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September Work News Update: Where the Hell Is This Car Headed?

September was…weird.

AI is getting more powerful - and also getting fired from taking burger orders. Young workers are struggling to get a foothold. Companies are flattening, simplifying, cutting layers, and asking fewer people to do more. And while AI may be great for the economy, that doesn’t necessarily mean it will be great for workers.

So this month, we’re zooming out.

We break down three possible futures for work — abundance, superstar workers, and concentrated ownership — and look at which one the current signals suggest we’re actually heading toward.

Plus:

• Why Americans are feeling worse about the future — especially younger workers
• Whether an economy can win from AI while workers lose
• The rise of the “superstar worker”
• Why companies are ditching traditional job titles
• What flatter organizations could mean for career growth, expertise, and pay
• Why “simplification” may become one of the biggest corporate trends of 2027
• And one genuinely good piece of news about the tech job market

Because where we end up may have a lot less to do with how smart AI gets — and a lot more to do with who has the keys to the car.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. We are not responsible for any losses, damages, or liabilities that may arise from the use of this podcast. The views expressed in this podcast may not be those of the host or the management.

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The skilled trades shortage is being called a $1 trillion workforce problem. But what if it’s a problem we helped create?

For decades, we closed factories, moved jobs, laid people off, and told a generation that the path to a good career ran through college, not the trades. Now employers are scrambling for welders, technicians, electricians, manufacturing talent, and other skilled workers.

We sat down with Toshiba CHRO Jason Desentz to talk about how we got here and, more importantly, what it will take to rebuild.

In this episode, we get into:

•  How decades of layoffs, offshoring, and steering people toward college helped create today’s skilled trades shortage 
•  Why outdated perceptions of manufacturing and trade careers haven’t caught up with the jobs themselves 
•  How employers can rebuild talent pipelines through high school partnerships, apprenticeships, and internal training 
•  Why career mobility and development matter just as much as getting people in the door 
•  The role trust, culture, and community play in keeping skilled workers 
•  How AI and automation could enhance skilled work rather than simply replace it 

Because we’re not going to solve the skilled trades shortage by waiting for more workers to show up. We have to rebuild the pathways that lead people there.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. We are not responsible for any losses, damages, or liabilities that may arise from the use of this podcast. The views expressed in this podcast may not be those of the host or the management.

Thanks for listening!  

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AI layoffs that may not actually be about AI. Entry-level jobs disappearing before anyone gets laid off. White-collar workers taking new jobs for less money. Women leaving the workforce in alarming numbers. And healthcare costs heading toward another massive increase.

Yeah. August was a lot.

In this month's Work News Recap, we break down five stories shaping work right now — what the data actually says, what we think is happening underneath the headlines, and what employees and leaders should be watching next.

Including:

• Why some companies that cut jobs because of AI may end up hiring those roles back
• The growing problem at the bottom of the career ladder — and what it could mean for the next generation of leaders
• The troubling numbers for women in the workforce
• The early evidence that white-collar work may be getting repriced
• Why your 2027 healthcare benefits could get more expensive — and less generous

No trend reports. No corporate speak. Just the work news worth paying attention to — and what the hell it actually means.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. We are not responsible for any losses, damages, or liabilities that may arise from the use of this podcast. The views expressed in this podcast may not be those of the host or the management.

Thanks for listening!  

Hey! We love new friends! Connect with us!

• On The Socials!  You Tube, TikTok, Instagram on LinkedIn - Mel + Francesca.
• The LinkedIn Group:  We'd love to have you join the Your Work Friends Group on LinkedIn
• Drop Us a Line: Send us your ideas,  questions, comments, complements, whatnot, to [email protected]

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The hiring market isn't frozen. It isn't booming. It's something in between.

Every week brings another contradictory headline. Companies are investing billions in AI while slowing hiring. Job postings are up, applications are flooding in, and yet organizations across industries still struggle to find the talent they need.

So what's really happening?

In this episode of Your Work Friends, we sit down with three leaders who spend every day inside today's hiring market to separate the headlines from reality. Together, we explore why many hiring systems were designed for a workforce that no longer exists, how AI is reshaping recruiting without replacing the need for human judgment, and why organizations need to rethink how they identify, develop, and retain talent in a rapidly changing world. 

Joining us are:

• Alex Ridder, Global Head of Client Partnerships at LHH 
• Ravi Subramanian, Founder & President of Chicago Recruiting Forum 
• Brandon Welch, Head of Talent Acquisition at BambooHR 

Together, we discuss:

•  Why hiring feels "slushy" instead of frozen or booming 
•  How AI is changing recruiting and where human oversight still matters 
•  Why Gen Z and workers over 50 are facing the same underlying hiring challenge 
•  Whether college is keeping pace with the skills employers actually need 
•  The growing role of internal mobility, continuous learning, and skills-based hiring 
•  What organizations should rethink before automating their hiring processes 

Whether you're hiring, leading a team, working in HR, or navigating your own career, this conversation offers practical insights into where hiring is headed and what leaders can do today to build a workforce that's ready for what's next.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. We are not responsible for any losses, damages, or liabilities that may arise from the use of this podcast. The views expressed in this podcast may not be those of the host or the management.

Thanks for listening!  

Hey! We love new friends! Connect with us!

• On The Socials!  You Tube, TikTok, Instagram on LinkedIn - Mel + Francesca.
• The LinkedIn Group:  We'd love to have you join the Your Work Friends Group on LinkedIn
• Drop Us a Line: Send us your ideas,  questions, comments, complements, whatnot, to [email protected]

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The Monthly Work Recap: July 2026

What actually happened in the world of work this month—and what does it mean for employees and leaders?

In our first Monthly Work Recap, we break down the biggest stories shaping work in July, separating the headlines from the signals that matter.

This month we cover:

• The Workday AI discrimination lawsuit and why it could reshape how organizations use AI in hiring.
• What July's job market numbers are really telling us—and why the experience of job seekers doesn't match the headlines.
• The latest return-to-office mandates and what they reveal about where work is headed.
• New employment policies around pay transparency, workforce reporting, and employee protections.
• And, of course, our favorite segment: "Are We Okay?" featuring questionable team-building retreats, office shorts, and other stories that make us wonder what exactly is happening at work.

Whether you're leading a team, navigating your own career, or just trying to make sense of the rapidly changing workplace, we'll help you understand not just what happened—but why it matters.

Welcome to the Monthly Work Recap.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. We are not responsible for any losses, damages, or liabilities that may arise from the use of this podcast. The views expressed in this podcast may not be those of the host or the management.

Thanks for listening!  

Hey! We love new friends! Connect with us!

• On The Socials!  You Tube, TikTok, Instagram on LinkedIn - Mel + Francesca.
• The LinkedIn Group:  We'd love to have you join the Your Work Friends Group on LinkedIn
• Drop Us a Line: Send us your ideas,  questions, comments, complements, whatnot, to [email protected]

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AI isn't just changing jobs. It's changing the rules of work.

Every week brings another headline about layoffs, automation, and the future of work—but what's actually happening beneath the hype?

This week, we sit down with Gary Bolles, global fellow at Singularity University, author of The Next Rules of Work, and one of the world's leading thinkers on the future of work, to separate signal from noise.

Together, we explore:

• Why AI isn't the biggest disruption—it's the pace of change.
• Why young professionals may face the greatest challenges (and opportunities).
• What parents, educators, and leaders need to rethink.
• Why the "career ladder" is dead—and what replaces it.
• How organizations can become more human-centered instead of more automated.
• The skills, mindset, and agency we'll all need to navigate what's next.

This isn't a conversation about fearing AI. It's a conversation about building careers, organizations, and communities that are resilient no matter how technology evolves.

If you've been wondering what work looks like over the next decade—and what you should do about it—this episode is for you.

Learn more about Gary here: https://www.gbolles.com/

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. We are not responsible for any losses, damages, or liabilities that may arise from the use of this podcast. The views expressed in this podcast may not be those of the host or the management.

Thanks for listening!  

Hey! We love new friends! Connect with us!

• On The Socials!  You Tube, TikTok, Instagram on LinkedIn - Mel + Francesca.
• The LinkedIn Group:  We'd love to have you join the Your Work Friends Group on LinkedIn
• Drop Us a Line: Send us your ideas,  questions, comments, complements, whatnot, to [email protected]

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Work friends can feel like a bonus, something nice if it happens and irrelevant if it doesn’t. We don’t buy that, and the research doesn’t either. Today we dig into what workplace friendships actually do to performance and culture, using three years of data from KPMG that points to a clear conclusion: connection at work is not incidental, it’s central.

We’re joined by Sandy Torchia, KPMG’s U.S. Vice Chair of Talent and Culture, to unpack what the numbers reveal about the employee experience. We talk about why employees with close friends at work show higher engagement, why they’re more likely to build skills, and how strong relationships can even connect to things leaders care about right now like trust in leadership and adoption of new tools including AI. We also explore how different kinds of work relationships affect wellbeing and resilience, especially when work is stressful or changing fast.

If you manage people, this is a practical lens for building a healthier workplace culture without resorting to forced fun or awkward bonding. If you’re an individual contributor, it’s a reality check on why “keeping it strictly professional” can quietly limit your growth and support network. Listen, share it with a teammate, and if it resonates, subscribe and leave a review so more people can find the show. What’s one thing that helped a real work friendship form for you?

Check out KPMG's "Friends at Work Report" here: https://kpmg.com/us/en/media/news/friends-at-work-2026.html

Follow Sandy Torchia here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandytorchia/

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. We are not responsible for any losses, damages, or liabilities that may arise from the use of this podcast. The views expressed in this podcast may not be those of the host or the management.

Thanks for listening!  

Hey! We love new friends! Connect with us!

• On The Socials!  You Tube, TikTok, Instagram on LinkedIn - Mel + Francesca.
• The LinkedIn Group:  We'd love to have you join the Your Work Friends Group on LinkedIn
• Drop Us a Line: Send us your ideas,  questions, comments, complements, whatnot, to [email protected]

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California's Warning Sign on AI Layoffs, Long-Term Unemployment & The Rise of Emotional Surveillance

The headlines say the labor market is healthy.

So why are so many people spending months—or even years—trying to find work?

This week, we unpack the growing disconnect between what the numbers say and what people are actually experiencing.

We start with the rise of long-term unemployment and why a low unemployment rate may be masking a much bigger problem beneath the surface. Then we look at California, where AI-related job disruption is becoming impossible to ignore, and ask whether it's a preview of what's coming for the rest of the country.

Finally, we dive into one of the most unsettling workplace trends we've seen in a while: emotional surveillance. From sentiment analysis to facial scanning and AI-powered monitoring tools, employers now have more ways than ever to measure how workers think, feel, and behave. The question is: should they?

In this episode:
• Why long-term unemployment is rising
• What California may be telling us about AI's impact on jobs
• The growing skills mismatch in the labor market
• The rise of emotional surveillance at work
• Why the future of work may feel very different than the headlines suggest

Because sometimes the most important story isn't the one making the news—it's the one hiding underneath it.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. We are not responsible for any losses, damages, or liabilities that may arise from the use of this podcast. The views expressed in this podcast may not be those of the host or the management.

Thanks for listening!  

Hey! We love new friends! Connect with us!

• On The Socials!  You Tube, TikTok, Instagram on LinkedIn - Mel + Francesca.
• The LinkedIn Group:  We'd love to have you join the Your Work Friends Group on LinkedIn
• Drop Us a Line: Send us your ideas,  questions, comments, complements, whatnot, to [email protected]

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What the hell is happening at work right now?

After a spring packed with HR, AI, leadership, and future-of-work conferences, we sat down with Adam DeRose (HR Brew) and David Rice (People Managing People) for an honest conversation about what they’re actually seeing inside organizations right now.

And honestly? The vibes are weird.

In this episode, we dig into:

• why work feels increasingly unstable and disconnected
• the growing trust gap between leaders and employees
• AI adoption vs. actual transformation
• layoffs being made on “promises that haven’t reconciled”
• burnout, disengagement, and survival mode at work
• why organizations keep layering new strategies onto systems that can’t support them
• the tension between speed, pressure, and thoughtful leadership
• what gives them hope (yes, there’s some hope)

This isn’t a polished “AI will save us” conversation.

It’s four people who spend their lives studying work, reporting on work, and redesigning work trying to make sense of a moment that feels increasingly uncertain for a lot of people.

Come for the state of work.

Stay for the existential crisis, plumber bots, and surprisingly deep thoughts about human greatness.

Featuring:

• Adam DeRose, Senior Reporter at HR Brew
• David Rice, Executive Editor at People Managing People

New episodes every Tuesday (sometimes Wednesday - hey, we're indie) from Your Work Friends.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. We are not responsible for any losses, damages, or liabilities that may arise from the use of this podcast. The views expressed in this podcast may not be those of the host or the management.

Thanks for listening!  

Hey! We love new friends! Connect with us!

• On The Socials!  You Tube, TikTok, Instagram on LinkedIn - Mel + Francesca.
• The LinkedIn Group:  We'd love to have you join the Your Work Friends Group on LinkedIn
• Drop Us a Line: Send us your ideas,  questions, comments, complements, whatnot, to [email protected]

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From cigarettes… to smoke-free.

What does real organizational transformation actually take?

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Kaleen Love, U.S. Chief People and Culture Officer at Philip Morris International, to explore what it looks like to lead change inside one of the most complex business transformations happening in real time.

As PMI works toward a smoke-free future by 2030, Kaleen shares a candid look at the human side of transformation. From power dynamics and passive resistance to burnout, culture, leadership, and AI, this conversation breaks down why change is never just about strategy. It’s about how people respond when identity, control, and the future all start shifting at once.

We explore:

•  Why resistance at work is often a signal, not a problem 
•  How power dynamics shape employee behavior during change 
•  Why traditional change management breaks down at scale 
•  The difference between managing change and leading it 
•  How organizations can build culture that actually supports transformation 
•  Why human judgment matters even more in an AI-enabled workplace 
•  The role of courage, energy management, and self-awareness in modern leadership 

A practical, thoughtful, and refreshingly honest conversation about what it really takes to move an organization from strategy to execution.

About Dr. Kaleen Love:
Dr. Kaleen Love (PhD) is a pioneering social scientist, organizational strategist, and the U.S. Chief People & Culture Officer at Philip Morris International (PMI). She joined PMI in 2021 to lead organizational strategy for 80,000 employees globally and took over her current role leading the PMI U.S. People & Culture team in 2023, supporting the company's mission of a smoke-free future.

Prior to her tenure at PMI, Kaleen held various roles in the public and private sectors. For the first decade of her career, she worked primarily with NGOs and government institutions, focusing on gender equality, women’s empowerment and reproductive health.

Kaleen transitioned to the private sector in 2008 as a consultant with McKinsey & Company, focusing on financial services clients. She later joined Capital One, where, as chief of staff to the president of the company’s retail and direct bank, she led the communication team and founded the bank’s first centralized customer insights, research and analytics function.

Kaleen holds a master’s degree and a PhD in international development from the University of Oxford.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. We are not responsible for any losses, damages, or liabilities that may arise from the use of this podcast. The views expressed in this podcast may not be those of the host or the management.

Thanks for listening!  

Hey! We love new friends! Connect with us!

• On The Socials!  You Tube, TikTok, Instagram on LinkedIn - Mel + Francesca.
• The LinkedIn Group:  We'd love to have you join the Your Work Friends Group on LinkedIn
• Drop Us a Line: Send us your ideas,  questions, comments, complements, whatnot, to [email protected]