Workplace trends

Companies are adapting workplaces for neurodivergent employees

Today, only around 14% of adults with autism hold paying jobs, according to a report by the National Autism Indicators Report. But this is changing as big businesses are starting to see their atypical ways of thinking as an advantage rather than a disability. Many autistic workers excel in roles requiring long hours on repetitive tasks and have a knack for pattern recognition that is highly valuable in fields like cybersecurity and coding. In an effort to make their workplaces more inclusive of neurodivergent employees, some companies like Startup Inclusively are building chatbots for workers who may feel uncomfortable reaching out to human resources for help, and others like Microsoft now offer interview questions in advance, recognizing the positive impact this has on neurodivergent candidates. As companies train their managers to be more communicative and inclusive, HR experts believe the number of neurodivergent employees will continue to grow.

Blue-collar jobs are back in fashion

Enrollment in vocational-focused community colleges grew 16% in 2023, according to The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, and many of these young professionals are taking to social media to document their lives on the job – adding to the appeal of vocational trades among Gen Z. On TikTok, the hashtag #bluecollar saw 500,000 posts in the first four months of 2024, marking a 64% increase compared to the same period in 2023. Posts with the hashtag #electrician rose by 77%, and both #constructionworker and #mechanic experienced similar surges, per TikTok. These posts have shed light on blue-collar work-life, revealing that the pay for new hires is often higher than wages in professional services like accounting, as per ADP data. The shifting work landscape and increasing social media traction around these roles are sending Gen Z a clear message: happiness and success don’t necessarily require a bachelor’s degree or a desk job.

The AI corner

China is training its AI models on President Xi Jinping’s thoughts

In an effort to balance the country’s tight control on free speech with fostering AI development, the Chinese government has turned to training chatbots on the thoughts of President Xi Jinping. This new language model learns exclusively from the Chinese leader’s political philosophy as well as other literature approved by the Cyberspace Administration of China. While this AI model is currently used at a research center under supervision, those involved with the project believe it will be released for wider use soon. To assist developers with the limited Chinese language data, the Cyber Security Association of China has released a database of 100 million vetted entries, taken primarily from government documents and state media, to ensure AI outputs remain aligned with their values.

Apple is bringing ChatGPT to iPhones

In a bid to take control of the AI race, Apple is partnering with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT into its Siri voice assistant and operating systems. The new AI system, dubbed “Apple Intelligence,” will enable transcription for phone calls, AI photo retouching, and improvements in the natural conversation flow with Siri. The deal is an unusual move for Apple, which is known for closely guarding its own products and not even allowing customers to download applications outside of its own app store on security grounds. This change in approach clearly got under the skin of one AI competitor, Elon Musk, who took to Twitter to voice his concerns over the security risk to Apple users and threatened to ban iPhones from Tesla if OpenAI technology is integrated into Apple’s operating systems.

5 behaviors leaders should avoid

Many of us can spot a toxic leader from a mile away, and easily pinpoint the ways in which they’re negatively affecting their team members. But what’s less easy is recognizing when well-intentioned managers are engaging in harmful leadership practices – both because they’re trying to be helpful and because employees feel guilty speaking up about it. This makes spotting and addressing unhealthy managerial behavior among those who are really trying to get it right significantly more difficult.

So, if you’re a leader with a strong desire to support your team, here are five common behaviors to avoid in order to ensure you don’t inadvertently hurt them – despite your best intentions:

Seeking constant agreement

Conflict at work, and frankly life in general, is inevitable. And yet, all too many managers fear it, worrying that it’ll hurt team dynamics and negatively impact their ability to lead. As a result, they tend to address disagreements within their team by either quickly shutting them down or pretending they’re not happening. And while this may give off the illusion that everyone’s getting along and in good spirits, in reality, this practice tends to damage team morale, harm creative problem-solving discussions, and lower motivation.

So don’t back away from conflict. Recognize that disagreements at work provide an opportunity to improve the status quo and build stronger relationships within your organization. When your team members feel empowered to respectfully challenge one another and express different opinions, it spurs innovation and stronger decision-making. And given that conflict resolution requires skills that are essential to workplace success, including analytical thinking, problem-solving, and effective collaboration, it’s important to help your team members see the value in these experiences and in the power of achieving constructive resolution together.

Trying to be everyone’s friend

Many managers believe that it’s important to treat their team like a family or group of friends in order to foster cohesiveness and a sense of belonging. But personal affiliation doesn’t equal effective teamwork and collaboration. While some employees excel with a friendly and open relationship with their managers, it’s important to be really careful with how you approach it. Because friendships with team members can quickly start to blur boundaries and create a dynamic in which it’s uncomfortable to have more difficult conversations. And at its worst, it can cause perceptions of favoritism and a feeling of forced loyalty.

So, when it comes to the friendship question with your team, prioritize their performance and professional growth – if the less formal dynamic seems to be harming either of the two, it’s time to set some more boundaries and distance. Additionally, make sure to be consistent in the relationships you build so that there’s no sense of preferential treatment or bias.

Getting too involved

Sometimes, in an effort to ensure a project’s success or avoid overworking their team members, even the most well-intentioned leaders are guilty of micromanagement. In fact, from too much supervision to placing too big of a focus on minor details, the majority of surveyed workers say they have been managed by a micromanager at some point in their career, per a recent Accountemps survey – 68% said it lowered their morale, and 55% claimed it hurt their productivity.

When you manage a team, you need to remember that while weighing in on every detail may ensure greater results on a given project, it also signals a lack of trust in your employees and limits their ability to navigate future challenges on their own. Letting go a bit, on the other hand, helps equip your team members with the skills and experience they need to thrive going forward. So, be there to offer support when your team members need it, while making it clear that you’re confident they have the skills and tools they need to succeed.

Providing too much autonomy

While some managers are prone to micromanaging, other leaders have the reverse problem: they’re too removed. In an attempt to avoid being controlling or overly involved in their team members’ work, some leaders wind up making their employees feel alone and neglected. In fact, Workhuman research revealed that nearly 30% of workers have felt invisible at work, and in an Interact and Harris survey, eight of the top nine complaints about leaders concerned absent behavior. While giving team members autonomy and a sense of trust is important, it’s equally crucial to be present.

So, if you want to empower and delegate your team members from a distance, make sure to still be available. Offer guidance and support when needed, provide meaningful feedback and recognition on a regular basis, and step up when they need more direction.

Overly shielding your team

Sometimes, in an effort to be positive and helpful, well-intentioned leaders try to hide their team members from company issues or challenges that they fear could hinder their motivation and engagement at work. But while these intentions may be pure, taking this approach risks driving uninformed decision-making and producing a sense of distrust among team members. Even when the updates aren’t positive, as a leader, you need to be transparent with your team members about what’s really going on to help them feel confident that you’re not withholding information from them or trying to make things appear different than they really are. Your team members need to be able to count on you to loop them in when challenges arise so that they can make the right strategic decisions for the team and business.

Water cooler chatter

‘Inside Out 2’ broke box office records. The sequel to the 2015 Oscar-winning hit about the emotions of a young girl called Riley brought in an estimated $295m (£232.6m) around the world over its opening weekend, marking the biggest global animated opening of all-time.

African elephants respond to unique names, according to a new study. Biologists conducting research for Nature Ecology & Evolution used machine learning to detect the use of names among savanna elephant vocalizations. These unique names come in the form of complex low rumbles and can be heard over long distances across the savannah.

Question of the week

Last week’s answer: 7 hours and 24 minutes

This week’s question: How long does it take a typical worker to refocus after a distraction?

Just for laughs

Manager bedtime story