Make Work Better

Make Work Better explores the dynamics of modern workplace culture, focusing on the impacts of remote and hybrid work models, productivity challenges, mental health, and creating inclusive environments. It offers insights into how flexible work arrangements, technology, and psychological safety can shape future workspaces.

Hybrid Work Models Productivity Workplace Culture Mental Health in the Workplace Technology in the Workplace Employee Engagement Remote Work Impact Workplace Flexibility Psychological Safety Organizational Change

The hottest Substack posts of Make Work Better

And their main takeaways

New survey finds workplace culture is top ask of our jobs

98 implied HN points • 10 Feb 25
💼 Business Workplace culture Employee Wellbeing Diversity Work-life balance
  1. Workplace culture is the most important factor for employees when choosing jobs. Most workers want to feel valued and included.
  2. Wellbeing is now a major concern at work, with many people saying it drives success. Work-life balance is seen as a big challenge.
  3. A lot of workers care about how they are treated at work and believe diverse leadership is important for the future.

The opportunity to rehumanise work

174 implied HN points • 31 Jan 25
💼 Business Work Culture AI Impact Remote work Employee Wellbeing
  1. More companies are exploring shorter work weeks, like a four-day work week, to improve employee satisfaction. This trend shows that businesses are starting to value work-life balance.
  2. Younger workers are more hopeful about using AI in the workplace, seeing it as a chance to enhance their skills and job prospects. In contrast, older workers often feel anxious about changes brought by technology.
  3. Organizations have the chance to create a better work culture by focusing on human and memorable aspects of their service. This shift could lead to happier employees and customers alike.

Zuckerberg cancelling DEI is a grim day for work

212 implied HN points • 12 Jan 25
💼 Business Diversity Leadership Corporate culture Tech industry
  1. Zuckerberg's decision to end DEI programs may reduce workplace diversity and understanding, which can negatively affect decision-making and empathy towards customers.
  2. Critics argue that recent attacks on diversity initiatives are misguided and ignore the historical disadvantages some groups face in society.
  3. There is a growing concern that the economic landscape will change, with a shift towards taxing corporations more than individuals due to the rise of AI technology.

The Work Identity Paradox will change our jobs

65 implied HN points • 25 Jan 25
💼 Business Work Culture Identity AI Impact Employee engagement
  1. Many people see their jobs as part of who they are. Losing a job can feel like losing a piece of your identity.
  2. As jobs become more unstable due to technology and AI, our sense of identity tied to work may also change. We need to adapt to this shifting landscape.
  3. Future workplaces will need to focus more on helping employees grow as individuals, rather than just what they do. It's about becoming the best version of ourselves.

RTO's Dead Cat Bounce

98 implied HN points • 07 Jan 25
💼 Business Work Culture Management Employee engagement Technology Adoption
  1. Many companies that push for office returns are being seen as out of touch, as employees are leaving in response to strict policies.
  2. New AI tools are emerging to help manage work, making it easier for people to keep up with meetings without attending them all.
  3. Investing in employee training and culture is key for business success, and companies need to adapt to modern work-life demands to thrive.
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Resisting the Enshittification of Work

157 implied HN points • 04 Dec 24
💼 Business Work Culture Productivity Leadership Trends Employee Wellbeing
  1. Enshittification is when a service becomes worse over time due to profit-focused changes, just like users notice on platforms like Google and Amazon.
  2. Many workers are feeling burnt out and overwhelmed by constant notifications and meetings, leading to a lack of satisfaction at work.
  3. Leaders need to actively improve workplace culture to combat this decline and make work a source of meaning instead of stress.

AI, Spud Club and the future of work

98 implied HN points • 11 Dec 24
💼 Business Work Culture Technology Adoption AI Trends Employee engagement Future of work
  1. Many workers feel lost about how their companies plan to use AI technology. This gap is leading to uncertainty as AI becomes more integrated into workplaces.
  2. There's been a rise in innovative team-building activities like 'Spud Club,' showing that simple, affordable lunches can create strong team connections and improve workplace culture.
  3. The future of work will focus on the human element, emphasizing teamwork and personal connections, even as technology advances.

We don't feel ready for what comes next at work

141 implied HN points • 22 Nov 24
💼 Business Work Culture AI Impact
  1. Many workers today feel unprepared and untrained for their jobs, especially with new tools like AI. There’s a noticeable dip in how well people collaborate at work.
  2. New hires often come in with fewer skills and less confidence. Things like eye contact and proper dressing seem to be common challenges for recent graduates.
  3. Training is really important. Companies need to focus on teaching employees how to use new technologies effectively so they can perform better and feel more engaged.

Workplace AI just had a terrible week

92 implied HN points • 26 Nov 24
🕹 Technology AI Workplace Software Innovation Ethics
  1. Microsoft's Copilot AI has faced serious criticism recently, with many users finding it unreliable and disconnected from actual business needs. Less than 4% of IT leaders reported that it provided significant value, raising concerns about its effectiveness.
  2. There are issues with Copilot accidentally accessing and sharing sensitive company information. This has created trust problems, as employees worry about privacy and data security.
  3. Next year, companies are moving towards 'agentic AI', where AI not only assists but takes on tasks autonomously. This shift aims to improve efficiency, but it's crucial to ensure these systems remain secure and trustworthy.

Are hotdesks always hellish?

103 implied HN points • 14 Nov 24
💼 Business Workplace Culture Management Productivity Human Resources
  1. Most companies use their office space less than three days a week and are planning to reduce their office size in the near future. This change is a response to new work habits formed during the pandemic.
  2. Employees can be happy with hotdesks, but it's crucial to have a variety of workspaces available. A diverse range of settings helps them feel productive and satisfied.
  3. Some workers struggle more than others in hotdesk environments, indicating that not everyone adapts the same way. Companies should consider individual needs, like having good booking systems for personal spaces.

Solving employee loneliness is the first step to better teams

114 implied HN points • 30 Oct 24
💼 Business Workplace culture Employee engagement Leadership Organizational Behavior Remote work
  1. Employee loneliness is common at work, with many workers lacking real friends in their workplace. This loneliness can impact team dynamics and overall job satisfaction.
  2. Simply working in a team or attending the office more days doesn’t automatically reduce loneliness. Real connections need to be actively fostered during work hours.
  3. Companies can improve employee connection by allowing time for social interactions, like team lunches or casual meetings. These small initiatives can significantly reduce feelings of loneliness among coworkers.

RTO mandates tend to follow poor results

125 implied HN points • 21 Oct 24
💼 Business Workplace culture Remote work Employee Rights Mental health
  1. Return-to-office rules often happen after companies see bad results. This suggests that there might be a link between poor performance and the push for employees to return to the office.
  2. Many people are facing burnout in their jobs, which can lead to serious thoughts about life. It's important to talk about mental health and the pressures of work.
  3. Companies are starting to pay more for jobs that require workers to be in the office, with some salaries increasing by around 20%. This shows a shift in how businesses value in-person work.

Let down by our jobs we're ready to take control of our lives

54 implied HN points • 07 Nov 24
💼 Business Work Culture Employee Rights Work-life balance Career development
  1. Workers really want flexibility in their jobs, especially young people and women. It's important for their work-life balance.
  2. There’s a lot of disappointment with jobs, and many workers feel overwhelmed by their workload. A toxic work environment is the main reason people would quit.
  3. While work used to be a place for friendships, most people feel it lacks social connection now. They hope it will improve in the future.

More office time is the cost of bureaucracy

130 implied HN points • 21 Feb 24
💼 Business Workplace culture Employee engagement Incentives
  1. Big firms face challenges with hybrid work due to the complexities of communication and maintaining connections as the team size increases.
  2. Research shows that structured hybrid working can boost employee satisfaction and retention, proving effective in small to medium-sized organizations.
  3. Efforts to reduce meeting time, like Asana's meeting purges, can lead to significant productivity gains by eliminating unnecessary meetings and introducing focused work days.

How a culture fail ruined Boeing

114 implied HN points • 14 Mar 24
💼 Business Leadership Employment Corporate culture Productivity Economic Growth
  1. Boeing failed multiple safety tests, leading to accidents and loss of lives, due to a shift towards prioritizing stock price over quality
  2. A strong corporate culture requires aligning stated values with actual behaviors, empowering employees to make decisions based on those values
  3. Businesses that lose sight of their purpose and focus solely on chasing money risk facing significant organizational failures

Are culture change programs really destined to fail?

98 implied HN points • 28 Feb 24
💼 Business Culture Employee Experience Remote work Insider trading Meetings
  1. The belief that 70% of culture change programs fail is not supported by valid evidence, so there is hope to succeed with your own initiative.
  2. Deutsche Bank implemented a unique policy to ban Fridays at home followed by Mondays due to concerns about office efficiency.
  3. Culture within a workplace starts with the people and their behaviors, and sometimes addressing cultural issues may involve removing individuals who do not align with the desired culture.

Easy life? No, most of us want challenging, rewarding work

98 implied HN points • 14 Feb 24
💼 Business Workplace culture Employee Experience Management Practices Employee Rights
  1. Many employees value challenging and impactful work that allows them to learn and grow.
  2. Employee Experience initiatives can sometimes end up creating well-intentioned but ineffective programs like wellness webinars.
  3. Employees should be cautious about what they communicate on work chat platforms as bosses may have access to those conversations, and individuals have the right to request all digital data held about them.

Inside the culture clashes of F1 & Google

59 implied HN points • 07 Mar 24
🎭️ Culture Organizational Culture Tech industry
  1. Organizations tolerating bad behavior by leaders can lead to a breakdown of cultural norms and values.
  2. Google's once revered culture has come under scrutiny, revealing a slow-moving bureaucracy and lack of innovative products, prompting a need for reevaluation.
  3. Job cuts and layoffs at Google have negatively impacted employee morale and hindered the ability to do brave, inventive work.

Could your office become a home?

119 implied HN points • 28 Apr 23
💼 Business Real Estate Artificial Intelligence
  1. Converted office buildings could help solve the housing crisis by repurposing underused office spaces.
  2. Middle managers working from home are attending too many virtual meetings to show their value.
  3. Zaha Hadid Architects are using AI tools like Dall-E to push the boundaries of their architectural designs.

Psychological safety: ‘You no longer have the option of leading through fear’

76 implied HN points • 21 Jul 23
💼 Business Workplace culture Team Dynamics Remote work
  1. Psychological safety allows constructive disagreement and reduces interpersonal risk.
  2. Teams can build psychological safety by bonding through tasks, normalizing learning from mistakes, and ensuring everyone feels 'seen'.
  3. Seeking input with humility and openness is key in fostering psychological safety in high-performing teams.