The Shift

Most hybrid and remote professionals can work almost anywhere, transcending space and time by working together in different locations and time zones. What is this style of work called?

Global teamwork

Universal participation

Asynchronous collaboration

Intergalactic cooperation

Many have probably experimented with this at work and at home, creating text or images that may or may not look real. Consulting it for advice could be a good idea if you know what to ask and aren’t afraid of the answer. We’re referring to:

Copilot

Generative AI

GPT-4

All of the above

Goblin mode helps create environments where people can feel free to be themselves, encouraging authentic interactions that could lead to higher productivity and better wellbeing. What is goblin mode?

For hybrid employees, this is the act of sneaking around to leave candy, gifts, or drinks for your coworkers on their desks, brightening their days and celebrating everyone being in the office.

Showing up to work in a crisp suit, perfectly groomed and ready for that crucial morning meeting with a steaming cup of coffee and a genuine smile, whether in the office or at home.

Turning out all the lights and putting away every screen except your work laptop to solely focus on a crucial deadline.

Rolling out of bed and flipping open your laptop, ready to seize the day in your pajamas and tousled hair, showing up more like your true self and not caring how you look.

Prioritizing wellbeing and allowing employees to embrace goblin mode are two of the six ways to help solve this common workplace problem. What is the collective depleted state of enthusiasm, motivation, and mental health due to social unrest, geopolitical instability, economic uncertainty, and/or occupational burnout?

Human energy crisis

Exhausted workplace syndrome

Common employee fatigue

Burnout code red

Missing a meeting or important work event can feel stressful and sometimes alienating, leading to dread and paranoia, but some people feel intense happiness when not participating. This curious phenomenon we should all try to embrace sometimes is known as:

HTBA: Happy to be Away

JOMO: Joy of Missing Out

PHAA: Playing Hooky as an Adult

FPIA: Finding Peace in Absence

For many, the structured workday has changed, and with it, the in-person morning meeting. The choice to be on or off-camera, use an avatar, speak or stay muted, and move around the house with a laptop has made many feel more relaxed when starting the day. Which acronym is used when a meeting is running over, and someone needs to go for personal or professional reasons?

OOH: Out of Here

TNT: Till Next time

NTD: Need to Drop

EMD: Excuse My Disappearance

These are tasks that shouldn’t be prioritized, proving that productivity can be measured by impact rather than just a list. They’re also a great way to provide short-term relief for managers, allowing them to audit their calendars and manage distractions. We’re referring to:

No-KRs: No-Key Results

OKRs: Objectives and Key Results

CVOs: Clear-View Outcomes

No-CVOs: No-Clear View Outcomes

The Work Trend Index Report found that 87% of remote employees believe they’re productive, but 85% of leaders doubt it. What is the term for the lack of confidence managers experience as a result, making them feel the need to micromanage instead of helping employees focus on what’s most important?

Clenched supervision

Efficiency obsession

Helicopter syndrome

Productivity paranoia

Priorities have shifted in the remote workplace, with many employees reserving energy for interests outside work. This term describes when people only do what’s required in anticipation of personal activities—a reflection of shifting priorities in the growing awareness of self-care.

Timeboxing

Quiet quitting

Self-keeping

Sneak mode

Creating and sticking with a schedule for work and personal goals as a remote employee can be tricky. That’s why this organization technique exists to manage life with detailed lists for everything from folding laundry to intricate work assignments, with precise start and stop times. What’s it called?

Pomodoro technique

Timesharing

Calculated organization

Timeboxing

Leaders should respect new work patterns and offer team agreements that benefit everyone’s schedules, including the triple peak workday, but what exactly is the triple peak workday?

Blocks of time that leaders are allowed to check in on employees throughout the day to avoid micromanaging, allowing staff a better sense of autonomy.

Triple peak refers to the three times caffeine is needed throughout the day for those who drink coffee or tea, helping people know when to put the kettle on for peak performance.

The addition of a third peak time for productivity, changing the traditional workday from two to three peaks: before and after lunch, and 9 p.m.

A super busy day that begins at sunrise and ends at sunset—requiring three precise, timed breaks to get through it.

Self-care has been a priority for many after the pandemic, with employees prioritizing family and personal life over work. According to a Microsoft Work Trend Index Report, more than half of employees are likely to put health and wellbeing before their jobs. What is this known as?

Common sense calculation

Worth-it equation

Life-work equivalence

Wellbeing identification