Working It

Introducing Money Clinic’s Five Minute Investor, a miniseries hosted by Claer Barrett, the FT’s consumer editor. In each episode, Claer challenges top financial commentators to break down financial jargon in just five minutes, making you a smarter, and hopefully richer, investor. Tune in every Tuesday, and subscribe to Money Clinic wherever you get your podcasts. If you would like Claer to demystify an investment term, email the team at money@ft.com or send Claer a DM on social media — she’s @ClaerB on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.

Tens of thousands of workers have been made redundant already this year – but some are refusing to go quietly. Younger employees are posting videos of their layoffs (or of the moment they quit their jobs) on TikTok and Instagram, publicising an intimate moment that usually stays hidden. Why are they doing it? And how can managers protect themselves from the fallout of those videos? Isabel Berwick speaks to ‘Quit-Toker’ Gabby Ianniello, outplacement consultant Rhiannon Rowley and FT journalist Josh Gabert-Doyon to find out.Want more? Free links:Quit-Tok: why young workers are refusing to leave their job quietlyIn defence of the Gen Z challenge to the ‘work ethic’Stop moaning about Gen Z grads — they might teach us somethingPresented by Isabel Berwick, produced by Mischa Frankl-Duval, mixed by Simon Panayi. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Cheryl Brumley is the FT’s head of audio.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

During the Covid-19 pandemic, millions of workers got used to working at home. Some moved hundreds of miles from the cities where their companies were based to live a cheaper and less stressful life. But now that in-office work is back, a rising number of people are looking to eat their cake and have it, too, combining good jobs in urban centres with a peaceful rural life. To make that work, they have to ‘supercommute’, travelling for hours on end to get to the office. But why do they do it? Isabel speaks to Mo Marikar, who commutes from North Wales to London, and Max Dawes, who takes a ferry, bus, train and metro from the Isle of Wight to London – a four-hour commute. She also talks to FT journalists Emma Jacobs and Andrew Hill to find out how the commute has changed since the pandemic.Want more? Free links:The rise of the super-commuterCommuting is back — but not as we knew itWhat commuters get up to when they no longer commuteRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com

US aircraft maker Boeing has faced major scrutiny over its safety standards in recent years, after accidents – some catastrophic – involving its jets. But even after fatal incidents, and the recent mid-flight blowout of a door panel on one of its planes, its employees are reluctant to speak out about safety issues, according to a report released in February by the Federal Aviation Administration. How can managers and leaders better encourage employees to speak up when they notice a problem? What can they do to make sure those who raise issues will be lauded, not criticised? And is it really worth employees’ while to take the risk of dissenting? Isabel Berwick speaks to FT contributing editor and executive coach Michael Skapinker, as well as Margaret Heffernan, a former chief executive of various companies and author of books including Wilful Blindness, about why people are reluctant to raise concerns, even when they know they should.Want more? Free links:The perils of speaking up at work too often deter staff from voicing concernsUS aviation regulator launches formal probe into Boeing’s mid-air blowoutThe whistleblowing lessons from the CBI scandalJapan needs stronger whistleblower protectionsFT subscriber? Sign up to get Isabel’s free Working It newsletter in your inbox every Wednesday: ft.com/newslettersPresented by Isabel Berwick, produced by Mischa Frankl-Duval, mixed by Simon Panayi. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Cheryl Brumley is the FT’s head of audio.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

The higher up you go in most careers, the more likely it is you’ll become a manager. But plenty of workers want to keep doing what they’re best at, and not get involved in the messy admin and politics of overseeing other people. Martin Wolf is a leading economics commentator at the FT. He hasn’t formally managed anyone in 35 years – and doesn't’ regret it. What can we learn from Martin’s success?Producer Mischa Frankl-Duval speaks to Martin to hear his story. Later, host Isabel Berwick chats to Karl Edge, KPMG UK’s Chief People Officer, to find out how career progression works at the company.Want more? Free links:Why being a manager matters more than everStop making fun of managersThe UK’s productivity problem: the curse of the ‘accidental managerPresented by Isabel Berwick, produced by Mischa Frankl-Duval, mixed by Simon Panayi. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Cheryl Brumley is the FT’s head of audio.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

The pandemic showed us we could all work in different places; can we all work at different times, too? That idea – known as ‘asynchronous’ work – has gained traction at a number of companies. Workers march to the beat of their own drum, and only occasionally speak to their scattered colleagues in real time. That gives them greater flexibility; but does it make collaboration harder? How can a manager get a handle on their team’s work if they’re several time zones away? And how can colleagues be expected to bond, or trust each other, without spending real time together? Guest host Mischa Frankl-Duval speaks to Scott Farquhar, CEO of software group Atlassian, whose employees work from 13 countries; and Jen Rhymer, an assistant professor at the UCL School of Management, to find out how companies make asynchronous work… work.Want more? Free links:We are not ready for the asynchronous futureLetter: Some offices are not suited to ‘asynchronous’ workingHow to make sure the remote workforce is a winning teamPresented and produced by Mischa Frankl-Duval, mixed by Simon Panayi. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Cheryl Brumley is the FT’s head of audio.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com