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Starbucks will pay $38.9 million after New York City’s Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) found the company violated fair work schedule laws over half a million times since 2021. New York Mayor Eric Adams and the DCWP announced the settlement in a news release on Monday, Dec. 1, 2025, calling it the largest worker protection payout in the city’s history. “It does not matter how big your business is or how much money your company makes, if you violate our workers’ rights, you will pay the price,” Adams said in a statement. “With this landmark settlement , we’ll put tens of millions of dollars back into the pockets of hard-working New Yorkers and reinforce every New Yorker’s right to a reliable schedule, full hours, and basic dignity.” DCWP launched its investigation in 2022 after receiving dozens of worker complaints at several Starbucks stores in the city. After uncovering “a pattern of systemic violations,” the agency expanded the probe to every Starbucks location...
These days, more people are embracing achieving a “ work-life balance .” Long gone is the idea that people should prioritize work at the expense of their mental and physical health. However, this can be a hard goal, especially for entrepreneurs. And the more successful an individual is, the harder it can be to take a step back willingly. A great example of this is Beyoncé . Without question, the chanteuse has proven she can do it all. Along with transcending genres, the pop-cultural icon is a fashion designer, an actress and the other half of a powerhouse couple . As if that’s not enough, she’s also a mom to three children, with the eldest recently joining her as a dancer on the Renaissance tour, which became one of the top-grossing tours in modern history. With all of that activity, it’s easy to see how maintaining her work-life balance would be hard. But Beyoncé recently revealed that this was a critical life lesson she had to embrace. If you’re struggling with when to let your...
Engaging employees and fostering a positive workplace culture can sometimes be challenging, especially in busy or remote environments . One simple yet powerful way to build connections, encourage communication and spark creativity is to utilize a question of the day for work. These inquiries serve as icebreakers, conversation starters or moments of reflection that invite colleagues to share ideas, experiences or simply have a laugh. This article presents a curated list of the best questions of the day to ask at work. They cover a wide range of themes such as motivation, teamwork, creativity, personal growth and lighthearted fun. Using these questions regularly can create a more inclusive, dynamic and energized workplace . When used effectively, a question of the day for work becomes a valuable tool to strengthen relationships and promote a culture of openness. Why Use A Question Of The Day For Work? Asking a daily question encourages employees to pause from their routine and engage...
Friday marks the end of the workweek and the start of the weekend — a time to celebrate accomplishments , recharge, and set intentions for the days ahead. These inspirational quotes for Fridays help capture this unique energy by motivating, uplifting, and encouraging reflection. Whether shared at the office , on social media , or pondered during your morning journaling routine, these quotes remind us to finish strong, appreciate progress, and look forward to new possibilities. Here’s a list of carefully curated inspirational quotes for Fridays, designed to energize your mindset, encourage you to embrace the day with enthusiasm, and help you power through to the weekend. Friday Inspirational Quotes About Motivation And Finishing Strong Fridays often bring a sense of accomplishment, but can also be a test of endurance . It’s the final stretch before you finally get a break. It’s natural to feel a bit tired after a long week, but embracing a mindset of finishing strong can make all the...
Retirement marks a major transition that’s often filled with mixed emotions. It’s the close of a long chapter of hard work, but also the start of a new season filled with rest, reinvention, or even new purpose. Whether you’re writing a farewell card or toasting someone’s next step , the right quote can strike the perfect tone. Some of the best retirement quotes are funny, poking lighthearted fun at the shift from 9-to-5 to everyday freedom. Others are more reflective, honoring decades of dedication and looking forward to what lies ahead. Below, you’ll find a collection of quotes, all ideal for celebrating retirement in the workplace or beyond. Quotes About New Beginnings Whether someone is headed for travel, creative pursuits, or long-awaited rest, these quotes underscore that retirement can be as full of purpose and momentum as the career preceding it. “Retirement is not the end of the road. It is the beginning of the open highway.” — Unknown This classic metaphor frames retirement...
Consistency is often overlooked in the quest for success, overshadowed by more glamorous concepts like talent, innovation, or luck. Yet, consistency — the commitment to show up, day after day, and perform necessary tasks — separates those who achieve their goals from those who fall short. Whether you’re striving for career advancement , personal growth, or better habits , the power of consistency is undeniable. It’s the force that turns small actions into transformative results over time. Here are some of the best quotes about consistency that will inspire you to embrace this essential principle in your own life. Quotes That Show Consistency Is The Key To Success “Success isn’t always about greatness. It’s about consistency. Consistent hard work leads to success. Greatness will come.” — Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson With this quote, Johnson reminds us that showing up and putting in steady effort is often more important than bursts of brilliance. “Success is the sum of small efforts,...
The modern workplace is becoming much more diverse, equitable, and inclusive . However, neurodivergent individuals — those with conditions such as autism , ADHD, dyslexia, and other cognitive differences — still face significant barriers to employment . Despite their skills and potential, many struggle to secure jobs or advance their careers due to systemic challenges, bias, and a lack of accommodations. Research shows that unemployment remains a pressing issue in the neurodivergent community. Up to 85% of adults with autism in the U.S. are unemployed, according to Golden Steps ABA . This statistic highlights the urgent need for more inclusive hiring practices and workplace policies that recognize neurodivergent talent. A Misunderstood Segment Of The Workforce Although “neurodivergent” is gaining recognition, many Americans still lack a clear understanding of what it means. A recent YouGov poll found that only 32% of Americans can define the term without prior explanation, while 56%...
For many individuals seeking new employment, one of the most stressful aspects of a job hunt is nailing the interview . Your in-person performance before your potential employer could make or break your chances of being hired, and provides you with the best opportunity to sell yourself on merit, personality, and knowledge of the field. But, in order to do all of that, you’ll first need to answer a few common interview questions that you should expect when applying for most roles. These questions range from simple yes or no answer sets to more elaborate inquiries into your work experience and employment history. While the most common interview questions are designed to give your employer a full picture of your personality and capability, some can be quite tricky to traverse. That challenging aspect doesn’t bode well for those already anxious about the job application and onboarding process. That’s where we come in with the following list of the most common interview questions, in...
Even in 2024, workplace microaggressions such as “Is that your real hair?” or “You’re so articulate” persist nationwide. Despite their subtle nature, these behaviors do not go unnoticed, leaving a lasting impact on the workplace atmosphere, morale and creating challenges for those targeted. From making assumptions about one’s abilities based on background to perpetuating stereotypes and using exclusionary language, managing workplace microaggressions requires a thoughtful approach. The first vital step is acknowledging that even well-meant words can cause harm. Building an understanding that unintended comments often reinforce unfair systems allows us to then dismantle that damage. Additionally, self-awareness of our own possible microaggressions, though uncomfortable, can prevent workplace exclusion. According to the 2023 McKinsey & Company report on Women in the Workplace , 78 percent of women resort to self-shielding at work in response to these microaggressions, modifying their...
Having a successful business is not just about creating the next big idea or must-have product; it is also about the people that one employs. A toxic work culture can be fatal for a business’s bottom line, yet a quick search through GlassDoor proves that there are plenty of companies being run into the ground thanks to mismanagement and poor leadership. While poor attitudes and shifty management are top reasons for employees leaving a company, not all businesses know how to pivot and correct toxic workplaces — much to the detriment of employee retention. A famous saying coined by Peter Drucker is that “culture eats strategy for breakfast.” What does this mean, how does it influence a business’s success, and what can firms do to improve a suffering culture within a company? Culture Eats Strategy For Breakfast While it may sound like a trendy bit of jargon, Peter Drucker’s statement gets to the core of what drives businesses — its people. Unsurprisingly, happy people put in 110...
Tesla is once again under fire for alleged racial harassment. This time, a Black gay ex-employee claims she was assaulted and verbally abused — complete with racial slurs — by a co-worker. Business Insider is reporting that Kaylen Barker — who filed her lawsuit against the company yesterday — is going after both the Elon Musk-helmed automaker and its staffing company, Staffmark. According to her suit, Tesla failed to address the racist abuse she endured every day from her fellow employees, especially after she got a promotion. She also alleges that at one point, a co-worker — whom she only identified as “Joanne” in the suit — would mutter the N-word under her breath every time Barker walked by. And when Barker brought the alleged abuse to the attention of the Human Resources department, nothing was done about it. “I was violated physically, mentally, and emotionally because I am an African American lesbian,” Barker said in a statement provided, through her attorney, to the outlet....
Eighty-one percent of Black professionals say that seeing other Black professionals in leadership positions make them feel like their workplace is inclusive and equitable. Sabry Tozin, VP of engineering at LinkedIn, shared this statistic amongst others in his recent Building Pathways to Workplace Equity report. The report highlights some challenges that Black professionals face in the workplace today. This report is a part of LinkedIn’s Conversations for Change, a series of reports and discussions focused on diversity and equity in the workplace. Tozin has been working in Silicon Valley for about 20 years, first getting his career started through conferences hosted by the National Society of Black Engineers. He got his first tech job in the late 90s and went on to work for companies like Accenture, Fox, and Netflix before joining LinkedIn in 2017. This main stat was the most shocking to Tozin because it’s such a big number he says, yet there are few Black and minority professionals...
Conversations breed trust, teamwork, and productivity at work. The problem is, when you’re a leader, you’re constantly putting out fires and juggling back-to-back meetings. Next thing you know, you’re sitting across from a team member and struggling to establish a genuine connection. The truth of the matter is, if you’re in charge of other people, leadership is about having a relationship with your employees. It’s not about having the time, it’s about taking time to have conversations with people who matter most. Build Trust Before You Need It Regardless of the type of business, things will happen outside of your control. During times of uncertainty, conflict, or pressure to meet deadlines, employee trust is critical for getting the work done. So leaders must set daily intentions for building trust before they need it most. A consistent, two-way conversation that encourages dialogue — not a monologue — boosts productivity. If you’re only having conversations with employees to...
Recently, Away Luggage Company CEO Steph Korey stepped down after an investigation by the Verge highlighted the company’s toxic work culture. From Korey reportedly using Slack to publicly critique work and label an employee “brain dead” to sending late-night messages — Away is a case study in how not to communicate in the workplace. Like the Away company, if you have a communication problem in the workplace, chances are: Work is being duplicated (or not done at all). The finished product isn’t what you expected. There is a high turnover rate. There are recurring errors or delays in products or services. Your team is silent in meetings and no one speaks up to offer ideas or share their experiences. While it’s often second nature for managers to blame “lazy” or “incompetent” employees, frequent communication issues are often a symptom of a much deeper problem. A bad system, an outdated process or pattern of behavior from the company’s higher-ups are often the culprits. Here’s how to...
Women, now more than ever, are speaking up about their experiences with workplace sexual harassment and misconduct. From Anita Hill speaking to a crowd of Wellesley College about her trauma to employees at big tech firms launching full-blown protests , women and their allies are taking more control over toxic workplace cultures. TIME’S UP Legal fund has been integral in the rise of the #MeToo movement and now its co-founders are tackling workplace culture by launching an anti-harassment training firm, according to Fortune. Roberta Kaplan and Tina Tchen have launched HABIT, which stands for harassment, acceptance, bias and inclusion training, to provide company executives with tools, information and classes to end harassment within the workplace. “It was pretty clear that there wasn’t enough available and willing legal support to represent women who either had claims or to defend them against claims, relating to issues of sexual assault or harassment at work,” Kaplan said to Fortune....