Latest news with #Visier
Fast Company
7 days ago
- Business
- Fast Company
AI is here—can we finally rethink our tired beliefs about work?
For decades, we've been caught in the busyness trap, confusing being overscheduled and highly in demand with creating value. A recent report by technology company Visier coined the term ' productivity theater' to describe the performative tasks that employees engage in to look busy. They report that 43% of workers spend over 10 hours a week trying to look productive rather than engaging in value-creating work. This isn't occurring because employees are lazy or trying to cheat the system. They are acting rationally in response to the signals that are all around them. They see colleagues proudly wearing their busyness badge of honor. They receive emails at all hours of the day and night, contributing to a sense of needing to be 'always on.' They get a text five minutes after someone sends an email asking, 'Did you get my email?' They hear co-workers boasting that 'multitasking is a survival strategy' for keeping up with their work. It is utter madness. Meanwhile, AI tools are rapidly taking on the administrative tasks—drafting and filtering email, quickly summarizing lengthy or complex reports, sending meeting recaps, scheduling—that easily consume hours a week. And that's just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what's quickly to come. Unfortunately, the temptation will be to fill this growing blank space with more noise. What if, instead, organizations prepared to take full advantage of the extra time and capacity afforded by these new tools? The key is providing knowledge workers with the direction and empowerment to make good choices about how to invest their time. Start by clarifying how each function creates value for the enterprise overall, and which performance attributes are most important in delivering it. For example, in a professional services firm, the client-facing roles need to be proactive as well as expert in the issues that impact clients. Marketing teams need to serve as a knowledgeable bridge between customer needs and product design teams. Procurement and supply chain teams need to be well-informed negotiators. In each case, the best use of worker time varies based on role. Once the team has clarity on what it's optimizing for, they can engage in an exercise to design the ideal allocation of work each week. What percentage of time should be optimally spent engaging with customers, reading up on industry reports, or collaborating with other functions? Comparing that ideal versus members' actual calendars usually produces some abashed insights into how big the gap is. From here, the team can be relentless about eliminating low-value work. In their book, The Friction Project, Stanford professors Robert Sutton and Huggy Rao suggest creating a RidicuList—a ledger of everything ridiculous that workers have to deal with in service of getting their job done—and be merciless in eliminating the items on the list. An easy place to look is recurring meetings. In our experience, they often start out valuable and lose momentum over time. If your calendar is full of them, it's time for a trim. You can also invest in establishing collaborative norms for the team—shared expectations for how to use each collaboration medium, expected response times to communication, and where and how documents are stored. This eliminates frequent guesswork and dramatically cuts down the effort required to even get started on the work. The goal is to claw back a meaningful amount of time each week that can be reinvested in things that improve the human performance of the system. Things such as building relationships with clients and colleagues, learning a new skill or experimenting with an AI tool, or taking the time to think through strategy or generate innovative solutions. Make a list of the things you should be doing with your thinking time specific to your role so that when you have it, you put it to good use. Believe it or not, sitting still and thinking is real work. That's the block we must overcome: our beliefs about what constitutes work. It's not looking busy. It's engaging with the tough questions, leaning into the future, and challenging ourselves to rise above the status quo.
Forbes
02-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Reclaim Your Power: How To Deal With A Toxic Manager
Toxic managers create fear and uncertainty getty Toxic managers are a common feature of toxic workplaces. These are leaders who undermine their teams' performance by damaging their confidence, productivity and wellbeing. Examples of toxic manager behavior include setting unrealistic expectations, micromanaging, picking favorites, public criticism, taking credit for other people's ideas and blaming others for their mistakes. Their actions can be hard to predict and they specialize in creating fear and uncertainty. Unfortunately, toxic managers cause people to leave jobs in their droves. In fact, a study of U.K. employees by people analytics provider Visier found that 43% of workers have left a job at some point in their career as a result of their manager. So, what are your options if your own manager is toxic, but you don't want to quit? 'Toxic managers erode confidence, damage morale and cultivate a stressful work environment,' notes Dorothy Herson, a mental health activist and author of The Rag Doll Contract. 'They often employ divide-and-conquer tactics, creating false alliances where they pit colleagues against each other, making you feel isolated and undermining team trust.' According to Herson, the first step toward dealing with a toxic manager is acknowledging that your manager's toxicity isn't about you. 'Many people internalize criticism, doubting their own competence,' she says. 'Detach emotionally from their behavior and remind yourself that their issues are not a reflection of your worth. It can help to mentally reframe them as someone whose approval is neither necessary nor valuable.' Don't try to navigate the challenge alone, either. 'Speak to trusted colleagues, mentors or HR for guidance,' Herson advises. 'Toxic managers thrive in isolation, so building a strong support network ensures you're not gaslit into believing the problem is you.' 'Dealing with a toxic manager can be challenging, but there are ways to navigate the situation while protecting your wellbeing and career,' argues Lord Mark Price, author of Happy Economics and founder of workplace happiness platform WorkL. Document everything, he advises. 'Keep records of interactions, unreasonable demands or inappropriate behavior. This can serve as evidence if you need to escalate the issue.' Price emphasizes the importance of remaining professional as you deal with your toxic manager. 'Avoid emotional reactions and maintain calm and composed,' he suggests. 'Respond with facts and logic rather than frustration. Toxic workplaces can be mentally exhausting, so engage in activities that help you relax and recharge.' 'Toxic managers hold their teams hostage,' says George Kohlrieser, co-author of Hostage at the Table. 'Not with physical restraints, but through fear, control, and psychological pressure. Many employees feel trapped, believing they have no choice but to endure abusive leadership. No one has to remain a hostage to toxicity, however. The key lies in reclaiming personal power, fostering emotional resilience and engaging in effective dialogue.' Recognize that you are not powerless, Kohlrieser advises. 'Toxic leaders thrive on emotional hijacking, triggering fear and compliance,' he says. 'Instead of reacting with hostility or avoidance, use confident, non-confrontational dialogue. Frame your concerns in a way that speaks to the leader's goals. Say 'I want to improve team efficiency; how can we align expectations?' rather than 'You're micromanaging me.'' If your manager's toxicity involves appropriate behavior such as being abusive, then you should report them to HR, says Nik Kinley, a leadership consultant and author of Rewriting Your Leadership Code. But the situation may not necessarily be that extreme or clear-cut. 'A common challenge is that you may think they're toxic, but others might not, and the leader themselves certainly won't,' Kinley observes. 'So, a critical step forward is establishing that there is a problem – something you can both agree isn't right and can work on together. The most effective approach here is often to focus on how they can help you to be at your best or achieve some objective. They're more likely to respond positively to a request for support than a complaint.' Kinley recommends planning out what you want to say before you speak to your manager. Then keep the conversation focused on practical issues – for example, you'll be able to do X if they can do Y – and be sure to keep emotion out of it. 'You're trying to solve a problem together and your objective is to get them to change their behavior, not tell them how you feel,' he emphasizes. 'Dealing with a toxic manager can be difficult, but there are strategies to protect your own wellbeing while navigating the position you are in,' says Lee Chambers, a psychologist and author of Momentum: 13 Ways to Unlock Your Potential. Firstly, advises Chambers, it is essential to establish clear boundaries, define acceptable behavior and communicate your limits. Then find a trusted person to give an objective opinion on your manager's behavior. This can help you to build your support network and manage the stress of the situation. Finally, don't forget to take create space for yourself. Chambers says: 'Whether it's through small wellbeing moments like mindfulness, activities that bring you joy and energy, or professional support, be kind to yourself during this period to reduce your stressors.' Unfortunately, dealing with a toxic manager can suck all the joy out of your working life. If you reach that point, moving on might be the best option – no matter how reluctant you are to leave your role. As Herson says: 'Above all, remember you deserve to work in a healthy environment. If the situation becomes unbearable, exploring exit strategies – whether an internal transfer or a new role – can be the ultimate act of self-preservation.' If dialogue and boundary-setting fail, Kohlrieser also recommends considering your exit strategy. 'Staying in a toxic environment can damage mental health and limit professional growth,' he says. 'The most successful professionals are those who refuse to be hostages, either by transforming the situation or stepping away to regain control of their career. Toxicity persists when it is tolerated. Choose leadership over victimhood. Choose freedom over fear.' Enjoyed this article? Follow me by clicking the blue 'Follow' button beneath the headline above.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Cloud AI Update - AI Security Innovation: Operant AI Unveils AI Gatekeeper
Operant AI has unveiled its new product, AI Gatekeeper™, which aims to enhance runtime protection for AI applications and agents across various deployment platforms, including Kubernetes and hybrid and private clouds. This innovative solution addresses emerging security challenges linked to the rapid deployment of AI models and the expanding use of non-traditional platforms such as Databricks and Snowflake. AI Gatekeeper focuses on securing AI systems against threats like rogue agents and data leakage, incorporating features like trust scores, agentic access controls, and cross-platform threat modeling. As enterprises increasingly rely on AI for novel applications, the need for advanced security solutions like AI Gatekeeper is growing to mitigate risks associated with the complex AI ecosystem. last closed at $143.43 down 1.8%. In other trading, was a standout up 9.6% and ending the day at $201.63. The company reported a strong earnings increase with sales and net income up significantly just one day ago. Meanwhile, trailed, down 5% to end the day at $142.48. Snowflake's rapid AI-driven product expansion and strategic tech partnerships are swiftly amplifying its market influence. Discover how these developments might impact your investment by exploring our detailed narrative on Snowflake. For a deeper insight into the evolving Cloud AI landscape, revisit our Market Insights article on DeepSeek's game-changing R1 model, revolutionizing efficiency. ended the day at $196.98 up 1.4%. finished trading at $367.78 down 1%. This week, Microsoft enhanced its cloud-based AI capabilities with integrations like Visier's workforce AI assistant in Microsoft 365 Copilot and secured a significant contract for carbon removal with AtmosClear. ended the day at $151.16 down 1.4%. Investigate our full lineup of 143 Cloud AI Stocks featuring Quanta Computer, Autodesk and Arista Networks right here. Want Some Alternatives? These 10 companies survived and thrived after COVID and have the right ingredients to survive Trump's tariffs. Discover why before your portfolio feels the trade war pinch. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Sources: Simply Wall St "Operant AI Announces AI Gatekeeper™ to Supercharge Runtime Protection for AI Agents and AI Applications" from Operant AI on GlobeNewswire (published 16 April 2025) Companies discussed in this article include NYSE:BMI NasdaqGS:AAPL NasdaqGS:MSFT NasdaqGS:GOOGL NYSE:SNOW and NYSE:VMW. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@
Forbes
21-03-2025
- Business
- Forbes
RTO Creep: Why More Companies Are Reinstating The 9-To-5 Workday
After years of embracing hybrid and remote work, companies are reversing course—reinstating traditional office structures in ways that proves they've 'won the war' that will permanently redefine the future of work. The Rise and Fall of Remote Work Dominance In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, companies scrambled to adapt to a world where remote work became the default. Employees had newfound leverage in a tight labor market, pushing for flexible work arrangements, while organizations touted early gains in productivity and cost savings from reduced office expenses. Yet, despite this initial enthusiasm, a counter-trend has emerged: RTO (Return-to-Office) Creep—a slow but steady push by companies to bring workers back into the office full-time. What started as hybrid work experiments is increasingly morphing into rigid, pre-pandemic work structures. Why is this happening? What does it mean for employees, businesses, and the economy? And how should leaders and workers prepare for the changing landscape of work? Why Companies Embraced Remote Work (and Why That's Changing) In the early days of remote work, businesses saw clear financial and operational benefits. Many organizations reduced their real estate footprints, slashing expenses on office leases, utilities, and perks like free lunches. Early studies suggested workers were equally or more productive outside the office, avoiding commutes and structuring their own time. At the same time, companies that embraced remote work had a competitive advantage in the labor market, able to recruit from a broader talent pool and retain employees who valued flexibility. However, cracks in this model have begun to show. The same executives who once championed remote work are now citing new challenges that justify bringing employees back. Productivity, once assumed to be equal or better at home, has shown mixed results in more recent research. While individual tasks may be completed efficiently, studies indicate that in-person teams tend to be more collaborative, creative, and innovative—factors critical for long-term business success. A 2023 report from Visier found that while employees felt productive at home, managers often struggled to measure true output, leading to concerns about 'productivity theater' rather than meaningful work. Beyond efficiency, there are concerns about distractions and burnout. Remote workers, while freed from long commutes, often juggle household responsibilities that fragment their focus. Many report working longer hours, blurring the boundaries between work and personal life. At the same time, companies worry about the erosion of workplace culture. Mentorship, professional development, and spontaneous idea-sharing are harder to replicate in virtual settings. McKinsey found that younger employees, in particular, struggled to build professional networks remotely, leading to long-term career stagnation. Another unexpected force accelerating RTO creep is government influence. The Biden administration had allowed for flexible federal workforce policies, but recent policy directives from Republican lawmakers and the Trump administration indicate a renewed push for strict return-to-office mandates for federal employees. Such orders and policies are setting a tone for the private sector, as large corporations often follow government workforce trends. These forces are converging to accelerate RTO creep--pushing businesses back toward the traditional 9-to-5 model. Below are five implications for the creep effect. 5 Implications of the RTO Trend 1. Workplace flexibility will be more limited. While hybrid work will persist, fully remote roles will become less common, with more companies shifting to structured in-office requirements. Employees who once had complete autonomy over their schedules may find themselves required to commute several days a week, whether or not their job function necessitates it. 2. Office real estate is expected to rebound, at least partially. Many companies downsized their office spaces over the past few years, but with more employees returning, businesses are reconsidering long-term leases and investments in workplace infrastructure. The commercial real estate market, particularly in major cities, may see stabilization after years of uncertainty. 3. Employee turnover may rise, at least temporarily. Workers who prioritize flexibility will resist strict RTO mandates and may look for employers that still offer remote options. However, as more businesses standardize their policies, the number of remote-friendly companies will shrink, leaving fewer options for workers who refuse to return. Over time, employees may have to accept that in-office work is becoming the norm again. 4. Talent pools are likely to become more localized. During the peak of remote work, companies could hire talent from anywhere, leading to more diverse teams and access to specialized skills. With a shift back to in-office work, hiring will once again be restricted to employees near physical office locations. This could have unintended consequences for diversity and inclusion efforts, as remote work had allowed many companies to expand beyond their traditional talent networks. 5. Leadership and management styles will need to evolve. Managers accustomed to overseeing remote teams must relearn how to lead in-person workplaces effectively. Simply mandating office attendance without a clear purpose could lead to resentment and disengagement. Companies will need to justify in-person work with meaningful collaboration, rather than rigid policies based on outdated notions of productivity. Recommendations for Business Leaders & Workers For Business Leaders: The key to a successful RTO transition lies in balancing structure with flexibility. If returning to full in-office work, consider gradual transitions rather than abrupt mandates. Use data to determine the right mix—some roles may thrive in-office, while others remain effective remotely. Simply demanding attendance without purpose will backfire. Another critical step is improving the in-office experience. Employees won't return just because they're told to. Businesses must make in-person work meaningful by fostering collaboration, mentorship, and engagement. A well-designed office environment, intentional team-building efforts, and access to leaders can help make the return feel like an opportunity rather than a burden. Above all, RTO policies should align with business goals. If a company's greatest need is innovation, then collaboration-driven in-office policies make sense. However, if a role is primarily independent, forcing employees to commute unnecessarily could hurt morale and retention. Leaders should focus on outcomes, not hours, ensuring that in-office mandates drive tangible benefits rather than fulfilling outdated management preferences. For Employees: As workplace flexibility declines, workers should be proactive about adapting to the new environment. This means identifying in-person work skills—such as leadership, client relations, and cross-functional collaboration—that will make them more valuable in an office setting. Instead of resisting change, employees can use the return to the office as a chance to strengthen professional networks, find mentors, and position themselves for promotions. For those unwilling to give up flexibility, researching remote-friendly employers is still an option, but the available pool is shrinking. Workers should prepare for the possibility that fully remote opportunities may become increasingly rare, requiring either career shifts or new strategies for negotiating hybrid work arrangements. Action Steps RTO creep signals a recalibration of the workplace after the extreme disruptions of the pandemic. While remote work isn't disappearing, the era of full-time remote freedom may be ending for many workers. The companies that succeed in this transition will be those that balance structure with flexibility, making in-office work valuable, not just mandatory. For workers, adapting to these changes will be key—whether by embracing in-person opportunities or strategically seeking out remaining remote options. The next era of work is taking shape, and both businesses and employees will need to navigate it with intention.
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Visier Launches Visier AI Lab in Singapore, Expands APAC Operations
Lab opening underscores Singapore's ascendance as innovation hub for artificial intelligence and reflects Visier's strong regional growth SINGAPORE, March 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Visier, the globally recognised leader in workforce AI solutions, today announced the launch of its Singapore-based Visier AI Lab, a strategic initiative designed to advance the company's leadership in Workforce AI. The new lab, supported by the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), will focus on the continued development of Visier's generative and agentic AI solutions, including Vee, Vee Boards, and the company's recently introduced AI Agent Platform. To support this growth, Visier plans to double its workforce in its AI Lab and its APAC regional office over the next two years. Located in Asia Square, the lab is positioned at the center of Singapore's dynamic business district, reinforcing Visier's belief in the region's growth potential. "As challenging labour market dynamics and macro trends compound globally, the mandate for Workforce AI continues to expand well beyond HR, reaching every corner of the C-suite and across business functions," said Ryan Wong, co-founder and CEO of Visier. "Our deep investments in AI are driven by recognition that every company on the planet needs to fundamentally transform their workforce productivity to survive and thrive over coming decades. The Visier AI Lab in Singapore is instrumental to accelerating Visier's already substantial AI investments." The news from Visier follows Singapore's Parliamentary 2025 Budget announcement, which supports AI and skills transformation to upskill employees and boost workforce competitiveness. For example, the Enterprise Compute Initiative avails consulting services and computing resources to empower businesses with analytics and AI, driving efficiency and productivity. "Workforce AI is the next frontier in business transformation," said Boon Huat Lee, Chief Growth Officer for Asia Pacific at Visier. "As leaders are expected to achieve high growth rates, they are also faced with declining employee engagement, talent shortages and plateauing productivity growth. Visier provides organisations with the ability to unify people and work data to better understand their employees, the work they're doing, enabling every organisation to improve productivity and business impact." All of Visier's AI products and innovation are built upon the company's award-winning People Data Platform, which power organisations to connect people, work and outcomes at the speed of AI. Vee Generative AI Digital Assistant: First introduced in 2023, Visier's Vee provides the most performant, secure, and intuitive way to ask and answer any people-related question in natural language. It unlocks the power of people insights and Workforce AI for everyone from HRBPs to frontline managers and executives. Vee Boards: Vee Boards combine the best of generative AI and executive dashboards, delivering people data visualisations and AI-driven narratives tailored to reveal the highest priority issues to the C-suite. Vee Boards are available out-of-the-box for CFO and CHRO personas, and customers and partners can create their own for any other executive role. Visier's AI Agentic Platform: Visier's Agentic AI Platform promises to bring a powerful new agent-based workforce AI platform to enterprise CIOs, ISVs, and SIs to create powerful and secure agentic AI solutions. By combining people data with work data in new ways, this first-of-its-kind agent-based AI platform will give technical teams the foundation to launch their own team of AI-based analytic agents. The launch of Visier AI Lab was celebrated at an exclusive event featuring distinguished guests from Singapore's Economic Development Board (EDB), Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), AI Singapore, and customers including Micron Technology. This gathering celebrated Visier's commitment to fostering collaboration between industry leaders, government, and academia to drive innovation in Workforce AI. Philbert Gomez, Executive Director and Head of Digital Industry Singapore (DISG) said, "EDB welcomes Visier AI Lab, which strengthens our position as an AI innovation hub for fast growing companies to create global solutions from Singapore. It reflects the capability of our ecosystem to partner with companies that conduct AI innovation. The Visier AI Lab is aligned with the National AI Strategy 2.0 to accelerate the use of AI to uncover business value, with its AI Agent Platform demonstrating how innovations help customers better utilise their people related data to create custom workforce solutions and automate tasks." "With the launch of Visier AI Lab, we are excited by Visier's commitment to foster the growth of the AI ecosystem in Singapore and beyond," said Edwin Low, Director for Enterprise, Ecosystem Development of the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) of Singapore. "We believe this initiative will drive innovation in workforce analytics, and position Visier at the vanguard of AI-powered solutions, empowering organisations with insights to make smarter, data-driven decisions for their people." For more information about Visier, visit About Visier Visier gives organisations a Workforce AI Edge: A set of AI-powered capabilities that help leaders understand the relationship between people and work, elevate employee productivity, and win by adapting to change faster. The company is the global leader in AI-powered people analytics, workforce planning, and compensation allocation. All Visier technology is underpinned by its Real-time People Data Platform, which uses AI to unlock the business-transforming potential of people data, work data, and the fusion of both. Founded in 2010 by the pioneers of business intelligence, Visier has over 65,000 customers in 75 countries—including enterprises like BASF, Panasonic, Experian, Amgen, eBay, Ford Motor Company, and more. Visier is an IMDA-Accredited company. To learn more about Visier, visit Media Contact: Adrian TanHead of Marketing (APAC) +65 9852 3746 Walker SandsVisierPR@ View original content: SOURCE Visier Sign in to access your portfolio
