This week, we dive into the biggest conversations shaping the future of work—straight from our ​Future Work Alumni​. What’s top of mind for workplace leaders right now? What trends, challenges, and innovations are sparking debate?

​Busting Bureaucracy: Are Layoffs the Only Way? Josh Bersin​

🚨 CEOs are back to cutting middle management and shrinking teams in search of efficiency, but history shows that layoffs alone don’t drive long-term productivity.

✅ What works better:

• Accountability over org charts – Clear goals matter more than hierarchy.
• Talent density over headcount – A highly skilled, aligned team outperforms a bloated one.
• Managers rewarded for team growth, not control – Power-hoarding leaders slow innovation.

🔑 Key takeaway: Fix work design first. Layoffs should be a last resort, not a default strategy.

⁉️ Are companies optimizing for performance, or just cutting costs?

​

​WFH Delivers a 12% Productivity Boost in the Public Sector Nick Bloom​

📊 New research shows hybrid work is the “sweet spot”—workers process 12% more cases from home with no drop in quality.

✅ Hybrid wins because:

• WFH boosts output & lowers costs (by ~20% when factoring in real estate savings).
• Some workers improve by 25%—suggesting employee choice further enhances results.
• Fully remote adds no extra benefit over hybrid.

🔑 Key takeaway: RTO mandates for government workers could backfire—raising costs while lowering productivity.

​

​Stripe’s RTO Stance: Talent First, Not Mandates Phil Kirschner​

🎯 While the RTO debate rages on, Stripe cofounders prioritize access to top talent over managing to the lowest common denominator.

✅ Why remote work is a competitive advantage:

• Solves the “two-body problem” for working parents.
• Expands hiring beyond traditional hubs, creating stronger, more dynamic teams.
• Stripe’s “remote hub” model pre-dates the pandemic—they built for flexibility from day one.

The challenge? Early-career employees still need in-person support.

🔑 Key takeaway: The best companies aren’t forcing RTO—they’re designing work models that attract the best talent.

​

​Productivity Isn’t About Doing More—It’s About Doing What Matters Molly Sands​

🔥 Two-thirds of workers end each day with unfinished tasks still haunting them.

📊 Science-backed strategies to escape the to-do list trap:​

• Timebox it – Block calendar time for tasks and protect it.
• Be ruthless – The best productivity hack? Saying no.
• Pick tomorrow’s MVP (Most Valuable Priority) – One high-impact task beats 10 low-value ones.

🔑 Key takeaway: Productivity isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing what actually matters.

⁉️ What’s your go-to strategy for staying on top of tasks?

​

​HR Can’t Rely on Guesswork: People Analytics for Smarter Decisions Anthony Onesto​

📊 AI-powered people analytics is now a must-have for HR—companies with strong analytics capabilities see 82% higher profits (Qualtrics).

✅ AI-driven prompts that deliver real impact:

• Analyze turnover trends – Identify patterns & risk factors to improve retention.
• Run sentiment analysis on employee surveys – Spot morale shifts before they escalate.
• Predict future leaders – AI can pinpoint high-potential employees without bias.
• Map skill gaps to business needs – Plan workforce development strategically.
• Optimize management structures – Find the ideal span of control for performance.

🔑 Key takeaway: Data-driven HR beats intuition. AI is now your $20/month analyst.

​

​Resilience: The One Word Leaders Need in 2025 Brian Elliott​

🔥 Burnout hit new highs in 2024, and 2025 isn’t slowing down. Leaders must build resilience to help teams navigate uncertainty.

✅ The leadership playbook for resilience:

• Be a Positive Realist – Acknowledge challenges without doomscrolling.
• Enlist Your Team – Shared ownership fosters strength.
• Build Transparency – Trust thrives when leaders communicate clearly.
• Set Boundaries for Well-being – Work-life renewal isn’t optional.
• Take Care of Yourself – Leading by example starts with self-care.

🔑 Key takeaway: Resilience isn’t just about surviving turbulence—it’s about creating a culture that adapts, endures, and thrives.

​

​The Next 10 Years: What Really Matters? Antony Slumbers​

🔮 Forget fads. The next 10 years will be shaped by enduring themes that drive real transformation.​

✅ What’s reshaping work & real estate:

• AI-driven economic shifts create new markets.
• Space-as-a-Service models integrate with Generative AI.
• PropTech moves from software to guaranteed outcomes.
• AI-powered superteams redefine workplace productivity.

🔑 Key takeaway: The next decade belongs to those who adapt, innovate, and execute.

​

​Purpose vs. Legacy: What Mark Will You Leave Behind? Gustavo Razzetti​

🎯 Most leaders focus on purpose—but how many truly design their legacy?

The shift from purpose to legacy:

• Purpose is about working toward the same future together.
• Legacy is ensuring that future continues without you.

Your legacy isn’t about achievements—it’s about the mindsets, behaviors, and culture you shape. And it’s built every day, not just on your last day.

⁉️ The questions every leader should ask:

• How did you leave the team better?
• What ways of working or thinking will continue?
• How did you help others grow?
• What will people say when you leave?

🔑 Key takeaway: Great leaders don’t just drive results—they build a culture that thrives beyond them.

I follow and summarize the news that future-forward and people-centric leaders care about, so you don't have to.

This week:

​The State of DEI in 2025: Transformation, Retrenchment, and Legal Uncertainty​

DEI is at a crossroads. Once seen as a business and social imperative, support for DEI initiatives has dropped to 52%, fueled by political backlash, legal challenges, and corporate retrenchment. While some companies remain committed, others are quietly scaling back amid external pressures.

DEI Under Attack: Political & Legal Challenges

Trump’s executive orders, including “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity”, dismantled federal DEI programs and put private-sector initiatives under scrutiny. While a federal judge has temporarily blocked parts of these orders, Republican-led lawsuits and conservative shareholder proposals at companies like Apple, Costco, and Coca-Cola continue to challenge corporate DEI strategies.

​The Shift from DEI to FAIR​

With 91% of workers experiencing discrimination and DEI training programs failing to change bias, experts argue that DEI needs a reset. The proposed FAIR framework (Fairness, Access, Inclusion, Representation) focuses on outcomes over intentions, systemic change over performative efforts, and broad coalition-building over identity-driven approaches. The shift prioritizes pay equity, unbiased hiring, and transparent leadership to create sustainable workplace equity.

​Employees and Leaders Disagree on What ‘High Performance’ Means​

A major perception gap exists between employees (91%) and business leaders (51%) on whether their organizations are high-performing, according to an MHR survey.

While leaders define high performance as operational excellence and speed, employees associate it with a highly skilled team and financial success.

Experts emphasize that HR must bridge this divide through clear communication, recognition programs, and two-way dialogue that align strategic goals with employee expectations.

With 66% of employees confident in their company’s future performance—but only 41% of leaders agreeing—HR plays a critical role in creating a shared vision of success.

​Skilled Talent Shortages Persist—How HR Can Respond​

With 74% of global employers struggling to find skilled workers, particularly in manufacturing and operations, HR leaders must rethink recruitment and retention strategies.

According to ManpowerGroup, companies need a multi-pronged approach: competitive pay to attract talent, strategic location planning to access workforce hubs, and upskilling initiatives to bridge skill gaps.

As industries shift towards skills-based hiring, HR must invest in learning and development programs to future-proof their workforce.

‍

✅ Quick Hits:

• ​Top 4 Reasons Employees Are Switching Jobs in 2025:​
  ​51% of employees are exploring new jobs, with top priorities:
  • Work-life balance & well-being (59%)
  • Better pay & benefits (54%)
  • Stability & job security
  • A job that aligns with their strengths (48%)
  • Millennials prioritize flexibility, Gen Z seeks career growth, and leaders want autonomy. Organizations must align with these priorities to stay competitive.
• ​1 in 3 HR Pros Lack AI Guidelines, Creating Legal Risks:​
  Despite 61% of HR leaders using AI in hiring, 34% lack official AI policies, exposing firms to bias, discrimination claims, and data breaches (HireVue 2025 Report). Worse, 6% of HR pros ignore AI policies, and 18% use unauthorized AI tools. As AI adoption outpaces regulation, companies must implement AI policies to ensure fairness, transparency, and compliance.