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Large language models are quietly reshaping the way people write research papersand scientists are catching colleagues using AI to do their work.
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E-Commerce
In todays workplace, layoffs are no longer raretheyre a reality many employees have seen up close or have experienced themselves. On LinkedIn, the posts seem endless, each one paired with the now-familiar Open to Work banner. Or even more jarring: a coworkers Slack avatar is green one minute and grayed out the nextbefore disappearing altogether. When a teammate is suddenly let go, the instinct is often to comfort them, respond thoughtfullysay the right thing, offer support, and help them feel less alone. But in the emotional blur that follows a layoff, even well-intentioned comments can land poorly, and certain reactions can unintentionally make the moment harder. So how do you genuinely show up for a colleague or friend whos just been laid offwithout overstepping, fumbling the moment, or offering advice that does more harm than good? Do ask: How can I help you? According to organizational psychologist Erica Pieczonka, many of us have a reflex when someone we care about is going through a hard time. We jump straight into fix-it mode: “Something bad happenedlet me give you a solution.” But sometimes, people dont need advice at all. They just need someone to listen, Pieczonka explained. Maryland-based Stefanie Magness, who was laid off in 2019 from her role in public affairs, echoed this perspective. If you know someone who is experiencing a layoff, resist the urge to offer advice or solutions. Just be there,” she said. “Sit in the room together or bring a meal for them. Even a text that says ‘I’m thinking of you’ can mean the world to someone who feels like their life is unraveling. While it might be hard to resist offering a list of solutions, Pieczonka suggests asking, What kind of support do you want right now? or Do you want me to listen, or do you want me to solution with you? She added: Keeping it light and small, versus dumping on them, will help. Because really, during layoffs, they’re already feeling completely overwhelmed. Dont say: Youll bounce back When speaking with someone who has faced a layoff, its important not to fill them with empty reassurances. Pieczonka explained that this might look like: Oh, you’ll bounce back. You got this, you’re a superstar, you’ll move on. There’s something better for you. Magness said that one unhelpful comment she often heard was: “Something better is coming.” “People love to say this when the world is falling apart. Yes, maybe it is, but when you are standing in the chaos, you are not thinking of what is coming. You’re just trying to breathe. For Ohio-based Kyle Rankert, who was laid off in 2020 from his role in healthcare, it’s this: You’ll land on your feet. You always do!” “That one always made me feel like the person just assumed, Hey, you’ve been lucky so far, and you’ll be lucky again, Rankert said. Although it might sound helpful, empty reassurances often fail to validate someones experience of grief, sadness, or anger. Pieczonka explained that, hypothetically, this is how someone in that position might be feeling: “It feels like you’re not seeing me. I need you to see me.” So avoiding those types of phrases can be really important. Christina Muller, a workplace mental health expert at R3 Continuum, a national HR and workplace behavioral health agency, expressed a similar sentiment. People want to feel validated. They want to know that people care. And saying something as simple as, I know this must be a really difficult time right now. I understand how this would be really hard, helps them feel that validation, she said. When someone goes through a layoff, focus on listening. Resist empty platitudes and allow them to express their emotions without trying to fix or minimize what theyre feeling. Do offer: your time Sometimes, supporting a colleague or friend whos been laid off doesnt require solving problemsit can be as simple as spending time together. If you know somebody who got laid off, just asking them to coffee to catch up can be helpful, Pieczonka said. You can also offer healthy habits to do together. Do you want to go on a walk together? Should we get a yoga class? she suggested. Muller offered a similar approach, encouraging colleagues to simply offer their time, especially if theyre struggling with the layoff: I’m thinking about you, and I’d appreciate being a support for you. Let me know if maybe you’d like to go for a walk sometime, or if there’s anything else that would make you feel best supported right now. Supporting them and maintaining small routines can help prevent the downward spiral that often follows a major life change. You dont even need to bring up the layoff. Just be their friend. In conversation, the person who got laid off will probably bring it up and ask for a favor, but you don’t have to feel the pressure to do that. Just being with them and connecting with them is gift enough sometimes, Pieczonka said. Simply being present is the most meaningful support you can offer. Dont assume: a layoff is the same for everyone Its important to remember that a layoff doesnt mean the same thing for everyone. Some people may even feel a sense of relief or excitement, especially if they had already been thinking about leaving their job. Maybe they had one foot out the door, and now they’re going to get some severance pay and have more freedom to look elsewhere, Muller explained. Understanding where someone is coming from matters, and if youre reaching out, you might already have a sense of that based on your relationship with them. Do offer: helpful tools if you have them When you do offer help, its best to give people the option rather than assuming what they need. Sometimes people feel a little awkward accepting help from a friend in certain ways, and they might not know if certain things are in your wheelhouse, Muller said. She added: I always encourage people to preface any ask with, I understand if this isn’t something you’re thinking about right now or want to do. But I’d be happy to help you look at your résumé, if that’s something you’re interested in. Or, even check to see if theyd be interested in roles at your company. I wish more people who truly knew me would have asked around at their own companies, looking to see who needed help where, Rankert said. Following Mullers advice, this could look like: I understand if this isn’t something you’re thinking about, but Id be happy to look to see if my company has any openings. Just giving them the option ensures youre not overstepping by assuming what they need, or forcing favrs, even if your intentions are good. Showing up for a colleague after a layoff doesnt have to be complicated. Overall, avoid empty reassurances, dont assume you know what they need, and resist jumping into fix-it mode. Instead, listen, offer support in manageable ways, and simply be present.
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E-Commerce
There are three kinds of annoying colleagues. I have already written about dealing with annoying bosses and colleagues. What happens if the source of your annoyance is one of your direct reports? Once again, dealing with what bothers you depends a lot on what it is causing the problem. Here are four common causes of annoyance. 1. The one who sucks up It is natural for people who are ambitious to want to find ways to get ahead. Obviously, doing great work is important, but a little self-promotion cant hurt either. After all, if you have lots of direct reports, you may not notice everything that everyone is doing. So, you should expect that the folks who work for you will let you know what they have accomplished. In fact, you should encourage that. But, some of your direct reports mistake the need to keep you apprised on their successes for a need to suck up. Sucking up means engaging in constant flattery, giving you constant compliments, and otherwise trying to ingratiate themselves to you in ways that are not productive or mission focused. They may do it in one-on-one meetings as well as in more public settings. It is worth chatting to your suck-ups about this. Let them know that you appreciate their intention to be kind, but that you want to stay focused on the work that needs to be done. It is important to help them to see that this behavior is having the opposite influence from what they intend. The sooner that the suck-ups learn this lesson, the better it will be for everyone. 2. The one who has no initiative The most successful people in the workplace are those who find the next task that needs to be done and then makes progress on it without waiting to be told what needs to happen. Unfortunately, a lot of people who report to you may do only what they have been told to do and no more. As a result, you may feel like you need to micromanage your supervisees to-do lists. You should remember that many people in the rising generation of people in the workplace grew up in a world in which everything was scheduled for them. School, activities, even playdates were arranged. Even many college students are in settings in which they have little free choice. It can be hard for people who grew up with all that structure to suddenly take initiative. You have to teach that. When you find yourself annoyed that your reports arent finding new tasks to do, add a section to your meetings with them. Have them identify one or two things you havent assigned for them that they could do. Talk through with them how to recognize things that need to be done. Youre building a new set of habits, and that will take time. It requires some effort on your part at first, but it pays off in the long-run. 3. The one who (unintentionally) pushes your buttons Everyone has pet peevesno matter how laid back you appear to be. I tend to be loose about lots of things, but there are a few things that can really get me going. For example, when people use the word impact as a verb, it sets my teeth on edge. There are some people in this world whose default settings are designed to knock into every one of your peeves. As a result, engaging with them can set your skin crawling before they even say a word. When that person has some amount of power, then you may just have to grin and bear it. But, you can lay out some ground rules when those people are your direct reports. When I bring on a new team or start working with someone new, I usually give them a small list of things to avoid. It is amazing how that simple conversation makes so much of life go better later. 4. The one who is passive-aggressive The least benign of the annoying direct reports is the individual who is conflict avoidant but still needs to let you know when they are annoyed. These folks fall under the heading of passive-aggressive. They wont come out and tell you that they are annoyed, frustrated, or angry, but they let it out in other ways. These days, it is common to have a few direct reports who have this profile. We dont teach good conflict skills, and so people are reluctant to speak up when something bothers them. Then, their bad feelings leak out in other ways. Like the individuals who dont take initiative, you have to teach your reports to state their conflicts more directly and to create an environment in which it is safe to do that. You need to call out the passive aggressive behavior when you see it as quickly as possible (avoiding public embarrassment, of course). Then, discuss with your direct report that they need to talk out their concerns. Developing their skills to engage in difficult conversations will benefit these individuals immensely.
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E-Commerce
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