Archives for May 2025

Stretch assignments can accelerate career growth—but new research shows they don’t benefit all employees equally. In a study of early-career engineers, men and White or Asian employees were more likely to see these projects lead to raises or promotions, while women, Black, Latinx, Indigenous, and Pacific Islander engineers often did not. These disparities weren’t linked to skills or effort, but to unequal recognition and reward. To build a more diverse leadership pipeline, organizations must treat stretch work as a strategic talent tool—clarifying expectations, tracking who gets and benefits from these opportunities, and ensuring recognition is equitable across teams and identities.

As biometric and health-tracking technologies become more accessible, companies are increasingly collecting employees’ bodily data to boost productivity and safety. But research shows these efforts often undermine job security—especially when data collection feels coercive or is linked to performance reviews—leading to lower morale, mental health strain, and reduced productivity. Legal compliance alone is insufficient; organizations must ask why they’re collecting data, whether employees benefit, and how to avoid harm. Two key practices can help: 1) Be transparent about data use, and 2) decouple collection from performance evaluations to preserve autonomy. Employees also have tools to protect their rights by seeking clarity, proposing alternatives, and citing legal precedent. Thoughtful, ethical design is essential to ensure these initiatives build trust and resilience, not fear.