Future of Work Briefs

Ms. Mayer’s announcement banning work from home, or “teleworking,” was, of course, controversial. We write in The Enthusiastic Employee about the steps management frequently takes when they feel they have to whip an organization into shape. Among the most common is to crack down on malingerers.

While health spending in the United States far surpasses that in other industrialized nations, the quality of care in the US is no better overall, and on several measures it is worse. This stark fact has led to a wave of payment reforms that shift from rewarding volume to rewarding quality.

California is often ranked among the world’s most inventive regions. But most observers miss one of the major reasons why: the absence of non-compete agreements.

Bally Technologies, a leading provider of gaming systems for casinos, has earned more than 60 awards for innovation in just the last four years. It increased R&D spending from 7-8% of revenue before 2009 to 11-12% of revenue starting in 2010, and maximized the return on that increased investment.

I found myself in a debate with someone about the use of electronic data collection to preserve the anonymity of directors evaluating the board’s or each other’s performance. There are three main issues that make me uncomfortable with the idea of directors giving anonymous feedback.

Perhaps no one has done more for the cause of data-driven decision-making in the minds of the public than Nate Silver. But for most people, the gulf between recognizing the importance of data and actually beginning to analyze it is massive.

Rafael Nadal, who just won the U.S. Open for the second time, is my hero. His athleticism is extraordinary. His focus is awe-inspiring. His skill is, clearly, second to none. His will is unremitting. Yet those are not the reasons he’s my hero. In fact, it wasn’t until after he was finished playing in this year’s final that he rose to role model in my book. So what was it?