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Discussions around <keyword id="19956983" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mental-health" source="keywords">mental health</keyword> at the workplace reignited in the last few days when the death of two corporate employees made headlines. And it is no secret that without having a healthy mind, you cannot be productive. Ample studies in the last few months have pointed out the importance of mental health and it is important to talk about these issues. Today (October 10) marks <keyword id="23481940" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="World-Mental-Health-Day" source="keywords">World Mental Health day</keyword>. It is an occasion for raising awareness about mental health issues and combating social stigma. Celebrated globally since 1992, this day encourages education and advocacy for mental well-being, reminding us that mental health is a crucial aspect of overall health, especially in the workplace. <h2>Ex-Google employee experienced stress, anxiety </h2> <keyword id="23300967" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nicholas-Whitaker" source="keywords">Nicholas Whitaker</keyword>, who worked with <keyword id="19902762" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Google" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Google" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Google">Google</keyword> for 13 years, told Business Insider India in an interview that he also experienced the pressures of a high-stress work environment. “During my time at Google, I faced significant stress and anxiety. It became clear that no matter how successful you are on paper, if your mental health is compromised, it diminishes your quality of life and ability to fully engage at work,” he said. He added that <keyword id="19925554" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mindfulness" source="keywords">mindfulness</keyword> played a crucial role in his recovery, saying that mental health is not just a personal issue but a workplace concern that should be treated with equal importance as productivity and performance. <h2>How to protect your mental health? </h2> To help others protect their mental health, Whitaker shared several key practices that can be game-changers. 1. Set Boundaries: Understand your limits and communicate them clearly. This includes managing your workload, taking time away from work, and setting boundaries around communication. Protecting your time and energy is essential. 2. Practice Mindfulness or Meditation: Mindfulness was a lifesaver for him in managing corporate stress. Even dedicating a few minutes each day to meditation can help you stay grounded and aware of your feelings, allowing you to make necessary adjustments before burnout sets in. 3. Take Breaks: In high-pressure environments, it’s easy to feel that there’s no time for a break. However, regular breaks—even just a short walk or stepping outside—can significantly enhance your mental state and boost productivity. 4. Find a Support System: Having people to talk to, whether colleagues, friends, or coaches, can make a considerable difference. Building a supportive community can combat feelings of isolation, which often exacerbate mental health issues. 5. Align Work with Values: Stress and dissatisfaction often arise from a misalignment between personal values and work. Reflecting on what truly matters to you and making small shifts toward work that aligns with those values can lead to greater fulfillment. To conclude, Whitaker said, “Mental health is not a luxury—it’s essential for personal well-being and professional success. When organisations invest in their employees’ mental health, they cultivate a culture where people feel supported, valued, and empowered to excel in their work.” As we observe <keyword id="23486492" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="world-mental-health" source="keywords">World Mental Health</keyword> Day, it’s crucial to remember that prioritising mental well-being can lead to a more productive, innovative, and fulfilled workforce.

World Mental Health Day: Ex-Google employee shares tips on protecting mental health at workplace, says he experienced stress and anxiety

Every year, Bill Gates — and, until she left, Melinda French Gates — would hold multiple meetings with executives of the Gates Foundation to approve plans and budgets, and review strategies.One of the highlights was the annual strategy review meeting, where the two of them listened to employee presentations about how well a program was working and whether adjustments needed to be made to improve their chances of success.For many, the meeting might be the only direct opportunity to interact with, and impress, Gates and French Gates. Employees also felt the pressure at these meetings to showcase their accomplishments so that they could defend their budgets.Several former senior executives who attended strategy review meetings recalled how, in the days leading up to them, the office atmosphere felt almost carnival-like, but suffused with dread. Employees rushed around preparing presentations frantically, reviewing their work and readying themselves for a possible inquisition by Gates.<h2 id="c42c6751-23ce-4b8b-bc82-91581bcad95f">A king holding court</h2>The meetings themselves were spectacles, some attendees recalled; one described them as "almost comical."They were usually held in a big room with a seating pattern. Strict etiquette was followed. One former senior executive who participated in many of the meetings said they had the feel of a king holding court, as though Gates were Louis XIV and the employees were courtiers bowing and scraping before him in Versailles, hoping to earn their ruler's favor.Another recalled how, as executives were called upon to present to the former couple, highlighting what their team had done the previous year and how closely their work hewed to the strategies and priorities of the foundation, people would scrutinize Gates's expressions. The slightest hint of a smile or a nod could mean that he approved; an impassive face could mean he didn't.Gates and French Gates followed the presentations closely, usually saving questions for the end. Once the meeting ended, and people went back to their offices and desks, they would dissect Gates's questions and expressions for days, often celebrating if they concluded that they had impressed their boss, a third former attendee said.To this person, it seemed that many employees were motivated more by Gates's praise — sometimes, even the absence of opprobrium was seen as validation — than by the success of their grant-making."Sometimes, the interpretation of what Gates wanted could take up hours of back and forth among the directors and teams," this person said. "I felt we were spending more time managing up than working to meet the needs of the people."<h2 id="dffe995a-e025-40ca-937e-a01061ac8d9d">Torn between two power centers</h2>More than two decades after its founding, the internal culture of the foundation remains one of deference, where hundreds of employees tiptoe around Gates, afraid to disagree and eager to do his bidding.If anything, its deferential culture has become ossified along with the multiple layers of bureaucracy and processes. People who left more than a decade ago describe a place not too different from those who left within the last two years.One recently departed employee observed that people at the foundation fall into three types: consiglieres who bow to Gates; young aspirants who are awed by him; and the skeptics who find Gates domineering and eventually leave.After the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bill-gates-melinda-divorce-one-of-his-personal-low-points-2022-12">couple's divorce</a>, one person who advises the foundation on media strategy said that there were instead two power centers — Gates and French Gates — and employees were increasingly torn between the two.<div type="image" title="Billionaire Nerd Savior King: book by Anupreeta Das" height="2100" width="1400" msid="112405303" hostid="261" sizebytes="184566"></div>The former couple sought to maintain a professional relationship, giving themselves at least two years to see if they could work together, with the understanding that French Gates would leave if they couldn't. In May 2024, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/melinda-french-gates-resigns-from-gates-foundation-charity-bill-2024-5">she cut her ties to the foundation</a>, saying that she wanted to chart her own course in philanthropy.Gates can be imperious in strategy meetings with small groups of senior executives, launching into a topic at length without seeking their input. He might be censorious, say, of an employee who didn't cite the source of a statistic in a document provided to him. It's not surprising that leaders of governments and companies and large entities have large staff paid to deliver things just as their bosses would like — no tomatoes in a sandwich, double-spaced briefing documents, no phone calls after 8 p.m."Gates and Melinda weren't unique in how they were handled," said one outside public relations professional who has worked with the foundation. "A lot of clients get treated like royalty. It's like Succession," the person said, referring to the hit HBO show about a scheming media mogul and his children. "People scurrying around with clipboards, but also that these guys are really busy, and you're given a meeting spot, so you have to know going in what your meeting is about."<h2 id="0a673bc0-b079-4b0f-babc-62f7681c8622">A low hum of fear</h2>What comes through about Gates for many is the fear he inspires for a number of things: for the fact that he and French Gates ran an organization without accountability to outside shareholders or other stakeholders; for the fact of his brilliance and fame that many find intimidating; and for the type of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/after-talking-to-teens-last-year-about-anger-management-bill-gates-admits-that-some-of-his-famous-microsoft-tantrums-might-not-have-been-wise-2019-1">arrogant behavior that colleagues of Gates from his Microsoft days</a> might find familiar, but that terrifies those who work for him.Those who have worked for Gates at both Microsoft and the foundation point out that Gates's behavior hasn't changed much, but it was more acceptable in Microsoft's competitive culture; the foundation is full of people from the more genteel and collegial culture of the international development and academic communities. This dissonance between his <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bill-gates-image-likable-nerdy-philanthropist-fell-apart-2021-5">public image and private persona</a> led many foundation employees to remark in private that outwardly, Gates is a global statesman and inwardly, he is an absolute monarch."He's the scariest person in the world to provide a recommendation or briefing to because he scans a page and comes back at you saying something like, 'what you say in the footnote on page 9 does not match with the footnote on page 28,'" one former foundation employee said.The low hum of fear was a constant presence inside the foundation, in case an email came in from the boss asking about a grant application, or he pointed out something in your field of expertise that you had overlooked. If Gates sent an email asking for something to be done, there might be a flurry of as many as 100 emails among employees — after taking him off the chain — trying to decipher what he meant, why he meant it, and how they should follow through.There was no handbook for how to deal with the foundation's cofounders, especially with Gates. Those who know Gates better said that the billionaire respects people who come in doing their homework and hates it when people waste his time. A person who repeats information from a document already sent to Gates at a meeting will be the target of his ire.But Gates is also known to respect a good argument that a person could defend. He is somewhat mellower now, and people who have engaged with him more recently said that both French Gates and Warren Buffett — who has become a close friend and confidante to Gates — had a hand in showing him that it was possible to be a strong leader and be cordial.<h2 id="dd6fdaa6-c7a8-493f-b15a-c6dbe4c65b73">Silent seething</h2>Still, many people spent years bristling at Gates's approach. Ultimately, it came down to an individual's level of tolerance. Some brushed it off. Others tried to outargue Gates or couldn't stand him. And there were yet others who kept their mouths shut but seethed silently.It was particularly challenging for those who joined the foundation at the peak of their careers, hired for their expertise — the very expertise that Gates appeared to disregard and enjoy outsmarting someone on.Often, during a meeting, he would keep probing about why a suggested solution was the best one, to the point that it frustrated senior executives.One former senior employee compared the style of discussion to the Socratic method, often used in law schools by professors who push students to reasoning through dialogue.But while professors are great at asking questions in a thought-provoking way, Gates was far less polished in his delivery, and as a result, conversations with him could be an unpleasant experience, the former employee said. "It's like using the Socratic method . . . with an autocrat."From <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://affiliate.insider.com?amazonTrackingID=bi-auto-72116-20&amp;h=f3e6a8dbf642e0f1765596f4d1a6767fce72c090925dbf9256aab7f60c3a0bbe&amp;postID=66b5053ab9a36536264893c6&amp;postSlug=bill-melinda-gates-stressful-work-culture-gates-foundation-book-excerpt-2024-8&amp;site=bi&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FBillionaire-Nerd-Savior-King-Gates%2Fdp%2F1668006723%3Fcampaign_id%3D4%26emc%3Dedit_dk_20240605%26instance_id%3D125428%26nl%3Ddealbook%26regi_id%3D194893788%26segment_id%3D168753%26te%3D1%26user_id%3D2259c117e2d6d1f3b6de8de6262da403">BILLIONAIRE, NERD, SAVIOR, KING: Bill Gates and His Quest to Shape Our World</a> by Anupreeta Das. Copyright © 2024. Reprinted by permission of Avid Reader Press, an Imprint of Simon &amp; Schuster, Inc.Editors Note: A Bill Gates spokesperson told Business Insider, "Relying almost exclusively on second- and third-hand hearsay and anonymous sources, the book includes highly sensationalized allegations and outright falsehoods that ignore the actual documented facts our office provided to the author on numerous occasions."

Inside the stressful culture at the Gates Foundation and what it was like to work with Bill and Melinda Gates, according to former employees

<ul><li><keyword id="19904608" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Amazon" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Amazon" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Amazon">Amazon</keyword> announced an <keyword id="20007258" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="RTO" source="keywords">RTO</keyword> mandate last month</li><li><keyword id="19916568" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="employees" source="keywords">Employees</keyword> have to come to office five days a week</li><li>Amazon has defended the move</li></ul> When <keyword id="20231207" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="work-from-home" source="keywords">work from home</keyword> became the norm during the Covid-19 pandemic, most people thought that this would be the new normal. Employees began realising that they could save up a lot of time as well as money by working from home and discussions about the importance of work-life balance surfaced. However, as soon as things started getting better, companies called employees back to offices. Amazon also made headlines last month for calling its employees back to offices five days a week. After the news went viral, many people began reacting to it. The tech giant also received a baclash for its decisions as people started saying on social media that this is not the solution. Now, according to a report in The Information, <keyword id="23472756" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Beth-Galetti" source="keywords">Beth Galetti</keyword>, Senior Vice President of People Experience and Tech at Amazon, has defended the mandate. Galetti said that younger employees are eager to benefit from in-person mentorship and have been asking to work from office. Speaking at The Information’s Women in Tech, Media, and Finance conference, Galetti explained that many junior staff members expressed a desire for face-to-face interaction with colleagues. She also said that the new policy reflects a return to Amazon’s previous work culture, where there was flexibility for personal matters but office attendance remained the norm. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="113855017" title="Amazon's RTO mandate is a 'backdoor layoff' strategy, future of work expert says" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> Amazon CEO <keyword id="19910506" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Andy-Jassy" source="keywords">Andy Jassy</keyword> also supports the decision, highlighting the importance of collaboration and innovation that come from being physically present in the office. In a memo to staff, Jassy acknowledged that pre-pandemic, the company allowed remote work when necessary, and this flexibility would remain. However, he stressed that regular in-office work is key to building stronger teams and a cohesive company culture. In response to the changing work environment, Amazon is also developing a generative AI-powered “culture coach” to help provide employees with real-time feedback, further supporting staff in their roles as the company adapts to new ways of working. On the other hand, Nicholas Bloom, a Stanford economist, suggests that this could be a way for Amazon to reduce its workforce without resorting to formal layoffs. He refers to this tactic as a “backdoor layoff” strategy, where some employees might quit due to the new policy, helping the company cut costs without the need to offer severance packages. Speaking to Business Insider, Bloom said that this approach may work to control costs but could harm departments like AI, where top talent is hard to attract and retain. Other tech companies like <keyword id="19902762" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Google" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Google" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Google">Google</keyword>, Microsoft, and OpenAI are continuing with hybrid work policies, which may give them a chance to hire skilled workers leaving Amazon due to its stricter office requirements.

Young employees need mentorship: Amazon on calling employees back to office five days a week

When you come back home after a long day of dealing with a demanding boss and/or an annoying colleague, the last thing we are going to want to do is exercise. However, getting our behinds off the couch and dragging ourselves to the gym — or the park — might actually help us feel better. In today’s fast-paced, high-pressure <keyword id="19954079" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="work-environment" source="keywords">work environment</keyword>, <keyword id="19901233" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="burnout" source="keywords">burnout</keyword> is becoming a common issue. Deadlines, long hours and constant multitasking can leave us feeling emotionally exhausted and mentally drained. But there’s good news — according to research published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, <keyword id="23298308" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="moderate-exercise" source="keywords">moderate exercise</keyword> might be the key to combating job burnout. The study examined over 500 employees, assessing their <keyword id="23410261" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="exercise-habits" source="keywords">exercise habits</keyword> and how these related to their work satisfaction and emotional well-being. The results were clear: those who engaged in moderate <keyword id="20053428" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="physical-activity" source="keywords">physical activity</keyword> experienced significantly less burnout and <keyword id="22955163" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="emotional-exhaustion" source="keywords">emotional exhaustion</keyword>. They also reported feeling a greater sense of personal accomplishment in their jobs. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="113632562" title="Here’s how much exercise you must do if you sit at a desk most of your day!" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>But what is “moderate exercise”? As per Michele Wolf Marenus, PhD, a research scientist at Personify Health and one of the study's authors, it’s not about pushing yourself to the extreme. Instead, it involves activities like strength training, dancing, or hiking for at least 30 minutes on five or more days a week. A combination of vigorous activities, like running, and moderate ones is also effective. Interestingly, the study found that more intense forms of exercise didn’t necessarily lead to better results. In fact, moderate activity proved to be the sweet spot. People who exercised at this level reported the lowest levels of emotional exhaustion and the highest levels of <keyword id="20154404" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="job-satisfaction" source="keywords">job satisfaction</keyword>. Meanwhile, those who did either very low or very high levels of physical activity didn’t see the same benefits. As for why moderate exercise helped with burnout? It offers a valuable break from work, allowing employees to recharge mentally and physically. Exercise boosts cardiovascular health, enhances mood, and improves emotional regulation — all essential for dealing with <keyword id="21541838" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="work-stress" source="keywords">work stress</keyword>. So, if work stress is getting you down, you might want to lace up those sneakers and take a brisk walk or dance to your favourite tunes. It could be just what you need to refresh both body and mind! <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112589784" title="How to invest 3% of your day in exercise to live longer, according to an expert in healthy aging" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>

Burnout is a common side effect to work today and its remedy is ‘moderate’ exercise: Study

<ul class="summary-list"><li>After a two-year market slowdown, IPOs are rebounding and set to surge in 2025.</li><li>Morgan Stanley has partnered with cap-table firm Carta to reach founders before they get rich.</li></ul>After a two-year dealmaking drought, IPOs are mounting a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wall-street-q3-investment-banking-boom-could-be-upended-2024-10">comeback</a>, enriching their founders and employees in the process. To land these desirable clients before their big windfall, Morgan Stanley has partnered with Carta, a platform for startups and investors to track company ownership, Business Insider has learned.Silicon Valley firms widely use Carta's financial software for tasks like issuing stock options and administering executive compensation. With this new partnership, Carta will refer clients looking to go public to Morgan Stanley at Work, a division that caters to businesses and their employees. Carta told BI it has nearly 2,000 clients that have raised up to a series C and are on the pathway to IPO. "The likelihood of the pipeline materializing is higher than it has been in a very long time," the bank's wealth boss, Jed Finn, said in an exclusive interview. He said investors have been waiting to cash out and favorable conditions are on the horizon, such as the future Trump administration cutting red tape for megamergers.Morgan Stanley uses workplace services like employee financial advice and executive compensation to get clients in the door while they're building wealth and hopefully convert them into fee-paying financial advisory customers. Over the past three years, the $6 trillion wealth business has added $250 billion in assets from individuals who started either as workplace or brokerage clients. This partnership is part of Morgan Stanley's effort to reach $10 trillion in client assets between the wealth arm and its smaller $1.6 trillion investment management unit.Since companies are staying private longer and growing larger before going public, their employees are more likely to need financial advice before and after a mammoth IPO, Finn said. Potential dilemmas include whether to put their shares in a trust or how to diversify their newfound wealth."We're uniquely situated to be able to address that complexity and to provide the advice these employees need as the companies embark on their next wave of growth," he said.<h2 id="acbbb492-dd88-44fa-85c7-3862302f80a4">How it works</h2>The referral deal fills gaps for Morgan Stanley and Carta. It gives the bank access to a broader customer base of private companies than its in-house stock planning administrator, Shareworks, and allows Carta customers to go public with less hassle. Carta stopped <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/startup-unicorn-carta-eliminating-equity-software-public-companies-2023-3">managing employee equity for public companies</a> last year, but now customers can swiftly transport their data from Carta to Shareworks before they go public and stay on the platform after their IPO."This really works for making it easier for Carta clients to get that second part of their existence, the public part, in the hands of somebody who has the experience to deliver it," Finn said. "It takes a lot of the risk, the stress, the data security issues out of the process because we have a seamless and protected mechanism to make that transition."<div type="image" title="Headshot of Morgan Stanley wealth boss Jed Finn" height="744" width="1024" msid="115216958" hostid="261" sizebytes="18792"></div>Carta clients can access Morgan Stanley services before moving to Shareworks. For instance, clients considering going public can meet with a Morgan Stanley investment banker to walk through options.From there, companies can access the same offerings as other Shareworks customers, such as IPO prep and valuation services. After going public, they can tap Morgan Stanley for other services, including 401(k) management and financial reporting.Before and after the IPO, employees can get financial advice from Morgan Stanley. Advisors even visit company campuses to hold webinars and office hours. Ideally, these conversations lead to employees becoming wealth management clients, Finn said.<h2 id="a88b4676-48a0-4139-a4a0-72d1bbdd9d16">It has been a rocky year for Carta</h2>Finn had known Carta CEO Henry Ward since 2019 when the bank was looking to expand its stock management business. That year, Morgan Stanley bought a Carta competitor, Solium, now known as Shareworks. In 2021, the bank also acquired the cap table business of Silicon Valley law firm Wilson Sonsini.The partnership caps off a tough year for Carta, which was accused in January of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/carta-backlash-silicon-valley-startups-2024-1">misusing client information</a> to solicit startup investors to sell their shares without the client's consent. Ward said in a post on <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://henrysward.medium.com/how-we-handle-captable-information-c98d85d79277">Medium </a>that it was an isolated incident by a rogue employee, and Carta shuttered its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/carta-gives-up-dream-of-being-nasdaq-for-private-markets-2024-1">secondary trading business</a>.Finn declined to confirm whether Morgan Stanley considered buying Carta. "We regularly evaluate every company in the space we're thinking about," he said. "In this particular instance, we thought the partnership made the most sense since it addresses their needs, addresses our opportunity, and, importantly, it serves the clients most effectively."

Morgan Stanley partners with Carta to serve startup employees after lucrative IPOs

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with <keyword id="23300967" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nicholas-Whitaker" source="keywords">Nicholas Whitaker</keyword>, who worked with <keyword id="19902762" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Google" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Google" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Google">Google</keyword> for nearly 13 years and got laid off in 2023. He is now running a venture of his own. It has been edited for length and clarity. I joined Google over a decade ago and it became much more than just a job. At that time, Google had approximately 40,000 employees, and the atmosphere felt very much like a startup. Teams were nimble and cooperative, offering ample opportunities for personal and professional growth. There was an unmistakable sense of optimism and potential in the air. It was my first experience in the tech industry, and I viewed that period as a significant phase in my development. I gained valuable skills and benefited from the early support and mentorship of my colleagues and leaders. Perhaps this is why the experience of being laid off hit me so hard. I remember the moment vividly. It was 3 a.m., and I received a ping on LinkedIn from a colleague asking if I was safe. Initially, I thought there had been some kind of emergency—a shooting or perhaps a natural disaster. But when I checked my personal email, I discovered the real reason for their message. I found a short, impersonal email informing me that my role had been eliminated. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="113637185" title="Fired from Google after 13 years of service, he used his severance to build a business around helping others with their careers" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> <h2>I was laid off without a warning </h2> What shocked me the most was the lack of warning. After my colleague's message, I checked my work email only to find out that it was locked out of my phone and laptop. I then checked my personal email and there it was, a short email informing me about my layoff, providing basic instructions about returning company property and navigating unemployment. The next few months were spent sending back my laptop, badge, and other Google gear. Along the way there were multiple errors and miscommunications from the team that made it all even more uncomfortable. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="113619411" title="Rename home Wi-Fi, leave badge at office: Ex-Amazon employee reveals tricks used by employees to not work from office" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> There was only one text message from my former manager, asking how I was doing a few days after the layoff. Beyond that, I heard nothing from my old team. It was such a brutally impersonal and inhumane process. <h2>If you have been laid off, you are not alone</h2> If you’ve been laid off, the first thing I want to say is: You’re not alone, and this moment doesn’t define you. When it first happens, it can feel incredibly personal, but <keyword id="19916567" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="layoffs" source="keywords">layoffs</keyword> are usually about business decisions, not your individual worth or performance. After spending over a decade at Google, I know how disorienting it can feel. But over time, I realised that this was also an opportunity to rethink what I really wanted from my career and life. Here are a few pieces of advice that helped me navigate this uncertain time: Give yourself space to process what happened: It’s okay to feel angry, sad, or uncertain. Let yourself experience those emotions, but try not to let them dictate your next move. Take the time you need to recover emotionally before jumping into something new. Reframe the situation: As hard as it sounds, a layoff can also be an opportunity to reassess what you want from your career. For me, the layoff became a catalyst for starting my own venture and reconnecting with what truly matters to me. This is a chance to explore new possibilities that may have been overshadowed by the stability of a previous job. Invest in your health: It’s easy to get caught up in the stress of finding the next thing, but make sure you’re taking care of your mental and physical health. For me, mindfulness and self-care were key to navigating this period. You can’t pour from an empty cup, so make sure you’re refilling yours. Reconnect with your network: Don’t be afraid to lean on your network for support, advice, or job leads. It can feel uncomfortable, but remember that people are often happy to help. Reach out to former colleagues, mentors, and friends, and let them know you’re in transition. Don’t rush the next step: Sometimes, the instinct is to jump into whatever comes next to avoid the discomfort of uncertainty. But if you can, take a beat and make sure your next move aligns with your values and long-term goals. Use this time to reflect on what you want from your next role or career path. Explore new avenues: If you’ve ever thought about starting your own business, freelancing, or shifting industries, now could be the perfect time to explore those ideas. That’s what I did with Changing Work Collective, and it’s led me to a more fulfilling and purpose-driven career than I ever had before. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="113800304" title="'Microsoft employee gets $300,000 for working 15-20 hours a week’: X user’s post goes viral" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> Ultimately, a layoff is just one chapter in a much larger story. It can be a painful experience, but it’s also a chance for reinvention and growth. Stay grounded, take care of yourself, and trust that you have the resilience and skills to navigate this and come out stronger on the other side.

I was fired from Google after 13 years of service. Here's what I learnt on how to deal with layoffs

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="19904608" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Amazon" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Amazon" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Amazon">Amazon</keyword> announced a <keyword id="20724175" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="return-to-office" source="keywords">return-to-office</keyword> mandate requiring five days a week in the office from January.</li><li>One employee based in Germany told Business Insider that he plans to continue "<keyword id="20037519" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="coffee-badging" source="keywords">coffee badging</keyword>."</li></ul>This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with an Amazon worker in Germany who spoke anonymously to protect their privacy. Their identity and employment have been verified by Insider. The following has been edited for length and clarity. Amazon notified all employees on Monday about the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-ceo-return-to-office-mandate-5-days-week-2024-9">new return-to-office mandate</a> requiring us to come into the office five days a week from January. My entire team was very shocked and worried. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-workers-blast-strict-rto-mandate-five-days-week-2024-9">Some people want to leave the company</a>. This is a betrayal to many people, especially those who were hired as <keyword id="21086606" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="remote-workers" source="keywords">remote workers</keyword>, and it is eroding our trust. Before Amazon made the announcement this week, I already had a feeling that a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-rto-faq-document-spells-out-new-rule-2024-9">stricter return-to-office mandate</a> was coming in 2025. That's because the leadership had made it very clear that this was the direction they were going to take through the last mandate, and in the last few months, things have become much stricter. In Germany, Amazon started enforcing the mandate that requires us to be in the office three days a week in June, but unlike in the US, we aren't <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-enforces-new-office-hours-rule-targets-coffee-badging-compliance-2024-7">required to come in for a certain number of hours</a> a day. People are still trying to adjust to the last return-to-office push. I live very close to the office, so I'm not personally so worried about having to do another two days in the office because I can just <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/workers-still-coffee-badging-office-returning-home-linkedin-poll-2024-7">come in and swipe my badge</a>, stay for 15 minutes, and go back, so we still have some flexibility. I think the return to office policy is being used as a tool to carry out silent layoffs, as I've seen many bright engineers leave the company after the last mandate. People are definitely terrified about what this will mean for them. A few colleagues have contacted me and told me they are considering leaving the company, even going to lower-paying jobs. Having a flexible remote working policy did not have a big impact on productivity. If you create an atmosphere of growth and drive people, they will always deliver, regardless of where they work. I think this has been sufficient as long as people do their jobs to their best. I see the value in coming together occasionally and brainstorming, but outside that, it's unnecessary to always work from the office. The new mandate will be difficult for many people who moved away from the office during the pandemic, have childcare commitments, or experience social anxiety and are now forced to come into the office. Apart from the RTO announcement, I found out in the news that Amazon <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-fewer-managers-leaked-document-2024-9" target="_blank">plans to increase the ratio of individual contributors to managers</a> at least 15% by the end of next year's first quarter. It was a surprise because we already have a resource crunch. We have fewer people doing a lot more work, which has meant that I, and some other employees, have felt unhappy. Now with Amazon wanting to reduce the head count going forward, it will make things very difficult for employees. In many teams, there are between eight and 12 people managed by one person; ideally, it would be six people under one manager. This means some managers are already overburdened, which will only worsen. Cutting <keyword id="23230284" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="middle-managers" source="keywords">middle managers</keyword> is going to impact everyone, because one manager overseeing so many people means that you don't have enough time to have conversations around career development, you can't work on innovation, or on stakeholder engagement. The consensus among other Amazon employees I've spoken to is that they plan to leave when the economy and job market improve. They are already frustrated and under a lot of stress, and the new RTO policy and job cut plans are only increasing the tension. I think other Big Tech companies will follow Amazon's suit and require employees to return to the office five days a week, too. A spokesperson for Amazon told Business Insider that they observed that being in the office together makes it easier for employees to learn, model, collaborate, and be better connected to one another. They added that the return-to-office guidance is an effort to strengthen its culture. Correction: September 18, 2024 — An earlier version of this story misdescribed Amazon's plan to cut managers. It plans to increase the ratio of individual contributors to managers by at least 15% by the end of next year's first quarter, not cut 15% of middle managers. Are you a tech worker with insight to share? Contact the reporter, Jyoti Mann, via the encrypted messaging app Signal (jyotimann.11) or email (jmann@businessinsider.com) from a nonwork device.

I work at Amazon and I plan on 'coffee badging' instead of working from the office 5 days a week 

<ul class="summary-list"><li>This post originally appeared in the Insider Today newsletter.</li></ul>Welcome back! Summer vacation have you dreaming about giving it all up and moving abroad? Luckily, six European towns are <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/get-paid-to-move-to-europe-greece-spain-switzerland-italy-2024-7">offering cash to help you move there</a>.Speaking of money and vacations: In today's big story, summer vacation means financial stress for parents looking to keep their kids busy while school is out <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cost-summer-camp-childcare-inflation-parents-debt-work-schedules-2024-7">without breaking the bank</a>.What's on deck:<ul><li>Markets: The June jobs report is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/unemployment-rate-job-growth-june-economic-data-2024-7">good news for a potential rate cut</a>.</li><li>Tech: The founder of Gen Z's new favorite app details <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/noplace-app-takes-over-apple-charts-myspace-twitter-for-genz-2024-7">how she plans to avoid being just a fad</a>.</li><li>Business: The three worst letters in real estate: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/abolish-hoas-homeowner-associations-housing-market-real-estate-costs-2024-7">HOA</a>.</li></ul>But first, hello campers!If this was forwarded to you, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/subscription/newsletter/insider-today">sign up here.</a><h3 id="7fa5f018-5b05-4a37-a8dc-d3f89138bcb3">The big story</h3><h2 id="5fd547b9-ec52-41fc-8e08-4f4b27dd8097">The cost of summer</h2><div type="image" title="illustration of coin on swan" height="880" width="1168" msid="111587548" hostid="261" sizebytes="82826"></div>School's out for summer, but the relief for kids is causing financial pain for their parents.Summer can be a money pit for parents scrambling <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cost-summer-camp-childcare-inflation-parents-debt-work-schedules-2024-7">to keep their kids entertained in July and August</a>, write Business Insider's Juliana Kaplan and Madison Hoff.Summer childcare isn't cheap. Nearly a quarter of recently surveyed parents with kids in a summer program said they expect to pay more than $1,000 a month per child this summer. And those costs can balloon well beyond that, with one family spending $6,000 for a three-week sleepaway camp.Further complicating things is most camps don't cover the two-plus months parents need to fill for their kids. The result is sometimes a patchwork system of camps and part-time nannies that parents need to cobble together.Sometimes costs crop up before camp even starts. Parents spend hundreds, or even thousands, on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/parents-spend-hundreds-summer-camp-packing-services-kids-2024-6">packing and prepping their kids before shipping them off</a>.Just about everyone feels the squeeze on their wallets when the temperature rises.An Intuit Credit Karma survey found 61% of parents with children under 18 said it "feels even more expensive to raise kids in the summer months."It's a brutal reality check for parents who thought their days of high childcare costs were behind them when they became DIPS (<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/parents-paying-preschool-childcare-costs-new-term-dinks-dips-henry-2024-2">dual income, public school</a>).Instead, some are even going into debt, despite sky-high credit card interest rates, to make it work.<div type="image" title="Illustration of a teddy bear with makeup in front of campgrounds and cabins." height="1500" width="3000" msid="111587547" hostid="261" sizebytes="1234734"></div>Things don't always get easier once kids are at camp, though.This year, skincare products proved to be <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sephora-kids-sleepaway-camps-ban-expensive-skincare-beauty-products-2024-6">a lightning rod for kids and parents at elite summer camps</a>, writes BI's Anna Silman. Outright bans or restrictions on luxury skincare products — because nine-year-olds need their daily lip oil — created chaos among their tweens.Of course, drama comes with the price of admission at these fancy establishments, which can run $16,000 for the summer.In 2021, Anna reported on how parents were <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sleepaway-camp-photo-drama-tyler-hill-2021-7">up in arms over the daily photos shown from camp</a>. Parents inundated camp employees with concerned or critical emails and calls as they tried to parent their children from hundreds of miles away.<h3 id="77f31a4c-8462-4e3d-a71f-838cb79493fb">News brief</h3><h2 id="1fcd294b-3f53-425f-9f20-4093e8623b59">Your Monday headline catchup</h2>A quick recap of the top news from over the weekend:<ul><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/boeing-big-mea-culpa-just-dropped-does-not-look-pretty-2024-7">Boeing's big mea culpa just dropped and it doesn't look pretty.</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/modi-putin-russia-india-relationship-not-worried-us-biden-mad-2024-7">Modi's Russia visit shows India isn't worried about making the US mad.</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/joe-biden-should-not-drop-out-election-prediction-allan-lichtman-2024-7">Kamala Harris won't save Democrats if she takes over for Biden, warns historian who correctly predicted 9 of the last 10 elections.</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/france-election-results-new-popular-front-2024-7">France's left-wing alliance blocks a far-right majority, projection shows.</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-use-wwii-tactic-defend-against-ukrainian-drone-strikes-2024-7">Russia may resort to an old World War II tactic that had a key role in the D-Day landings to repel Ukrainian drone attacks.</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mint-butterfield-teen-child-tech-founders-found-safely-police-2024-4">ded Slack and mom cofounded Flickr, found safe, police say</a>.</li></ul><h2 id="8120060b-ae66-48dc-b149-f0489a30ffa2">3 things in markets</h2><div type="image" title="man walking by power plants" height="546" width="1102" msid="111587552" hostid="261" sizebytes="147554"></div><ol><li>How to get in on the AI infrastructure trade everyone's talking about. You've read a lot about the role data centers and utilities play in powering AI. But where should you invest? <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-stocks-companies-building-out-infrastructure-goldman-sachs-picks-2024-7">Goldman Sachs identified 89 stocks across 10 sectors</a> that are key to AI infrastructure.</li><li>The June jobs report included a couple surprises. The US labor market added more jobs last month than expected (206,000). But an unexpected uptick in unemployment to 4.1% is good news for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/unemployment-rate-job-growth-june-economic-data-2024-7">investors hoping for an interest-rate cut</a>.</li><li>An activist short-seller's Pyrrhic victory. Hindenburg Research wiped out $150 billion in market value from the Adani Group when it accused the Indian conglomerate of sweeping fraud. Meanwhile, Hindenburg's rewards were meager: The short-seller made just $4 million for its efforts. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hindenburg-research-adani-group-explained-stock-crash-short-seller-profits-2024-7">But its leader insists it's not about the money</a>.</li></ol><h2 id="f4b54806-7f81-450c-ba32-92560d4fae9b">3 things in tech</h2><div type="image" title="Phones with Noplace." height="553" width="738" msid="111587549" hostid="261" sizebytes="32544"></div><ol><li>Gen Z's new favorite social media is… MySpace 2.0? The app Noplace, which is going viral among young people, is a nod to the early days of social media before the "algos and ads" took over. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/noplace-app-takes-over-apple-charts-myspace-twitter-for-genz-2024-7">Its founder has a plan to keep it from fizzling out</a>.</li><li>How Andy Jassy secretly wooed Wall Street. After a rough start to his tenure as CEO, Jassy executed a stunning turnaround: He slashed costs, won over investors, and put a new stamp on Amazon's culture. More than a dozen employees, investors, and analysts explained <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-andy-jassy-wooed-wall-street-overhauled-bloated-tech-giant-2024-7">how Jassy overhauled the tech giant for the better</a>.</li><li>Amazon laps Netflix in the race for TV ad dollars. Ad buyers told BI that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-beating-netflix-upfront-battle-for-tv-sports-dollars-2024-7">Amazon is leading streamers in the competition for advertisers</a>, thanks to its large sports footprint and lower prices. It also has a larger ad-supported audience, since it <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-prime-video-preview-shake-up-tv-ad-marketplace-2024-1">switched on ads for all Prime Video users</a> in January.</li></ol><h2 id="9260fa45-d397-4b3c-b4f8-4bb193976216">3 things in business</h2><div type="image" title="Nosy neighbor with binoculars peeking over shrubs, shocked at neighbor's 'NO HOA' sign" height="900" width="1200" msid="111587555" hostid="261" sizebytes="92110"></div><ol><li>Down with homeowner associations. Millions of Americans live in neighborhoods with HOAs that operate as private quasi-governments. While a new Florida law has made strides to limit HOAs' power, it will take more than some modest adjustments. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/abolish-hoas-homeowner-associations-housing-market-real-estate-costs-2024-7">We may need to break the system entirely</a>.</li><li>Stay greasy, McDonald's. Over the course of many years, McDonald's forays into healthy alternatives haven't panned out. That's probably because no one is going there to enjoy a salad. Customers know that. McDonald's does, too — <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-should-stick-to-unhealthy-food-burgers-chicken-2024-7">and it shouldn't forget it</a>.</li><li>Gen Z in Neverland. A growing share of young Americans are living with their parents way past college, and relying on the Bank of Mom and Dad for support. But it isn't all their fault. Lacking social safety nets, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-living-at-home-relying-on-parents-safety-net-2024-7">American parents are often left to provide cover</a>.</li></ol><h2 id="1ad7b482-3f4b-44b4-81b6-a864aa386478">In other news</h2><ul><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/when-to-quit-six-figure-job-for-mental-health">3 high-earners share when they knew it was time to quit their 6-figure jobs: 'It was literally driving me to the edge.'</a></li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/samsung-apple-galaxy-iphone-battle-ai-intelligence-smartphones-2024-7">Samsung really wants to outsmart Apple in the Galaxy-iPhone battle</a>.</li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-mocks-mark-zuckerberg-hydrofoil-video-2024-7">Elon Musk mocks Mark Zuckerberg's big hydrofoil swag moment and says he prefers to work instead of having fun on yachts</a>.</li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/nvidia-stock-price-prediction-downgrade-ai-fully-valued-nvda-tech-2024-7">Why Nvidia just got a rare stock downgrade</a>.</li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hamptons-nightlife-clash-between-elite-clubs-and-angry-locals-2024-7">Elite nightclubs are forcing the Hamptons into an identity crisis</a>.</li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/retire-early-expert-savings-advice-2024-7">I want to retire before 50, so I asked a financial planner for 3 ways to earn more on my savings</a>.</li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chase-warns-pay-free-services-checking-account-2024-7">Why your checking account may no longer be free</a>.</li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tech-workers-real-winners-ai-talent-war-pay-2024-7">Tech workers look like the real winners of the AI talent war</a>.</li></ul><h2 id="9f5d80ac-3466-429f-a50a-2ffbb70c65ff">What's happening today</h2><ul><li>Samsung workers <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/samsung-workers-union-south-korea-kicks-off-three-day-strike-2024-07-08/">began a three-day strike</a>.</li><li>Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.</li></ul>The Insider Today team: Dan DeFrancesco, deputy editor and anchor, in New York. Jordan Parker Erb, editor, in New York. Jack Sommers, deputy editor, in London. Annie Smith, producer, in London. Grace Lett, editor, in Chicago. Amanda Yen, fellow, in New York.

School's out, and parents' financial stress is in

In a startling development, officials within the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) have voiced deep concerns over a “toxic” work culture under the leadership of Chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch. These allegations, formally communicated to the finance ministry, depict a troubling work environment plagued by unattainable demands, unprofessional conduct and mental health crises, according to a report by the Economic Times. In essence, a <keyword id="21410642" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="toxic-work-culture" source="keywords">toxic work culture</keyword> is an environment that fosters negativity, dysfunction and a lack of trust among employees and management. This type of culture can manifest in various ways that are often harmful to both employees and organisations, severely impairing organisational growth and employee well-being. Identifying a toxic work culture is crucial for both employees and organisations. Recognising signs and symptoms of toxic work culture can often be the first step toward addressing and improving <keyword id="20346862" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="workplace-culture" source="keywords">workplace culture</keyword>. Below are 10 indicators that may indicate a toxic environment. High <keyword id="21462876" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="employee-turnover" source="keywords">employee turnover</keyword>: A persistent pattern of employees leaving the organisation often signals dissatisfaction with the work culture. When turnover rates are high, it reflects a breakdown in the employer-employee relationship, typically due to a lack of respect or support from management. <keyword id="14609778" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Quiet-quitting" source="Orion">Quiet quitting</keyword>: This phenomenon occurs when employees disengage from their roles, doing only the minimum required. It highlights a lack of motivation and connection to the organisation's goals, often stemming from a toxic atmosphere. Bullying and harassment: Any form of bullying or harassment, whether verbal or psychological, creates a hostile work environment. Such behaviours not only undermine morale, but also instil fear among employees, leading to increased stress and anxiety. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111982335" title="Employees lack trust in HR’s ability to address workplace bullying effectively—and for good reason, says study" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>Constantly changing goals: Frequent shifts in priorities without adequate communication can leave employees feeling disoriented and frustrated. This lack of clear direction can hinder productivity and contribute to a sense of futility in their efforts. <keyword id="23035059" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="poor-leadership" source="keywords">Poor leadership</keyword>: Ineffective or toxic leadership can significantly impact workplace culture. Leaders who exhibit favouritism, lack consistency or disregard employee welfare contribute to a negative environment that can drive talent away. Lack of transparency: When communication is poor and information is not shared openly, it breeds distrust and uncertainty. Employees may feel left in the dark about important decisions, which can exacerbate feelings of insecurity and disengagement. <keyword id="19954076" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="micromanagement" source="keywords">Micromanagement</keyword>: Excessive oversight from management can create an environment of fear and anxiety. Employees who feel constantly monitored may struggle to perform at their best, leading to decreased morale and productivity. Inadequate support systems: Employees who lack sufficient resources or support may feel overwhelmed and undervalued. A toxic environment often sets unrealistic expectations without providing the necessary tools for success. Toxic gossip: While some office chatter is normal, pervasive negative gossip can create a divisive atmosphere. This behaviour undermines teamwork and can lead to a culture of distrust and hostility among colleagues. Poor <keyword id="19901232" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="work-life-balance" source="keywords">work-life balance</keyword>: A culture that prioritises work over personal well-being can lead to burnout. When employees are expected to sacrifice their personal lives for work, it can result in high stress levels and diminished job satisfaction.

Is your work culture toxic? Look out for these 10 signs

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Holly Andrews tried vacationing in Italy without taking PTO or informing her job.</li><li>Initially, she struggled with stress and guilt, leading to a change in her approach.</li></ul>This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Holly Andrews, a 42-year-old finance firm managing director from Newport, United Kingdom. The following has been edited for length and clarity.I'm a managing director at a fully hybrid finance firm, and I recently tried <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/quiet-vacation-mouse-jiggler-quiet-quitting-2024-7">"quiet vacationing"</a> for the first time.I work full-time — around 40 hours a week. I work 50 hours if needed, and it can be 35 hours during quiet days. I usually try to start work around 8 a.m. and end around 5 p.m. or a bit later.In April, I booked a 10-day trip to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/grannies-make-fresh-pasta-orecchiette-bari-italy-2020-11">Bari, Italy</a>, without taking any PTO or letting anyone at work know. Before going, I made sure that the hotel I'd booked had a good wifi connection so I could work from there, and I chose a 5:45 a.m. flight to arrive before the working day started in the UK where I live.On the first day of my <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/quiet-vacationing-millennials-taking-time-off-without-telling-boss-poll-2024-5">quiet vacation</a>, I had great luck with the timing. Nobody caught me off guard with a random phone call at an inconvenient time. But, with every passing hour, I felt worse about the whole idea and couldn't relax. In the end, I had to change my approach.<h2 id="a6424fdc-f215-4f83-9953-4226d25f820b">When I landed in Italy, I pretended to work, logging in occasionally and checking emails</h2>At first, I didn't have anything particular planned — no museum entrances or <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/things-do-differently-next-trip-to-italy-2023-10">day trips booked</a> — so I was mostly strolling around the lovely streets of Bari, sitting down for a coffee or gelato whenever I felt like it, or entering a museum when the mood struck me.It was before the high season, so I didn't have to worry about queues or needing to make a reservation in advance.I typically receive phone calls from work only when they are urgent, and we use email for things of lesser priority. Whenever I sat down for a coffee or ice cream, I'd check my email from my phone, and if someone from work called me or texted, it became my priority to respond to them instantly. But the guilt and stress of potentially getting a sudden call made it hard to enjoy the trip.<h2 id="12245855-5afa-49ab-b776-4f2c75dc3a2e">I couldn't relax and constantly worried about work interruptions</h2>On the second day, I woke up early before the sun made it unbearably hot, visited some nearby places for a morning coffee and some pastry, and planned to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-things-rome-italy-what-to-skip-tour-guide">go on a tour</a>, grab an early lunch, and do some work in a restaurant or bistro.The third day was the tipping point for me. I received an urgent work call while taking a tour of Bari Castle. The timing couldn't have been worse, as the call came when I was in the castle dungeons, and the cell signal was extremely weak.When I realized what was happening, I went pale and quickly ran out to the courtyard to catch a stronger signal. Just then, a school tour entered the same courtyard, and the noise got so bad that I had to apologize and shout over the phone to be heard.After that incident, I was so anxious about getting caught while quiet vacationing during work hours that I changed my approach.<h2 id="a1285364-1997-4627-9b56-55b2be9c3e16">I started working early in the morning during my quiet vacation</h2>I started working around 7 a.m. local time and aimed to finish by 2 p.m. when I felt like Italians were just waking up to start their day. This was a game changer. I could finally relax and get to know the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/italy-things-to-never-do-there-according-to-local-photos-2023-8">local culture</a> without work hanging over my head.I was putting in enough time to ensure my work was done properly and there were no problems. I often took quick breaks to go for a coffee or grab a pastry.One day of the trip, at 1:30 p.m., my marketing manager called and said I'd have to change my part of a presentation ASAP. I picked up the phone and said that it wouldn't fit into my schedule and that I'd confront it first thing in the morning. It wasn't even a lie because my schedule for that afternoon was sunbathing and drinking Aperol.<h2 id="213a200e-804c-49a6-9d3c-7abad45b4dd0">My trip turned from a quiet vacation to a 'workcation'</h2>If I counted the breaks I took, the five-and-a-half to six hours a day I spent working in Italy was <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ways-to-be-more-productive-manage-time-better-experts-2018-12">much more productive</a> than working for eight hours in depressing rainy England. I didn't take unnecessary breaks, and I didn't even think of reaching for my phone to scroll social media — something I wish I had the strength to do regularly.My trip turned from <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/quiet-vacation-from-300k-wall-street-job-not-fulfilling-2024-9">quiet vacationing</a> to a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dubai-tax-safety-security-top-cities-workation-2023-10">workcation</a> with reduced working hours — but it was still very worth it. I felt much better mentally since I was no longer worried about letting anyone down.This slight change in my approach still gave me what I needed — a change of surroundings and weather. Even though I spent a fair share of that time working, leaving the constant rain and going to Italy — where the sky was blue, the sun was shining, and the sea was warm enough to enjoy a swim — was a game changer.I was full of joy and happiness.<h2 id="3d2d6f13-a2cb-4602-8a1e-94dee454a1b5">I told my job I was in Italy</h2>When I first went on my quiet vacation, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/catch-employee-quiet-vacation-what-to-do-2024-8">I tried to keep it secret</a>. Then I remembered that the work environment at my company is very employee-friendly, and it was better to admit to being abroad rather than pretend that wasn't happening. I disclosed that I was in Italy after a few days, but it was still a couple of working days until my return.Everyone was very understanding of my new schedule. After that, I wasn't stressed at all and still had plenty of time during the day to enjoy my trip.<h2 id="d37110cb-1337-4833-bc21-6efbf781cec7">If you're taking a quiet vacation, plan your work schedule carefully</h2>Ensure you have reliable internet and inform your team about your availability; finish your work tasks early; and, most importantly, make time to relax and enjoy the experience. It's not a real vacation if you're stressed out the whole time.Next time, I'd go more toward a workcation rather than the approach I started with. The difference between sitting on a beach while constantly checking your phone and worrying about going in the water for more than five minutes — compared to doing what you want after shorter working hours completely relaxed — is astronomical.It just feels so much better to do the work first and then <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/business-trip-travel-parent-tips-mini-vacation-2024-5">enjoy your vacation</a> to the maximum.If you took a vacation during work and want to share your story, please email Tess Martinelli at tmartinelli@businessinsider.com.

I was too stressed out to enjoy my quiet vacation — until I changed my approach

<ul class="summary-list"><li>AWS CEO Matt Garman addressed the new return-to-office policy in an all-hands meeting on Thursday.</li><li>Garman said remote work made it hard to innovate, according to a transcript of the meeting obtained by Business Insider.</li></ul>The majority of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-return-to-office-backdoor-layoffs-rto-nick-bloom-2024-10">Amazon</a> employees favor the company's new five-day return-to-office policy, Amazon Web Services CEO Matt Garman has told staff during an all-hands meeting. The AWS chief told employees on Thursday that remote work makes it hard to innovate and collaborate, and those who disagree with the new policy are welcome to leave the company, according to a transcript of the meeting obtained by Business Insider. Garman addressed the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-rto-faq-document-spells-out-new-rule-2024-9">RTO policy</a> introduced by Amazon in September, which has faced <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-workers-blast-strict-rto-mandate-five-days-week-2024-9">strong pushback</a> from some employees. Most of Amazon's corporate employees will be <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-ceo-return-to-work-policy-rto-five-days-office-2024-9">required</a> to come into the office five days a week starting in January.Garman said nine out of 10 Amazon employees he spoke to are "actually quite excited by this change," adding that there were days when his team "didn't really accomplish anything" because some people worked remotely."When we want to innovate, when we want to really, really innovate on interesting products, I have not seen an ability for us to do that when we're not in-person," Garman said. "And so if there are people who just don't work well in that environment and don't want to, that's OK. There are other companies around.""I don't mean that in a bad way," Garman continued. "There are other places, but at Amazon, we want to be in an environment where we are working together."It is Garman's first official response to Amazon's new RTO policy and comes after the company received backlash from some employees. One Amazon employee told BI that he felt the decision was a "betrayal," and he <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-rto-employee-coffee-badging-office-2024-9">plans on "coffee badging"</a> instead of working from the office five days a week. However, one former Amazon executive told BI that the company is <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-office-five-days-rto-exec-andy-jassy-2024-10">right to ask staff to return to the office</a> five days a week because it would help "jump-start growth again."An Amazon spokesperson declined to comment. Instead, the spokesperson pointed to Amazon CEO Andy Jassy's previous RTO <a target="_blank" href="https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/company-news/ceo-andy-jassy-latest-update-on-amazon-return-to-office-manager-team-ratio">announcement</a> from September, in which he said the "advantages of being together in the office are significant." The spokesperson added that the RTO plan is an "effort to strengthen our culture," and suggesting otherwise is "inaccurate."During the all-hands meeting, Garman said employees will not always need to be in the office. For example, he said employees are free to attend customer meetings or an external event. There will still be flexibility to work from home, he added, such as if an employee needs to be in for an appliance to be repaired. He added that the goal is to rebuild the pre-pandemic office culture that had healthy in-person debates and brainstorming sessions.Garman also stressed how <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-office-five-days-rto-exec-andy-jassy-2024-10">Amazon's Leadership Principles</a> and culture have helped drive growth and make the company "special" and that those principles can only be experienced in person."There's just a bunch of things that happen in a collaborative environment where we really get creative and can work together," Garman said.Do you work at Amazon? Got a tip? Contact the reporter, Eugene Kim, via the encrypted-messaging apps Signal or Telegram (+1-650-942-3061) or email (<a target="_blank" href="mailto:ekim@businessinsider.com">ekim@businessinsider.com</a>). Reach out using a nonwork device. Check out Business Insider's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/insider-guide-to-securely-sharing-whistleblower-information-about-powerful-institutions-2021-10">source guide</a> for other tips on sharing information securely.

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