284. Corporate Bullshit, new-collar jobs and interview red flags. PLUS! Are Morning People More Successful?

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning workplace podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture. This week, we’re diving into the "Corporate Bullshit Receptivity Scale," exploring why a university degree might be holding your hiring back, and debunking the toxic productivity of the 3:50 AM wake-up call. 🔥 Stories Covered 1. The Science of "Corporate Bullshit" Leanne introduces the Corporate Bullshit Receptivity Scale, a real psychological study from Cornell University. The Definition: "Corporate Bullshit" is defined as semantically empty jargon used in a functionally misleading way. The Finding: Research shows that people who find vague, jargon-heavy statements profound often score lower on analytical thinking and decision-making. The Impact: In the workplace, rewarding this language leads to worse decisions and a culture of performance over substance. 2. The Rise of "New-Collar" Jobs Al explores a term coined by the former CEO of IBM: New-Collar jobs. Skills over Degrees: These are highly skilled, well-paid roles in AI, cybersecurity, and tech that don't require a traditional university degree. The Stats: It's predicted that 60% of new jobs created between 2020 and 2030 will be "new-collar." The Barrier: Despite the talent shortage, 60% of employers still reject candidates with the right skills simply because they lack a degree. 3. Would You Walk Out of a Messy Interview? A viral Reddit story sparks a debate on candidate experience. The Red Flag: A senior professional ended their application process after a recruiter failed to show up for the first interview and was late for the second. The Lesson: Your hiring process is a direct signal of your company culture. If communication is messy before day one, candidates assume it’s messy on the inside. 🧠 Truth or Lie: Are Morning People More Successful? Is the 5:00 AM (or 3:50 AM!) alarm truly the secret to success, or are we just glorifying sleep deprivation? The Truth: Studies show "Larks" often earn 4-5% more than "Owls" and perform better in school. The Lie: This isn't because morning people are more disciplined. It’s because the world (schools and 9-5 offices) is built for their biology. The Cost: Forcing an "Owl" into a "Lark" schedule leads to Social Jetlag, higher cortisol levels, and increased risk of depression. 💬 Workplace Surgery This week, we tackle three listener dilemmas: The "Silent" Meeting: How do you handle it when the same two people dominate every conversation? Leanne shares tips on balancing participation without it feeling forced. Check out our deep dive on meetings here: What if meetings were the best part of your day? The Overwhelmed Founder: Transitioning from "doing the work" to "leading others." The Toxic High-Performer: What to do when your top talent is quietly damaging team morale. 📬 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: [email protected] – 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