45: 045 - 2026 Predictions

45: 045 - 2026 Predictions

It’s that time again — prediction season on HR Bandit! 🔮  Ankita and Apoorva are back to see how their 2025 forecasts held up—and to find out whether they managed to top their 2024 prediction rate. From bold bets to unexpected misses, the duo dives into what actually happened and what they’re calling for 2026. Spoiler alert: not everything on the list is about AI! Tune in for fresh insights, laughter, and a few surprises as HR Bandit kicks off a brand-new season. LeanIn and McKinsey’s 2025 women in the workplace report  [https://www.flipsnack.com/78C9ACFF8D6/women-in-the-workplace-2025?_gl=1*1v2pi8v*_gcl_au*ODUzNTk3MTA4LjE3NjUzMDQ2MDQ.*_ga*NjQxMDU1MjE4LjE3NjUzMDQ2MDQ.*_ga_RZ0T01GPJF*czE3NjY0MjUzODckbzIkZzEkdDE3NjY0MjU0OTAkajYwJGwwJGgw] Glassdoor’s word of the year, Fatigue  [https://www.glassdoor.com/blog/glassdoor-worker-fatigue-ai-politics/] Rise of incivility at the workplace [https://www.inc.com/bruce-crumley/workplace-incivility-is-skyrocketing-heres-how-employers-can-respond/91251303] Talent Neuron’s workforce planning report [https://www.talentneuron.com/blog/5-shifts-that-will-redefine-workforce-planning-in-2026]  Bright Horizons 2025 Education Index [https://www.brighthorizons.com/article/employers/2025-education-index-report-ai-is-driving-urgency-for-upskilling-and-education-access] PwC Global AI Jobs Barometer [https://www.pwc.com/sk/en/current-press-releases/ai-jobs-barometer-2025.html] https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2025/12/22/8-ai-agents-every-hr-leader-needs-to-know-in-2026/ [https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2025/12/22/8-ai-agents-every-hr-leader-needs-to-know-in-2026/] A Quartz 2026 repor [https://qz.com/ai-workplace-managers-2026]t on managers and AI  McLean & Company 2026 HR Trends Repor [https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mclean--company-releases-hr-trends-report-for-2026-highlights-growing-gap-between-organizational-change-and-leadership-capacity-302636789.html]t 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer [https://www.edelman.com/trust/2025/trust-barometer]

44: 044 - Microsoft’s Trusted Tech Review, increasing retirement ages and Netflix’s keeper test

Join us (Ankita and Apoorva) as we cover the top work news from the month of November. Let's just say the world of work does not show any signs of quietly winding down.  If anything, it’s churning faster than we can keep up. This month we’re unpacking three stories that raise important questions about trust, leadership decisions, and how careers are being reshaped in real time.  From Microsoft’s recently launched Trusted Technology Review to Singapore’s increasing retirement age to Netflix’s keeper test, this episode covers it all.  Also stay tuned as we chat about alternate skills we might pick up in 2026 as AI threatens our current ones and Target’s 10-4 rule.  And before we wrap up for the year - we hope you take some well deserved time off to celebrate the wins from 2025 and we will see you in 2026!! Happy Holidays!!

43: 043 - Two CEOs, MS Team's new feature and Creative Destruction

The corporate world serves up fresh surprises as 2025 winds down to its final months. "If the society is not willing to destroy, it cannot create."  In this episode of HR Bandit, Ankita and Apoorva explore how this Nobel Prize-winning philosophy is reshaping our world of work. From Spotify deciding that "one CEO isn't enough" with their controversial dual-CEO announcement, to Microsoft Teams' new feature that feels like "a digital version of peeking over their cubicle wall," October served up fascinating developments in workplace evolution.  Join us as we unpack why some founders are choosing two successors instead of one, debate whether "visibility equals productivity," and explore why your life might be better than Queen Victoria's.  Plus, catch updates on JP Morgan's custom-scented headquarters and Meta's revolving door of AI talent. Remember: "technology doesn't define culture — it exposes it."

42: 042 - Workslop, Workweeks, and CEO Woes

Join Apoorva and Ankita in yet another fascinating episode of HR Bandit as they tackle September’s top workplace headlines shaping the future of work.  First, explore the rise of “AI workslop” — how low-quality AI-generated output might be quietly undermining productivity and what HR can do to promote smart AI use.  Next, navigate the evolving landscape of the working week, as Microsoft mandates three days in office, Spain rejects the four-day week, and Silicon Valley experiments with a taxing six-day schedule amid job market uncertainties.  Finally, get the scoop on Blind's CEO survey revealing nearly half of employees think their CEOs deserve performance improvement plans — featuring figures like Satya Nadella and Cristiano Amon.  Plus, don’t miss quick hits on profit-sharing at Hyundai, Ben & Jerry’s board changes, and a trailblazing remote work policy for new moms at Swiggy. Whether you’re an HR pro or workplace watcher, this episode delivers sharp analysis, real-world stories, and signature HR Bandit wit. Tune in for an essential reality check on work today! AI work slop [https://hbr.org/2025/09/ai-generated-workslop-is-destroying-productivity] Swiggy [https://www.linkedin.com/company/swiggy-in/] just gave working moms 1 full year of WFH after maternity leave. Microsoft [https://www.peoplematters.in/news/strategic-hr/after-mass-layoffs-microsoft-orders-staff-back-to-office-three-days-a-week-43501]back to 3 days in office  Spain rejects 4-day work week [https://www.peoplematters.in/news/economy-policy/spain-rejects-shorter-work-week-plan-even-as-global-four-day-trials-expand-43507] Blind CEO survey  [https://www.peoplematters.in/news/leadership/andy-jassy-satya-nadella-among-43percent-of-ceos-staff-say-they-deserve-a-pip-43528] 6 day work weeks in Silicon Valley [https://ramp.com/velocity/san-francisco-tech-workers-996-schedule?utm_source=linkedin] Ben & Jerry founder resigns [https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g58xx1eero] Hyundai’s profit sharing [https://www.peoplematters.in/news/strategic-hr/hyundai-to-share-40percent-of-profits-with-korean-workers-in-bonus-deal-43534]

41: 041 - Hard Tech Era, Protest Backlash, and Vanishing Managers

Join Ankita and Apoorva as they unpack the top three events that rocked the workplace this August!  First, dive into Silicon Valley's dramatic transformation into the 'hard-tech era,' where kombucha taps are out and GPU chips are in. In what might be this episode's most quotable moment (thanks, ChatGPT!), discover why companies risk becoming "technically strong but socially brittle" in this new landscape that signals a broader 'employee experience recession.' Then, explore the growing tension between corporate interests and employee activism as Microsoft makes headlines for controversial staff terminations. Plus, unravel the latest management revolution sweeping through Corporate America, where companies are slashing middle management by up to 35% - but at what cost? Stick around for our hosts' signature "three more" segment featuring fascinating updates from a Himalayan digital nomad hub, Meta's surprising AI hiring freeze, and one company's bold bet on workplace perks while others strip them away. Whether you're an HR professional navigating these changes or a curious observer of workplace evolution, this episode delivers sharp insights with HR Bandit's trademark blend of analysis and wit. Tune in for a reality check on where work is headed! 🏢🔄✨ Hard Tech Era [https://www.inc.com/kit-eaton/how-ai-took-the-fun-out-of-silicon-valleys-work-culture/91223818] & more [https://archive.is/20250813180827/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/04/technology/ai-silicon-valley-hard-tech.html]  Microsoft Firings [https://hr.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/industry/microsoft-fires-four-workers-for-on-site-protests-over-companys-ties-to-israel/123591179?utm_source=newslisting&utm_medium=latestNews]Google manager slashes  [https://www.peoplematters.in/news/strategic-hr/google-axes-35percent-of-small-team-managers-in-ruthless-efficiency-drive-43170] Digital nomad hub [https://www.hr-brew.com/stories/2025/08/15/world-of-hr-small-himalayan-village-claims-to-be-india-s-first-for-digital-nomads] Meta’s AI hiring freeze  [https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/meta-ai-hiring-freeze-fda6b3c4?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=ASWzDAiqjJRE0_RX_x6xqUuYDVr-nMSym6zn1VbGvM-FlKbXbhB6cdX0LrfTcgHD7U4%3D&gaa_ts=68b3df68&gaa_sig=IImisu5K5X8bR0aFAtIaQO6F8cY3ScJArphHXxxExo6fcOSIVOXK94XzAKQUuF6IhwPDg9gNidtR1pjq5ImhFw%3D%3D] Myntra Perks  [https://hr.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/workplace-4-0/workplace-ikigai/from-pickleball-courts-to-nap-pods-how-myntra-weaves-fun-into-its-work-fabric/123443075?utm_source=exclusives_widget&utm_medium=latestNews]