March 10, 2026

monday.com’s take on the latest work trends - sent on Tuesdays.

Inside this issue

Workplace trends
The AI corner
Building human skills that matter most
Question of the week
Just for laughs
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Workplace trends

Leadership

First-time CEOs are taking over the corner office

168 new CEO appointments were made across the S&P 1500, the highest since 2010. 84% of those new appointments are stepping into the role for the very first time, according to Spencer Stuart's 2025 CEO Transitions Report. Rather than recruiting outside stars, boards are overwhelmingly promoting from within, with COOs and presidents accounting for nearly half of all new appointments. The underlying driver of these first-time appointments is compelling: Spencer Stuart's research finds that these ‘fresh’ CEOs, given the runway, tend to outperform more seasoned counterparts over the long haul, and in 2026, boardrooms appear ready to find out if that holds true.

Skills

Excel just became a competitive sport - and it's getting students hired

Every year, students from dozens of universities compete in the Microsoft Excel World Championship, racing against the clock to solve complex spreadsheet challenges. The Microsoft-backed competition culminates in Las Vegas, broadcast on ESPN with a $100,000 prize fund. Last year's student winners outlasted 8,000 students from more than 70 schools worldwide - and several walked straight into job offers as a result, according to Fortune. Finance professors who advise these teams say the appeal goes beyond technical skill — as AI makes most resumes look similar, having something niche and demonstrable gives candidates a story to tell.

The AI corner

Labor

Companies are blaming AI for layoffs it didn't cause

A provocative term is gaining traction in business circles: "AI washing". OpenAI CEO Sam Altman acknowledged the phenomenon, saying some companies are attributing cuts to AI that they would have made regardless. The numbers support the skepticism, with nearly 90% of executives surveyed across four countries admitting that AI had no impact on employment since ChatGPT launched, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research. Yale Budget Lab researchers similarly found no significant AI-related labor shifts through late 2025, with the executive director telling Fortune the macroeconomic effects simply aren't showing up yet. Researchers suggest the more likely explanation is that companies are using AI as cover for cuts driven by margin pressure and geopolitical headwinds.

Spending

The AI buying frenzy is officially cooling down

After a year of hype and wild spending, companies are getting a lot more careful about what AI tools they actually buy. AI software sales cycles that once closed in 60 to 90 days have stretched to six months, with legal and finance teams now showing up to procurement meetings that used to be left to tech leaders alone, according to the Wall Street Journal. Even in customer service — one of the most established areas for AI — only 11% of leaders say the technology met their primary business objective, per a Gartner survey. As the ROI on these tools comes into question, companies are demanding proof of real outcomes before opening their wallets.

Building human skills that matter most

By monday.com

The more AI handles task-based work, the more visible and valuable human abilities have become.

A recent HR Dive survey of more than 1,000 hiring managers found that communication topped the list of most desirable soft skills for employees, followed by professionalism, time management, accountability, resilience, and problem-solving.

New AI technologies have certainly accelerated work execution, but humans are still the ones leading projects, influencing decisions, navigating ambiguity, and collaborating across teams. They’re also the ones building trust with clients, reading the room in meetings, and making judgment calls when the data isn’t clear. These competencies are uniquely human — and as a leader, it’s critical to help your team develop them.

So how can you grow your employees’ soft skills?

Proactively teach communication

When projects move fast and have many moving parts, communication can easily break down. People assume everyone saw the same message, attended the same meeting, or knows how to use collaboration tools properly. But strong communication isn’t about saying something once; it’s about making sure it lands and creating shared visibility so fewer decisions happen in silos.
Think about building a communications checklist with your team that includes every step needed to share important updates. This could mean discussing them in a meeting, followed by a written email recap, a post in a dedicated channel, and reinforcement through a calendar reminder. Creating these habits helps employees think differently about communication by not assuming everyone has heard and understood the message. Over time, this practice helps them build stronger communication skills in every part of their work.

Key question: “How can you build consistent communication habits into your team’s workflow?”

Define and celebrate professionalism

On the surface, professionalism can look different across company cultures. Some teams wear hoodies, others wear suits. Some operate with rigid processes, while others thrive in flexibility.
And because professionalism isn’t always defined explicitly, it can be helpful to discuss what it means for your team. Host a conversation about how employees can show up professionally for one another. That might mean arriving prepared, being proactive about problem-solving, respecting deadlines, and doing research before meetings. Whatever your team decides, write these behaviors down as a shared agreement between team members and take a couple of minutes to reinforce them in your all-hands meetings. Most importantly, celebrate professional behavior when you see it in action, giving your team strong examples of how to conduct themselves. These actions can build small habits that eventually build more professional employees.

Key question: “What behaviors define professionalism on your team, and are you reinforcing them consistently?”

Link time management to accountability

Time management isn’t just about working faster; it’s about knowing where your time creates the most impact. If someone spends six hours on a low-impact task, it may not be a productivity issue – it could be a prioritization gap, a learning curve, or simply a lack of clarity about what matters most. With this in mind, consider using your one-on-ones to help employees connect the value of tasks to the time invested. When people understand impact, they make better decisions about effort, and clarity around priorities reduces overwhelm. If your employee is new to time management or struggling with it, you might help them create a simple weekly prioritization plan or set expectations for how long certain tasks should take, as a reference. It’s also important to encourage employees to let you know when something is taking longer than expected so you can troubleshoot together. Over time, your employees will find a rhythm of time management that works for them, while producing the desired outcomes.

Key question: “How can you help your team align time spent with business impact?”

Practice problem-solving

AI is a powerful thought partner, but critical thinking remains a human advantage. In your team meetings, create moments where the group thinks through a challenge before turning to a tool. For example, you could present a real project obstacle in a meeting and ask: What are three possible solutions? What risks do we see? What assumptions are we making? Then invite AI into the conversation as a point of comparison. Then discuss: Where did it expand thinking? Where did human insight add nuance? By practicing structured problem-solving, you build confidence and resilience, which are two traits AI can’t automate. The more your team practices navigating ambiguity, the less intimidating complex decisions become.

Key question: “Where can you encourage your team to think critically before defaulting to AI?”

Human skills thrive in clear systems.

When teams have shared visibility, defined responsibilities, and structured workflows, communication improves, accountability strengthens, and better decisions follow.

Learn how monday.com helps organizations build the foundation for high-performing, human-centered teams.

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Water cooler chatter

The iPod is making a comeback, and Gen Z is to thank. The appeal is simple: music with no distractions. The trend even has a name - "friction-maxxing" - choosing the inconvenience of loading songs one by one over letting Spotify do the thinking.

"A smartphone throws music, messages, social feeds and news into one device, making it nearly impossible to keep your use in check."

Cal Newport, Computer Science Professor and author of Digital Minimalism

Buying a home with your best friend is becoming more mainstream. 15% of Americans have already purchased a home with a friend or relative, and younger generations are especially open to it, according to a recent FirstHome IQ survey. Experts say the key is putting the arrangement in writing upfront, before the friendship gets complicated.

"Home values have gone up so much that people are getting creative just to get a foot in the door."

Amanda Pendleton, Home Trends Expert, Zillow

Question of the week

Last week’s answer: 40%
This week’s question: What percentage of senior leadership roles across Britain's biggest companies are held by women?

Just for laughs

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Building human skills on your team

AI Analysis

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