Episode 37 | The End of Workplace Loyalty: Why Work Feels So Broken Right Now | Guest: Aki Ito, "Business Insider" Journalist

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In this week's episode, I sit down with Aki Ito, award-winning chief correspondent at Business Insider, who recently published a fascinating article unraveling the complex and evolving topic of workplace loyalty, entitled The End of Workplace Loyalty - Why Work Feels So Broken Right Now, and How It Can Be Repaired.

Whether you're a seasoned executive, a recent graduate, or somewhere in between, this episode offers a examination of what it means to be loyal in today's workforce and how we can collectively forge a new, more humane, and equitable contract for the future.

As we navigate the seismic shifts in employer-employee dynamics -- especially driven by the pandemic -- Aki sheds light on the sobering fact that the era where companies and employees were deeply committed to each other has now become a thing of the past.

We explore the history of workplaces, from the booming post-World War II era to present day, and how the once-sacred psychological contract between companies and their workforce is being rewritten. Aki's insights shed light on how different generations view loyalty, showing that it's not just about age but about everyone wanting respect and honesty in their work relationships.

We delve into the impact of technology, remote work, and the Great Resignation on the delicate balance of trust. Aki also explores the phenomenon of 'overemployment' -- aka working multiple full-time jobs at once -- and how the state of New York has established legislation against it.

Tune in to this thought-provoking dialogue and join the conversation about the death and rebirth of workplace loyalty. And remember, if you're seeking guidance, whether in your career or caregiving journey, visit christiebishop.com for coaching opportunities that can support you on your path forward.

About Aki Ito:

Aki Ito is chief correspondent at Business Insider, where she covers the workplace and the economy. Her biggest features have reported on the salary transparency revolution, the rise and fall of hustle culture, the dangers that AI poses for workers, and the "overemployment" phenomenon. She has also written about the economy's tumultuous transition to remote and hybrid work, the Great Resignation's unintended consequences on salaries, the surge in warehouse employment, and the tech layoffs.

In 2022, Aki's story about recovering overachievers dialing back at work sparked the national firestorm over quiet quitting. That story, along with her feature about the end of hustle culture, won the National Press Club's award for cultural criticism and was a finalist for the Gerald Loeb Award in commentary.

Aki's journalism has also won awards from organizations including SABEW, the New York Press Club, the San Francisco Press Club, the Institute on Political Journalism, the Webbys, the Northern California chapter of the Society for Professional Journalists, and the Society of Publishers in Asia.

Episode Chapters:

(00:00) Christie Bishop explores the death of workplace loyalty in this podcast (07:24) Aki It's role at Business Insider (08:26) Describing Aki's article about the death of workplace loyalty (09:49) The psychological contract shapes expectations and behaviors between employers and employees (11:19) Aki describes changes in expectations of workers vs. that of employers over 100 years (21:21) Technology has changed the way employees view loyalty to their employers (23:48) Research shows remote work reduces loyalty to employers and vice versa (25:50) What was the impact of the great resignation on workplace loyalty (29:40) The role of perks in terms of staying at a company (32:41) Aki wrote an article about overemployment and its implications for loyalty (36:38) Aki interviewed boomers and millennials about workplace loyalty (44:16) The most important thing is for employees and employers to rewrite contract (53:43) Aki describes her follow up to her original article based on feedback from readers