#workplace-well-being

#workplace-well-being

We've long misunderstood hope in the workplace. We've treated it as wishful thinking-a nice-to-have feeling that emerges when things are going well. But research from psychologist C.R. Snyder reveals something far more powerful: Hope is a cognitive process with three essential components: goals (what we want to achieve), pathways (our ability to identify routes to those goals), and agency (our belief that we can pursue those paths). This isn't passive optimism; it's an active strategy for navigating uncertainty and driving meaningful change.

I became interested in consulting through some older friends while studying at the University of São Paulo in Brazil. Their stories about how fast you could learn and grow in the career made me want to pursue it. I applied to all the top firms and accepted McKinsey's offer to be a business analyst in 2010 as soon as I received it. It was the best thing I could imagine as a long-term career.

Since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, personal priorities have shifted. Many began to recognize the fragility of health, the value of family, and the all-too-common symptoms of burnout. In response, they are adopting a different approach. A new trend known as "soft productivity" has emerged as a guiding philosophy for a growing number of working Americans. In the five years since the pandemic, it has steadily taken hold, reshaping what "normal" looks like on the job.

Staying up with AI's changing landscape is getting workers down. Forty-one percent of professionals report AI's current pace is impacting their well-being, and more than half of professionals say learning about AI feels like another job in and of itself, according to the latest . LinkedIn monitored conversations on the platform that included the words "overwhelm" or "overwhelmed," "burn out," and "navigating change" from July 2024 through June 2025, while also keeping an eye on AI topics and keywords around that same time.

The research found that AI is driving pressure among workers to upskill, despite how little they know about the technology -- and it's "fueling insecurity among professionals at work," the study said. Thirty-three percent of professionals admitted they felt embarrassed about how little they understand AI, and 35% of professionals said they feel nervous about bringing it up at work because of their lack of knowledge.

Conversations between two people with ADHD can be hard to follow, often leading to tangents and information dumping, which can confuse neurotypicals.

A management approach known as spacious leadership emphasizes creating room for others to actively participate and make choices while ensuring leaders also focus on their own effectiveness.

As employee burnout rates soar, companies are losing billions to decreased productivity, absenteeism and high turnover. Long hours and chronic stress are fueling a workplace health crisis.

A significant 36% of employees have chosen to work from home primarily to escape the excessive noise in their offices, highlighting a crucial workplace challenge.

Safety signs and compliance rules at work matter, as behind them is a real person's well-being.

"We saw a 4% increase in worker sentiment right after the Fed paused rate hikes-literally, nothing else changed… it's about future stability."