Werd I/O

[Scharon Harding at Ars Technica]

From the "gee, you don't say" department:

"Return-to-office (RTO) mandates have caused companies to lose some of their best workers, a study tracking over 3 million workers at 54 "high-tech and financial" firms at the S&P 500 index has found. These companies also have greater challenges finding new talent, the report concluded."

The study finds that RTO policies increased turnover rates by 14% - although, of course, in many cases that was part of the point, as a kind of quiet layoff that didn't involve the same level of bad press or the financial commitments to departing employees. (As part of the study, 25% of executives admitted to this. Which is a lot!)

The study also calls out that RTO rules convey "a culture of distrust that encourages management through monitoring," which is spot on - and nobody wants to feel like they're being surveilled or treated like children.

Don't get me wrong: I love coming into the office from time to time. But RTO policies - at least for most knowledge workers - are an employee-hostile policy.

#Labor

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[Emily Peck at Axios]

"70% of Americans said they approved of unions, per Gallup's most recent poll, conducted in August."

This represents a giant change in American society: labor unions haven't been this popular since 1967. But at the same time, union membership is at a record low, at just 10%.

In other words, Americans want unions but aren't typically members. We're likely to see more and more union organization attempts over the next few years, and workplaces that are unionized may have competitive advantages over workplaces that aren't in terms of attracting workers.

Because unions have been so suppressed, managers likely also need a refresher (or a from-scratch lesson) in terms of what is legal and illegal when it comes to dealing with unions in the workplace.

Bottom line: they're not going away. And likely quite the opposite. Whatever your position on unions (I think they're an important force for worker rights), they are going to increasingly be a part of the organizational landscape.

#Labor

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"The National Labor Relations Board issued a complaint Tuesday alleging Mozilla refused to hire Scarlett because of her past labor activism. The agency’s prosecutors called on Mozilla to offer Scarlett the position she applied for in 2021 or a similar role, and to otherwise make her whole for damages as a result of not being hired."

Whatever the outcome of this complaint, there is effective blacklisting in tech. I sincerely hope that people continue to speak out and organize. #Labor

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"The more access dads have to paternity leave, [...] the better able they are to adjust to parenthood, helping also make them more effective co-parents as their children get older."

All the more reason to ensure that everywhere has fantastic parental leave for all parents. The US is one of only seven nations to not have a national paid parental leave policy - something we should all be ashamed of.

I feel privileged and happy that I got to take time off when my little one was younger, and that I get to spend the walk to and from daycare with him almost every day. It's a pleasure and I'm certain it's helped create a stronger bond between us. Why would I want to forgo it? #Labor

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This is a complete misunderstanding of the nature and value of unions: they're not just for low-income workers. Unionization can help all workers and make healthier workplaces for everyone.

Even with that aside, this kind of public rhetoric pits a manager directly against his workforce in a way that surely can't be healthy for company culture or morale. A case study in what not to do.

TL;DR: unions are good, actually. #Labor

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I firmly agree with this stance (and my career wouldn't have been possible without it): let employees build and release side projects. It'll make them better at their jobs and a lot happier to boot. #Labor

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“About 5 percent of women who were working remotely reported instances in that time, compared with 12 percent of in-person women workers. Overall, only 5 percent of remote workers reported instances in the past three years, compared with 9 percent of those who work fully or mostly in person.” #Labor

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Flexible work from home policies have allowed more mothers with young children to join the workforce than ever before. Yet another reason why these policies are positive for everyone and should not just stick around but be significantly expanded. #Labor

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Remote workers feel less connected to company missions, but the big message here is that nobody really feels all that connected. There are no superficial answers here: the real differentiators are better company cultures where people feel truly valued, much stronger communication, and better missions. #Labor

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A neat rule: union-busters must recognize the unions they're trying to undermine. The union rebound continues. #Labor

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On the wage threat of AI: “Hollywood is showing us how best to take that stand: by unionizing our workplaces, and fighting for strong contracts. Now’s the time to form a union with your coworkers, and discuss what protections you’ll need to face this moment.” #Labor

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A perfect piece on where we’re at in time. Personally, I’m not going back to the office, and I applaud greater worker power. We need to move forward. #Labor

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Return to Office mandates are counterproductive and destroy morale. They also make your team less productive. They’re worker-hostile and work-hostile. So why do them? #Labor

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An example of why unions are great: a better wage secured for a large workforce, with better conditions. They weren't asking for anything crazy: reasonable pay, guaranteed vacations, and air conditioning in the trucks. It's just unfortunate that they didn't have these things before. #Labor

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Really interesting to see people from across industries and disciplines fight for better conditions at the same time. I'd say it's promising; even hopeful. I would like to see them all succeed, and for more to follow. #Labor

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Adam Conover's activism has been refreshing to see during the writer's strike: not just picketing the studios but educating the public about what a union does and how a strike works at the same time. It's also fun to hear about other entertainers I admire working hard to support the picket lines. #Labor

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It's probably not too controversial to say that ubiquitous internet has hurt everyone's work-life balance. To see what should be normal life reflected in a "remember when ..." nostalgia piece is jarring. I remember this world! #Labor

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Exactly this. What this piece calls People Theory, I call motivation over metrics. It's the same idea: there are no cheat codes for people. You've actually got to use empathy with each other and build a community made of three dimensional human beings. #Labor

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This feels like a good opportunity for a studio to become pro-union and scoop up every amazing writer in the business. #Labor

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“The law, which passed in December, requires that employers provide accommodations for pregnancy-related medical conditions, everything from pregnancy to childbirth to postpartum recovery.” #Labor

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“I have to remember that my health is more important than my job. And the pain that you’re used to is still a pain you should run away from.” #Labor

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“Google will consider office attendance records in performance reviews and send reminders to employees with frequent absences, becoming the latest company to urge a return to in-person collaboration following an embrace of remote work during the pandemic.” This is wretched. #Labor

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“Leaders who are truly committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace must ask themselves these two critical questions: What are the individual, interpersonal, and organizational costs of neglecting how psychological safety is different for Black women? And how might a tailored approach to psychological safety boost well-being and work outcomes of Black women in the workforce?” #Labor

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“In 1940, the Fair Labor Standards Act reduced the workweek to 40 hours. Today, as a result of huge advances in technology and productivity, now is the time to lower the workweek to 32 hours—with no loss in pay. Workers must benefit from advanced technology, not just the 1%.” #Labor

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“When Kyra Jones wrote for the ABC broadcast show “Queens,” she collected a $14,000 residuals check that helped her get through the months after the project ended and she was without work. Then last summer, she got her first residuals check for writing on the Hulu streaming show “Woke.” It was $4.” #Labor

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