The New Way We Work

This week's episode is all about YOU. On this bonus episode of Secrets of the Most Productive People, Kate and Anisa answer your most pressing questions about your career, the workplace, and all those other awkward job-related topics. Subscribe to Secrets of the Most Productive People on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, RadioPublic, or wherever you get your podcasts

Doctors and nurses have to remain productive under pressure. Their decisions are quite literally life-and-death, and quick access to patient data is vital to making informed decisions about patient needs. For years, that data was managed on pen and paper, but the recent revolution in healthcare data has fueled a technology-driven revolution in how healthcare providers do their jobs. On this episod...

If you've ever attempted to meet an ambitious goal, you're probably familiar with just how difficult it is to change your habits. You're also probably aware of how much influence the mind has in determining whether or not you'll be successful in that endeavor. Some days, it feels like your brain corresponds with your body and your actions. Other days, it feels like they don't want to do anything t...

Productivity and creativity have always been talked about as if they’re two sides of the same coin. You could only be creative if you didn’t have to think about productivity and vice versa. Joe Brown, senior portfolio director at legendary design firm IDEO, thinks that conventional wisdom is faulty. Brown has spent years not only designing products but designing the systems in which those products...

Once revered as a magical work-perk, unlimited vacation has become a polarizing debate among office dwellers. The concept that an individual worker can choose how much vacation they are allowed to claim has inspired passionate opinions on what’s appropriate for workers to expect, what a company hopes for in offering something so elusive, and why any of these opinions matter in the first place. On...

After years of fighting tooth and nail for it, the labor movement in America finally won the battle for the 40-hour work week. Workers were no longer expected to work day and night without fair compensation. It was a victory that changed the way we think about work, and the modern work week was born.  That was nearly 80 years ago, and since then there hasn’t been much of a discussion about whether...

Of all the decisions that you'll have to make over the course of your career, one of the biggest is when it's the right time to leave a job? Like many career decisions, the answer isn't straightforward. As we discuss in this week's episode of Secrets Of The Most Productive People, some signs are more obvious than others. For starters, a toxic workplace is almost always never worth staying in. When...

Once upon a time, putting your head down, doing good work, and staying loyal to a company may have been enough to get a promotion. But these days, that's no longer the case. In today's constantly changing workforce, companies reward employees who can bring results and aren't afraid to be vocal about it. It's often on the individual to devise their own strategies and sometimes even design their own...

We are sharing an episode from another Fast Company podcast, Creative Conversation. As an editor and writer for Fast Company magazine, Kc Ifeanyi covers some of the most creative minds in film, television, business and beyond. In this podcast, he unpacks the most frustrating parts of the creative process by talking to psychologists, scholars, and experts who are on the forefront of understanding c...

On the long list of crucial job skills that you aren't taught in school, how to manage up ranks high. You may enter the workforce with the belief that your boss is there to manage your performance, and their management style is something you have no control over. Learning the best way to manage your boss, however, is an essential skill that you'll use throughout your career (it also works with col...

Reporting to a boss keeps many employees focused and productive. But how do you stay accountable to your goals when you are your own boss? Chris Denson, host of Innovation Crush and innovation consultant, shares his strategies for getting things done. If you have a problem in your career or on the job hunt, tell us about it. Leave us a voicemail at ‪(201) 371-3278 or tweet with #FCMostProductive a...

Starting a new job is stressful for anyone. Not only do you have to get used to new people, new environment, and maybe a new commute. You also have to figure what the unwritten rules and etiquettes are, and who you should talk to for specific questions. Then there's the challenge of actually doing good work and impressing your hiring manager. That in itself can feel like an overwhelming challenge....

On this mini episode, marketing expert Dorie Clark is back on the show to answer a listener’s question. This listener recently moved to a new city and asks if his presence online is hurting his chances while job hunting. When you google his name, you get pages and pages of results about an internationally known mass murderer. Dorie Clark gives expert advice to help this listener navigating a trick...

Talking about money can be really uncomfortable. No matter how you frame the conversation there is a lot of potential for missteps. Which is why on this episode of Secrets of the Most Productive People, the cohosts break down how exactly what to frame your ask and the common minefields to avoid (hint: don't mention how expensive your rent is or how your co-worker makes more). Stever Robbins, the h...

On this episode we’re answering an intern’s question about overtime. How do you approach your manager when you’re working overtime and not getting paid for it? Donna Morris, the Chief Human Resources Officer of Adobe, offers advice.   This is the first episode of a series called Work Smarter Wednesdays—expert advice for your most challenging questions. You’ll find Work Smarter Wednesdays during th...

For many people the entire job interview process can feel like blind dating: Do you like them? Do they like you? Is there a future? And just like with dating, even if that first meeting went well, it's totally possible to screw it up if you follow up in the wrong way. With job interviews there's a well-known way to make a good impression: send a thank you note, and a sure-fire way to sour a good t...

(Presented by Citrix) When Nicole Wolfe, director of partnerships at ClassPass, first started her career, wellness was defined by numbers. There were weight loss goals, daily step counts, weekly activity goals. But wellness has undergone a sea change in the last decade, with both people and firms understanding that health goes way beyond counting calories and building up a sweat. On this episode o...

On this episode of Secrets of the Most Productive People, co-hosts Kate and Anisa help listeners figure out exactly what to say (and what to avoid) in sticky situations. How do you answer some tricky questions such as “What are you weaknesses?” “What questions do you ask at the end of an interview?” Here are three ways to make a good impression at a job interview. 1.  Build rapport and relationshi...

(Presented by Citrix) For decades, the image of the American office was a grim one. Endless rows of cubicles; harsh, humming, fluorescent lighting; stiff task chairs that make your back ache just looking at them. Recently, though, there’s been a shift, with employers injecting best practices from the wellness industry into the workplace and seeing productivity skyrocket. Rachel Gutter, president o...

Not so long ago, most people didn’t have to worry about their online presence or personal brand. Unless you were a celebrity, politician, or prominent CEO or entrepreneur in a public-facing company, doing well in your career involved doing good work and making in-person connections. Applying for a job meant mailing (or physically dropping) off your résumé and cover letter. Social media changed all...

No one likes writing them, and recruiters just skim them. Is it finally time for cover letters to die? Not so fast. On this episode, cohosts Kate and Anisa share why this tool is still crucial in a job search. They talk to Jamie Hichens, a senior talent acquisition programs manager at Glassdoor. She reviews hundreds of cover letters a month, so she knows all the best practices and mistakes to avoi...

(Presented by Citrix) Whether we see it as a threat or a practical productivity booster, artificial intelligence is shifting the way we work. Embracing AI at work and harnessing its power to find efficiencies can open up a new realm of possibilities. AI allows people to focus more on distinctly human tasks like creativity, empathy and intuition by freeing workers from repetitive tasks and managing...

This season of Secrets of the Most Productive People dives deep into all things career-related, starting with the most basic tool to get your foot in the door: your resume. What are some resume mistakes you should stay away from? Are there common advice you’ve unknowingly follow that hiring managers and recruiters actually hate? The cohosts answer listener questions about resumes and Kate challeng...

(Presented by Citrix) If you check emails by phone on-the-go or work from home occasionally, you’re part of the remote workforce. Cutting-edge technology and a new generation of entrepreneurs and managers are transforming the concept of the 9 to 5. In today’s always-on work culture, employees who want flexibility in their schedule, location, and commute are finding more ways to work how, when and...

New Episodes of Secrets of the Most Productive People start June 12. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.