The trend of managers trying to act as therapists at work is having negative effects on employees' mental health. Ethical lapses have been reported in Google due to their emphasis on winning in AI. While London was once the top place for international bankers to work, Paris is becoming increasingly popular. US workers are finally reaping the benefits of pay gains that outpace inflation. Hospitals are turning to an "Uber-ized" approach to nursing as they face severe staff shortages. The issue of fewer women CEOs compared to men named John was revisited by a Stanford University economics student who analyzed a database of over 1,500 companies.
The record 41 women currently running S&P 500 companies no longer face comparisons to male names, with no single male name matching their number. There are now 186 unique first names among S&P 500 CEOs, up from 133 in 2015, with a rise in non-Western or non-Biblical first names adding to the diversity. While women like Cummins CEO Jennifer Rumsey feel confident that they were chosen for their merit, many women still lack this confidence due to societal norms that discourage girls from exhibiting leadership qualities.
The underrepresentation of women in top leadership positions has been a long-standing issue. Many women may feel excluded from leadership because CEOs are often considered to have stereotypically male characteristics. However, there has been progress in increasing the number of women in leadership roles, such as the election of female governors in a dozen states and the appointment of more female business school deans.
There has also been an increase in female representation among S&P 500 CEOs. Nevertheless, with only 8% of S&P 500 CEO positions held by women, there is still more work to be done. The hope is to see more women, from diverse backgrounds, in top leadership positions. One CEO reminds us that we should not dwell on self-pity but instead focus on moving forward. In the US, the office vacancy rate in the first quarter of 2021 hit a record 20.1%, according to Jones Lang LaSalle.