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🧠 I’ve Been Thinking…

… about how much you can learn from reading the comments on social media posts, particularly, about how people process information. Enlightening are the posts where I think there’s pretty much only one POV. Reading the comments shows me how easily information is distorted, reshaped, and repositioned by others.  I’m not saying all the POVs are astute or insightful, but I am saying it’s mind blowing how many different interpretations can materialize.

It’s no wonder, then, that we have so many miscommunications at work and everywhere else. It’s not enough to “put it out there.” We need to make sure our intention carries our message to where we want it to go and that it lands as we desire. 

As you’ll put together from some of my shares this week, building relationships is key to building better communication which leads to more positive workplaces.

🚀 Stories to Help You Drive Change

These are my last shares for the year, so I hope they contribute to your plans to improve your workplace with knowledge and positive action:

SPECIAL NOTE: If you hit a paywall, go to Google Search, enter the name of the publication and something about the story (author, title, subject) to get a link that may bypass the paywall. And hey, if you like the publication, consider subscribing!

  • New data on RTO mandates published by SSRN shows a correlation between those mandates and top employees exiting companies requiring a return to the physical workplace. Here’s the abstract: “By tracking over 3 million tech and finance workers’ employment histories reported on LinkedIn, we analyze the effect of S&P 500 firms’ return-to-office (RTO) mandates on employee turnover and hiring. We find that these firms experience abnormally high employee turnover following RTO mandates. The increase in turnover rates is more pronounced for female employees, more senior employees, and more skilled employees. Further, it takes significantly longer time for these firms to fill their job vacancies after the mandates. Their hire rates also significantly decrease. These results are consistent with firms losing their best talent and female employees and facing greater difficulties with talent attraction after RTO mandates. Our study highlights brain drain as a significant cost of RTO mandates even for the largest firms in the world.” Full paper available for download here.
  • How to disagree like a grown up: at work and at home. It’s not new info but really well stated with insightful perspectives. (Scroll down to get to this story – it’s not the first you’ll see on the page.)
  • We’re living in troubled times. We’re also living in amazing times. Check out this story on advances in very early breast cancer detection via blood tests aided by lasers and AI. Awesome!
  • Friendship is one of the most important types of relationship a human can have, but it’s in crisis for people of all ages. Sit in as two great minds, Simon Senek and Trevor Noah, discuss what friendship brings to our lives and how we need to develop and protect these oh-so-vital relationships. (I love how they call each other truffle pigs. It’s so endearing.)
  • Carla Cuglietta traveled across 15 countries in 18 months to explore how we can better prepare for the rapidly evolving future of work. She talks about anxiousness as the new normal and how to better prepare ourselves and others for work life as it reboots all around us. Great TEDTalk.
  • Looking to up your knowledge base in 2025? 1440 is an objective source of news and information. To get a taste of what they share (for free!), check out this repository for their deep dives into business and finance topics.

✍️ More free stuff—download our free journal for planning and reflecting on improving your workplace culture

Here’s week 7 from our digest of inspiring prompts to help you plan to be kinder in your workplace and encourage your colleagues to do the same.

Focus on what brings you joy. Jot a few notes for each day on how you will keep your mind tuned to the positive influences in your life.

This week’s prompt is to identify what brings you joy and plan for more of it.

Download here for the full, free, planner/reflector and let us know what you think.

🌟 Do Good Spotlight: One Warm Coat

Their mission is to “provide free coats to children and adults in need while promoting volunteerism and environmental sustainability.” One Warm Coat is a national nonprofit that holds coat drives and donations to protect people from the cold. They repurpose previously worn outwear to stay as sustainable as possible. I’m sure you’ll warm up to their mission, here’s the website: One Warm Coat.

🖋 Noteworthy: RAYNE IX®

I’m in a networking group with Kiley Peters, the founder of RAYNE IX® from whom I learned a few interesting stats, including that, on average, 80% of a business owner’s wealth is tied up in their company and only 30% of businesses that go to market actually sell. Kiley and her team are passionate about helping business owners think about how to measure the value of their companies way before they’re ready to exit their business, helping them to create more options for exiting when the time is right.

RAYNE IX’s special focus is helping women agency owners navigate The Richest Exit to realize the true meaning of wealth. With their 5-step program called A.S.S.E.T., they guide clients through building business value, extracting wealth now, and confidently navigating entrepreneurial transitions so they can enjoy more of what matters most to them.

If you or a friend own a marketing agency, even if an exit is decades away, the idea of exploring multiple exit options is smart. Learn more at RIXExit.com.

⏳Until Next Time…

The next issue of Niki’s Notes will be published on 1/9/25. Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season and the very best for next year. Enjoy!

Niki

Niki’s Notes for Better Workplaces

Weekly news and insights on the compassionate workplace movement with commentary, spotlights on innovative companies, and not-for-profits that deserve extra love! Edited by A Better Paradigm Founder, Niki.