The New Way We Work

Writing a cover letter, especially when not required by a job application, can feel like a big pain. But it really makes a big difference—here’s why. 

Companies now have mountains of data to help drive decisions and develop products, but a holistic approach to product development must also prioritize customers’ needs and preferences. In this podcast interview, Stephanie Mehta, CEO of Mansueto Ventures, the parent of Fast Company, sits down with Emily Roberts, Senior Vice President and Head of Enterprise Consumer Product at Capital One to hear how to harness the power of technology and customer feedback loops to innovate products and experiences.

This year, funding for AI-related startups has surpassed $23 billion dollars, and thousands of AI tools promise to automate tasks in every type of job. But instead of thinking about how technology can replace humans, Aneesh Raman, vice president and head of the Opportunity Project at LinkedIn, believes this system-level change will bring more humanity into the workplace. Aneesh shared his thoughts on a skill-first approach to job searching, why philosophy and ethics are in-demand areas of expertise, and how to think about the growth of AI in the long term.

Giving negative feedback at work may feel uncomfortable, but it's a necessary part of communication. Here are some tips for making the process constructive.

The company’s director of finance explains how her job goes well beyond accounting. Tina Hetzer, director of finance at Pink Lily, is one of the rising financial stars who are helping to bring their businesses to the next level. She built Pink Lily’s finance team from scratch and has helped the company become one of the fastest-growing retailers in the country. In this podcast, part of the SAP-sponsored Growth Agents series, Hetzer discusses the cash-flow challenges unique to fashion retailers and explains how working at a smaller, founder-run company can fuel greater collaboration across the organization.  

The housing crisis in the U.S. continues to get worse, with the highest mortgage rates in a generation currently and rents outpacing inflation by more than 40%. And the problem isn’t just in cities like New York and San Francisco. It’s affecting many other places where tourism is a major industry or high-cost areas that have unique jobs (like being a ski patroller), which don’t pay enough to actually afford the rent there. ‘Fast Company’ writer Pavithra Mohan has been interviewing people in a variety of occupations about the real-life struggles of being priced out of housing in the place where your job requires you to be.

For more, check out our ongoing series of firsthand accounts on the topic:

I make $60,000 working in the Hamptons. Here’s how the other half lives

What it’s like to be a ski patroller in an expensive mountain town

If your boss is constantly checking up on you, looking over your shoulder—literally, figuratively, even virtually—here are some strategies for creating a better working relationship.

Duolingo’s freemium subscription model, beloved brand and strategic investments have allowed it to execute its educational mission and become a cultural touchstone. Matthew Skaruppa, CFO of Duolingo, is one of the rising financial stars who are helping to bring their businesses to the next level. Since he joined the company in 2020, Duolingo has grown its base of monthly active users by more than 80%. Each month, 75 million users hone their language skills on the Duolingo app. In this podcast, part of the SAP-sponsored Growth Agents series, Skaruppa discusses how his analytical background has allowed to him to be a more strategy-oriented CFO. For him, that has meant balancing big aspirations and finite resources, and turning the uncertainties of tomorrow into action today.

A couple of weeks ago, the U.S. went over the “childcare cliff” as billions of dollars of pandemic-era federal funding for childcare expired. But childcare providers have been struggling since well before the pandemic, with rising costs and little recourse but to raise their own prices. The chain reaction now for providers, children, and parents could mean a large decrease in women in the workforce and lower wages for workers. Fast Company staff writer Pavithra Mohan explains why the childcare industry has been so difficult to unionize, and what new efforts are starting to emerge.

It's nerve-racking to negotiate your salary, especially with a new employer! Here's how to reframe the conversation and ask for what you want.