Wellable Weekly

Wellable
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Your weekly dose of workplace & HR trends, wellness insights, and practical tips to help your team thrive. For more workplace insights, visit: https://www.wellable.co/

  1. 2d ago

    Layoffs (World Cup Edition) and the $33K Salary Gap

    In this week's episode, Nick and Geoff tackle the question every HR leader dreads: when a layoff is coming, what is the right way to communicate it? A World Cup roster cut gone sideways offers an unexpected lesson in delivering bad news. They also discuss two new surveys that reveal just how wide the gap has grown between what employees expect to earn and what they are actually getting.   Key Takeaways There is no good answer to layoff communication, only tradeoffs, and the WARN Act sets the legal floorAdvance notice creates transparency but also triggers productivity loss, politicking, and security risksUS Soccer coach Pochettino cut 29 World Cup hopefuls via email, a reminder that efficiency in delivering bad news often comes at the expense of the human elementMore than half of overemployed workers say they would need a 21% to 50% raise to give up their second job, and the average US worker expects roughly $33,000 more than they are currently earningReturn to office has an underappreciated side effect: requiring in-person attendance a few days a week makes holding two full-time jobs significantly harder to sustain

    21 min

  2. May 27

    The Price of AI: Booed Speeches & Cut Benefits

    In this week's episode, Nick and Geoff start by breaking down two stories about how AI is affecting the modern workforce. They dig into why Gen Z graduates are booing commencement speakers who tout AI's promise and discuss a company that suspended its 401k match mid-year to fund AI investment. They also unpack the Bolt CEO's headline-making decision to fire his entire HR team. Key Takeaways Gen Z graduates are booing commencement speakers who frame AI as an exciting opportunity, reflecting their real anxiety about entering the current labor market in light of all the AI-driven layoffsTTEC suspended its 401k employer match mid-year and redirected those funds toward AI tools and infrastructure, signaling a troubling new willingness to treat previously untouchable compensation benefits as variable costsOnce a few prominent companies adjust benefits previously considered off-limits, it lowers the bar for others to follow, a pattern already playing out across parental leave and other benefitsFew CEOs have publicly committed to distributing AI gains to employees, and profit-sharing or bonus contingency plans tied to AI-driven growth would meaningfully change how workforce cuts are receivedClickUp offers a rare counterexample, cutting 22% of its workforce while introducing $1 million salary bands for remaining staff, connecting the restructuring to a tangible upside for those who stayBolt CEO Ryan Breslow fired his entire HR team, but the core functions didn't disappear—they were redistributed to a People Ops team, making the move less radical than advertised

    23 min

  3. May 20

    Google's WHOOP Killer, Tokenmaxxing, and the AI Metric Trap

    In this week's episode, Nick and Geoff break down two headlines. First, they dig into the Fitbit Air, Google and Fitbit's new screenless wearable that's being called the Whoop killer. Then they tackle tokenmaxxing, the emerging workplace behavior of inflating AI usage to impress managers, and what Goodhart's Law tells us about tying performance metrics to AI usage.  Key Takeaways The Fitbit Air mirrors Whoop's screenless form factor but doesn't require a paid subscription, offering a one-time purchase with an optional $10/month Google Gemini-powered health coaching upgrade and making it a potentially more accessible entry point for consumers and employersThe Fitbit Air's consistent design, lower price point, and no required subscription make it a stronger candidate for employer bulk purchasing than past devices like the Apple WatchConsumer health products that gain mainstream buzz—like wearables did a decade ago—tend to eventually work their way into employee wellness program conversations, whether HR teams plan for it or notAI-powered personal health coaching at the individual level raises a longer-term question: could hyper-personalized consumer devices eventually fragment the traditional employer wellness program model?Tokenmaxxing—employees deliberately overusing AI tools to signal productivity rather than accomplish meaningful work—has emerged at Amazon and reflects a predictable response to ambiguous performance expectations around AIGoodhart's Law applies directly to AI adoption: when token usage becomes the target metric, employees optimize for usage rather than outcomes, driving up costs without improving resultsHR leaders designing AI performance frameworks now have an opportunity to anchor expectations to outcomes and treat AI usage as context, not the measure itself https://youtu.be/v4xrW2FVEq4?si=7WOiBjObH85YBXr5

    18 min

  4. May 13

    Addressing Employee Well-Being in an Era of Burnout and Uncertainty with Chase Sterling

    In this week's episode, Geoff sits down with Chase Sterling, founder and executive director of Wellbeing Think Tank, to explore what it truly takes to build a healthy workplace in today's environment. Chase brings over 20 years of workplace wellness expertise to a candid conversation about how organizations can build a healthy, resilient workplace even in uncertain times.  Key Takeaways Wellbeing Think Tank started as a side passion project to break down silos in workplace wellness and has grown into a full-time nonprofit organization offering free events, evidence-based resources, memberships, and trainingsAs AI reshapes the way we work, the organizations best positioned for the future are those treating it as a tool to automate tasks and reduce mental load, not a replacement for human connection and creativityThere's no such thing as survey fatigue. It's inaction fatigue; employees are eager to share feedback when they trust that their organization will listen and respond meaningfullyOrganizations often invest in programs based on assumptions rather than actual employee needs, leading to well-intentioned but misaligned spending that frustrates both employers and employeesThe healthiest workplaces focus on the fundamentals (making employees feel seen, heard, and valued) and let core mission, vision, and values genuinely guide policy and decision-makingOrganizations that embrace the art of listening and have strong, healthy cultures can weather major disruption without major well-being declines

    36 min

  5. May 6

    Workplace in Transition: The AI Investment

    In this week’s episode, Nick and Geoff explore how companies are reallocating resources to fund AI projects and what that means for employees. From layoffs and voluntary buyouts to reductions in parental leave and other core benefits, they unpack the different strategies organizations are using to cut costs to fund token use, data centers, and other AI investments. The conversation also dives into how these shifts are influencing employee experience, talent retention, and even the growing popularity of health fairs as a way to communicate difficult benefits changes. Key Takeaways • Companies are shifting significant dollars toward AI investments, including infrastructure, compute, and tokens, which are affecting the balance between human and technological capital while forcing difficult trade-offs in workforce spending • Layoffs remain the most visible cost-cutting strategy, but organizations are also using quieter approaches like benefit reductions, return-to-office mandates, and voluntary buyouts to manage headcount • Zoom and Deloitte have made notable cuts to parental leave and other core benefits, signaling a broader trend of scaling back high-value employee perks introduced during the pandemic • Voluntary buyouts, like Microsoft’s program, may unintentionally push out top talent, since employees with the strongest external opportunities are often the most likely to opt in • The labor market has shifted in favor of employers, giving companies more leverage to make unpopular changes while expecting many employees to stay • Health fairs and similar engagement initiatives may be rising in popularity as organizations look for more positive, engaging ways to communicate benefit reductions

    15 min

  6. Apr 29

    Rethinking Screenings, GLP-1s, and Smarter Health Decisions with Al Lewis

    In this guest episode, Nick sits down with Al Lewis, founder of Quizzify and the Validation Institute, to challenge long-held assumptions about workplace wellness. From his dramatic reversal on health screenings to a deep dive into GLP-1 education strategies, Al shares candid insights on what works and what does not in employee health. The conversation explores how a new, low-cost screening technology could reshape population health strategies, why most wellness ROI claims fall short, and how employers can better manage the surge in demand for weight loss drugs. Key Takeaways Al Lewis has reversed his stance on biometric screenings after investing in a new, non-invasive technology that delivers similar insights at a much lower cost and with greater accessibilityTraditional screenings often fail due to high costs, administrative burden, and false positives, making them inefficient at scaleMany wellness ROI claims should be viewed critically, as they often rely on self-reported outcomes and selective data that do not accurately reflect true behavior change or cost savingsGLP-1 drugs are growing in popularity, but high dropout rates highlight the need for better education and expectation settingEducational content can help employers guide employees through GLP-1 decisions and improve long-term success

    35 min

  7. Apr 22

    Digital Clones, Flat Orgs, and the Future of Hiring

    In this week's episode, Nick and Geoff dig into Mark Zuckerberg's effort to build a digital clone of himself for Meta's 80,000 employees—and what it reveals about where management is really heading. They explore Jack Dorsey's bold prediction that middle management will effectively go extinct and why a week-long trial period during the hiring process might be the antidote to an application process flooded with AI-generated resumes and cover letters. Key Takeaways Mark Zuckerberg is building an AI digital clone of himself so employees can interact with his thinking, strategies, and feedback at scale, raising questions about where AI-assisted leadership adds value and where it falls shortAI clones may excel at repeating and clarifying strategic communication but struggle to replicate the nuance, candor, and two-way iteration that make leadership conversations meaningfulJack Dorsey predicted the extinction of middle management, with AI enabling manager-to-employee ratios that would have been unthinkable even five years agoAI is transforming both sides of hiring: Employers use it to filter candidates, while job seekers use it to generate highly customized applications at scale, making the traditional resume process increasingly unreliableWeek-long trial periods are emerging as a compelling alternative to traditional interviews, giving both employers and candidates a more honest, real-world window into fit

    16 min

  8. Apr 15

    "AI Brain Fry" Is Costing Companies More Than They Think

    In this week's episode, Nick and Geoff dig into a BCG study of 1,500 U.S. workers that puts a name to something many employees are quietly experiencing: "AI brain fry". They unpack how the push to use more AI agents is driving cognitive overload, decision fatigue, and real productivity losses—and why tying compensation to AI usage metrics may be making things worse. They close with a striking real-world illustration: a solo founder who built a $1.8 billion business with AI says his only reason to hire now is loneliness. Key Takeaways A new BCG study coins the term "AI brain fry"—acute cognitive overload distinct from burnout—affecting employees increasingly pushed to manage multiple AI agents simultaneouslyProductivity gains from AI peak at two to three tools and actually decline beyond that, challenging the assumption that more AI use always means more outputMarketing and HR are among the hardest-hit functions, with nearly one in five employees in those departments reporting "AI brain fry"Workers whose managers actively answer AI-related questions report 15% lower mental fatigue scores, making manager involvement one of the most practical interventions availableTying compensation to AI usage metrics—like token consumption or lines of AI-generated code—drives behavior that prioritizes activity over impact, accelerating brain fry rather than reducing it

    19 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.6
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

Your weekly dose of workplace & HR trends, wellness insights, and practical tips to help your team thrive. For more workplace insights, visit: https://www.wellable.co/

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    Wellable
  • Years Active
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  • Episodes
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