The New Way We Work

There’s no question: School looks different this year. Some students will attend in-person classes. Others will participate in a hybrid model, mixing online and in-person classes. Still others will stay entirely virtual, logging into classes from their bedrooms or kitchen tables. In this episode of Secrets of the Most Productive People's Reinventing Education series, contributing editor, Lydia Dishman, joins Kate Davis to discuss how teacher's across the country are preparing for the coming school year.

Amidst a growing global pandemic with persistent outbreaks and a patchwork of reopening plans, one of the biggest issues facing our nation is what to do about education and childcare for the countries over 73 million children. The far reaching impact of ongoing school closures in America has the ripple effect on all aspects of life and the economy. Over the next month we will talk to teachers about how they are dealing with remote learning or the idea of returning to the classroom. We’ll hear from epidemiologists about how we should be planning for inevitable outbreaks, and explore both the private and public sector solutions to both taking care of kids' education and well being and retaining and supporting working parents. On today's episode, Fast Company Associate Editor, Yazmin Gagne, joins host, Kate Davis, to tell the story of three families and the struggles they are facing while working, caring for and educating their kids.

Secrets of the Most Productive People will be back in your feeds on August 31st where we'll be exploring one of the biggest issues facing our nation during the COVID-19 pandemic: the reopening of schools.

Dorianne St Fleur--Diversity & Inclusion Strategist, Career Development Coach and Founder of Your Career Girl Inc.--joins Secrets of the Most Productive People to discuss how to look for a job during the pandemic. If you have a problem in your career or on the job hunt, tell us about it. Leave us a voicemail at ‪833-582-3278, send an email to [email protected] or tweet with #FCMostProductive and we will find an expert to answer your question. Subscribe to Secrets of the Most Productive People on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

On this week’s episode of Secrets of the Most Productive People, we talk about the mental health struggles so many of us are facing right now. We also speak with Alice Boyes, a former clinical psychologist and the author of The Healthy Mind Toolkit and The Anxiety Toolkit. Boyes gives us insight into the accommodations that employees have a right to at work and offers tips on how to broach the subject of mental health issues with your manager. If you have a problem in your career or on the job hunt, tell us about it. Leave us a voicemail at ‪833-582-3278, send an email to [email protected] or tweet with #FCMostProductive and we will find an expert to answer your question. Subscribe to Secrets of the Most Productive People on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

This week we’ll learn about a new toy robot that could help children socialize, a good alternative to Rosé and some handy productivity tips. Be sure to check in with us next week for another roundup of helpful tips and creative ideas to stay positive throughout this challenging time. You can subscribe to Fast Break on Apple podcasts or wherever you listen. If you like this show, please leave us a rating or a review.

This week, Fast Company deputy editor Kate Davis and Head of Video and Podcasting Scott Mebus are talking about parenting during a pandemic. How can working parents attempt to get everything done, what should managers do to support all of their employees, possible tensions among those without kids, and how this unprecedented time may be forcing us to rethink work overall. When shelter in place orders went into effect in most of the country in March, parents across industries had to scramble to find childcare. For those of us lucky enough to not only keep our jobs but have jobs that can be done from home has meant trying to do the impossible: work and take care of children full time. They also talk with Dr. Jennifer Goldman-Wetzler, an expert on conflict and organizational psychology, the founder of Alignment Strategies Group, and the author of the new book Optimal Outcomes: Free Yourself from Conflict at Work, at Home, and in Life. You can listen and subscribe to Secrets of the Most Productive People on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, RadioPublic, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Presenting Fast Break, a new podcast from Fast Company Magazine. This week we’ll learn about how some companies are adjusting their advertising game, why the L.A Clippers are helping change the way people watch sports, and some self care tips for working moms. You can subscribe to Fast Break on Apple podcasts or wherever you listen. If you like this show, please leave us a rating or a review.

As COVID-19 has spread, many aspects of our working lives have changed. Some of us wear masks and face-shields; some join meetings from our couches; others juggle conference calls and toddler nap times. For leaders overseeing teams, there are also new challenges. As information about the virus and economic conditions change rapidly, leaders must make quick (and often painful) decisions about staffing, shutting down offices, and pivoting business plans overnight. Meanwhile, there are the more mundane—but still critical—day-to-day challenges of overseeing a team effectively during a global pandemic. How do you hold meetings when your team is suddenly all remote? How can you accommodate more flexible employee schedules while still meeting productivity goals? How often should you be communicating with your employees? To get answers to these questions, on this week’s episode of Secrets of the Most Productive People, assistant editor Pavithra Mohan and I speak with Eric Pliner, CEO of YSC consulting. Pliner, who is an executive coach for Fortune 500 companies, also shares his thoughts on the importance of thinking long term and acting in a way that will elevate company culture beyond the immediate crisis. You can listen and subscribe to Secrets of the Most Productive People on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, RadioPublic, or wherever you get your podcasts.

In the this bonus episode of Secrets of Secrets of the Most Productive people, hosts Pavithra Mohan and Julia Herbst discuss how you can continue your professional connections and develop career skills while sheltered at home during this pandemic.

As far as obstacles to productivity go, procrastination is a challenge that many run into over and over again. Add the uncertainties caused by COVID-19 and the distractions that working in unsettling environment brings, tackling things that require effort and brainpower can feel downright impossible. That's because as my cohost Pavithra Mohan and I discuss on this week's episode of Secrets Of The Most Productive People, procrastination—at its core—is about our unwillingness to deal with unpleasant emotions. It's not a time-management issue, nor is it an issue about willpower and discipline. We often procrastinate because in our heads, we assume that as soon as we start that thing we're putting off, we will experience bad feelings. Mohan also spoke to Nir Eyal, author of Indistractable: How To Control Your Attention And Choose your life about why discipline and willpower is a myth when it comes to combating distraction and procrastination, and the role of internal and external triggers. We also discuss how self-compassion can go a long way in combating distraction and procrastination. You can listen and subscribe to Secrets of the Most Productive People on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, RadioPublic, or wherever you get your podcasts.

From our friends at Inc. Magazine, please enjoy this trailer to What I Know. Subscribe to What I Know on Apple Podcasts or Spotify The greatest businesses weren’t born from moments of genius. They emerged after years of discovery--and often after years of failure. What I Know from Inc. magazine takes you inside the messy, painful, and --every so often -- transcendent journey of starting a company. Through candid interviews, Inc. senior writer Christine Lagorio-Chafkin draws out the real grit and true lessons behind innovative companies and remarkable brands.

In this bonus episode of Secrets of the Most Productive People, Pavithra Mohan moderates a debate between Scott Mebus and Ruth Reader to determine who is more productive: night-owls or morning-birds.

COVID-19 has upended every aspect of our life, including the way we work. For many office workers who are fortunate to remain employed during this period, that can mean working from home for the foreseeable future. That in itself comes with its challenges, as we’ve discussed in previous episodes. But add other household members to the mix—whether that be spouses, children, siblings, or roommates—and it’s a whole new dilemma altogether. On this week’s episode of Secrets Of The Most Productive People, Anisa Purbasari Horton and Pavithra Mohan discusses their experience working from home while their significant others are also doing the same. They also speak with Dr Rachel Sussman a New York-based licensed family and marriage therapist and relationship expert, to speak about what couples, parents, and roommates can do to take care of their mental health while keeping their relationships strong. Scott Mebus, head of video and podcasts for Fast Company and Inc, will also make an appearance to talk about what it’s like to be a parent during this time. You can listen and subscribe to Secrets of the Most Productive People on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, RadioPublic, or wherever you get your podcasts.

In this bonus episode, the Secrets of the Most Productive People team talks through how they've been coping working from home and provides some tips for how you can be more productive.

Now introducing Book Smart, a new podcast from our friends at Inc. Magazine. Each week, host Cameron Albert-Deitch highlights the books beloved by well-known founders and entrepreneurs like Elon Musk and Warren Buffet. You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen.

We're currently living in a time where uncertainty is our reality. The global pandemic that is Covid-19 has disrupted almost every aspect of modern life, including the way we work. On this week's episode of Secrets Of The Most Productive People, co-hosts Anisa Purbasari Horton, Pavithra Mohan, and Julia Herbst discuss all of the ways that stress and anxiety have impacted their working lives and the different ways that they are learning to tackle it. They also share some tools and practices that have helped them stay sane and ways to look for a silver lining in these challenging times.

Companies in industries from tech to retail to hospitality have found a novel way of getting their employees to be more productive: They let their staff pursue their passions, on company time. It may seem counterintuitive, but by allowing personnel the opportunity to do anything from volunteer to create a fully operational nonprofit, firms are giving their people a chance to connect with their communities, learn new skills, and come back to the office energized and invigorated. In this episode of Productivity Confidential, we talk to Richard Achée, global technology partnerships lead on the Google Chrome enterprise team, about his experience in Google’s famed “20% Time” program, where employees can use a full fifth of their time to pursue personal projects. Achée discusses his own 20% Time project, how its helped him do his day job better, and how other companies can let their staff follow their dreams without hurting the bottom line.

Impostor syndrome is something that cohosts Pavithra Mohan and Anisa Purbasari Horton have had to battle throughout their professional lives. But as they both discussed on this week's episode of Secrets Of The Most Productive People, it never quite goes away. They learned that rather than trying to make it disappear, they needed to learn how to act in spite of their impostor syndrome tendencies. Mohan also spoke to Fast Company contributor, and author and CEO of The Memo, Minda Harts, about why impostor syndrome is especially prevalent to women of color and under-represented minorities in the workplace. While there are things that individuals can do to not let impostor syndrome get in the way of their success, workplaces also have a responsibility to ensure that they are creating a better and more inclusive culture.

Innovation in employee benefits has a long history. Take sabbaticals, a benefit that began in academic institutions. These long breaks allowed professors and researchers to take time off to pursue personal projects or simply recharge their creativity over the course of several months off. Those novel approaches are slowly inching themselves into the corporate world and companies from Patagonia to McDonald’s to Intel. And it’s not just sabbaticals that are growing in popularity, perks like unlimited PTO, 4-day work weeks, and company-funded personal experiences are becoming more widely accepted across industries. Company leaders see these perks as a way to give back to loyal personnel, and employees are increasingly searching out organizations that are embracing new approaches to time off. But it’s not as simple as awarding staff a bundle of PTO and walking away. How do you pick up the slack for key team members when work hours aren’t the same as extended leave? How do you decide when an employee is eligible for different tiers of perks? And how do you measure the “performance” of such unique benefits? In this episode, we talk to Mike DeFrino, CEO of Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants, about the benefits he’s implemented, the challenges they present, and how these benefits help keep employees engaged.

In Season 1 of Secrets of the Most Productive People, we examined why people found it so difficult to focus in an open office. This week, we try to figure out how beat the distractions that make open office work so hard. Fast Company editorial assistant, Talib Visram, tried out three different methods to combat open office distractions and then reported back to co-host Pavithra Mohan on what he learned, what he'd do differently, and how effective each method was in helping him be more productive.

On this bonus episode of Secrets of the Most Productive People, Fast Company assistant editor, Pavithra Mohan, and Fast Company staff editor, Julia Herbst, break down the pros and cons of where we get our work done. Open offices have become common place in many industries. While they may give you an opportunity to collaborate at a higher level, you can't always shut out the distractions when you need to get a solitary task done. You can always work from home to beat the distractions, but what are the downsides? Leave Secrets of The Most Productive People a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen. You can follow Fast Company on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

On this episode of Secrets of the Most Produtive People, Scott Mebus, VP of video and podcasts for Fast Company and Inc., shires his longtime battle with getting enough sleep with co-host Anisa Purbasari-Horton. Some of his issues include a long commute, having a son who is an early riser, and the day-to-day stress of modern work life. He spoke to Dr. Janet Kennedy, psychologist and founder of NYC Sleep Doctor, about what we can all do to get a little bit more shut-eye. Subscribe to Secrets of the Most Productive People on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, RadioPublic, or wherever you get your podcasts

Winning a Formula 1 race is about more than pure speed. Drivers, pit crews, and team managers need to make hundreds of decisions in the blink of an eye, all while flying around a winding track at speeds up to 200 miles per hour. For decades, those decisions were driven by instinct and experience. But modern Formula 1 races are increasingly driven by technology and information, with teams analyzing massive data sets to uncover advantages that can mean the difference between standing in the winner’s circle and coming up a few milliseconds short. Christian Horner, team principal of Red Bull Racing, knows more about what it takes to lead a winning Formula 1 operation than almost anyone. In this episode of Productivity Confidential, we talk to Horner about staying cool under pressure, how data has revolutionized racing, and what it takes to keep a winning team hungry.

Secrets of the Most Productive People returns in February 2020 with Season 4. In the meantime, make sure to catch up on episodes you might have missed on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, RadioPublic, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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 episode of Productivity Confidential, we talk to Dr. Anil Jain, chief health information office of IBM’s Watson Health initiative, about how data is creating a brand new frontier of care from state-of-the-art hospitals to rural medical centers around the world.

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 to comply. In a bonus episode for Secrets Of The Most Productive People, recorded live at the Fast Company Innovation Festival, we hear from neuroscientist and Fast Company contributor Tara Swart, as well as author and behavioral designer Nir Eyal, as they talk about the relationship between our brains and our actions. We debunk misconceptions like the right brain/left brain concept and the (false) belief that you only use 10% of your brain. Subscribe to Secrets of the Most Productive People on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, RadioPublic, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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 live, and he’s learned that creating an infrastructure that separates your creative and productive work is less than the sum of its parts. In this episode of Productivity Confidential, we talked to Brown about where creativity and productivity meet—and how technology is making that convergence clearer than ever.

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 this BONUS episode of The Secrets of the Most Productive People, Host Kate Davis is joined by the VP of Video and Podcasting, Scott Mebus, to face each other head-to-head and defend their personal stance on unlimited vacation. Subscribe to Secrets of the Most Productive People on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, RadioPublic, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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 or not, with the rise of next-generation technology, it’s still a valuable guide rail for the majority of workers. But, business leaders are beginning to look critically at whether the traditional work week is worth maintaining with all the new technology available to keep employees engaged, and the results have been satisfying. On this episode of Productivity Confidential, we talk to Natalie Nagele, cofounder of Wildbit, about her mission to institute a 32-hour work week in her company and why sometimes the best thing you can do for a company’s success is telling employees to stop working so hard.

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 a role or company no longer offers you the opportunities to grow, it might be time to look elsewhere. And when your job starts to impact other areas of your life in a negative way, you should, at minimum, assess the possibility of change. 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 and we will find an expert to answer your question. Subscribe to Secrets of the Most Productive People on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, RadioPublic, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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 path. Sometimes, that preparation may take longer than you think. 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 and we will find an expert to answer your question. Subscribe to Secrets of the Most Productive People on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, RadioPublic, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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 creativity. Subscribe to Creative Conversation on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, RadioPublic, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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 colleagues who have different working styles). Whether you have a micromanager who needs constant updates, or the opposite—a boss who is totally MIA—there are usually subtle ways you can help them adjust their style to make your working life easier. 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 and we will find an expert to answer your question. Subscribe to Secrets of the Most Productive People on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, RadioPublic, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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 and we will find an expert to answer your question. Subscribe to Secrets of the Most Productive People on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, RadioPublic, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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 week's episode of Secrets Of The Most Productive People, we tackle this tricky (yet necessary) step of starting a new job. 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 and we will find an expert to answer your question. Subscribe to this episode of Secrets of the Most Productive People on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, RadioPublic, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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 tricky situation. 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 and we will find an expert to answer your question. Subscribe to Secrets of the Most Productive People on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, RadioPublic, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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 host of the Get-it-Done Guy podcast, answers questions from listeners. If you have a problem on the job search or in your career, tell us about it. Leave us a voicemail at ‪(201) 371-3278 or tweet with #FCMostProductive and we will find an expert to answer your question.

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 the weeks between regular episodes of Secrets of the Most Productive People. If you have a problem on the job search or in your career, tell us about it. Leave us a voicemail at ‪(201) 371-3278 or tweet with #FCMostProductive and we will find an expert to answer your question.

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 thing: annoy the hiring manager by checking in too frequently or too aggressively. But there is still a lot in the process that can be confusing: What exactly should your thank you note say? How long should you wait before checking in? What if you get another job offer?

(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 of Productivity Confidential, we talk with Wolfe about the transforming wellness landscape, and how companies are beginning to understand that healthy, happy teams are productive teams.

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 relationships with everyone you meet during the interview process. That includes the receptionist, the team member who spoke to you while you were waiting, and of course, your interviewer. Remember that everyone you interact is forming their first impression of you, even when your interview hasn't officially started. 2. Have anecdotes and statistics ready. If you listened to our previous episode, you know that the more you can quantify, the better. Make sure can articulate these in your interviews as well. The interviewer might have glanced at your resume, but an interview is your opportunity to remind them why your experience and achievements makes you a perfect candidate for this role. 3. Ask smart questions. It's a red flag when a candidate doesn't have any questions at the end of an interview, because it can give off the impression that they're not interested in their role. When you ask specific questions, that tells the hiring manager that you've put a lot of time and effort into learning more about the company, which is a characteristic that any manager would want to see in an employee. We’re answering your questions: What’s the career question that Google can’t help you out with? In the next few episodes we’ll be tackling how to answer the most common interview questions, how to negotiate your starting salary, and more. Leave a voice mail with your question at ‪(201) 371-3278, and your question might be featured on an upcoming episode.

(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 of the International WELL Building Institute, has made it her mission to make wellness a central component of any office. Think of IWBI as a LEED rating for wellness, with buildings and offices awarded designations based on how they integrate employee wellness into the workplace. On this episode of Productivity Confidential, we sat down with Gutter to talk about why focusing on wellness can be the key to unlocking a company’s potential.

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 that. As we’ve discovered in this week’s episode of Secrets of the Most Productive People podcast, marketing strategist and Duke University professor Dorie Clark recounted a story of when a client almost didn’t hire someone because they couldn’t find any information about the candidate online. At minimum, employers expect an updated LinkedIn profile. The more content you can create (such as a blog post), the better. Here are three things you should consider when you’re auditing your online presence: 1. Keep everything as up-to-date as possible. This includes LinkedIn, Twitter, and your personal website if you have one. You never know when people might need your expertise, or when your dream company wants to hire someone with your skills and qualifications. 2. Make yourself accessible. You want to have some way for people to contact you, whether it’s by email, Twitter direct messages, or messages on your personal website. There’s no point showcasing the value that you can bring, only for people to struggle to get in touch with you. 3. Stay true to yourself. It’s easy in the social media age to feel like you need to present a certain image, but in a world of curated filters, anything that doesn’t come across as genuine is going to be obvious. Just be strategic about what you share. And new this season, we’re answering your questions: What’s the career question that Google can’t help you out with? In the next few episodes we’ll be tackling how to answer the most common interview questions, how to negotiate your starting salary, and more. Leave a voice mail with your question at ‪(201) 371-3278, and your question might be featured on an upcoming episode.

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 avoid. If you don't know where to start, here are three tips to write a compelling cover letter: 1. Address it to the right person. 2. Give the hiring manager a reason to keep reading. 3. Includes specific examples. And new this season, the cohosts are answering your questions: What's the career question that Google can't help you out with? In the next few episodes we'll be tackling how to answer the most common interview questions, how to negotiate your starting salary, and more. Leave a voicemail with your question at (201) 371-3278, and your question might be featured on an upcoming episode. If this episode was helpful to your job search, please let us know. Leave us a review wherever you listen.

(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 high volumes of data. On this episode of Productivity Confidential, we sat down with Chris Heilmann from Microsoft, to discuss what AI means for the workforce, productivity and its effect on the job market.

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 challenges her boss to debate common resume advice.

(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 where they want than ever before. On this episode of the Productivity Confidential podcast, we sat down with Sara Sutton, CEO and founder of FlexJobs, to talk about the challenges and opportunities of building a remote-first office, why she's a telecommuting evangelist, and how to get your office to embrace the future of work.

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