340. Meta's management u-turn, trolling A.I and The Great Compliance. PLUS! Does purpose make us work harder? With Bill Yost

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning workplace podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture. This week, guest host Bill Yost joins Al and Leanne to dive into Meta’s management U-turn, whether purpose truly makes employees work harder, and how to navigate the modern job market and workplace surveys. 🔥 Stories covered Meta asks employees to become managers again Meta spent the past year stripping out middle management and pushing flatter, leaner teams. Now, it's asking some Applied AI employees to step back into management roles. • Meta reassigned ~7,000 employees into its Applied AI division and is now asking former managers to opt back into management. • The move reflects a tension between pushing ultra-lean, AI-driven org structures and the reality that coordination, coaching, and leadership are still needed. • Is AI making managers obsolete, or does it make human judgment and leadership even more crucial? Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/meta-asks-some-ai-employees-to-become-managers-again-2026-9 The Great Compliance: Workers back down in 2026 Recent survey data shows a shifting power dynamic between employers and workers. • Only 7% of employees say they would quit over a mandatory RTO policy, down from 51% in 2025. • 73% expect employers to expand surveillance tools to enforce accountability. • As control tightens and job market fears linger, what happens to long-term trust and engagement? Trolling AI interviewers Candidate Graham Zip went viral on TikTok after introducing himself as "Chick Bongo" during an automated AI job screen, proving human humor and creativity are alive and well. 🧠 Truth or Lie: Does purpose make us work harder? We put the popular claim that "purpose drives performance" to the test. • The For case: Meta-analyses show meaningful work drives positive attitudes, organizational citizenship behaviors (going the extra mile), and overall performance. • The Against case: Deep purpose can lead to the "dark side of meaningful work," where employers exploit worker commitment, leading to high burnout, compassion fatigue, and existential labor. • The Verdict: True — with a warning! Purpose boosts effort, but it cannot replace fair pay, security, and well-being safeguards. 💬 Workplace Surgery with Bill Yost • Are engagement surveys actually anonymous, and can honest feedback bite you? • Has getting a tech interview completely changed, and what works now? • Does posting consistently on LinkedIn still matter? Connect with Bill Yost LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billyost/ Website: https://billyost.com/ Cookies Worth Sharon: https://cookiesworthsharon.com/ 📬 Connect with Al & Leanne – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork – Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott – Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne – Email: hello@truthliesandwork.com – Book a call: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat Mental health support UK & ROI — Samaritans Call 116 123 or visit https://www.samaritans.org UK — Mind Call 0300 123 3393 or visit https://www.mind.org.uk US — Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Call or text 988 or visit https://988lifeline.org Australia — Lifeline Call 13 11 14 or visit https://www.lifeline.org.au Global helplines https://findahelpline.com 🎧 Truth, Lies & Work is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals.