Should managers be using artificial intelligence to write employee evaluations, maintaining authenticity in feedback, and balancing efficiency with personalization
📱 Is Texting During Meetings OK? - Meeting etiquette debate: when multitasking is acceptable, setting professional boundaries, and respecting workplace communication norms
👩‍💼 Why Are Women Leaving the Workforce? - Understanding the female workforce exodus, childcare challenges, pay equity issues, and what companies can do to retain women employees
🏛️ Government Shutdown Fallout - How federal shutdowns impact workers, contractors, and the broader economy, plus lessons for workplace stability

Across the Bar provides you with the workplace insights that you need on today's trending employment stories! Please watch, share and subscribe!

Join hosts Laura Brounstein and Peter Rahbar on Across the Bar Podcast as we dive into this week's biggest workplace news:
⏰ Is 7am Too Early for Meetings? - The heated debate over early morning work meetings, employee burnout from scheduling conflicts, and setting healthy workplace boundaries
💼 100-Hour Workweeks Exposed - Are extreme work hours for real? Breaking down 996, 100-hour work weeks and toxic hustle culture, whether work-life balance can exist, and the reality of corporate work expectations
🗣️ Political Speech at Work Dangers - Why discussing politics in the workplace is risky, navigating controversial conversations with coworkers, and protecting your career from political fallout
🏢 JPMorgan's NYC Tower Opens - Inside JPMorgan Chase's massive new headquarters building in New York City and what it signals about return to office policies and corporate real estate

Join us for expert analysis on the latest workplace trends! Please watch, subscribe and share!!