Danielle Abril

Why these companies insist on a 72-hour work week Start-ups are promoting hardcore cultures such as “996,” meaning working from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. six days a week, as they race to compete in AI.

Have you heard of '996' It's a grind culture that AI startups are now advertising in their job postings. I spoke to a bunch of startups to understand more about 996, what it looks like, and why they do it. Read more about it in my latest story. www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

How companies might avoid Trump’s new $100k visa The new fee targeted at new H-1B visas could spur employers to seek other paths to acquiring high-skilled workers abroad.

While there are still a lot of questions about Trump's new H-1B visa policy, companies are already starting to weight potential alternatives to hiring high-skilled immigrants. My latest explores the options lawyers and advisors are outlining for their clients.
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

AI is taking on live translations. But jobs and meaning are getting lost. New artificial intelligence-driven capabilities are expected to accelerate the shift from translation done by humans to machines.

Pleased to talk with WaPo tech writer @danielleabril.bsky.social about the impact of the AI boom on the translation world. This International Translation Day, let’s take a moment to appreciate all that translation does to foster human connection. www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

AI is taking on live translations. But jobs and meaning are getting lost. New artificial intelligence-driven capabilities are expected to accelerate the shift from translation done by humans to machines.

I recently connected with professional translators to get a sense of how AI is impacting their jobs. Not only are they concerned about AI, but machine translation has been impacting them for years. Read my latest to see what's happening as AI translation features continue to roll out.

Trump administration to get tough on companies that misuse the H-1B visa The Labor Department said it would take the unusual step to open investigations into companies that abuse the H-1B visa program.

ICYMI, earlier this week I teamed up with Washington Post labor reporter Lauren Gurley to look into what's going on with H-1Bs following President Trump's latest announcement to charge a $100,000 fee for the work visa.
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

Another wave of return-to-office crackdowns is coming More companies are cracking down on flexibility and requiring more in-office work, with some threatening consequences for noncompliance.

I've been covering the shift from remote work to RTO mandates for 4 years now. This past week we saw three more major employers release new return-to-office policies. It appears the landscape on flexible work is still shifting. Read my latest here:
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

Labor unions mobilize to challenge advance of algorithms in workplaces Labor groups are trying to slow the advance of disruptive AI technology into workplaces, with the AFL-CIO and others trying to help state legislators pass AI laws.

In the era of AI, labor unions are pushing back more than ever. After Trump rolled back the AI legislative strategy of his predecessor, the battle moved to the states. So activists are pushing AI laws and worker protections state-by-state. Read my latest.
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

These workers don’t fear artificial intelligence. They’re getting degrees in it. Working professionals and young people are investing in artificial intelligence courses, programs and degrees as the technology promises to transform jobs.

ICYMI yesterday: I spoke to several people who have decided to pursue new AI degrees as they prepare for the workforce of tomorrow. Universities and companies are offering education for AI-era jobs. Read more about what that looks like in my latest story. www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

Labor unions mobilize to challenge advance of algorithms in workplaces Labor groups are trying to slow the advance of disruptive AI technology into workplaces, with the AFL-CIO and others trying to help state legislators pass AI laws.

Great @danielleabril.bsky.social article about unions, workers, and AI that features today's @poweratwork.bsky.social
blogcast and a quote and background from me.
Read: www.washingtonpost.com/business/202... (paywall).
Blogcast will be released at 10am ET today on poweratwork.us.

AI intensifies battle for talent, housing and investments in San Francisco The AI momentum isn’t stopping and it’s bringing workers, venture capital money and life back to San Francisco.

If you've been to S.F. recently, you might've noticed a little more buzz around town. That buzz has spurred investors to pour more capital into the region, intensified the battle for talent, and driven up rental costs. How the AI boom is playing out in S.F.
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

No one likes meetings. They’re sending their AI note takers instead. Artificial intelligence apps that record and summarize meetings can tempt workers into skipping calls, leaving humans who join in the company of silent bots.

Two years ago, I did a story on AI that could summarize and even attend meetings for you. Those features have become so popular that sometimes there's more AI in meetings than people! @lisabonos.bsky.social chronicled the latest trend (small assist from me).
www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...

To get your next job, you may need to face an AI recruiter first Virtual recruiters, or conversational AI agents, are making screening calls for some jobs, speeding up the hiring process and confusing some job candidates.

Jobseekers say they're experiencing something new in their job hunts: They're being screened by AI agents via phone call and video. Read my latest about AI virtual recruiters and what to expect. www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

Bosses want you to know AI is coming for your job CEOs and corporate leaders are warning AI will eliminate or disrupt people’s jobs, raising uncertainty and unemployment fears for workers.

ICYMI last week: More and more company executives are sounding warning bells about the future of AI at work. Amazon's head honcho was the latest to join the chorus of leaders saying AI is going to disrupt the way we work or maybe even replace us. Read more.
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

How to better brainstorm with ChatGPT in five steps ChatGPT can be a useful brainstorming partner or impede the diversity of ideas depending on how you use the AI.

People are increasingly using ChatGPT and other chatbots to help them at work, especially for brainstorming. I talked to AI experts and software engineers to get tips on how to get the best results. Read my latest!
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

Why companies may soon accelerate replacing jobs with AI Tough economic conditions could be the catalyst for AI adoption in corporate America as more companies turn to automation, economists predict.

We're all seeing signs of a slowing economy, but what happens when that collides with a boom in AI. For my latest story, I spoke with economists and experts who understand wide impact AI could have on jobs, and how companies have historically reacted. www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

No AI, no job. These companies are requiring workers to use the tech. Employees are expected to use artificial intelligence at Shopify, Box and Duolingo as executives shift towards the future.

Lately I've been watching a number of companies make internal AI-first directives and post about it publicly. So I explored what these trends tell us about the future of work. Read more here. www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

Why HR experts say Musk’s ‘5 things’ emails won’t work The Trump administration’s plan to continue asking employees for five weekly bullet points might do more to create confusion than efficiency, HR experts say.

My latest story analyzes the efficacy the emails Elon Musk is demanding from federal workers. In them, he asks workers to bullet five things they did each week or lose their jobs. I spoke with HR experts who mulled over the somewhat surprising strategy. Read more here.

Trump officials start gutting civil rights offices, as part of DOGE’s secret plan Legal experts said that unwinding a civil rights-era bulwark designed to safeguard employees’ rights removes a crucial check on institutional power.

The gutting of a longstanding civil rights bulwark in the federal government has begun. In the 60s, civil rights reforms began with the federal government. Six decades later, so is their dismantling w/ @hannahnatanson.bsky.social and @danielleabril.bsky.social

wapo.st/43aVQg1

In-office work at highest level since 2020, as companies pull back on remote With more mandates taking effect, a record number of people are working from the office since the beginning of the pandemic.

My latest story explores the latest data on the return-to-office. And the results show a clear trend: A record number of people are working from the office since the start of the pandemic.
washingtonpost.com/business/202...

So much talk about AI agents lately. But also ...

Bosses are exerting their power. What Trump’s crackdown could mean for your job. President Donald Trump’s crack down on federal employees adds strength to a new trend that’s harder on workers.

My latest story crosses the public and private sectors to explore the employer/employee power struggle as a whole. Not everyone is changing course from their more flexible, employee-friendly cultures, but some decidedly are. www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

@danielleabril.bsky.social's story on #remote first companies versus the "return to office" crowd starts with @bsky.app itself, with @pfrazee.com and @rose.bsky.team sharing how they've been able to scale hiring talented engineers and build practices that work for distributed teams!

These companies innovate and collaborate without office mandates While some big companies are calling workers back to the office, others are embracing change to make hybrid and remote models work.

These companies innovate and collaborate without office mandates
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202... via @danielleabril.bsky.social

My favorite quotes in @danielleabril.bsky.social's piece:

Debbie Lovich: “There’s nothing that says ‘I don’t trust you’ like an RTO mandate — other than an RTO mandate tracking badge swipes.”

Annie Dean: “It doesn’t make sense to me, in the age of AI, our focus is being spent on where people sit."

Desperate for jobs, people try new social media tactics to stand out Job seekers are offering rewards for referrals, making mini marketing campaigns and becoming brutally honest on social media.

I spoke with @danielleabril.bsky.social of @washingtonpost.com about how job seekers are using social media to stand out in a tough market. The shift to openness reflects deeper struggles, with unemployment rising even as the labor market remains strong.

www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

Online sleuths are racing to catch the UnitedHealthcare CEO’s killer The shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO in New York City, home to a vast network of surveillance cameras, has fueled a crowdsourced manhunt — even as some seek to lionize the killer.

New: Amateur sleuths are trying to identify the UHC CEO's killer, but they're being confronted online by others lionizing the gunman as a "folk hero" fighting against insurance industry sins. "Anyone who helps to identify the shooter is an enemy of the people," one viral post said wapo.st/4fRft05

Desperate for jobs, people try new social media tactics to stand out Job seekers are offering rewards for referrals, making mini marketing campaigns and becoming brutally honest on social media.

For jobseekers who have been looking for work for months, getting creative on social media has become another strategy to land a gig. Read about what some people are doing to try to get the attention of hiring managers. www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

Thanks for including me!