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.

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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.