Workplace trends

Alabama’s prison labor system is exploiting its inmates

A recent investigation by the Associated Press looked into how more than 500 businesses in Alabama lease incarcerated workers and found some disturbing truths. This cheap labor force, employed by companies like McDonald’s, Bama Budweiser, and Burger King, has generated more than $250 million for the state since 2000. While these jobs offer inmates slightly higher pay, refusing work jeopardizes their chances for early release and can lead to severe punishments, including loss of family visits and transfers to high-security prisons. Although they earn $7.25 an hour, the state takes 40% of their wages and imposes additional fees, such as $5 daily for transportation and $15 monthly for laundry. Ultimately, this system raises serious ethical concerns about the exploitation and true cost of prison labor.

Illegal mining is taking a toll on South Africa’s economy

With a staggering 42% unemployment rate, desperate South African citizens and migrants are turning to illegal mining in search of fortune, costing the country an estimated $3.8 billion a year in lost revenue, according to government reports. In response, police have implemented the “Close the Hole” plan, sealing most tunnel entrances, blocking food and water deliveries, and stationing guards at remaining exits to arrest miners attempting to surface. Once the world’s top gold producer, South Africa has fallen to ninth place – though traces of gold still linger in inactive mines. Since the police crackdown began, authorities have made over 13,000 arrests and seized more than 300 firearms and approximately $274,000 in cash. The ongoing crisis emphasizes the critical need for the country to find sustainable solutions that balance citizens’ needs with the preservation of national wealth and security.

The AI corner

Chinese startups are creatively defying AI restrictions

Despite the mounting restrictions that China faces in accessing the advanced chips critical for AI development, the country still seems to be catching up to the US in AI innovation. In fact, Chinese-owned AI companies like DeepSake and Moonshot AI are demonstrating capabilities that are favorably compared to OpenAI’s reasoning model, which was released this past September. So, how are these Chinese companies progressing so rapidly despite these restrictions? Developers are finding creative ways to access chips through intermediaries or overseas data centers, while also building robust software and hardware training stacks with their available resources. Experts in AI innovation are cautioning US policymakers about losing its technological edge and the potential implications for American national security.

With the rise in AI comes the fall of EdTech

The EdTech industry attracted just $3 billion in investments this year, a stark decline from $17.3 billion in 2021, according to PitchBook data. While a key factor in this decline is the struggle of these companies to maintain growth following pandemic-related school closures, the situation has been exacerbated by the rapid emergence of generative AI. In May, OpenAI launched ChatGPT Edu, a version of its popular chatbot tailored for educational use, while Google introduced LearnLM, which is a suite of models designed for educational settings. Although EdTech companies are beginning to integrate AI into their products, many remain skeptical about whether these implementations will improve their prospects, especially given the already diminished appetite from investors.

Letter from the editor: a year in review

It’s hard to believe that it’s been 52 long newsletters since the last time I formally introduced myself. Whether this is your first year receiving this newsletter or you’ve been a long-time reader, hi! My name is Arielle, and I’ve been managing the monday.com weekly for three years now.

As we close out this intense year, I’d like to reflect on the newsletter’s evolution and share some lessons from 2024.

Back in 2021, just weeks after I joined monday.com, I met with one of our CEOs, Roy Mann, to bring his vision for a thought leadership newsletter to life. His goal? Deliver readers real value each week with business and leadership insights in today’s evolving workplace.

At the end of 2022, when I wrote my first year-in-review newsletter, I shared how daunting the task initially felt and how I came to embrace the process. By 2023’s final newsletter, I had grown to love the newsletter and offered tips for fostering creativity and meaning on your team.

Fast forward to this year, and the newsletter has grown far beyond expectations—2 million active readers, a 55% unique open rate, and extensions like a LinkedIn page, social channels, and even a coffee table book.

Over the course of 2024, as the initiative continued to scale, it became clear that it was time to start delegating – something that wasn’t easy given how passionate I am about this project. But adding two talented collaborators to the team has enabled me to free up some time to focus on several exciting new impact-driven opportunities at the company.

So, as we step into 2025, here’s my advice for empowering your team to elevate their initiatives:

Encourage creative thinking

At the start of 2024, my manager asked me, “If you had all the resources you needed, where would you take monday insights?” That question sparked a wave of bold ideas and excitement, helping me see both the opportunities and challenges ahead. This process taught me to think outside the box, prioritize efforts, and identify the resources I’d need to overcome potential roadblocks. So, if you want to encourage your team to think big, try posing similar “what if” scenarios to unlock creativity, uncover hidden opportunities, and clarify priorities.

Provide resources and support

Early on this year, my manager pushed for me to secure a critical budget and connected me with teammates who have played a key role in moving initiatives forward. Knowing I had support from multiple angles was a huge motivator and game-changer. The takeaway here? While it’s important to push a sense of ownership on your team, as a leader, you need to make sure you’re not leaving your team members to take everything on themselves. Provide them with the tools, expertise, resources, and guidance they need to be set up for success.

Foster accountability

Throughout the year, sharing regular updates on project statuses, challenges, and next steps helped maintain stakeholder investment and accountability while ensuring I had the support I needed to navigate any challenges or delays. So, in 2025, be sure to encourage your team members to keep relevant team members updated on where things stand – to strengthen their project management skills and keep everyone aligned. This practice also ensures you, as the manager, have the context and updates you need to give your team members meaningful and timely recognition.

Promote broader visibility

This year, I’ve had exciting opportunities to present to teammates and senior stakeholders on monday insights plans and progress, which has been really meaningful – not only in feeling appreciated but also in creating opportunities for crucial collaborations. So, if you’re leading a team, do your best to give your direct reports the chance to share their initiatives and successes with others. This removes silos, fosters inspiration, and creates space for strategic cross-team partnerships.

On a personal note: At times, it’s hard to actually fathom how many of you continue to read these newsletters week after week and engage with the content we share. Readers like you are what makes it all matter, so thank you, and cheers to an incredible 2025!

Thoughts on this newsletter? Share your input for 2025!

Water cooler chatter

Some US Walmart employees are now wearing body cameras. This initiative, part of a pilot program, aims to enhance employee safety and deter theft, based on the premise that people behave differently when they know they are being recorded. The decision comes during the holiday shopping season when retail workers often face increasingly hostile customers.

The 2025 Golden Globes gift bag will be worth $1 million. Given to nominees and presenters at the annual awards ceremony, the luxurious bag will contain over 25 products and experiences including a $48,000 holiday to Finland to see the northern lights in a helicopter, Scottish gin, and an LED face mask session.

Question of the week

Last week’s answer: 70%

This week’s question: Which country has the highest percentage of employees working on Christmas Day?

Just for laughs