‘Where Did My Desk Go?’

More than one-third of office desks worldwide sit unoccupied all week, according to one study. Yet as more firms mandate time in the office, some employees can’t find conference rooms or free desks. Korn Ferry examines how the hybrid schedule is clashing with the desire of many firms to trim real-estate costs. Plus, how to prepare for the tough questions recruiters are now asking job candidates.

Returning to Work… But No Space to Work

The bosses said they wanted people back in the office, collaborating. At some offices, however, that can mean five or more coworkers around a single desk, because there’s no room to spread out.

Two major developments in the business world are colliding: On the one hand, firms are requiring more people to return to work. On the other, they’re trying to cut billions of dollars in office leases. With more people spending a majority of their time in the office, social media is filled with workers’ complaints: that they have to share desks; that they have no space for private work conversations; that there aren’t enough large meeting spaces for team gatherings. Experts worry that the disconnect could—at the very least—demoralize the workforce.

Read the full article here.

Briefings Podcast: A New Era of Micromanagement

Are companies micromanaging workers to death? Eight in 10 firms now plan to track office attendance; they’re even questioning sick days. Two experts share why leaders may feel this is necessary.?

Watch the podcast here.

6 Grueling Job-Interview Questions to Get Through

Job hunting is frustrating enough these days, thanks to thousands of candidates, and, in some cases, firms that don’t even confirm receipt of an application. The latest wrinkle: tough new interview questions.

Career coaches and hiring managers say that the post-pandemic work environment has made organizations more aware of the traits they need in new recruits, as well as of how the usual questions haven’t been eliciting those traits.

As with all job-interview questions, candidates can prepare for these new ones (or for some of the tough older ones that have been popping up more frequently lately).

Read the full article here.

Other Must-Reads from Korn Ferry

• And the Oscar Goes to: The CHRO! - There’s a?new Academy Award—for casting.?HR executives say it’s about time.
• The Furor Over 8 AM Meetings - As some firms return to 8 AM meetings, workers yawn, then gripe—including 29 million who viewed a TikTok video protesting the idea.
• Perform & Transform - Korn Ferry CEO Gary Burnison explains why the old ways of leading aren’t enough to drive future success.

Check out?Briefings, our bimonthly national magazine, for in-depth and unusual looks at critical leadership issues.