Thought-provoking Things Worth Sharing - Issue #195
Are we destined to never stop working?
One of the things I’ve seen mentioned over and over again about AI is that, in its current form, it isn't giving workers more time; it’s creating more work and less time.
So, this might be a valid assumption:
Worth Reading - America is Heading Toward the Infinite Workweek Thanks to AI
AI is creating more work and raising expectations that we all keep doing more.
Welcome to this week’s collection of thought-provoking things. For each issue, I will share information on careers and workplace culture, workplace mental health, talent development, and key insights into privacy, security, and legal technology.
You can learn more about me here: Mike McBride Online.
Of course, this is unsustainable. It’s also not a foregone conclusion:
Worth Reading - AI has made work almost endless, but it doesn’t have to be this way
We aren’t disciplined enough to stop ourselves, especially when the culture rewards those who don’t. In my opinion, that’s what most organizations get wrong: they talk about not burning out, not working too many hours, and maybe they even understand the negative impacts on work quality that come from overwork.
But who gets the kudos during team meetings or all-hands meetings? It’s not the ones setting boundaries to protect their mental health. It’s the ones who work all the time.
I tend to agree; it doesn’t have to be this way. Our workplace cultures, however, make it this way, and it’s killing your workers.
It’s time to take a minute to think about something other than the stock valuation and look at the real cost to the human beings who work for you.
Careers and the Workplace
I shared this five years ago this week. Is anyone out there having fewer back-to-back meetings than they were in 2021?
Linked: Brain Research Confirms Stupidity Of Back-to-Back Meetings
Artificial Intelligence
Obviously, given that I work in the IG space, this seems correct:
AI Governance is a Hollow Framework Without Data Governance
This could have been predicted - Employers who laid off workers citing AI are already starting to regret it
Microsoft warns customers AI will mean busier Patch Tuesdays
It’s hard to argue against vendors finding and fixing more flaws, and perhaps over time AI will mean their products contain fewer vulnerabilities that need a fix. However, The Register is yet to hear of AI being used to create more or longer change windows that admins can use to implement all these extra patches.
Training and Development
I think one of the issues here is that no one knows what reskilling for AI means. The tools are changing so fast. How do you do mass reskilling for a tool that will be different by the time you finish the curriculum?
The ‘learn to code’ era is over - and employers are on the hook for reskilling now
Mental Health in the Workplace
The increase is especially significant among working mothers: The Staggering Rise of Mental Health Leave
This isn’t going to help:
Privacy, Security, and Legal Tech
Worth Reading - EDRM Invites Global Community to Shape EDRM 2.0 via Public Comment
Those of you in the eDiscovery arena might already be aware of this new public comment period for the EDRM version 2.0. I took a quick look at it, and the one thing I will say is that I agree that eDiscovery is part of the Information Governance strategy for every firm, so I was glad to see that model as the underlying thread.
Not unrelated - Discovery Isn’t Sequential. So, Why Is Your Workflow?
This makes sense - Comprehensive ESI Protocol Includes Hyperlinked Files, Generative AI, and More
Worth Reading - Why Staying Up-to-Date with Microsoft 365 Feels Like Hitting a Wall
Most are just trying to get through the overwhelming amount of work they need to do. Learning a new tool isn't on their radar unless it can help them get that work done right this very moment. Meanwhile, we've got a bunch of IT leaders spending a ton of time learning these tools or testing the compliance issues involved in using them, which we should do. How much is enough, though? How much time do we dedicate to tools that are going to be used by less than 10% of the workforce?
Class actions are asking for much more serious damages - Class actions against law firms for data breaches take a new turn
That’s all, folks. If you found something interesting in this week’s newsletter, please share it with your friends. It’s the best way to help support the effort I put into sharing this with you each week.