CollectivNews
Welcome to a monthly round-up of information relevant
to comms professionals and everyone interested in the fractional model.
March 2025
Dissecting How, Where, Why, When and For Whom We Work in the Not Too Distant Future
In his latest book, Rethinking Work, Rishad Tobaccowala acknowledges that the rapid transformation of how we work will affect “every individual whether one is a CEO, a team leader, a middle manager, or a new employee of any type and size of company in any country or industry.” No exceptions.
He attributes this to five interrelated forces:
Generational Shifts — Soon there could be four or five generations working simultaneously with vastly different “mindsets, expectations and worldviews” impacting how, where, why and who they work for.
Technology — The majority of the workforce in high-income countries are “knowledge workers,” and as we enter an “AI-infused age when the cost of knowledge may soon be zero,” everything has to change.
Marketplaces — Both talent (Upwork, Fiverr) and customers (Etsy, Shopify) are accessible to individuals no matter where they live, and the advent of cloud services and apps makes what once was very expensive technology widely available. There is no limit to where and how business happens.
New Ways of Working — Side hustles, gig workers, fractional executives. These are just a few of the ways people do work and procure talent, enhanced by the aforementioned “seismic changes” in demographics, technology and the marketplace.
The Long-Term Impact of COVID — This last one is more psychological than anything else. People changed their way of thinking about “the role of work” in their lives after living through a global pandemic. Working from home showed many the benefits of work-life balance, and they do not want to go back.
Reimagining how we work changed dramatically during COVID when necessity demanded companies think out of the proverbial box — mostly because no one was allowed to be in there together.
Interestingly, the definition of fractionalized employees cited in the book is one where full benefits are paid while time at work is decreased. This path certainly has a lot of potential in the future, but at this moment we are seeing more energy among both companies and talent around hiring seasoned executives on a fractional (vs full-time) basis — providing the flexibility, expertise and cost savings many organizations seek.
Mr. Tobaccowala’s book takes an overarching view of the traditional ideas of work and culls it down into easily digestible chunks for the time-challenged of us. It is definitely worth the calories.
Transforming Workplace Culture with Trauma-Informed Leadership
The 24-hour news cycle. Rising grocery prices. The never-ending stream of emails. Stress is inescapable. This includes the workplace.
Employees don’t live in a vacuum. They bring their stress to work, carrying the weight of societal crises, financial uncertainty, personal adversities, and physical and mental health challenges. These compounding pressures contribute to burnout, reduced engagement, and a workforce that’s struggling to keep up with demands. And yet, stress is rarely treated as the organizational challenge it truly is.
Managing Workplace Stress
For business leaders, many of whom are also under stress, this isn’t just a personal experience — it’s an operational challenge.
– On an individual level, chronic stress can disrupt sleep, worsen mental and physical health, and lead to absenteeism.
– Within teams, stress erodes working relationships, lowers morale, and dampens collaboration.
– At an organizational level, a burned-out workforce results in lost productivity, diminished innovation, and, ultimately, an inability to achieve key business goals.
Managing the surge in workplace stress while navigating an increasingly complex world is no easy task. Traditional strategies often offer only surface-level solutions, but the intersection of these challenges demands a deeper approach — one that acknowledges the profound impact of trauma on the workplace.
Trauma-Informed Care: A Missing Piece in Workplace Well-Being
Many organizations have embraced wellness initiatives — offering mindfulness apps, mental health days, and resilience training — but most fail to integrate a trauma-informed approach. Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) is an evidence-based framework designed to support individuals and communities through adversity. Though commonly used in healthcare, education, and legal fields, TIC offers valuable insights that can revolutionize leadership and workplace culture in any industry.
By adopting trauma-informed leadership, businesses can go beyond standard wellness programs to create work environments that acknowledge and actively mitigate stress and burnout.
Cultural Transformation
Trauma-informed leadership is about understanding human resilience and how adversity shapes behavior and performance. Much like a doctor diagnosing an illness before prescribing treatment, leaders must first recognize how stress manifests in their organization before implementing effective solutions.
A trauma-informed leader operates through the lens of the Four R’s of TIC:
Realize the widespread impact of trauma and stress on employees.
Recognize the signs of stress, burnout, and trauma team members, clients, and yourself.
Respond by implementing policies and practices that address these challenges.
Resist re-traumatization by fostering a culture of psychological safety.
This might include:
– Acknowledging the impact of the situation and validating people’s concerns.
– Creating a team culture where employees feel heard and respected;
– Maintaining transparency in written and verbal communications to build trust;
– Providing opportunities for two-way feedback, ensuring employees can express their perspectives and concerns;
– Engaging with a cross-section of team members to collaborate on ways to support each other; and
– Expanding access to mental health resources to support employees through transitions.
When leaders prioritize psychological safety and lead with compassion, they cultivate a culture of trust, collaboration, and resilience. This shift doesn’t eliminate stress, but it transforms how organizations and perhaps individuals handle it, creating a workplace where employees feel supported and empowered.
Stress Isn’t Going Anywhere — But We Can Transform It
Trauma-informed leadership offers a powerful, research-backed approach to managing workplace stress and building cultures that are committed to both employee well-being and business success. As more industries embrace trauma-informed practices, forward-thinking leaders have an opportunity to do the same.
Stress is inevitable, but suffering through it in silence shouldn’t be.
Content provided by Dr. Sadie Elisseou, a leading physician and subject matter expert in trauma-informed care.
Using AI to Analyze Employee Activity: What Companies Need to Know
Imagine an AI system sifting through your employees’ weekly emails to pinpoint who’s pulling their weight and where there’s slack. That’s the bold idea reportedly brewing at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), using AI to analyze federal workers’ activity updates to shake up roles and resources. Let’s unpack what to watch for: training, defiance, sensitive info, and lack of understanding about each role.
What to Watch For
Purpose and Clarity
If it’s about fingering slackers, you’ll spark distrust fast. Make it crystal clear that your goal is beneficial to everyone — like smarter resource allocation or spotting choke points. Employees need to see AI as a boost, not a blade. Muddy motives breed fear, not focus.
Data That Works
AI needs solid input. Vague or snarky updates (“did stuff”) churn out nonsense results. Give employees clear, simple format guidelines so the AI can deliver.
Keep It Fair
AI reflects what you feed it. If your culture already hypes some roles over others, it’ll double down — say, crowning sales stars while missing quiet heroes. Test it hard to value every contribution, not just the flashiest.
Training Is Non-Negotiable
You can’t just drop this on your team and expect magic. Training’s a must to avoid failure. Focus on:
How to Write an Activity Email: You want short, sharp updates (“Finished Q1 plan, met 3 clients” vs “had meetings”).
How the Data Will Be Used: Show how employee input shapes decisions — like resource tweaks — so the technology is a partner, not a spy.
Tech Ease: Provide hands-on help to tech-wary folks for a smooth start.
When a Team Says No
What if one group digs in? Marketing’s on board, but engineering cries “Big Brother.” Here’s the fix:
Start Small: Pilot the project with willing teams to prove it works — results can sway doubters.
Rally Leaders: If division management backs it, their people likely will, too.
Hear Them Out: Privacy fears? Time gripes? Solve what’s blocking employees from participating.
Gently Push: Tie updates to reviews if needed, but don’t swing a hammer.
Coaxing beats forcing every time.
Be smart. A holdout team not only skews your data, and corrupts the mood.
Protect Sensitive Stuff
If emails graze confidential turf — clients, cash, personal information — you’re on shaky ground. Stay safe:
Keep It Broad: Train staff to generalize (“Negotiated deal” vs. “Signed $2M contract with XYZ”).
Follow Rules: Know GDPR, CCPA, etc. — one slip means legal grief or shattered trust.
Lock It Up: Use encrypted, private AI — open systems beg for leaks.
Security is not a maybe.
When Teams Differ
Creative brainstormers and number-crunchers don’t operate the same way — and AI shouldn’t either. Adapt:
Fit the Metrics: A designer’s “3 concepts” isn’t less than “10 bugs fixed.”
Ask Them: Let teams define their wins and build it together.
Human Check: AI flags patterns, managers add context.
Don’t miss the big picture.
Is It Worth It?
AI dissecting activity emails could reshape your company — nailing waste, lifting unsung stars, honing focus. But it’s a tightrope. Ace it, and you’re ahead of the curve. Blow it, and it’s mutiny or a data fiasco. Training, fairness, and adaptability are your guardrails, and caution is king with sensitive data.
So, should you? If you can properly implement the safety nets — clarity, security, support — then sure. Just don’t rush in. Build something that works for everyone — not just the algorithm.
Blog post written CommsCollectiv Partner Monica Talan with the help of AI.” Read the full article on CommsCollectiv.com.
