GoKawiil
Tech News
A Fast Company opinion piece argues that employee well-being should be managed with the same rigor as other core business objectives, requiring a senior executive to take explicit ownership of it. The author, who earlier this year predicted 2026 could be a turning point for workplace well-being, says HR leaders must drive this cultural shift, citing low trust in HR departments as a key obstacle.
Emma Grede, cofounder of Skims, said in a podcast interview this week that treating employees like family is not part of a boss's job. She argued that many business leaders are too friendly with their staff.
A commentary piece argues that employee happiness has declined across many workplaces compared to earlier eras, drawing on the author's own experience reminiscing about a past employer known for high morale. The piece suggests this drop in joy is not just a wellbeing issue but one tied directly to business outcomes.
An Entrepreneur contributor revisits management professor Jerry Harvey's 1974 'Abilene Paradox,' a story about a family taking a miserable road trip none of them actually wanted, to illustrate how groups can arrive at decisions nobody supports because each person assumes others want it. The piece argues that agreeableness has a cost: dissenters face pressure to justify their views, so teams often default to false consensus unless leaders actively build a culture that welcomes disagreement.
An Entrepreneur contributor argues that workplace culture directly shapes customer experience, citing employee engagement as a key driver of business growth. The piece recommends practical steps like flexible break times and dedicated quiet zones to boost staff morale, which in turn is said to improve customer interactions.
A satirical piece published under the title 'We Must Return to the Office to Use AI in Person' imagines a dystopian company, Mondo Mayo, that forces employees back into the office under absurd 'Core Principles' and constant AI surveillance tools like 'Best Buddy' and 'SlurryHose.' The narrator, an 'Associate Slop Doula,' recounts mandatory retreats, an overabundance of leadership titles, and a rented robotic 'Mondo Machine' that parents family life remotely, all framed as justification for RTO policies.
Fast Company has released its 2026 Best Workplaces for Innovators list, recognizing nine companies with 50 or fewer employees for category honors. Judges evaluated these small firms specifically on how well they cultivate cultures that encourage innovation among staff.
Fast Company has recognized 13 companies with 201 to 999 employees as category winners in its Best Workplaces for Innovators 2026 list. Judges evaluated these growing, midsize enterprises for how effectively they build cultures that support innovation, ranking them above peers of similar size.
A commentary piece argues that common sense functions like a muscle that weakens from disuse, and asks why practical judgment is so rare in modern workplaces. The piece suggests organizational structures and processes may be crowding out employees' basic instincts and reasoning.
New workplace research draws on the roles of dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins to explain how recognition, gratitude, connection, and fun can boost team culture. The findings build on a 2019 Oxford University study that found employees were 13% more productive when happier, prompting companies to expand benefits and flexible work options.
A leadership commentary argues that companies fixated on preventing turnover are asking the wrong question. Instead of chasing retention metrics or matching competitors' pay raises, the piece contends businesses should invest in developing employees, arguing this naturally builds a workplace culture people choose to stay in.
A workplace analysis outlines seven common leadership behaviors that gradually erode employee morale and push skilled workers to leave their jobs. Rather than a single bad incident, the piece argues these are repeated patterns—like poor communication, favoritism, or lack of recognition—that accumulate over time until employees decide to walk away.