Global Talent #27
Navigating the Anti-DEI Space, What Businesses Can Learn From Space Innovation, and How to Use Conflict as a Powerful Tool at Work
Future-Proofing Your Business: What Can the Space Industry Teach Us About Work?
Shelli Brunswick | Forbes | February 10, 2025
Space innovation demonstrates how industries can integrate advanced technologies and redefine leadership. AI-driven technologies (like those used in NASA's Mars rovers) are reshaping industries by automating tasks, improving decision-making, and enhancing efficiency. Effective leadership is crucial, requiring technical expertise at the board level and integrity/empathy from C-level executives. Front-line leaders play a key role in building resilience within their teams. Furthermore, psychological safety, as demonstrated by NASA, fosters innovation and adaptability. The space industry's focus on innovation, resilience, and collaboration offers valuable insights for businesses to thrive amid disruption by embracing innovation, empowering their workforce, and cultivating resilience.
Can Conflict Be the Secret Ingredient to a Thriving Workplace?
Matt Paese | The HR Director | February 10, 2025
Conflict in the workplace is inevitable and can be beneficial if approached constructively. Leaders play a crucial role in fostering open dialogue and respectful disagreement, which can fuel innovation and improve decision-making. However, a recent study found that only 30% of leaders feel confident in handling disagreements, highlighting the need for leadership development programs. To make disagreements constructive, leaders should welcome diverse opinions, encourage open communication, and ensure discussions remain focused on the issue, avoiding personal attacks. HR professionals are instrumental in equipping leaders with conflict management skills, such as empathy and the ability to guide discussions toward resolution. When constructive disagreement is encouraged, organizations benefit from deeper thinking, creative solutions, increased employee engagement, and stronger team cohesion.
How Can Companies Stay True to Inclusion Despite Anti-DEI Orders?
Julie Kratz | Fast Company | February 11, 2025
Recent anti-DEI headlines can create unease, but organizations committed to fairness should reaffirm their values. Leaders must remind teams that DEI work is legal, focusing on equal opportunity under Title VII, and review programs with legal counsel to address potential risks like quotas. Communicate a clear commitment to inclusion, avoiding jargon and emphasizing a workplace where everyone feels valued. Consider equipping leaders with talking points that highlight the benefits of DEI, such as attracting talent and driving innovation. The author also makes a point to reframe DEI around fairness, belonging, and diverse perspectives, showcasing its universal benefits. Businesses must quantify the advantages of inclusion by highlighting increased profits and reduced costs from turnover and lawsuits. Proactively sharing inclusion success stories and advocating for fairness through policy changes, and demonstrating a commitment to building a better future are also great ways to help affirm your values.
Beyond Activity Monitoring: What's the Key to Managing Remote Teams?
Alexander B. Hamrick, Chase Thiel, et al | Harvard Business Review | February 12, 2025
Even with pushes to get people back in the office, remote work is still a significant trend. Projections estimate that approximately 36.2 million Americans will be working remotely by the end of 2025, a notable increase from the 22.5 million in 2023. This sustained prevalence of remote work has left companies searching for effective methods to monitor and evaluate the performance of their remote employees. Traditional approaches to tracking productivity often miss the mark in remote settings. Instead, the article highlights the importance of focusing on outcomes and results rather than simply monitoring activity levels. It suggests that companies should clearly define expectations, set measurable goals, and provide regular feedback to remote teams. Furthermore, fostering open communication and building trust are crucial for maintaining engagement and ensuring that remote workers feel connected and supported.
How Will Society Redefine Work in a World Without 9-to-5 Jobs?
The Future of Work | Aevy TV | November 27, 2025
The nature of work is undergoing a fundamental shift, not just in terms of job displacement but in the very concept of employment itself. A recent analysis highlights how automation, AI, and rapid technological advancements are accelerating a transformation that previously took generations to unfold. Historically, work evolved from survival-based hunter-gatherer societies to agricultural labor, then to the rigid structure of industrial jobs. The modern 9-to-5 workweek is, in fact, a relatively recent phenomenon—barely 200 years old. Today, change is happening exponentially. Machines are replacing human roles, not just in manufacturing but in creative and decision-making tasks. The accelerating pace means that skills once considered lifelong assets can become obsolete within years. Psychological resistance to change—what experts call "transition anxiety"—is a natural response, but ignoring the shift isn’t an option. The real question now is not just how work will change, but how society will redefine purpose, identity, and stability in a post-job world.
