The hottest Workplace culture Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Business Topics

The Employee’s Dilemma

peoplefirstengineering • 7 implied HN points • 08 Jan 25
💼 Business Workplace culture Employee Relations Game Theory Organizational Behavior Human Resources
  1. When employees feel supported by their company, they're more motivated to do great work. But if the company doesn't keep its promises, employees might just do the bare minimum.
  2. This situation can lead to what's called the 'Employee's Dilemma,' where both the worker and the employer end up not trusting each other, creating a sad work environment.
  3. To break this cycle of unhappiness, companies need to build trust and show they care. If they do, it can improve the workplace for everyone.

How To Fix DEI

The Ruffian • 233 implied HN points • 17 Feb 24
💼 Business Diversity Inclusion Workplace culture Social justice
  1. Define Your Goals clearly for your DEI program to ensure it meets tangible needs and is not just a checkbox exercise.
  2. Focus on Actions Over Symbols in your DEI efforts by making substantial changes like Saatchi and Saatchi's talent pool expansion initiative.
  3. Simplify Ruthlessly and favor Universal Solutions to avoid getting lost in complexity and ensure the maximum impact while cutting across identity boundaries.

How To Swear At Your Coworkers

The Ruffian • 288 implied HN points • 04 Nov 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Government Leadership Crisis Management Workplace culture Decision-making
  1. The use of swearing in the workplace can indicate a lack of self-discipline and quality of thought.
  2. Swearing, when used strategically and thoughtfully, can be a powerful tool for impactful communication.
  3. Maintaining a balance between reasonableness and assertiveness is crucial, knowing when to speak up even if it requires using strong language.
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Seven traits of a good boss

The Intersection • 158 implied HN points • 14 Aug 23
💼 Business Leadership Management Workplace culture Success Mentorship
  1. A good boss motivates employees to reach new heights like a coach pushing a player to excel.
  2. Good bosses have a unique superpower that inspires admiration and aspiration in those they lead.
  3. Bosses who take decisive action, support their team, listen to their needs, show care, and admit mistakes create a positive and empowering work environment.

More office time is the cost of bureaucracy

Make Work Better • 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.

The 5 inevitable stages of working at a hyper-growth startup

startupdiaries • 118 implied HN points • 31 Aug 23
💼 Business Startup Career development Company growth Workplace culture Leadership
  1. Startup life involves adapting to evolving needs, rather than sticking to initial job descriptions.
  2. Working at hyper-growth startups can be rewarding but also lead to burnout, so it's vital to pace yourself and manage emotions.
  3. Transitioning through the stages of startup growth requires flexibility, being open-minded, and evaluating if the company still aligns with personal values.

The Brilliant Jerk vs. Team Performance - Problem #3

Fish Food for Thought • 11 implied HN points • 20 Nov 24
💼 Business Team Dynamics Workplace culture Leadership Employee engagement
  1. Brilliant jerks might deliver great results, but their bad behavior can really hurt team morale and performance. Focusing on team success is way more important than tolerating toxic individuals.
  2. Toxic employees can create a fearful environment where others don’t share ideas or take risks. This stifles creativity and can lead to poor overall performance.
  3. Companies need to set clear behavior expectations and not let talented individuals hurt team dynamics. Prioritizing collaboration and respect helps everyone do their best work.

Merit First, Diversity Second

Kartick’s Blog • 35 implied HN points • 22 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Diversity Inclusion Meritocracy Bias Workplace culture
  1. Merit should come first when hiring or building teams. If you focus only on diversity without considering skills, you may end up with less qualified candidates.
  2. It's important to recognize and address our own biases. We should judge people based on their abilities rather than their background.
  3. While diversity and inclusion efforts can be positive, they can also go too far and lead to unfair quotas. It's better to promote a merit-based system instead of rigid percentages.

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

Make Work Better • 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.

Weekly Notes

Rethinking Software • 49 implied HN points • 30 Sep 24
💼 Business Workplace culture Management Practices Innovation Software Development
  1. Building successful work teams is like creating a strong community, and it takes good advice to do it well.
  2. Too many rules in software development can stifle creativity and innovation. Developers should choose their own processes to thrive.
  3. Workers are often seen as tools to achieve executives' dreams, so we need more self-managed and cooperative workplaces.

Lovable work emails

The 418 • 19 implied HN points • 01 May 24
💼 Business Workplace culture Employee engagement Communication
  1. A work email is an important signal given to an employee, representing how the company values them as an individual.
  2. Choosing a creative and unique email convention can have a positive impact on how employees perceive themselves within the company.
  3. Being flexible with work email assignments shows consideration for employees' identities and can boost morale.

Edited: Unchallenged assumptions #1 Hierarchical reporting structure

Great CTOs 'Focus on outcomes' • 39 implied HN points • 06 Feb 24
💼 Business Management Organizational Structure Leadership Workplace culture Team Dynamics
  1. Hierarchical reporting structure is an unchallenged assumption in most companies.
  2. Challenging the responsibilities associated with line management can lead to better outcomes.
  3. Simpler adjustments like shifting responsibilities can shift incentives and benefit managers and teams.

The Daily Scrum

Rethinking Software • 29 HN points • 25 Sep 24
🕹 Technology Software Development Project management Agile methodologies Team Dynamics Workplace culture
  1. Daily Scrum meetings can feel like micromanagement and add stress to developers. It often makes people feel pressured to justify their productivity.
  2. Development work is not always linear, and sometimes progress takes time. It’s okay if some days don’t yield immediate results.
  3. Scrum's requirement for daily check-ins suggests a lack of trust in developers. It would be better if teams could choose when and how to meet, respecting their autonomy.

Why it matters

My Home Office Hacks • 5 implied HN points • 18 Nov 24
💼 Business Remote work Productivity Workplace culture Employee Wellbeing
  1. Using a clear writing style like Smart Brevity helps people get the main point quickly. It's good to know the main idea within the first couple of sentences.
  2. This writing style allows for more information after stating the main point, giving readers a chance to dive deeper into the topic. You can also include calls to action for more interaction.
  3. It's important to keep movement in your daily routine, especially when working from home. Small changes can make a big difference in how you feel throughout the day.

Covidnomics

Diane Francis • 359 implied HN points • 12 Aug 21
💼 Business Remote work Labor Market Economic Trends Workplace culture Public Health
  1. The COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped how we work. More people are preferring remote work, leading to changes in workplaces and housing preferences.
  2. Many workers are quitting their jobs to prioritize safety and better work-life balance. This trend is forcing companies to adapt by offering flexible work options.
  3. Labor has gained more power, pushing for better pay and working conditions. This has led to higher wages and changes in benefits across various industries.

Culture is Feeling Part of Something

Make Work Better • 125 implied HN points • 18 May 23
🎭️ Culture Workplace culture Sports Psychology Mental health Social connection
  1. Feeling part of something is essential for workplace culture and mental health.
  2. Physical touch can enhance performance and well-being by creating a sense of connection.
  3. Bosses are concerned about declining worker productivity and are pushing for a return to the office, despite the changing landscape of office space demands.

Middle management lessons

Logos • 39 implied HN points • 17 Oct 23
💼 Business Management Leadership Career development Workplace culture Communication
  1. Relying on your gut feeling can sometimes be better than overthinking with too much data. Sometimes common sense leads to clearer, quicker decisions.
  2. Managing upwards is key; keeping your boss informed about your work helps them understand your efforts and successes better. Regular updates are more helpful than you might think.
  3. Hard work is usually more important than just being smart. At work, showing your effort often matters more than your natural talent or intelligence.

معرفی کتاب برای کسانی که تصمیم به شروع شغل دوم و یا تغییر به مسیر کارآفرینی دارند

DiGiTalk Newsletter • 39 implied HN points • 26 Apr 23
💼 Business Entrepreneurship Workplace culture Personal Development Book review
  1. Traditional career paths are becoming less common, people are increasingly looking towards non-traditional work arrangements.
  2. Focus on finding a job that meets your basic needs and allows you to pursue interests outside of work for greater happiness and satisfaction.
  3. Self-awareness is crucial in finding a job that is 'good enough' for you, considering values, priorities, and personal goals.

The Talent Wasteland

Ways of Working • 39 implied HN points • 17 Apr 23
💼 Business Management Workplace culture Talent Management Employee Development
  1. Talent is often wasted within organizations due to internal dynamics like bureaucracy and bad incentives.
  2. Excessive work-around-work can hinder productivity due to low trust culture, friction, and rewarding optics over delivery.
  3. Lacking an appreciation for good management can lead to demoralized teams and talent being overlooked for opportunities within the organization.

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

Make Work Better • 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.

Terry and His Dumb Ideas

The Radar • 19 implied HN points • 13 Jan 24
💼 Business Organizational Behavior Management Workplace culture Leadership Career development
  1. Organizations should avoid adopting policies that seem sensible but are self-defeating in practice, leading to negative outcomes.
  2. Coercing individuals into seeking higher positions when they lack ambition can have detrimental effects on both performance and organizational culture.
  3. Great organizations protect and celebrate those who create value, avoiding the mass rationalization of dumb ideas that can lead to decline.

Here's Some Bad Advice

The Radar • 19 implied HN points • 11 Jan 24
💼 Business Leadership Workplace culture Management Organizational Change Professional development
  1. Cutting-edge research advice for leaders may not always be practical or helpful. It's important to evaluate the source of the advice and its applicability to real-world situations.
  2. Individual managers should be cautious about unilaterally trying to change organizational norms regarding work-life balance. The impact on performance, reputation, and career progression should be considered.
  3. To achieve a better work-life balance, leaders should focus on influencing organizational practices, setting examples, and supporting their teams in maintaining healthy boundaries.

Going to 105% on the Reactor

The Radar • 19 implied HN points • 09 Jan 24
💼 Business Leadership Writing Subscription Model Workplace culture Personal Stories
  1. The newsletter is evolving into a more professional project with the option for paid subscriptions to support the creator.
  2. The author aims to build a community around meaningful discussions on leadership and offer unique insights in a nuanced manner.
  3. Subscribers have the freedom to pay what they want to support the newsletter, with options ranging from $1 to $10 per month.

Should You Stay In Your Current Job or Move For A Promotion?

The Software Engineering Times • 3 implied HN points • 07 Nov 24
💼 Business Career development Human Resources Workplace culture Salary Negotiation
  1. Internal promotions are usually easier because you already know the company culture and people. You can quickly get to work without a big adjustment period.
  2. External promotions often come with higher salaries and a chance to start fresh. You can look for roles that fit your career goals better.
  3. Consider your personal career goals and timing when deciding to stay or move. Your choice should match what you want for your future.

ownership

Splattern • 19 implied HN points • 18 Aug 23
💼 Business Leadership Workplace culture Performance Management Communication Professional development
  1. Taking responsibility for both successes and failures can build trust in professional relationships. It shows honesty and accountability.
  2. Confidence in communication can change how others perceive you. When you believe in what you're saying, it can improve interactions significantly.
  3. It's important to view feedback from a positive angle. Believing that your boss wants you to succeed can motivate you to improve and foster a better work environment.

Hitting the ground running

Splattern • 19 implied HN points • 19 Sep 23
💼 Business Management Leadership Project management Career development Workplace culture
  1. Starting a project well means preparing for it and breaking down tasks ahead of time. It helps to think through every step and potential problem before jumping in.
  2. Having a manager who supports you can make a big difference in your work life. When you show that you care and take ownership, they are more likely to invest in your growth.
  3. Being valued for your work is important. Many people find purpose and motivation when they know their contributions matter to the team.

Vibes Driven Development: Trust Your Vibes (and ignore everything else)

An Ode to Restlessness • 1 HN point • 26 Jul 24
🕹 Technology Software Development Agile methodologies Creative Process Workplace culture Innovation
  1. Vibes Driven Development (VDD) is all about using your mood and environment to guide your coding. Instead of sticking to strict plans, you let your feelings and instincts shape your work.
  2. To implement VDD, create a cozy workspace, choose music that inspires you, and stay flexible with your coding ideas. Trusting your vibes can lead to unexpected creativity and solutions.
  3. VDD offers a fresh break from traditional methods like Agile and Waterfall, which can feel rigid and stressful. It encourages developers to embrace spontaneity and find their own rhythm while coding.

How to think about a new role

Through Curious Eyes • 2 implied HN points • 12 Oct 24
💼 Business Career Advice Management Personal Development Workplace culture Professional Growth
  1. Accept the recognition of your new role and recognize your own achievements. It's important to validate your success and understand that you are deserving of this new opportunity.
  2. Communicate your needs and wants clearly with your manager. Sharing what support you need will help set a strong foundation for your new relationship.
  3. Keep an open dialogue and create a shared document with your manager to outline expectations. This will help both of you stay aligned and monitor your progress in the new role.

"We Only Hire Seniors", And Other Mistakes

Load-bearing Tomato • 7 implied HN points • 16 May 24
💼 Business Management Workplace culture Human Resources Organizational Structure Game Development
  1. Hiring only seniors can create problems because it limits decision-making and leads to too many meetings. New or junior employees can help speed things up by handling tasks while seniors make bigger decisions.
  2. Having a mix of experience levels in a team is crucial for growth. If companies only hire seniors, they won't have new talent coming up, which can lead to challenges in the future.
  3. Good management is important in game development. Issues often come from poor organization rather than from the skill level of individual team members.