classic B&W
Business

‘Meritocracy’ began as satire, but now it’s taken seriously, we’ve lost sight of actual performance

- April 15, 2025 3 MIN READ

In the online discourse, there’s a debate raging that pits “MEI” (that is, merit, excellence, and intelligence) against “DEI” (diversity, equity, and inclusion). If you’re doom-scrolling, you may have gotten the impression that DEI prioritises providing benefits or special treatment to people who have not earned opportunities, rather than giving opportunities to the most deserving,… Read more »

Woman sitting next to a policeman in his car holding a microphone
Business

Australian workers now have the right to disconnect, but what really matters is how their bosses react

- August 26, 2024 3 MIN READ

From today, Monday August 26, many employees in Australia get a new right, called the right to disconnect from work. This entails the right to refuse to read or respond to work-related calls, texts and emails outside their working hours, unless that refusal is unreasonable. The Fair Work Commission says what will matter is whether… Read more »

Sydney CBD, Harbour bridge
Future of work

The NSW premier claims heading back to the office will make workers more productive, but it’s likely to have the opposite effect

- August 12, 2024 3 MIN READ

Announcing the directive to work “primarily in an approved office”, NSW Premier Chris Minns said overseas studies showed people were less productive when working from home. “There is a drop in mentorship. There is less of a sense of joint mission,” he said. “This is about building up a culture in the public service.” Having… Read more »

Life hacks

If you’re a To-Do list fan, here’s how understanding the psychology of goals can help keep you ticking them off

- June 14, 2024 3 MIN READ

It feels like we are living in busy times. According to the OECD Better Life Index, 12.5% of Australians report working at least 50 hours a week, higher than the OECD average. Many Australians are also working more than one job to buffer against cost-of-living pressures. Psychology has long been interested in our goals –… Read more »

Workplace

Here’s why work meetings are mostly a waste of time

- March 30, 2024 3 MIN READ

More than three-quarters of work meetings in Australia are ineffective and are stopping people getting their actual work done, according to new research. The Workplace Woes: Meeting Edition report, released by Atlassian, involves a survey of 5,000 knowledge workers across four continents, including 1,000 employees in Australia, in partnership with Wakefield Research. The research found… Read more »

Kate Pounder
AI/Machine Learning

A new report from the Tech Council reckons AI could be worth up to 5% of GDP by 2030

- July 20, 2023 2 MIN READ

Generative AI could contribute between $45bn & $115bn annually to the Australian economy by 2030 That represents 2% to 5% of total economic output. 4 key sectors will benefit: healthcare, manufacturing, retail, and professional and financial services. Barriers include technology capability, enterprise readiness, awareness & skills, and responsible AI Using artificial intelligence (AI) in business… Read more »

National AI Centre. Stela Solar
AI/Machine Learning

A new analysis reveals business is clamouring for AI, but struggling to find the people to do it

- March 17, 2023 2 MIN READ

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has gone mainstream, but implementing it is still a major challenge according to a new report by the government-funded National AI Centre (NAIC). The report, Australia’s AI Ecosystem Momentum report, spoke to more than 200 business decision-makers and AI service providers about how they were using the technology to grow their revenues… Read more »