Is the recession here yet? It depends! The economy has now contracted for two quarters in a row, which is a major warning sign, but it's not quite official.

Either way, the exact academic definition of recession might not make a difference to Americans who are losing their jobs at tech companies and 7-Eleven alike. A Chick-fil-A franchise in North Carolina even tried to pay volunteers with fried chicken sandwiches instead of money, which might be a violation of labor law but — if the economy does collapse — kinda sounds like a fair trade to us?

Home sweet office: Make RTO feel (almost) as comfy as OOO.

Gut-check check: See why your intuition may not (always) be in tune.

The Devil Wears Prada: What’s the Streep classic’s management lesson?

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Half of U.S. companies expect their workers back in the office, according to Microsoft’s 2022 Annual Work Trend Index Report. There’s just one problem: Most workers really prefer staying at home. It’s causing tension at many organizations. At Apple alone, 56% of employees have considered quitting over in-person requirements, and one executive actually did.

Nobody enjoyed lockdown during the pandemic, but many workers have embraced a new sense of flexibility. Remote work is good for business in some ways, but companies also don’t want to pay for empty offices — and it’s tougher to brainstorm over Zoom. If you’re back on the commute and your home office is no longer an option, then make your office homier.

Let There Be (Non-Flickering Fluorescent) Light

A Journal of Environmental and Public Health study found that warmer, updated lighting increases alertness and efficiency. Breaking out of rigid, post-industrial norms — the flickering fluorescents, ugly file cabinets, and gray commercial carpet — isn’t just stylish, it’s a boon for mental health. Salt lamps and amber Edison bulbs do the trick too.

Plants, Plants, Plants

Association with nature straight-up enhances wellbeing, so stack that space with low-maintenance plant friends like pothos, lucky bamboo, ferns, and ZZs.

Less Plastic, More Texture

Choose natural over synthetic at every juncture. Do what you can to replace those antiseptic office accents with tactile textures — think leather mouse pads, bamboo organizers, stone desktop cups, and boho woven rugs.

The Little Luxuries Add Up

If you’re an entrepreneur who has agency over the space, consider updates like plush office chairs that lean back, coffee tables, pouf ottomans, thick rugs, and cozy corners that encourage socializing. Not only are these spaces where ideas thrive, they’ll emphasize the communal strength of the workplace and help your crew feel like they never left home.

If you’re an employee who only has agency over your desk, you can still embrace touches of luxury. Molly Simms of Katie Couric Media suggests getting that desktop diffuser and splurging on a wireless charging pad to declutter those USB tangles. Gift yourself a ceramic mug warmer or an active balance board for a standing desk. Treat yourself — you deserve it for getting out of the house.

Whether you’re working from home or the office today, check out “The Best B2B Deals for Business Owners in 2022.”

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Dr. Eden King is a Rice University professor of psychology and former president of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology.

Many leaders make decisions based on a “gut feeling.” For example, hiring managers form impressions about job candidates from a handshake. This makes sense: As humans, we need to trust our instincts, and trusting our gut may have helped us survive these past few thousand years.

Unfortunately, in contemporary workplaces, estimates suggest that as many as 50% of managers’ decisions are failed ones. A business can survive these, but they might result in major product fiascos like Google Glass or New Coke.

Beyond the Gut Check: Evidence-Based Tips for Good Decisions

There are strategies with strong evidence for improving decision-making in organizations. A helpful review of findings from George Mason University’s psychology department made the following suggestions for high-stakes choices:

Specify what factors you need to make your decision.

Identify the benefits of various alternative options.

Consider why your initially favored decision may be wrong.

Evaluate the similarities and differences across options. Is there a satisfactory overlap?

Consult advisors who have access to more information.

In addition to these general tips, it may be helpful to create and implement structured protocols. When decisions have fairly low stakes, a clear set of steps that guide a default response can preserve time and resources.

Do you have a question for our organizational psychologists? Send it to b.newsletter@business.com and they might answer here.

(Source: 20th Century Studios)

Most of us remember The Devil Wears Prada for Meryl Streep’s incredible performance as unrelenting editor-in-chief Miranda Priestly. The film’s obvious business lesson is “don’t be a jerk boss,” but specifically, it can tell us a lot about the motivation-hygiene theory of management. (No, this has nothing to do with brushing your teeth.)

Developed by psychologist Frederick Herzberg (1923-2000), the theory states that the factors which create job satisfaction and dissatisfaction exist on two parallel planes.

• The hygiene factor: This includes surface-level needs that keep an employee from being dissatisfied. For example, at legacy fashion magazine Runway in The Devil Wears Prada, employees were paid well, worked in a fancy office, and had access to the most exclusive events.
  
• The motivation factor: This includes growth opportunities and recognition for high-quality work. Despite the perks at Runway, without sufficient motivation, Andy (Anne Hathaway) became impatient, snarky, and detached.

One major hygiene factor is a trusting relationship with the boss. Miranda’s cutthroat behavior caused Andy to go from not satisfied to dissatisfied (and from Runway to running away). Your company might have great pay and benefits, but as the saying goes, people leave managers, not companies.

Make a summer resolution to ditch the grocery store wines and try boutique, small-production bottles that offer more personality — like the ones from Lady of the Sunshine, which focuses on organic and biodynamic wines. Our favorite is the 60% sauv blanc, 40% chard blend from Edna Valley.

Prices are around $30 to $35 per bottle, including shipping. The spring Wine Club six-pack features white, red, and rosé.

Written by Dan Ketchum, Dr. Eden King, and Antonio Ferme. Comic by John McNamee.

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