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Work friends can feel like a bonus, something nice if it happens and irrelevant if it doesn’t. We don’t buy that, and the research doesn’t either. Today we dig into what workplace friendships actually do to performance and culture, using three years of data from KPMG that points to a clear conclusion: connection at work is not incidental, it’s central.

We’re joined by Sandy Torchia, KPMG’s U.S. Vice Chair of Talent and Culture, to unpack what the numbers reveal about the employee experience. We talk about why employees with close friends at work show higher engagement, why they’re more likely to build skills, and how strong relationships can even connect to things leaders care about right now like trust in leadership and adoption of new tools including AI. We also explore how different kinds of work relationships affect wellbeing and resilience, especially when work is stressful or changing fast.

If you manage people, this is a practical lens for building a healthier workplace culture without resorting to forced fun or awkward bonding. If you’re an individual contributor, it’s a reality check on why “keeping it strictly professional” can quietly limit your growth and support network. Listen, share it with a teammate, and if it resonates, subscribe and leave a review so more people can find the show. What’s one thing that helped a real work friendship form for you?

Check out KPMG's "Friends at Work Report" here: https://kpmg.com/us/en/media/news/friends-at-work-2026.html

Follow Sandy Torchia here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandytorchia/

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. We are not responsible for any losses, damages, or liabilities that may arise from the use of this podcast. The views expressed in this podcast may not be those of the host or the management.

Thanks for listening!

Hey! We love new friends! Connect with us!

• On The Socials! You Tube, TikTok, Instagram on LinkedIn - Mel + Francesca.
• The LinkedIn Group: We'd love to have you join the Your Work Friends Group on LinkedIn
• Drop Us a Line: Send us your ideas, questions, comments, complements, whatnot, to friend@yourworkfriends.com

Send us Fan Mail

California's Warning Sign on AI Layoffs, Long-Term Unemployment & The Rise of Emotional Surveillance

The headlines say the labor market is healthy.

So why are so many people spending months—or even years—trying to find work?

This week, we unpack the growing disconnect between what the numbers say and what people are actually experiencing.

We start with the rise of long-term unemployment and why a low unemployment rate may be masking a much bigger problem beneath the surface. Then we look at California, where AI-related job disruption is becoming impossible to ignore, and ask whether it's a preview of what's coming for the rest of the country.

Finally, we dive into one of the most unsettling workplace trends we've seen in a while: emotional surveillance. From sentiment analysis to facial scanning and AI-powered monitoring tools, employers now have more ways than ever to measure how workers think, feel, and behave. The question is: should they?

In this episode:
• Why long-term unemployment is rising
• What California may be telling us about AI's impact on jobs
• The growing skills mismatch in the labor market
• The rise of emotional surveillance at work
• Why the future of work may feel very different than the headlines suggest

Because sometimes the most important story isn't the one making the news—it's the one hiding underneath it.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. We are not responsible for any losses, damages, or liabilities that may arise from the use of this podcast. The views expressed in this podcast may not be those of the host or the management.

Thanks for listening!

Hey! We love new friends! Connect with us!

• On The Socials! You Tube, TikTok, Instagram on LinkedIn - Mel + Francesca.
• The LinkedIn Group: We'd love to have you join the Your Work Friends Group on LinkedIn
• Drop Us a Line: Send us your ideas, questions, comments, complements, whatnot, to friend@yourworkfriends.com

Send us Fan Mail

What the hell is happening at work right now?

After a spring packed with HR, AI, leadership, and future-of-work conferences, we sat down with Adam DeRose (HR Brew) and David Rice (People Managing People) for an honest conversation about what they’re actually seeing inside organizations right now.

And honestly? The vibes are weird.

In this episode, we dig into:

• why work feels increasingly unstable and disconnected
• the growing trust gap between leaders and employees
• AI adoption vs. actual transformation
• layoffs being made on “promises that haven’t reconciled”
• burnout, disengagement, and survival mode at work
• why organizations keep layering new strategies onto systems that can’t support them
• the tension between speed, pressure, and thoughtful leadership
• what gives them hope (yes, there’s some hope)

This isn’t a polished “AI will save us” conversation.

It’s four people who spend their lives studying work, reporting on work, and redesigning work trying to make sense of a moment that feels increasingly uncertain for a lot of people.

Come for the state of work.

Stay for the existential crisis, plumber bots, and surprisingly deep thoughts about human greatness.

Featuring:

• Adam DeRose, Senior Reporter at HR Brew
• David Rice, Executive Editor at People Managing People

New episodes every Tuesday (sometimes Wednesday - hey, we're indie) from Your Work Friends.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. We are not responsible for any losses, damages, or liabilities that may arise from the use of this podcast. The views expressed in this podcast may not be those of the host or the management.

Thanks for listening!

Hey! We love new friends! Connect with us!

• On The Socials! You Tube, TikTok, Instagram on LinkedIn - Mel + Francesca.
• The LinkedIn Group: We'd love to have you join the Your Work Friends Group on LinkedIn
• Drop Us a Line: Send us your ideas, questions, comments, complements, whatnot, to friend@yourworkfriends.com