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Why are office parties so awkward?

It's just another example of "forced fun" at work, something we take a look at in the show "Severance" for Econ Extra Credit.
Tramell Tillman and Britt Lower dancing during the short office party scene in "Severance."
(Apple TV+)

On "Severance": Why you should balance work and life instead of separating them entirely

The hit Apple TV+ series "Severance" offers searing commentary on corporate values, organized labor and finding purpose at work.
From left to right, actors John Turturro, Britt Lower, Christopher Walken and Adam Scott in “Severance,” now streaming on Apple TV+.
Apple TV+

What a former WeWork executive learned about company culture

Melissa Daimler says company culture is "not this nebulous set of values — it's a very distinct set of behaviors that are then embedded into the daily workings of a company."
Melissa Daimler says company culture is "not this nebulous set of values — it's a very distinct set of behaviors that are then embedded into the daily workings of a company."
Grady Reese/Getty Images

Paid family leave gaining traction, including among small businesses

Mar 3, 2022
Opposition to paid leave has often been rooted in the challenge it poses to businesses. That calculus is changing.
A child runs past signs at a paid leave rally in Brooklyn. A growing number of businesses have shown support for paid family leave during the pandemic.
Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for NYC for Paid Leave

Why more companies are hiring heads of remote work

Oct 26, 2021
It's about company culture, performance management and lots of logistics.
With many companies embracing work-from-home or hybrid models, some are creating leadership positions to focus on the transition.
visualspace via Getty Images

For public good, not for profit.

Why some companies are cutting back the 40-hour workweek

Oct 5, 2021
As workers struggle with burnout during the pandemic, some employers are testing a four-day week to combat overwork and lift morale.
Abigail Marks, professor of the future of work at Newcastle University, worries that some employers will "try and force five days’ work into four days."
Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images

This video game company wants to make the industry safer for marginalized people

Sep 27, 2021
Kim Belair co-founded Sweet Baby Inc. to create a safe place in the game industry. Can the values behind the company scale up?
An image from Sable, a recently released game developed by Shedworks and written by Sweet Baby Inc. co-founders David Bedard and Kim Belair.
Courtesy Shedworks

Can companies really be empathetic toward their workers?

Aug 20, 2021
As Anne Helen Petersen writes, messaging about empathy is different from taking action, and not every employee is buying it.
In an article for Time, Anne Helen Petersen argues that many corporations miss the mark when they try to show empathy to employees during the pandemic.
South_agency via Getty Images