So you messed up at work. How do you move forward? From accidental all-staffs to awkward client commentary, we share some of our own professional mistakes on this episode—and our seasoned tactics on how to move past them.

Whether it’s a lack of confidence, a lack of support, or a lack of trust in their employer, a sizeable portion of professionals today are turning down their promotions. What might be impacting their decisions, and how can employers ensure that fewer of their people walk away at this juncture? In this episode, we’re talking about the process of moving on up—or moving on out.

Is talking about politics at work as taboo as it used to be? The age-old debate of whether we should engage in political discussions at work gains a new dimension as workers go to social media to voice their own political opinions. What do we expect from our company leaders and each other? And how does being online—whether on Slack or social media—enable AND hinder our ability to engage in political discussions with our coworkers?

HR is not your friend, they say. They’re a necessary evil, they say. When did the human resources department acquire this reputation? Should we consider them employee welfare workers, or are they only in service of corporate interests? On this episode, we’re joined by HR expert and startup advisor Rusty Rueff to talk about the origins of human resources, and how it’s come to represent the broken social contract between employee and employer.

You enter the workforce in a pandemic. You’re onboarded remotely. You’re mandated to RTO. And the whole time, it feels like you’re being sold to. That’s the Gen Z experience of the workplace so far, and they’re not loving it. On this episode, we’re joined by Gen Zer Zaid Safe to chat about what his generation wants from workplace culture—and the practices they’d leave behind.

ADHD prescriptions are on the rise, ADHD medication is selling out, and your algorithm thinks you have it, too. Are we finally getting proper diagnoses, or are we living in an age of self-medicating for productivity? This episode tackles the trend of “smart drugs”—whether it’s Adderall, mushrooms, or yes, even Brazil nuts—and whether any of it ACTUALLY makes us smarter and more productive. 

As higher education becomes increasingly open source, it has us wondering: are degrees like MBAs still worth the hefty price tag, or is it all LinkedIn optics? On this episode, we discuss contrarian career paths that impress recruiters, the inherent value of an MBA, and alternative ways of investing in yourself (and your resume).

With more CEOs going on record about their return to office mandates, it has us wondering: was the golden promise of working from home too good to be true? On this episode, we discuss the hidden market players who want you back in office and how companies like JM Smuckers are rolling out their hybrid work policy.

Why do “normies” otherwise known as the silent middle engage so little on platforms like Twitter? Should platforms be responsible only for their business model, or should they aim to be a model business? On this episode, we dive into the ethics vs. economics of unregulated voices on social.

Are corporate nepo babies and college legacies the same? Since the recent Supreme Court ruling, legacy admissions are being re-examined as unfair and white-washed. On this episode, we dive into the privileges and perks of being a college legacy, as well as the harm it brings to higher education and society as a whole.

From the excesses of Wallstreet companies in the 90s to Tech companies pillaging our privacy for gold in the 2000s, how have workers’ considerations of evil companies evolved with the rise of frameworks like ESG? This, talk about digital gold miners in World of Warcraft, and more all on this episode of Lonely Office.

It’s happened. You’ve been laid off. What do you do next? Do you jump on LinkedIn with a heartfelt post? Do you go live on TikTok? On this episode, we talk about how to set yourself up for success before and after a potential layoff—from warming your professional network to re-evaluating your options.

Whether you’re a frequent job hopper or company loyalist, you’ll likely be affected by layoffs at some point in your working life. Are you ready for what happens next? On this episode, joined by corporate content creator Leah Ova, we’re talking about how to prepare for layoffs—what you should keep in mind, what you should enquire about, and what data to have in hand. 

There are an estimated 70,000 professional career coaches worldwide. But are they the answer that lost professionals are looking for? On this episode, we’re joined by special guest Cindy Gallop (advertising consultant, founder of MakeLoveNotPorn, and yes, career coach) to debate the approaches career coaches take today—and whether the profession provides as much value as it touts. 

Whether you see it as a privilege or a right, companies are changing their tune when it comes to remote work. Should employees be going back in—or should they be walking out? On this episode, joined by corporate content creator Leah Ova, we chat about the benefits and impacts of returning to office, and what the alternatives can be.

Just be yourself, they say. But not that self. In a culture that preaches authenticity one day and cancels you the next, how do you know how much of your personality and selfhood to reveal in a professional setting? On this episode, we talk about the risks and rewards of bringing your full self to work—and whether the whole concept is a carryover from a bygone era.

With artificial intelligence becoming more intelligent by the hour, who will lose their jobs first? Where will they go? And is this a case for universal basic income? On this episode, joined by comedian and writer Azhar Usman, we follow the rapid rise of AI to its professional, social, and ethical conclusions.

Are the younger generations really coddled and entitled, or is this just a classic case of “OK Boomer”? When it comes to workplace attitudes, there’s a clear generational divide. In this episode, we’re joined by beloved guest Leah Ova to unpack these stereotypes—and how remote work might be making everything worse.

Unlimited vacation is often lauded as a workplace perk, but who does it actually benefit? On this episode, we’re joined by marketer and content creator Leah Ova to discuss why employers might be incentivized to adopt unlimited PTO policies—and why employees might be getting the short end of the stick.

What should be the reward of a job well done? A sense of purpose? A round of applause? A box of pretzels? This week, we’re joined by comedian Azhar Usman and content creator Leah Ova to debate the full spectrum of how we might feel about our work—from meaningful to meaningless. 

Pregnancy, disabilities, age—when it comes to sharing sensitive personal information in a professional setting, where do we draw the line? On this episode, we’re joined by motherhood content creator Leah Ova to discuss the reasons why expecting women in the workplace may or may not want to disclose their pregnancy during the interview process.

Is ChatGPT a powerful tool to augment our work, or is it a weapon of capitalism on the verge of taking our jobs? We’re joined by startup advisor Rusty Rueff this week to debate the merit of AI tools like ChatGPT from all sides—from their innumerable benefits to unintended consequences.

A horror story for the remote work era: going through endless rounds of interviews, wondering whether you’ve wasted your time. This week, we debate the risks and merits of a lengthy interview process, getting caught in the crosshairs of a company’s misaligned objectives, and whether it’s all a sign to get out of the corporate matrix. We’re also joined by special guest Azhar Usman, comedian and writer on the Hulu show, Ramy.