The New Way We Work
Fast Company deputy editor Kathleen Davis explores the evolving landscape of work, covering remote and hybrid work, AI's impact on jobs, gender equity, DEI efforts, career ladders, motivation, and mental health. The podcast also offers practical advice on interviews, résumés, salary negotiations, and office jargon.
Episodes
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CHASE FOR BUSINESS - The Small Business Surge: Why Entrepreneurial Growth Is Defying Economic Noise
Small business owners are staying optimistic — three-quarters expect revenue gains despite ongoing labor shortages, inflation pressures, and economic uncertainty. Their confidence, fueled by strong demand and increased clarity around tax policy, is driving investment and innovation heading into 2026.
How to empower developers to focus on the creative aspects of engineering - FROM CAPITAL ONE AND FC CUSTOM STUDIO
In this custom episode from Fast Company Custom Studio and Capital One, you will learn best practices for how companies can help developers move up the stack, including how to reduce infrastructure management, embrace automation and AI-enhanced development, and equip developers with the right tooling. We’ll discuss these best practices through the lens of how Capital One does it scale, and ultimat
How do you make up for lack of experience on your resume?
You can't get a job without experience, but you can't get experience without a job. Tricky, right? Well, it won't seem so tough after you hear Kate's tips. Then, listen to one of our favorites episodes from the show's archives on mistakes to avoid when writing your resume.
What are a human’s rights in an AI workplace?
How labor leaders and workers across industries are asserting the rights and protections for human employees in the face of increasing automation.
How do I get a promotion?
There are a lot of variables, like timing and budget, that don’t have much to do with how good you are at your job. Still, here’s the best way to set yourself up for success.
Fired by a bot? What happens when AI takes over performance reviews and layoffs
If both employees and leadership think performance reviews are broken, could artificial intelligence be the magic bullet that fixes it? We get answers.
Bonus: What can I do if I'm experiencing ageism at work?
We're taking a quick detour from our AI interview series on The New Way We Work to dig into another big issue when it comes to adapting to change at your job — ageism.
How to learn to work with your new AI coworker
On this week’s episode of The New Way We Work, we explain how both companies and employees should prepare for a fast-paced digital transformation.
The Rise of Async Work - FROM FASTCO WORKS AND ATLASSIAN
Joe Thomas, cofounder and head of product at Loom Atlassian discusses how asynchronous work is a beneficial collaboration approach to modern work.
4 ways AI is changing how you get a job
On the latest episode of The New Way We Work, AI ethicist Dr. Kerry McInerney explains what AI tools job seekers are likely to encounter and how both hiring managers and candidates can work with new technology
The New Way We Work is back! And we are unpacking how AI will change the workplace
Like it or not, artificial intelligence is very likely going to be a part of your workplace reality. In fact, it might be already. And on the next several episodes of The New Way We Work, we're going to explore how AI is already changing our jobs and what we can expect in the future — both the good and the bad. New episodes every other Monday starting February 3rd.
Innovating for impact: how this Alabama-based tech institute fuels biosciences discovery
Alabama’s ecosystem of innovation is built on the strength of its entrepreneurs, workforce, policymakers, and community leaders. Leading economic development at HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Carter Wells has long worked at the intersection of these stakeholders, fueling innovation, collaboration, and impact across 45 biotech companies in the state. In this custom episode, learn how Cart
Celebrating Fast Company's 5th Annual Queer 50
For the past five years, Fast Company has published the annual Queer 50, a list of the most influential LGBTQ leaders in business, tech, and beyond. The list is a celebration of queer representation and influence in the highest ranks of business. Honorees include those working on addressing the most relevant topics of our time, including responsible AI, trans rights, healthcare, and the future of
Adapting to change
Our show is based on the premise that work is changing everyday. But there’s a big problem with that: Change is hard, scary . . . and necessary. Now more than ever, as AI is integrated into our jobs, we are asked to adapt to seismic shifts at a much faster rate than in the past. But it’s human nature to resist uncomfortable changes, even if we know it might be for the best. So how can we make thes
No one knows what’s in the fine print
One in five American workers have signed a noncompete clause in their employment contract, and many likely had no idea what they were agreeing to. Noncompete clauses typically prevent workers from joining competitors for a certain period of time after their employment; and although many people only expect to see those restrictions only in high-level positions, they actually apply to a surprising n
Figuring out your best office communication style
Should you send an email, or is Slack the better way to communicate with your colleagues? Is it ever okay to text a client? Can you use emojis with your boss—and if you can, should you? Communication at work can be really fraught and depends on the subject matter, your industry, your company culture, plus your individual style and preference. And given all that, there’s lots of room for mistakes a
Work is ableist
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 61 million adults in the United States have at least one disability, and for nearly half that population, the disability is invisible or at least not apparent. These conditions often don’t manifest in ways that are immediately evident to others—such as chronic pain, diabetes, autism, ADHD, learning disabilities, arthritis, and more
The workday is poorly designed
We take for granted the standard 40-hour, 5-day workweek, but this structured schedule was implemented to suit a very different reality than most of us work and live in today. In recent years, the 4-day workweek has gained attention. But that kind of restructuring seems to leave many with more logistical questions than answers: What about parents trying to match a school schedule, or sleep-deprive
Why so many of us feel lonely at work
Leaders have tried to sell work as ‘one big family’ for years. With the proliferation of terms like ‘office besties’ and ‘work spouses,’ many employees have viewed work as a type of family too. But anyone who has been passed over for a promotion they deserved or laid off after years of hard work knows the hard truth: Work isn’t your family. In fact, work can make people feel lonely by preventing t
Hiring is broken
Even as the nature of work changes and innovations transform our jobs, the hiring process feels stuck in the same biased, ineffective rut. Too often, when companies finds themselves with an open position, they fall back on the same broken methods: mining leadership’s narrow, professional networks, or posting the same ineffective job ads in the same places. So how can we fix a system that’s so ingr
Nobody knows how much anybody is making
No matter what job you have, you’ve probably felt at various points in your career that you don’t make enough. And because money can be a taboo topic, we rarely reveal what our salaries are—even with the people we’re closest to. In a recent survey, only about half the participants said they share their salary with family members, while just 32% said they share how much they make with close friends
Hard work isn’t (always) rewarded
One of the secret problems with work is that hard work alone isn’t enough to get ahead. It’s a tough wake-up call for those of us who spent our school years working to get all As and doing all the things we were told were the key to a successful life. The truth is, work—and the rest of the “real world”—isn’t a meritocracy. The most hard-working, and even the smartest or most-talented, people aren’
Your manager is bad at their job
Fifty percent of people say they’ve quit a job because of a bad boss. Why are so many managers unable to effectively manage? And is there a way to learn how to be a better manager? Leadership coach Lia Bosch joins host Kathleen Davis to talk about what companies get wrong about management and how bosses can be better at their jobs.
The problem with work is . . .
Welcome back to Season 12 of ‘The New Way We Work’!Even in the best of times, there’s always been an undercurrent of conflict between the priorities of corporate leadership and the needs of employees. But in the last several years, that tension has increased noticeably. Whether it’s the ongoing battles over employees returning to the office (or not), the renewed uproar over executive pay, or misst
We are back with new episodes next week!
The New Way We Work is back for a new season next week and we are unpacking the biggest problems with work! Problems like lack of pay transparency, how hard work too often goes unrewarded, how the wrong people end up as managers, and so much more.
Powering the Future - AI Bootcamp FROM FASTCO WORKS AND SAP
The impact of AI on finance departments will be huge.
Supply Ch(AI)n Strategy Session - AI Bootcamp FROM FASTCO WORKS AND SAP
How artificial intelligence is shaping the product journeys from procurement to end customers.
Time for Growth - AI Bootcamp FROM FASTCO WORKS AND SAP
In this podcast, leaders in HR and AI reveal what it will take for businesses to get their staff on board.
How to fix everything that's wrong with meetings
According to surveys, the average employee spends more than 4 hours a week in meetings, but around 90% of people consider their meetings to be unproductive. While it’s tempting to eliminate meetings altogether, they are often a necessary part of getting work done. In this recent LinkedIn Audio conversation with ‘Fast Company’ senior editor Julia Herbst, we talked about how to drastically cut down
Everything you need to know about what work will be like in 2024
Work has changed a lot in the last few years: from the shift to remote work to the struggle over returning to the office, from the great resignation to mass layoffs at tech and media companies, from the rise in union organizing to the rise in AI in workplaces. So what does 2024 hold for companies, leaders, and employees? Today’s episode is a recording of a recent LinkedIn Audio conversation with
How to make performance reviews less tedious and more useful
The end of the year brings a lot of office traditions: holiday parties, year-end bonuses if you’re lucky, and often performance reviews. In this LinkedIn Audio conversation with senior editor Julia Herbst, we talk about common biases to avoid, what to say about areas of improvement, and how to get the most out of the process.
Looking back at the biggest stories from 2023
Kate Davis is joined by Fast Company podcast hosts KC Ifeanyi, Yasmin Gange and Josh Christensen to discuss the biggest stories from 2023
Designing an office workers actually want to return to
Workplaces move through design trends and conceptual themes just like other parts of modern interior commercial design. Remember the evolution of the cubicle farm, or the early 2000s’ startup office with a long communal desk (and ping pong table nearby)? But now, with our in-office and work-from-home routines in flux, what design elements will the future office feature? Fast Company writer Nate Be
Your biggest career risks
Sometimes, taking a scary, big career risk is the move that changes everything. We asked attendees at the Fast Company Innovation Festival a few months ago to share the biggest career risks they’ve ever taken. We heard everything, from switching to a new industry to dedicating their work to a cause they care about.
Science-based ways to help boost emotional intelligence at work
Emotional intelligence remains a workplace buzzword that confuses many people. On this episode from our LinkedIn Audio series, Farah Harris, author of ‘The Color of Emotional Intelligence,’ discusses how emotional awareness and management play into our office lives. It’s a skill often treated as optional, but mastering emotional intelligence—the ability to manage your emotions and understanding th
How do I know if I should quit my job?
Quitting a job is a huge decision, so what are the signs that it’s time to go? Chronic burnout or toxic colleagues might be a few of the red flags.
Forget the midlife crisis. The ‘midlife collision’ is having a huge impact on the workforce
For decades, the typical image of a midlife crisis has been a man buying a sports car or getting a divorce and marrying a younger woman. Whether or not that still rings true, for women in the workplace that has nothing to do with reality. Midlife for women is the time when menopause, family caregiving, career ambitions, and a range of other personal shifts come together. In fact, author and consul
How to talk about your biggest weakness
"What's your biggest weakness?" remains one of the trickier job interview questions frequently posed to an interviewee. How do you tout your skills and accomplishments while being honest about your challenges?
We spent a week letting AI bots handle our emails and meetings. It didn’t go quite as planned
After hearing from experts about how AI is changing the office, we decided to test out a few AI tools and report back on how they brilliantly changed our workflow. But as it turns out, some of these tools are definitely not ready to deliver the productivity boosts they promise.
Why you need a cover letter
Writing a cover letter, especially when not required by a job application, can feel like a big pain. But it really makes a big difference—here’s why.
FROM FASTCO WORKS AND CAPITAL ONE: Empathy and Innovation: Keeping the Customer at the Center
Companies now have mountains of data to help drive decisions and develop products, but a holistic approach to product development must also prioritize customers’ needs and preferences. In this podcast interview, Stephanie Mehta, CEO of Mansueto Ventures, the parent of Fast Company, sits down with Emily Roberts, Senior Vice President and Head of Enterprise Consumer Product at Capital One to hear ho
This is how AI is changing nearly every aspect of work
This year, funding for AI-related startups has surpassed $23 billion dollars, and thousands of AI tools promise to automate tasks in every type of job. But instead of thinking about how technology can replace humans, Aneesh Raman, vice president and head of the Opportunity Project at LinkedIn, believes this system-level change will bring more humanity into the workplace. Aneesh shared his thoughts
How to give negative feedback
Giving negative feedback at work may feel uncomfortable, but it's a necessary part of communication. Here are some tips for making the process constructive.
FROM FASTCO WORKS AND SAP - Growth Agents: How Pink Lily went from a side hustle to a multimillion-dollar company
The company’s director of finance explains how her job goes well beyond accounting. Tina Hetzer, director of finance at Pink Lily, is one of the rising financial stars who are helping to bring their businesses to the next level. She built Pink Lily’s finance team from scratch and has helped the company become one of the fastest-growing retailers in the country. In this podcast, part of the SAP-spo
When you can’t afford to live where you work
The housing crisis in the U.S. continues to get worse, with the highest mortgage rates in a generation currently and rents outpacing inflation by more than 40%. And the problem isn’t just in cities like New York and San Francisco. It’s affecting many other places where tourism is a major industry or high-cost areas that have unique jobs (like being a ski patroller), which don’t pay enough to actua
How to manage a micromanaging boss
If your boss is constantly checking up on you, looking over your shoulder—literally, figuratively, even virtually—here are some strategies for creating a better working relationship.
FROM FASTCO WORKS AND SAP - Growth Agents: Duolingo’s CFO on how the company took over the language learning space
Duolingo’s freemium subscription model, beloved brand and strategic investments have allowed it to execute its educational mission and become a cultural touchstone. Matthew Skaruppa, CFO of Duolingo, is one of the rising financial stars who are helping to bring their businesses to the next level. Since he joined the company in 2020, Duolingo has grown its base of monthly active users by more than
Why the childcare industry isn’t unionized
A couple of weeks ago, the U.S. went over the “childcare cliff” as billions of dollars of pandemic-era federal funding for childcare expired. But childcare providers have been struggling since well before the pandemic, with rising costs and little recourse but to raise their own prices. The chain reaction now for providers, children, and parents could mean a large decrease in women in the workforc
Tips on salary negotiation
It's nerve-racking to negotiate your salary, especially with a new employer! Here's how to reframe the conversation and ask for what you want.
FROM FASTCO WORKS AND SAP - Growth Agents: The inside story of Sweetgreen’s rapid rise to the top
Mitch Reback, CFO of Sweetgreen, is one of the rising corporate financial stars who is helping to take their companies to the next level. When he started, Sweetgreen had 25 stores; today, there are more than 220—and Reback says the company is still in its “infancy.” In this podcast, part of the SAP-sponsored Growth Agents series, Reback takes a deep dive into his role as a growth agent. Capital is
How DEI work is being threatened since the affirmative action ban—and how companies fight back
When the Supreme Court ruled in June that race-based affirmative action practices in college admissions was unconstitutional, it not only sent universities scrambling, but it also caused a lot of confusion within companies. What would it mean for diversity, equity, and inclusion departments and initiatives? It didn’t help that as soon as the decision was issued, opponents of DEI efforts capitalize
Why companies should care about their employees' happiness and creating good jobs
We’re in an era where employee fulfillment and purpose are essential, but have management principles caught up? Today’s episode was recorded live at the Fast Company Innovation Festival last week in New York City, with Rachel Korberg, founder and executive director of the Family and Workers Fund, and Sarah Kalloch, executive director of the nonprofit Good Jobs Institute. We talked about the scienc
How to regain focus and re-find your motivation
Find it difficult to focus at work? Is the environment the problem, or is it our own brain? In this special conversation from LinkedIn Audio, Fast Company's Work Life team breaks down what’s really behind our inability to focus, how to deal with distractions and train your brain to concentrate, and how to find motivation in your work.
Forget about FOMO, we have JOMO
We’ve all heard of FOMO, fear of missing out, but what about . . . JOMO? Podcast producer Blake Odom joins this episode to talk about the ‘Joy of Missing Office,’ with input from a few ‘Fast Company’ staffers who work remotely. Besides the comforts of home and skipping a terrible commute, what else do we love to miss about office life?
Welcome to The New Way We Work!
What your company probably got wrong about its return-to-office plan
Many companies are still trying to figure out how to coax employees back to the office and how to design hybrid models that work for everyone. Not going so well yet: Bosses are clashing with employees who want to continue working remotely or at least maintain some of the flexibility they’ve had over the past few years.
Gleb Tsipursky, frequent ‘Fast Company’ contributor and CEO of the future-of-wo
New season coming soon!
The next season of The New Way We Work starts next week! This fall, we might not be heading back to school but policies around coming back to the office (or not!) are still on a lot of people's minds. We'll also be digging into how the Supreme Court's ruling on affirmative action in college admissions might affect the workplace, anxiety over AI, and the pushback against productivity culture. Plus,
How to know when it’s time to quit your job
Thinking of quitting your job? Whether you are miserable and dream of quitting your job in a dramatic TikTok-worthy fashion, or if you’re just feeling stagnant and uninspired, leaving your job is a huge decision. In this special LinkedIn Audio conversation, Fast Company Editors Kathleen Davis, Julia Herbst, and AJ Hess offer advice on red flags to look out for, steps to take once you know it’s tim
Essential Advice for Landing Your Dream Job
In this special interview from LinkedIn Audio, Judith Humphrey, Fast Company contributor and author of the new book "The Job Seeker’s Script" gives her best advice for job searching. What pieces of your resume can you trim, and what parts should you highlight? How important are cover letters...really? And once you land the interview, how do you answer the classic prompt, "Tell me a bit about yours
Fast Company's 4th annual Queer 50 list
Fast Company's fourth annual Queer 50 list, which publishes on Tuesday June 13th, celebrates the representation and influence of LGBTQ women and nonbinary leaders across industries. The individuals on the list have a seat at the table among the highest ranks for billion-dollar companies and powerful positions in advocacy, politics, and entertainment. They are also, in many cases, doing critical wo
What we've learned about work over the last 5 years
On June 6, 2018 the first episode of this podcast aired with an episode titled “What’s ruining our sleep.” The show at the time was called “Secrets of the Most Productive People” a nod to Fast Company's annual magazine package of the same name where we ask people from across industries how they get things done. Since then, this show has covered nearly every area of work life from imposter syndrome
How to avoid procrastination
Today’s episode is an edited version of a recent LinkedIn Audio conversation with Senior Staff Editor Julia Herbst. We dug into research on the different forms procrastination can take and explore strategies for overcoming it.
Presenting! The new season of 'Most Innovative Companies'
Is AI coming for our jobs?? ‘Fast Company’ senior staff editor Max Ufberg explains that it is . . . but that it’s not all bad news.
And Yaz chatted with Loom CEO Joe Thomas—Loom is essentially TikTok for business, which sounds crazier than it is—about how video conferencing is here to stay.
Also, a special thanks to Marfa Public Radio for helping us out with some recording on this episode!
How to deal with a bad boss
Today’s episode is an edited version of a LinkedIn Audio discussion I had recently with Senior Editor Julia Herbst and Staff Editor AJ Hess where we covered how to manage your manager and offered advice for managers to make sure they aren’t making missteps that could make employees disengage.
What is the real value of a college degree? And how to make a career without one
Kate Davis talks with Fast Company Editor, Christopher Zara, about his book "Uneducated: A Memoir of Flunking Out, Falling Apart, and Finding My Worth"
Is it possible to have HR that employees don't hate?
Kate Davis talks with Lars Schmidt about what a progressive, employee-centric human resources department would look like? What roles would it contain? And, If there is a future where HR is no longer the butt of office jokes?
Lars is the founder of the HR consultancy Amplify, speaker, host of the Redefining Work podcast, author of the book Redefining HR, and a regular contributor to Fast Company
How retirement looks different for Gen Z than it does for boomers
How is retirement changing for those with a few years versus a few decades left in the workforce? How can you plan for retirement at any age or career stage? How is retirement likely to change over the next generation? On this week's episode, Kate Davis talks with Emily Guy Birken to answer these questions. Birken is an author, money coach, and retirement expert who has written several books inclu
The two sides of ageism in the workplace for women
Earlier this season, Kate Davis talked to New York Times columnist Jessica Grose about a piece Grose wrote called “the hour between babe and hag”. The article examines gendered ageism. Jessica writes that there seems to be about 10 years when a woman can hope to be taken seriously at work. Roughly from age 35-45. On either end of that, women are more likely to face ageism. On one side for being pe
What do Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z want from work?
Kate Davis and the work life team at Fast Company talk about what different generations of employees want out of work
Employee Surveillance: who's doing it and why?
Kate Davis talks with Albert Fox Cahn about what employers tracking and what tools are they using, If there any regulations around employee surveillance, and if your boss even has to tell you that you are being monitored. Albert Fox Cahn is the founder and executive director of the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project. He’s also a fellow at Yale Law School’, and at The Harvard Kennedy School
What’s a human’s place in the AI Future of Work?
The earliest Artificial Intelligence program was written way back in 1951 but outside of science fiction AI didn’t enter the mainstream conversation until decades later. At Fast Company we’ve been covering AI technologies for many years but nothing has compared to the excitement and fear that Open AI and their artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT has caused since it launched this past Novemb
How will AI change our jobs
On today's episode, Kate explains how AI might change our jobs. A 2021 poll found that 48% of Americans fear that automation will reduce the number of jobs, but is there really something to be afraid of?
You can't fix DEI issues just by throwing money at the problem
Kate Davis talks with Amber Cabral about diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace. Amber is an Inclusion Strategist, certified coach, speaker and author of Allies and Advocates: Creating an Inclusive and Equitable Culture.
What's next for workplace Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
On the latest episode of ‘The New Way We Work,’ we discuss what happens when companies cut their DEI departments to save money. Wema Hoover, a global diversity, equity, and inclusion expert noted that many companies may be trimming DEI roles because they never took it seriously to begin with.
For one brief moment workers were empowered
Kate Davis talks with Fast Company Senior Editor Julia Herbst about an article she recently wrote looking at whether employees are still feeling as empowered and in control of their careers as they did a year ago.
The Unsustainability of American Motherhood
Kate Davis talks with Jessica Grose, New York Times opinion writer, about her new book “Screaming on the inside: the Unsustainability of American Motherhood”
We are back with new episodes on February 20th!
We are back with new episodes on February 20th!
The Future of the Labor Movement
This week we have a panel recorded at the Fast Company Innovation Festival in New York last fall. This discussion was one of my favorites from the Festival - Fast Company editor Morgan Clendaniel spoke to Sara Nelson, President of the Flight Attendants union; Christian Smalls, President, Amazon Labor Union; and Saket Soni, Founder, Resilience Force about the future of the labor movement, how covid
How to support your employees mental health
Today’s episode was recorded at the Fast Company Innovation Festival in New York last fall. Bhavik Shah, principal from Mind Share Partners presented a workshop about how to support mental health of employees. He joined me in the podcast booth on the festival floor to talk about how he thinks the workplace will change over the next few years, how leaders can address and support mental health for t
How to Keep Your New Year's Resolutions
When it comes to New Years Resolutions, why do so many of us fail – and what’s the secret to those few that manage to follow through? For this LinkedIn Audio from Tuesday 1/10, Fast Company's Work Life editors comb through all the best advice around goal setting and share their tips.
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