Middle managers are in charge of implementing the slew of changes taking effect in workplaces nationwide — and polling shows it’s making them miserable. A new report from the Future Forum finds that middle managers are more stressed than any of their co-workers. Why? According to Brian Elliott, a senior vice president at Slack and Executive Leader of the Future Forum, it’s because middle managers are in a game of tug of war between executives and their direct reports. He tells us what executives can do to pave paths for middle managers to find success now. And we hear from a middle manager who decided she felt too squeezed to stay in a corporate job. 

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Further Reading:

The War to Define What Work Looks Like 

Here’s How the Modern Manager is Changing Why Bosses Should Ask Employees to do Less, Not More Workplace Report

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You never get a second chance at a first impression – except maybe right now. More workers are going back to the office, and that’s giving some the chance to reset the relationships they’ve formed online with colleagues, bosses and their employees. We hear from a worker who started a new job remotely during the pandemic. She recently experienced meeting her colleagues IRL, and it affected her perception of her workmates and their impressions of her. And then we talk to neuroscientist Daniela Schiller about how our brains process first impressions, and what that means for how we make one.

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Further Reading:

The Next Step After a Bad First Impression at Work 

The Dangers of First Impressions 

Think Beyond Impressions to Make a Good Impression 

Workplace Report 

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Inflation is up, and many workers are demanding a raise. But what about the roughly 58 million independent workers in the U.S. who have to set their pay with individual clients? Even though many things cost more than they did a year ago, more than 70% of freelancers haven’t raised their rates. We talk to freelancer and author Jamie Brindle, who dispenses advice about building your own business to his hundreds of thousands of social media followers. He tells us how to effectively ask for more money and keep clients coming back.  

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Further Reading:

People Are Quitting Full-Time Jobs for Contract Work—and Making Six Figures 

Souring Economy Gives Tech Freelancers a Lift 

Workers Quit Jobs in Droves to Become Their Own Bosses 

Workplace Report 

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The pandemic changed where a lot of Americans work. Many people have the option to work from home or the office, but a growing number of them are opting instead for coworking spaces. And those coworking options are changing too. We visit Third Place by Half Full Brewery in Stamford, CT, a brewery and bar that’s reinvented itself during the day for the working crowd. Then, we turn to coworking researcher and consultant Pete Bacevice for a look at what choosing these spaces says about the way we work today and what it means for the future of office life. 

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Further Reading:

Coworking Companies Benefit From Return-to-Office Uncertainty 

How to Act Like a Human When Working From a Coffee Shop 

Coworking Giant in Venture to Create the Airbnb of Office Space 

Workplace Report  

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The old rules of business etiquette are in big bleeping trouble. Ghosting is on the rise, with some workers not even showing up for their first day. Those who do stay are texting during meetings, skipping those team bonding happy hours or not returning emails and Slack messages. Is this a result of the pandemic or just an evolution of the cultural norms we expect in the office? Psychology professor Tessa West tells us how a perfect storm of disengagement and avoidance led to what some consider a rise in rudeness. Then Toni Purvis, the founder of the School of Disruptive Etiquette, gives us a lesson in the dos and don’ts of workplace manners.

Further Reading

What the #@$%! Happened to Our Manners at Work? 

Sure, Work Makes Us Want to Swear. But Should You? 

Finally, We Can Wear Shorts in the Office. (Maybe) 

The Workplace Report 

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Many offices are enticing workers back with promises of taco trucks and cash bonuses, and like the biblical parable, prodigal colleagues are returning. But for some of those who had been showing up during the pandemic, there is growing discontent that they’re no longer being recognized for the sacrifices they made. That’s causing some sibling-like rivalry. We hear from several workers and a CEO who are dealing with these issues in their workplaces. Then, management professor Kristie Rogers tells us what bosses and managers need to do to make all their workers feel valued, whether they are returning to the office now or came back months ago.

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Further Reading

These Workers Were the Bosses’ Favorites. Now They Feel Jilted. 

The Best Office Designs to Lure Back Workers  

Why Cities are Struggling to Lure Back Workers  

The Workplace Report 

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A growing list of companies are demanding workers come back to the office for a few days a week. But for some workers, being back in the office reminds them of pre-pandemic times, when they say they regularly suffered slights small and large because of their race, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation. Some would rather stay remote, and are seeking out jobs that afford them that opportunity. Jennifer Wameling is a transgender woman and details her journey from working in an office and being misgendered and dead named – called by her old name instead of her new, actual one – to feeling happier in a fully remote job. Then Dr. Tiffany Jana, a diversity, equity and inclusion expert and adviser, tells us what companies can do to address the prevalence of microaggressions in the workplace and why remote work may not actually slow one’s career growth. 

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Further Reading

Some Minority Workers, Tired of Workplace Slights, Say They Prefer Staying Remote 

Companies Increase Efforts to Recruit Black Remote Workers to Diversify Their Workforce 

Black and Hispanic Employees Often Get Stuck at the Lowest Rung of the Workforce 

Workplace Report 

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Unionization efforts in the U.S. are on the rise. According to the National Labor Relations Board, union election petitions jumped by 57 percent from October 2021 to March of this year, and a new Gallup poll finds Americans’ approval of labor unions is at its highest point since 1965. Even places that say they have favorable working conditions are seeing unionization efforts. Two Trader Joe’s stores, one in Massachusetts and another in Minneapolis, recently voted to unionize. With Labor Day around the corner, we speak with Sarah Beth Ryther, an employee and organizer from the Trader Joe’s in Minneapolis about the reasons she and many of her co-workers wanted an independent union. Then, Jason Greer , a labor relations expert and former board agent with the NLRB, tells us how the pandemic is playing into union drives. As a board agent, he worked with employees, employers and unions to investigate allegations of unfair labor practices.  

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Further Reading

Trader Joe’s Workers Vote to Form Union at Massachusetts Store  

How Union Efforts at Amazon and Starbucks Are Playing Out Differently 

Starbucks Alleges Federal Labor Officials Improperly Handled Union Elections 

The Workplace Report 

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With the unemployment rate down to 3.5%, some employers are struggling to fill key positions and offering promotions as a way to keep employees from leaving. We talk to Ebony Martin, a lab technician at a hospital in Chicago who thought about finding work elsewhere but instead received a promotion. She’s now thriving in her new role, but for some of the newly promoted that’s not the case. We hear from Steve Dion, a leadership coach, consultant and former HR executive who works with people who need help after their companies promoted them a little too early. He tells us what companies and individuals can do to make sure those elevated to new roles get the support they need.

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Further Reading

These Workers Wanted to Quit Their Jobs. They Got Promoted Instead 

You Got the Big Offer. What if You Don’t Want It? 

Five Signs Workers Still Have Power in this Labor Market  

Workplace Report 

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Many people turn to Glassdoor and similar workplace rating sites to check out an employer before accepting a job. But what about an internship? As summer comes to a close, and college students wrap up their latest internships, many are turning to a growing number of websites to rate their experience. And the companies. That’s giving future interns more information and the ability to be more selective. Sims Pettway, creator of the internship rating site Canary, tells us what makes for the ideal internship and why honest reviews help students find theirs. Then, Lindsey Pollak, author of “Getting from College to Career,” digs into what interns and companies gain from hearing honest feedback, and why internships have gone from “nice to have” to “must have” for young careers.

Correction

Sims Pettway works for Bain & Company. An earlier version of this podcast episode introduced him as working for Bain Capital. (Corrected on August 16)

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Further Reading

The Whisper Networks Where Interns Rate Their Bosses 

Fewer DC Interns Work for Free 

Summer Interns Jilt Companies as Better Offers Come Along  

Workplace Report 

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