Latest news with #MadelineMann
USA Today
5 days ago
- Business
- USA Today
What is task masking? Why Gen Z is rebranding quiet quitting
When return-to-office mandates started to rise post-pandemic, many workers who had become accustomed to getting tasks done remotely at home (and at their own pace) were presented with a new problem. In an office, you also need to appear as though you're always busy, which is known as performative productivity. According to Madeline Mann, an expert career coach, that's led to a new work trend for burnt-out Gen Z office workers: 'task masking.' 'Task masking is essentially looking like you are busy doing important work, when it's more to keep up appearances,' Mann explains, noting that this might look like scheduling emails to go out at all times of the day, repeatedly announcing how overburdened you are, filling your calendar with real and made-up meetings and generally prioritizing busy work. According to a recent poll from tech company Workhuman, more than one-third of UK workers admits to engaging in 'fake productivity.' Mann adds that 'task masking' is tightly tied to another workplace trend that gained steam in 2022: quiet quitting. 'You can draw a connection between task masking and quiet quitting because both focus on underachieving and putting in less effort at work.' Unlike quiet quitting (where an employee might start visibly putting in less effort on important tasks), Mann notes that task masking could actually help get you promoted — but could lead to some dangerous situations down the road. Here's everything to know about task masking and how to shift your career approach without burning out. Why task masking is so popular with Gen Z As Mann observes, Gen Z is a decidedly different generation from millennials, Gen X or Boomers in terms of their workplace attitudes. 'When I speak with educators and managers who have seen decades of young people come through, they do note a difference in Gen Z's ability to develop soft skills, and Gen Z's anxiety around human interaction,' Mann says. 'This can be attributed to Gen Z being the first digitally native generation who skipped many of the social interactions that the rest of us have had.' According to 2023 research from the science journal Heliyon, having soft skills — like empathy, communication abilities and flexibility — is critical for getting ahead at work. Still, as Mann says, members of Gen Z are no dummies. 'Gen Z is learning how the corporate game is played, while also watching the corporate game evolve quickly with the increase in remote work, AI and new technology in the workplace,' she says. She points out that this allows them to quickly spot ways to do less work without getting penalized. How task masking can be dangerous As Mann explains, yes — task masking might make you look pretty good in the short run. As for a long-term career strategy? It's problematic. 'Task masking can hurt younger employees because they won't have measurable value and accomplishments to show for their work, which will hurt their opportunity for raises, promotions, good references and strong resume bullets,' she says. 'At a time when each role is being scrutinized for layoffs and replacement with AI, it's important to show clear contributions that lead to results.' How to shift your career approach without burning out Per 2024 research from the journal Asian Management and Business Review, millennial and Gen Z workers who are dissatisfied with their jobs tend to show less motivation and decreased engagement, and they might engage in acts like task masking or quiet quitting. At this point, Mann advises it's important to be honest with yourself. 'If you find yourself avoiding work, having trouble focusing or are mentally exhausted by the end of the day, those are clear signs you are on the wrong career path,' she explains. 'I was a miserable task-masking junior employee working in market research, and then a high-performing junior employee working in human resources because I shifted to a career that played to my strengths.' As Mann explains, you should still try to stay visible where it counts. 'It's not about always being available to the business, but staying visible is important, so focus on doing high-impact tasks,' she notes. 'That includes saying something each day in the company instant messenger that is visible to many people, updating your manager weekly and checking in with key stakeholders across the business monthly. These three actions alone can do wonders.' Depending on your role, Mann recommends presenting your own metrics of tracking to your boss. This will help retain a sense of control (something task masking might've offered you prior), while still being realistic about what you can and can't achieve. 'Try setting up daily or weekly check-ins with your boss outlining what you've accomplished, what your priorities are and where you're stuck,' Mann suggests. The result? 'Your boss will then notice your achievements, help unblock issues, and advise on whether your priorities are correct,' Mann explains. 'If your boss asks you to do something that you don't have time for, ask them which of your other projects should be deprioritized to focus on this new one.' The bottom line, Mann says, is that when you continue accepting work beyond your capacity just to show you're a team player, it might send the message that you weren't all that busy to begin with. 'So this visibility into your workload helps to ensure your boss sees how much you have to work on and is more likely to appreciate it,' she adds. What is USA TODAY Top Workplaces 2025? Do you work for a great company? Each year, USA TODAY Top Workplaces, a collaboration between Energage and USA TODAY, ranks organizations across the United States that excel at creating a positive work environment for their employees. Employee feedback determines the winners. In 2025, over 1,500 companies earned recognition as top workplaces. Check out our overall U.S. rankings. You can also gain insights into more workplace trends and advice by checking out the links below.
USA Today
10-07-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Soft skills vs AI: Why empathy, communication and teamwork matter more than ever
From robotics on factory assembly lines to ChatGPT, artificial intelligence (AI) is as prevalent in major industries as it is on our smartphones. From some perspectives, that expansion is revolutionary; recent studies have found that AI has the potential to provide more accurate medical diagnoses and help make sense of complex and unwieldy data. But AI is lacking in one critical workplace quality: soft skills. 'Soft skills are highly transferable skills that power most of our day-to-day interactions — things like collaboration, communication, creativity and the ability to learn,' says Madeline Mann, a human resources and career strategist. This aligns with the U.S. Department of Labor's findings that emotional intelligence at work, such as teamwork, communication, critical thinking and professionalism, are now essential and precisely the areas where artificial intelligence falls short. Here's why soft skills matter more than ever for the future of work and how they may be the real differentiator in your next job search or promotion. Why soft skills matter in today's job market If soft skills involve things like empathy and communication, hard skills are measurable abilities — such as data analysis, coding or technical writing — typically acquired through training or education. Those things are essential, of course, but they serve as a baseline. Mann uses a doctor as an example. 'The doctors who are most appreciated and have the lowest rate of litigation have great bedside manner. That's soft skills,' she explains. 'Most people don't know where their doctor went to school, but they do remember how that doctor made them feel.' According to 2023 research from the science journal Heliyon, even in tech fields like engineering or logistics, more than 40% of all skills required by employers are skills AI can't replace, including critical and analytical thinking, problem-solving and flexibility. Mann says it's the same for any career. 'Soft skills shape how people experience you, and that can be the edge that sets you apart,' she notes. How to showcase soft skills to hiring managers So, how do you demonstrate these skills when it counts? In an interview, you won't necessarily mention the soft skills you possess, but you can demonstrate them to a hiring manager. The key is to prepare examples from your past roles that show your character. 'Instead of just saying you launched a campaign that increased app downloads, explain your thought process: How did you come up with the idea? How did you get others on board? Did you have to collaborate across departments, navigate cultural dynamics or adjust on the fly when budget or timing shifted?' Mann says. Those small details that demonstrate your ability to communicate and be flexible will make you stand out. 'People land interviews because of their hard skills, but they land jobs and promotions because of their soft skills,' she says. AI can't replace relationship-building Among all soft skills, the ability to build genuine relationships stands out as especially irreplaceable in an AI-driven world. Even when teams are fully remote, the workplace remains a social community, not just a network of tasks. Employees who can forge genuine connections, collaborate across departments and leverage emotional intelligence are becoming indispensable. 'We're entering a phase where personalization is rare, and authenticity is craved,' Mann explains. Her observations have borne out. A study in the Journal of Vocational Behavior highlighted that professionals who engage in networking (especially via platforms like LinkedIn) see better promotions, higher compensation and greater career satisfaction. In other words, networking isn't just a buzzword; it's a relationship-building exercise that machines can't mimic, and it can directly impact your upward mobility and help set you up for a promotion. How soft skills can fast-track your promotion Promotions rely heavily on AI-proof skills, Mann notes. It's not just about doing great work; it's about making sure the right people see it. That's why building strong relationships with your manager, teammates and colleagues across departments is essential. According to LinkedIn's 2025 Workplace Trends Report, managers say soft skills are equally — if not more — important than hard skills. Communication has consistently ranked among the top skills employers seek and was the most in-demand skill in 2024. To raise your profile, Mann recommends staying connected with colleagues across the organization and paying attention to their needs. This awareness allows you to step in on high-impact projects, often before you're even asked. 'The goal is to keep raising your value through relationships, visibility and contribution. The more people who see you as valuable and easy to work with, the more likely they are to advocate for what you want in your role,' says Mann. The human edge As AI continues to reshape what jobs look like, the human edge will come from what machines still can't do: build trust, read the room and rally a team. 'So yes, master your craft,' Mann says. 'But also cultivate likability, strong communication and collaboration to have a successful career.' In other words, the most future-proof skill might just be your humanity. What is USA TODAY Top Workplaces 2025? If you're looking for a job where soft skills are rewarded, we can help. Each year, USA TODAY Top Workplaces, a collaboration between Energage and USA TODAY, ranks organizations across the U.S. that excel at creating a positive work environment for their employees. Employee feedback determines the winners. In 2025, over 1,500 companies earned recognition as top workplaces. Check out our overall U.S. rankings. You can also gain insights into top-ranked regional employers by checking out the links below.
Forbes
01-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
To Boost Your Prospects, Don't Be A Job Seeker. Be A Job Shopper
. Looking for a job? Whatever you do, resist the temptation to 'flood the zone' with applications. To stand out, you must be strategic in building your online brand, networking, interviewing, and negotiating. That's the counsel of Madeline Mann, author of Reverse the Search: How to Turn Job Seeking into Job Shopping. A former HR recruiter, Mann has spun her insider knowledge of the hiring process into an award-winning career coaching empire called Self Made Millennial. Her YouTube channel has had more than 24 million views and her other social media posts attract millions more. Clearly, people welcome smart help in finding the right job. Mann says an important key is to switch paradigms (and tactics) from being a job seeker to being a job shopper. 'The switch challenges the entire way people have been conditioned to approach their career,' Mann says. 'We've been taught to follow the employer's directions at every step of the hiring process, wait patiently for their responses, and do our best to answer their questions. But Job Shoppers are aware that this causes you to fade into the background, and instead know how to unearth opportunities, get noticed, and take interviews in different directions.' Madeline Mann Mann says most people conduct a job search like they've been handed a Rubik's Cube for the first time. What does that look like in terms of observable behaviors? 'Most people frantically do many actions in the job search, but their results don't match the effort—like tirelessly turning a Rubik's Cube without knowing the strategy to solve it,' she says. 'This looks like applying to dozens or even hundreds of jobs online, believing that sheer volume will increase their chances. If they try networking, they do it haphazardly—sending their résumé to people and asking for their help. When they finally get an interview, they treat it like an exam they have to pass. They study hard, but it's a lot of misguided energy that makes the preparation ineffective.' Mann has identified several job seeking myths. 'Many job seekers think applying for lower-level roles will make their search easier, but overqualification is a red flag for employers,' she says. 'They worry you'll leave quickly or demand a promotion. Instead, target roles that match or stretch your experience and highlight transferable skills.' Another myth, she says, is that more education makes you stand out. 'In reality, degrees are often just a baseline requirement. Many professionals use additional schooling to procrastinate instead of building relationships and hands-on experience, which are far more effective.' Some believe job searching is a numbers game, but only a fraction of hires come from job boards. 'Rather than mass-applying, focus on the right roles, personal branding, meaningful connections, and strong positioning,' she advises. Being open to many types of roles can also backfire. 'Employers want people who clearly know exactly what role they want,' Mann says. F'inally, waiting for the perfect opportunity leads to stagnation. Job Shoppers take control, strategically exploring options to land the right role with confidence.' Mann says that even in an employer's market, job shoppers have leverage. 'Despite receiving many applications, companies still struggle to find the right talent,' she says. 'Job Shoppers use this to their advantage by focusing their strategy on easing the hiring managers' concerns about making an offer. First, they do all the hard work up front to match themselves to why they are a fit for the role and the overall company. Then in the interview they showcase their skills through vivid examples, work samples, and deeper conversations, making employers see them as part of the team. When done well, this approach doesn't just land an offer—it makes companies eager to stretch their offer to secure them.' . For people choosing their next career step, Mann recommends focusing on three core factors. 'The first is strengths,' she says. 'Your job should be something you're naturally good at and regularly gets you into a flow state. The second is values. Focus less on your passions and interests and more on what you value in a job. That could be professional growth, time flexibility, a social environment, and so on. Fithat nally, ensure your next career move has good market demand. This means that the salary (and salary trajectory) fits what you need financially, and that the number of open roles are increasing year over year instead of decreasing.' By focusing on these three things, she says, you are much more likely to land a role that you enjoy and compensates you well without having unrealistic expectations of what a 'dream job' should be. Mann emphasizes that 'your résumé isn't about you.' 'We were taught to put all our best accomplishments on our résumés, but this isn't a good strategy,' she says. 'Instead, study what the employer is asking for and build your résumé back from that. On your résumé put only accomplishments that are what the employer is looking for, even if that represents a small fraction of your total work and ignores some of your biggest career moments.' Finally, Mann offers negotiating tips for job candidates. 'When a company gives you an offer, and you counter with a higher amount, know that it is common for them to come back with an amount that is between their offer and your counter,' she says. 'Therefore, when you're making your counter, observe the midpoint between the two salaries and ensure that is a number you would accept. Additionally, make your counter offer an unusual number, like $188,500. This gives the impression that the salary was well researched and may get you a few extra thousand dollars.'
