Hey friends, Steve Cadigan here! This week on Workquake Weekly, we’re diving into two trends that might seem totally separate — but together, they’re telling a powerful story about where the future of work is headed.

First up: Gen Z is not waiting around for corporate ladders to offer stability. A new global study from Fiverr shows nearly 70% of Gen Z is leaning into freelancing — not as a backup plan, but as their main gig. Why? It’s not just about flexibility… it’s about agency, protection, and building something they can count on.

Then we look at a growing shift in how companies scale: small teams are making a big comeback. New research from MNP shows that some of the most efficient and profitable companies today are going public with fewer than 20 employees. Agile, fast-moving, customer-focused — these lean teams are proving that small can be a superpower.

Together, these shifts are pushing us to ask: Are we building organizations based on control… or trust? Are we designing work for the world we used to live in — or the one we’re in now?

Tune in for a fresh, optimistic look at how we can build better, more human workplaces — one decision at a time.

This week on Workquake Weekly, Steve Cadigan dives into two rising trends that are shaking up how we think about work: ghost jobs and micro-retirements. On the surface, they couldn’t be more different — one’s frustrating job seekers, the other’s helping employees reset. But together, they reveal a deeper truth: our old strategies for hiring, planning, and leading might be past their prime.

Steve breaks down why “just-in-case” job postings are backfiring in a world craving clarity, and how short, intentional breaks could be the leadership unlock we’ve been missing.

If you’re rethinking how to build trust, momentum, and performance in today’s workplace, this episode is for you. Tune in to explore what it means to lead with more intention — and maybe even press pause, on purpose.

🎙 Topics covered:

• The hidden cost of ghost job postings

• Micro-retirements and the power of a purposeful pause

• Why the future of leadership is about trust, not just output

In this debut episode of Workquake Weekly, Steve Cadigan explores how two companies—Moderna and Klarna—are making bold, contrasting moves in the age of AI. One is merging tech and HR leadership to build a more integrated future. The other is learning what happens when efficiency trumps empathy. What do these stories reveal about leadership, talent, and the real role of AI? Tune in for fresh insights—and a challenge for how you lead next.