284. Corporate Bullshit, new-collar jobs and interview red flags. PLUS! Are Morning People More Successful?

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning workplace podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture. This week, we’re diving into the "Corporate Bullshit Receptivity Scale," exploring why a university degree might be holding your hiring back, and debunking the toxic productivity of the 3:50 AM wake-up call.

🔥 Stories Covered

1. The Science of "Corporate Bullshit" Leanne introduces the Corporate Bullshit Receptivity Scale, a real psychological study from Cornell University.

• The Definition: "Corporate Bullshit" is defined as semantically empty jargon used in a functionally misleading way.

• The Finding: Research shows that people who find vague, jargon-heavy statements profound often score lower on analytical thinking and decision-making.

• The Impact: In the workplace, rewarding this language leads to worse decisions and a culture of performance over substance.

2. The Rise of "New-Collar" Jobs Al explores a term coined by the former CEO of IBM: New-Collar jobs.

• Skills over Degrees: These are highly skilled, well-paid roles in AI, cybersecurity, and tech that don't require a traditional university degree.

• The Stats: It's predicted that 60% of new jobs created between 2020 and 2030 will be "new-collar."

• The Barrier: Despite the talent shortage, 60% of employers still reject candidates with the right skills simply because they lack a degree.

3. Would You Walk Out of a Messy Interview? A viral Reddit story sparks a debate on candidate experience.

• The Red Flag: A senior professional ended their application process after a recruiter failed to show up for the first interview and was late for the second.

• The Lesson: Your hiring process is a direct signal of your company culture. If communication is messy before day one, candidates assume it’s messy on the inside.

  
  

  🧠 Truth or Lie: Are Morning People More Successful?

Is the 5:00 AM (or 3:50 AM!) alarm truly the secret to success, or are we just glorifying sleep deprivation?

• The Truth: Studies show "Larks" often earn 4-5% more than "Owls" and perform better in school.

• The Lie: This isn't because morning people are more disciplined. It’s because the world (schools and 9-5 offices) is built for their biology.

• The Cost: Forcing an "Owl" into a "Lark" schedule leads to Social Jetlag, higher cortisol levels, and increased risk of depression.

  
  

  💬 Workplace Surgery

This week, we tackle three listener dilemmas:

• The "Silent" Meeting: How do you handle it when the same two people dominate every conversation? Leanne shares tips on balancing participation without it feeling forced.

  • Check out our deep dive on meetings here: What if meetings were the best part of your day?

• The Overwhelmed Founder: Transitioning from "doing the work" to "leading others."

• The Toxic High-Performer: What to do when your top talent is quietly damaging team morale.

📬 Connect with Al & Leanne – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork – Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott – Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne – Email: [email protected] – Book a call: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat

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