LinkedIn’s ‘top voices,’ side hustles, relocation incentives
Here are 5 things to know about work this week.
Hello, and welcome to WorkLife’s 5 things newsletter. In this weekly newsletter, we will spotlight five things to know about the latest issues affecting modern workplaces.?
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1. Here’s how two top voices on LinkedIn drive conversations on the platform
LinkedIn has evolved from a formal professional networking site to one of the top social media platforms today where people share both job and life updates, stories, and other content to rapidly growing audiences.
Accordingly, influencers, or “top voices,” and others looking to earn the title are taking over the platform, saturating it with content for people to engage with and raking in hundreds or even thousands of comments.
But similar to other social media sites, crafting the perfect presence on the platform is an art, one that LinkedIn influencers have worked to both inform and master themselves. It’s not a skill everyone has yet managed to nail, with some struggling to balance between professionalism and personal updates.
Here’s how two top voices got their titles, how they’re using the platform today to drive topical conversations, the opportunities it’s gotten them, and the potential it has for others.?
2. Younger generations particularly vulnerable to sophisticated AI-powered attacks
New research from 安永 reveals a growing cybersecurity anxiety among U.S. employees, with younger generations particularly vulnerable to sophisticated AI-powered attacks.?
Experts emphasize the need for engaging and tailored training programs and a culture of cyber awareness to combat evolving threats.
A survey of 1,000 workers in the U.S. by EY paints an alarming picture of the cybersecurity landscape. More than half (53%) of employees fear their organization will be targeted by cybercriminals, with about one-third (34%) worried their own actions could be the weak link. This anxiety is particularly acute among Gen Z and millennials, who feel less equipped to navigate the increasingly complex world of cyber threats compared to their older counterparts.
“The risk landscape has become incredibly complex,” says Jim Guinn, II , EY Americas Cybersecurity leader. “Geopolitical tensions, constantly evolving regulations, and the rapid integration of new technologies, especially AI, all contribute to this challenge.” The study found that 85% of employees believe AI has made cyberattacks more sophisticated, with 78% expressing concerns about its use in malicious activities.
3. Do side hustles help or hurt an employee’s productivity?
Adam Wagner had his 20th crossword puzzle published in The New York Times in May. He’s also the creative lead at Patreon , a platform that provides business tools for content creators.
It’s helping him show up even better at work. Not only does he use Patreon to connect with his puzzle community so he can understand its service better as a user, he also has an additional outlet for creativity and a passion project.?
Side hustles have been on the rise for years, and with the Federal Trade Commission having announced the ban on noncompetes nationwide at the end of April, some expect this to rise further.
“It’s really healthy for people to have that energy outside of work, whether you can actually apply those learnings to your everyday job, or if it’s just completely different from what you do as your day job,” said Rory Brown , chief brand officer at Patreon. “I firmly believe that people are happier when they do things they’re passionate about. Without that, they hit frustration, burnout, and exhaustion, and that’s when they leave jobs because they feel like those jobs are keeping them from being creative and doing the things they love.”
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4. Companies are incentivizing staff to relocate with more offerings to cover travel expenses
Getting employees to relocate so they can spend more time in the office is like pulling teeth for some employers. That’s why many are still offering incentives to sweeten the trade-off.
Some 64% of companies said an employee declined to relocate for work last year, which is up from the year prior, according to a survey from Atlas Van Lines (Canada) Ltd. including responses from over 500 company leaders. In 2019, 57% of companies reported an employee declined to locate.
It comes as more companies are forcing staff back into offices they may not even live near, like Walmart, which laid off hundreds of corporate staff this month and said those remaining in remote roles needed to relocate to its Bentonville, Arkansas headquarters or other primary offices in New Jersey and San Francisco.?
5. Over a third of LGBTQ+ workers have been less motivated or productive at work
Thirty-six percent of LGBTQ+ workers have been less motivated or productive at work as they can’t be themselves, according to talent company 任仕达 ’s recent Workmonitor Pulse survey of more than 2,000 employees around the world.?
The lack of LGBTQ+ inclusion impacts productivity in a myriad of ways in the workplace. For example, spending time trying to guess someone’s pronouns when an employee doesn’t include them in an email signature. Or, it could look like someone who doesn’t feel a sense of belonging, which in turn makes them disengaged and less likely to want to show up excited to get everything done for the day.?
“Bringing your full self to work has a direct impact to your productivity, your engagement, your actions in work, and making sure that you’re consistently communicating,” said Marc-Etienne Julien , Randstad CEO of North America. “People need to be their full selves.”
With Pride Month here, companies are once again thinking about what an inclusive workplace really looks like, despite this marginalized group wishing it would be discussed year-round. According to Randstad’s survey, while 41% of workers said that their employer actively engages with Pride Month, 39% consider their employer’s contribution to be tokenistic.?
Color by numbers
WorkLife is asking our readers how they’re approaching modern work. This past week, we asked them three questions related to our recent coverage. Here’s what we found.
74% of 40 respondents said yes.?
33% of 30 respondents said they dream of a different life. 25% said they were bored at work. 25% said their work is not authentic. 17% said something feels off.
62% of 40 respondents said remote.
Elsewhere in Digiday Media
Check out some of Digiday Media’s other stories on the future of work over the past week:
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This newsletter was curated by Cloey Callahan , senior reporter at WorkLife. Let us know what you think, or what you hope to see more of, by dropping us a note at [email protected].