Five Things We Learned About Work in 2023

The world of work continued to evolve in 2023 . Companies and workers got back to a semblance of normalcy, while also keeping the flexibility of the past few years. They also navigated a big technological leap with ChatGPT and benefitted from a resurgent labor movement.

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Here are some of the things we learned about work in 2023:

Union Wins: In one of the biggest business stories of the year, US workers are getting record-breaking wage hikes after strikes and contract wins. Even before the United Auto Workers reached historic contract deals with carmakers, unions had already won their members 6.6% raises on average in 2023 — the biggest bump in more than three decades, according to an analysis by Bloomberg Law.

ChatGPT Mania: Workers can't ignore ChatGPT, the generative AI chatbot now used by 100 million people a week , according to its creator OpenAI. It's still so new that long-term effects seem not yet known, but a few studies have emerged.

Read three more things we learned about work this year.

Readers: What did you learn about work in 2023? Share your insights by joining the conversation below.

Quick Hits

• Pressured to return to the office but cautious about seeming ill, US employees are loading up on over-the-counter cold and allergy medicine.
• Swedish traders are pressing Nasdaq for shorter hours and more work-life balance.
• Southwest Airlines says "resume washing" is the newest hurdle in the talent war.

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The CEO of Office Sharing Firm IWG on WeWork's Long Shadow

Mark Dixon is the founder and chief executive officer of IWG, an office space provider that owns coworking brands like Regus and Spaces. Dixon founded the company in 1989, more than two decades before WeWork catapulted the concept into public consciousness.

But just as WeWork entered bankruptcy, IWG posted record revenue for the first half of this year. IWG is now eyeing some of its collapsed peer's locations as more long-term office leases expire and hybrid work plans stick, with companies calling workers back more days each week. Read our interview .

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