Signal file: what this week’s headlines reveal about what work feels like
From virtual rituals and leadership disconnect to the emotional city mapping, this week’s stories explore the growing need for work that feels more human
Staying ahead in the rapidly evolving world of work means tuning in to the signals shaping the future workplace. In this weekly column, we highlight the latest news on our radar and its implications on business.
This week, new questions surface about how we relate to work – and each other. Body doubling experiments reveal how remote teams are reimagining presence. A cross-European study exposes a broadening leadership trust gap. Meanwhile, the gig economy gains ground as traditional career paths are questioned. And in city research, AI is helping quantify feelings that were once invisible to planners and employers alike. Together, these signals reflect a wider shift that work is no longer just about tasks – it’s about emotional experience, structural flexibility and cultural relevance.
Using virtual co-working spaces for productivity
A growing number of companies are experimenting with body doubling – a practice where remote workers sit in the same virtual space, like a Zoom call, without directly collaborating. The technique is being positioned as both a productivity and wellbeing tool. Early trials suggest it helps some workers concentrate and feel less isolated but others describe it as invasive, distracting or overly performative.
In action: Design remote rituals with flexibility and transparency. Consider how you can make digital spaces more collaborative.
UK ranks low in proximity leadership trust gap
A new European Workforce Study from Great Place To Work finds that the UK has one of the continent’s largest gaps between how senior leaders perceive their leadership and how employees experience it. The ‘proximity leadership’ disconnect reflects deeper issues of visibility, empathy and day-to-day relevance – especially in hybrid and remote contexts.
In action: Close the leadership gap by showing up where it matters. Employees don’t need louder leaders – they need closer ones.
The gig economy is outpacing traditional employment
According to Fortune, the gig economy is growing three times faster than the traditional workforce, with projections suggesting that by 2027, half of all workers in developed economies will be part of it. Gen Z is leading the shift – driven by cost-of-living crisis, tech access, scepticism of legacy systems, and a desire for autonomy.
In action: Prepare for a blended workforce. Rethink policies, platforms and perks to support contractors, freelancers and fluid work arrangements at scale.
AI taps into emotional data cities couldn’t reach before
A new urban research project uses AI to uncover how city environments make people feel by mapping the emotional impact of public spaces, architecture and infrastructure. This kind of insight has traditionally been difficult to access at scale, but AI is now enabling a more empathetic, data-rich approach to urban design.
In action: Leverage AI to surface the invisible. Emotional data can unlock more human-centred design in cities, workspaces and service experiences.
