monday.com’s take on the latest work trends - sent on Tuesdays.
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Inside this issue
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- Workplace trends
- The AI corner
- Maximizing meetings with your manager
- Question of the week
- Just for laughs
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Follow the monday.com weekly on LinkedIn
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Workplace trends
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Office Design
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Luxury offices are the new talent war battleground
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Companies are investing heavily in high-end office spaces to pull employees back to work, and keep them happy in their current place of work. Modern luxury offices now feature golf simulators, pickleball courts, spa facilities, and room service dining, according to real estate brokers JLL and CBRE. Manhattan office leases, priced at $100 or more per square foot, hit an all-time high in 2025. JPMorgan Chase's new headquarters is setting the new standard with 19 dining options and a state-of-the-art wellness center, pushing competitors to match the level of luxury as they compete for employees in a tight labor market.
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Benefits
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Japan's answer to declining birth rates: corporate dating apps
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As Japan's fertility rate plummets to just 0.75 children per woman, more than 1,500 employers are participating in corporate dating apps to help employees find partners and start families. The apps allow vetted employees to connect with potential matches from other participating companies. Beyond addressing the demographic crisis, employers see workplace benefits: workers with fulfilling private lives perform better on the job and are less likely to quit, according to the South China Morning Post. Credit card company Orient Corp. has seen 17 employees start relationships since offering the app Aill goen last April.
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The AI corner
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Fraud Detection
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AI fraud creates a new gold rush for verification companies
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At least 40% of job and loan applications now contain fabricated information, with fraudsters using tools like ChatGPT to create convincing fake documents like pay stubs and employment records, according to background-check firm Checkr. The problem extends beyond simple resume padding and into national security concerns, with North Korean hackers using AI-generated identities to land coding jobs at major tech companies. Background-check companies are benefitting from the growing trend, with one company reporting 14% revenue growth as clients scramble for protection against increasingly sophisticated fraud.
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Gender
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Men are outpacing women in workplace AI adoption
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Research from Denmark found that women use AI tools less frequently than men across eleven different occupations, a pattern that holds even when performing identical tasks at the same company, according to the Financial Times. Experts attribute this difference to varying levels of risk tolerance before embracing new technologies, a pattern that previously emerged with the internet and other innovations. However, workplace specialists suggest that women's more cautious approach may prove advantageous in the long run, as rushing to adopt AI without fully understanding its limitations can erode critical thinking skills. The debate over whether this measured adoption benefits or hinders women's careers continues as AI becomes standard in more workplaces.
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Maximizing meetings with your manager
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If 1:1s with your leadership POC are starting to feel more like extended work sessions and less like opportunities for personal growth, it may be time to flip the script.
Prioritizing your own growth as a leader is one of the most valuable investments you can make—for your team, your department, and the company as a whole. But when work gets busy, it’s easy to slip into execution mode and push your own development to the bottom of the list. These are the moments when high-performing managers risk turning their 1:1s into retrospective reports or quick checkpoints to secure approvals that couldn’t be squeezed in during the week.
It’s worth remembering that 1:1s, even during the busiest times, are among the few spaces intentionally set aside for your growth, impact, and evolution as a leader. While current work still matters, it needs to be balanced with long-term development. When used well, meetings with your manager help you step out of the weeds, zoom out to the bigger picture, and align on where you’re headed next. That shift is exactly what builds stronger leaders over time.
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So how can you make the most out of your own 1:1s with your manager?
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Set a clear agenda
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Going into a 1:1 without an agenda often leads to reactive conversations that jump between updates, questions, and half-formed ideas. To keep the meeting focused on growth as well as execution, walk in with a clear purpose and desired outcomes. Creating a simple agenda ahead of time helps your leader quickly orient themselves and keeps the conversation intentional. Organizing talking points into a few clear segments makes it easier to balance near-term work with longer-term development. For example, you might group topics around personal growth, such as stretch goals or skill development, alongside a team strategy update that covers current objectives and progress. This structure helps ensure the time isn’t consumed entirely by status updates.
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Key question: “What are the desired outcomes of your 1:1?”
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Take time to align
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Your 1:1 is one of the few consistent moments when you can align your team’s work with broader organizational priorities. Instead of simply reporting progress, use this time to pressure-test focus areas, confirm tradeoffs, and sense-check whether priorities still make sense as conditions change. For example, you might share two initiatives your team is balancing and ask which one should take precedence if resources get tight, or validate whether a new executive priority should temporarily outweigh an existing team goal. This kind of alignment helps you lead more confidently and make better decisions on behalf of your team. It’s especially important when priorities are shifting or when your team is being pulled in multiple directions, as clarity early on prevents confusion later.
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Key question: “Where could better alignment now save your team time or effort down the line?”
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Stay out of the weeds
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As someone deeply involved in the work, it can be tempting to walk through every detail. But diving too far into the nitty-gritty often slows the conversation down and limits its value, especially since your manager isn’t as close to the day-to-day work. Instead, focus on outcomes, implications, and decisions that shape how you lead. If it’s difficult to stay out of the weeds, consider drafting your talking points ahead of time or using an AI tool to help summarize details at the right level. This keeps the conversation centered on leadership impact rather than execution mechanics, while still showing strong command of the work.
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Key question: “What level of detail actually helps your leader make better decisions?”
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Stay forward-focused
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The most effective 1:1s aren’t backward-looking or transactional; they’re present, forward-looking, and centered on helping you grow into a more effective leader over time. It’s common for 1:1s to get consumed by discussions about past results—what worked, what didn’t, and why. Reflection has value, but too much of it can crowd out conversations about what’s next. Use past outcomes as context, then shift toward future decisions, risks, and opportunities. For example, you might reference a recent result that prompted you to rethink how you approach delegation or team communication going forward. Framing topics around what’s ahead allows your manager to offer higher-level guidance and coaching, building you into a better leader in the long run.
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Key question: “How can you frame this conversation around future priorities instead of past performance?”
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Be explicit about what you need
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One of the most common missed opportunities in 1:1s is assuming your manager knows how to help. Whether you’re seeking a decision, feedback, visibility, or support in removing a blocker, it’s important to say so directly. For example, instead of outlining a challenge and hoping your leader jumps in, clarify whether you’re looking for a final decision, input on options you’re weighing, or help escalating an issue. Being explicit turns your 1:1 into a more effective growth conversation and models strong leadership behavior. These clear asks also make it easier for your manager to support you and reinforce trust in your leadership.
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Key question: “What specific support or decision are you asking for in this meeting?”
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Water cooler chatter
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Dating apps report Gen Z prioritizes financial stability over romance. Rising costs have made living alone unaffordable, pushing young daters to seek partners who can help split bills rather than casual flings. A dating app survey of over 1,000 users found 54% listed financial stability as a top priority in potential partners, with nearly 60% seeking ambition and drive - even more than shared interests.
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"Now, you need dual incomes to afford just the median condo or house. You need to have a pretty good job; you can't slack off too much.'"
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Quincy Yang, Co-CEO of Coffee Meets Bagel
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The world is drowning in unsold red wine. Consumer tastes are shifting toward whites and sparkling, leaving producers with massive excess inventory. Australian producers are holding nearly twice as much wine in stock as they can reasonably sell, according to Wine Australia. Sales are declining globally. Grape contracts are being cancelled, grapes are rotting on vines, and some French wines are retailing for less than €2 a bottle.
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"Industry bodies have started calling it an overcorrection."
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Kim Chalmers, leading Australian grapevine supplier
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Question of the week
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Last week’s answer: 35%
This week’s question: What percent of recruiters believe finding quality talent has gotten harder?
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Just for laughs
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