The robots learning our body language, why we must laugh more, and more top insights

This week, the Daily Rundown is keeping you current on the world of work and the big ideas that will shape 2019 (and beyond). Read on and join the conversation.

Laughing at work is not only good for you, according to ANU research, it can also help you deal with challenges. Humor can be used to deflect negative situations in an office such as bullying or aggression from another colleague. The study found that employees exposed to a hostile situation and then a humorous one “reduce[d] some of the damage caused… by bolstering their sense of power.” Workers exposed to humor also tended to work longer than those who were not.

Giving robots a crash course on body language: As robot-human interaction becomes more common, designer and coder Madeline Gannon has set out to experiment with how we relate to machines. In an installation for the World Economic Forum, Gannon trained 10 industrial robots to respond to the behavior of human passersby. The robots had a single central brain — allowing them to act independently and as a pack — along with 12 depth cameras and sensors. Such tech could let robots signal their intentions to humans via subtle body cues, aiding human-robot relations.

One and done, or twice as nice? Recruiters are more than twice as likely to prefer two-page résumés, according to an experiment by ResumeGo. In a simulation with nearly 20,000 résumés, 482 hiring professionals were 2.9 times more likely to prefer two-page résumés for managerial-level positions and 2.6 times as likely for mid-level roles. The participants also spent twice as long reading the two-page versions – busting the myth that recruiters are likely to skip lengthier CVs.

Mobile payments may be hurting our wallets: Researchers at the George Washington School of Business suggests that mobile payment-dependent millennials are more liable to make questionable financial moves, such as notching up credit card fees, borrowing from payday lenders or overdrawing checking accounts. It’s possible payment apps may be making it far too easy to separate us from our money, GW’s Annamaria Lusardi told Quartz. According to a 2016 survey, about nine in 10 U.S. millennials have smartphones and half of them use their devices for payments.

Computers need to go on an energy diet: Computing consumes 5% of global electricity and its energy demands double every decade. The world needs computers that consume less electricity or risk a painful energy crunch. Researchers are turning to physics for help. They’ve found materials that are so thin — only a few atoms thick — that they can allow electricity to pass through with very little resistance, an approach that could one day be an energy gamechanger.

Idea of the Day: If you find yourself bored at work, says Daniel Goleman, you probably need to up your engagement by tackling something more challenging.

“When we take on challenges that align with our abilities and interests, we feel more fulfilled and engaged by our work. ”

What's your take? Join the conversations on today's stories in the comments.

— LinkedIn Editors (India)