Confusion and chaos loom as hundreds of thousands of federal employees begin their workweek on Monday facing a deadline from President Donald Trump’s cost-cutting chief, Elon Musk, to explain their recent accomplishments or risk losing their jobs.Musk’s unusual demand has faced resistance from several key U.S. agencies led by the president’s loyalistsincluding the FBI, State Department, Homeland Security, and the Pentagonwhich instructed their employees over the weekend not to comply. Lawmakers in both parties said that Musk’s mandate may be illegal, while unions are threatening to sue.Trump over the weekend called for Musk to be more aggressive in his cost-cutting crusade through the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, and posted a meme on social media mocking federal employees who “cried about Trump and Elon.”Musk’s team sent an email to hundreds of thousands of federal employees on Saturday giving them roughly 48 hours to report five specific things they had accomplished last week. In a separate message on X, Musk said any employee who failed to respond by the deadlineset in the email as 11:59 p.m. EST Mondaywould lose their job.Mass confusion followed on the eve of the deadline as some agencies resisted the order, others encouraged their workers to comply, and still others offered conflicting guidance.One message on Sunday morning from the Department of Health and Human Services, led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., instructed its roughly 80,000 employees to comply. That was shortly after the acting general counsel, Sean Keveney, had instructed some not to. And by Sunday evening, agency leadership issued new instructions that employees should “pause activities” related to the request until noon on Monday.“I’ll be candid with you. Having put in over 70 hours of work last week advancing Administration’s priorities, I was personally insulted to receive the below email,” Keveney said in an email viewed by the Associated Press that acknowledged a broad sense of “uncertainty and stress” within the agency.Keveney laid out security concerns and pointed out some of the work done by the agency’s employees may be protected by attorney-client privilege: “I have received no assurances that there are appropriate protections in place to safeguard responses to this email.”Democrats and even some Republicans, including Sen. John Curtis, R-Utah, were critical of Musk’s ultimatum.“If I could say one thing to Elon Musk, it’s like, please put a dose of compassion in this,” Curtis, whose state has 33,000 federal employees, said on CBS’ “Face the Nation.” “These are real people. These are real lives. These are mortgages. . . . It’s a false narrative to say we have to cut and you have to be cruel to do it as well.”Newly confirmed FBI Director Kash Patel, an outspoken Trump ally, instructed employees to ignore Musk’s request, at least for now.“The FBI, through the Office of the Director, is in charge of all of our review processes, and will conduct reviews in accordance with FBI procedures,” Patel wrote in an email confirmed by the AP. “When and if further information is required, we will coordinate the responses. For now, please pause any responses.”Ed Martin, interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, sent his staff a message Sunday that may have caused more confusion.“Let me clarify: We will comply with this OPM request whether by replying or deciding not to reply,” Martin wrote in the email obtained by the AP, referring to the Office of Personnel Management.“Please make a good faith effort to reply and list your activities (or not, as you prefer), and I will, as I mentioned, have your back regarding any confusion,” Martin continued. “We can do this.”Officials at the Departments of State, Defense, and Homeland Security were more consistent.Tibor Nagy, acting undersecretary of state for management, told employees in an email that department leadership would respond on behalf of workers. “No employee is obligated to report their activities outside of their Department chain of command,” Nagy wrote in an email.Pentagon leadership instructed employees to “pause” any response to Musk’s team, according to an email from Jules Hurst, the deputy undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness.The Homeland Security Department, meanwhile, told employees that “no reporting action from you is needed at this time” and that agency managers would respond, according to an email from R.D. Alles, deputy undersecretary for management.Thousands of government employees have already been forced out of the federal workforceeither by being fired or through a “deferred resignation” offerduring the first month of Trump’s second term. There is no official figure available for the total firings or layoffs so far, but the AP has tallied hundreds of thousands of workers who are being affected. Many work outside of Washington.Musk on Sunday called his latest request “a very basic pulse check.”“The reason this matters is that a significant number of people who are supposed to be working for the government are doing so little work that they are not checking their email at all!” Musk wrote on X. “In some cases, we believe non-existent people or the identities of dead people are being used to collect paychecks. In other words, there is outright fraud.”He has provided no evidence of such fraud. Separately, Musk and Trump have falsely claimed in recent days that tens of millions of dead people over 100 years old are receiving Social Security payments.Meanwhile, thousands of other employees are preparing to leave the federal workforce this coming week, including probationary civilian workers at the Pentagon and all but a fraction of U.S. Agency for International Development staffers through cuts or leave.
Peoples reported from New York. Associated Press writers Byron Tau, Ellen Knickmeyer, Matthew Perrone and Tara Copp in Washington and Valerie Gonzalez in McAllen, Texas, contributed to this report.
Steve Peoples, Eric Tucker and Amanda Seitz, Associated Press
Fabric and craft retailer Joann Inc. is officially shutting down all of its stores following a turbulent bankruptcy process.
The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in January for the second time in less than a year, initially saying it would keep its stores open while restructuring its debt. However, just weeks after the filing, Joann reversed course and announced it would close 500 of its roughly 800 locations, as Fast Company reported.
The closure of those stores was just the beginning. As part of the ongoing bankruptcy proceedings, Joann held an auction on February 21 to sell off its assets. A limited liability company called GA Joann Retail Partnership, which is a subsidiary of “asset disposition” company GA Group, emerged as the winning bidder, and will now oversee the complete liquidation of Joanns remaining operations.
The move is still subject to court approval.
What happens next for Joann?
A final sale hearing has been scheduled for February 26 in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. This hearing will formally approve the asset sale, paving the way for the complete wind-down of Joanns operations across the country.
Despite the imminent closures, Joann has assured customers that it will offer substantial discounts during its going-out-of-business sales. These sales will begin immediately at all locations, allowing customers to purchase the remaining inventory at discounted prices.
Joanns website and mobile app will also remain operational, enabling online shoppers to make their final purchases before the company ceases all operations entirely.
The end of an era for the crafting community
The collapse of the national retail chain marks an end to what was once a dominant force in the fabric and crafting world. Joann had been a go-to retailer for crafters, quilters, and sewing enthusiasts for decades. Its decline underscores the ongoing struggles faced by traditional brick-and-mortar retailers amid rising competition from online stores and shifting consumer habits.
Joanns closing is expected to have lasting effects on crafters, as the retailers stores were not only places to shop but also hubs for classes, events, and a sense of community.
HIRING: Park ranger. SEEKING: Nuclear submarine engineer. WANTED: Sled dog musher.If they seem unlikely postings, they probably are. But a laid-off federal worker can dream.Axed from jobs not easily found outside government, thousands of federal workers caught in President Donald Trump’s cost-cutting efforts now face a difficult search for work.“If you’re doing, say, vegetation sampling and prescribed fire as your main work, there aren’t many jobs,” says Eric Anderson, 48, of Chicago, who was fired Feb. 14 from his job as a biological science technician at Indiana Dunes National Park.All the years of work Anderson put inthe master’s degree, the urban forestry classes, the wildfire deploymentsseemed to disappear in a single email dismissing him.He’s hoping there’s a chance he’s called back, but if he isn’t, he’s not sure what he’ll do next. He was so consumed with his firing that he broke a molar from grinding his teeth. But he knows he’s caught in something larger than himself, as the new administration unfurls its chaotic cost-cutting agenda.“This is someone coming in and tossing a hand grenade and seeing what will happen,” he says.The federal job cuts are the work of the Department of Government Efficiency, headed by billionaire Elon Musk, who has been tearing through agencies looking for suspected waste. No official tally of firings has been released, but the list stretches into the thousands and to nearly every part of the country. More than 80% of the federal government’s 2.4-million-person civilian workforce is based outside of the Washington area.Cathy Nguyen, 51, of Honolulu, was laid off last month from her job at USAID, where she helped manage the PEPFAR program, which combats HIV/AIDS.Her firing not only brought the turmoil of finding new health insurance, halting saving for retirement and her kids’ college education, and trimming spending for things like the family subscription to Disney Plusit also has forced her to reconsider her career goals.PEPFAR is a landmark effort that stretches across dozens of countries and is credited with saving some 26 million lives. Nothing rivals it. So where does a former PEPFAR worker go?“It’s requiring me to rethink how I want to spend my professional life,” Nguyen says.As specialized as Nguyen’s work has been, Mitch Flanigan may have her beat.Flanigan, 40, was assigned to the sled dog kennels at Denali National Park and Preserve in Alaska until he was fired Feb. 14. It never brought a huge paycheck, but where else could he get to work as a dog musher against such a breathtaking panorama?He has appealed his firing with the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board.“I still kind of want to fight for the job that I lost,” he says. “I’m not really making much money, it’s just fun and it’s a unique thing to be a part of.”A November report from the Federal Salary Council, which advises on government pay, found that federal salaries were one-fourth lower than those in the private sector.A Congressional Budget Office report released last year found pay disparities depended on workers’ education. Federal workers with a high school diploma or less outearned their private-sector counterparts with 17% higher wages, the CBO found. That edge disappeared among better-educated workers. Workers with bachelor’s degrees had wages 10% lower than the private sector and those with professional degrees or doctorates earned 29% less. Federal benefits were vastly better than the private sector for the lowest-educated workers, the CBO found, and about even for the highest-educated workers.Many laid off from federal positions were drawn by stability, benefits, and, more than anything, the opportunity to do work they might not be able to do anywhere else. Now, everyone from diplomats to public health workers are flooding the job market looking for suitable positions.Gracie Lynne, a 32-year-old fellow at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, who lives in Eugene, Oregon, took a pay cut when she started her job four years ago.Her parents lost their home during the Great Recession, which led to their divorce, years of financial angst, and Lynne’s own interest in financial regulation. She found herself following the nascent CFPB’s rulemaking and poring over 1,000-page bills on bank regulations. She wrote her master’s thesis on the bureau. She couldn’t pass up the job.“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” she told herself.Plus, she thought, the benefits would come in handy when her and her husband decided to start a family. Now, six months pregnant, she finds herself jobless and scrambling to get insured.She isn’t sure where she’ll land, or if she’ll find many employers rushing to hire someone about to become a mother. But she feels more committed than ever to the work she did.“I feel even more compelled to stay in the public sector after this experience,” she says, noting the good work protecting consumers she was every day, “to stay in the fight.”Luke Tobin, a 24-year-old forestry technician who worked for the U.S. Forest Service in Idaho’s Nez Perce National Forest, who was fired from his job February 14, finds the accusations of waste by Musk and others laughable. He sees extreme understaffing and threadbare budgets.He earned about $19 an hour and was furloughed for about half of the year but still relished a job that had him backpacking in remote areas for days at a time.Scrambling to find a replacement job, he’s put in dozens of applications. He has pursued openings on tree farms, at tree-trimming companies and at nurseries, but so far, has only heard back from two employers on two minimum-wage jobs: one as an Amazon delivery person and the other as a line cook at a fried chicken restaurant.“I need a job,” he says, “any job.”
Associated Press writer Mark Thiessen in Anchorage, Alaska, contributed to this report.
Matt Sedensky can be reached at msedensky@ap.org and https://x.com/sedensky.
Matt Sedensky, AP National Writer
If you’ve ever felt frustrated by job listings that seem too good to be true or lead nowhere at all, you’re not alone. The truth is, the job market is full of fake postings and ghost jobs that can waste your time or even put you at risk. To help you navigate this confusing landscape, nine experienced experts have shared their advice on red flags to watch out for, so you can differentiate between legitimate opportunities and scams designed to exploit job seekers.
Look for salary transparency
In my experience, the biggest red flag has nothing to do with the job description or the company website. The real issue shows up when a listing has zero mention of salaryor worse, it dodges the topic altogether.
If a job post says something vague like “competitive pay” or “salary dependent on experience” without giving even a basic range, I immediately question whether the company is serious about hiring. A real position has a budget. If a company cannot commit to a number, it probably is not committed to filling the role anytime soon. I have seen roles stay open for six-plus months because companies “want to see what talent is out there” without offering a concrete salary. That being said, the real test happens during the first conversation. If an employer dances around pay or refuses to give a range even when asked, something is off.
Avoiding salary discussions leads to drawn-out hiring cycles, wasted interviews, and applicants walking away after weeks of back and forth. Personally, if a company will not disclose a number after the second conversation, I consider that a dead end. The best job listings give at least a range$65K to $75K, $20 to $25/hour, or even “starting at $80K.” Anything is better than a mystery.
Patrick Beltran, marketing director, Ardoz Digital
Identify unusual application methods
From what I’ve seen, one key indicator that job seekers can use to identify fake or ghost job listings is unusual application methods or interview processes. Being able to identify these uncommon practices can serve as red flags, potentially saving candidates time and protecting them from scams.
Be cautious of job postings that ask you to apply through non-standard channels. Legit companies typically use official company portals or professional job platforms for applications (for example, LinkedIn, Indeed, Glassdoor, etc). Red flags for application methods include:
Requests to apply via personal email addresses (like @gmail.com, @yahoo.com, etc.)
Applications through messaging apps or social media platforms
Unusual file upload requirements
Real companies generally follow standard interview protocols. Be on the lookout for:
Interviews conducted entirely via text messaging
Unusually short interviews
Sudden interview invitations without prior application
Requests to download specific messaging apps like Telegram for interviews
Some additional warning signs during the interviews could be:
Immediate job offers without thorough vetting
Overly agreeable interviewers who quickly present offers that sound too good to be true
By being vigilant about these unusual practices, job seekers can better protect themselves from potential scams and focus their efforts on real job opportunities. Remember, most reputable companies will conduct initial interactions through professional channels and use standard video conferencing tools for remote interviews.
Lisa Frank, marketing specialist, AM Industrial Group
Beware of pressure to act quickly
One big red flag I’ve noticed with fake or ghost job listings is when there’s an intense sense of urgency. If a recruiter tells you to apply or accept an offer immediately, without giving you time to think or ask questions, that’s a major warning sign. Legitimate companies understand that making career decisions takes time, and they don’t push candidates into rushed commitments.
This urgency is often a tactic to catch people off guard, leaving them less time to notice inconsistencies or research the company. For example, I’ve seen postings where they say, “You must confirm today, or the offer will be gone!” That’s just not how real hiring works.
When you feel pressured like this, take a step back and ask yourself why they’re in such a hurry. A trustworthy employer will respect your need to evaluate the opportunity and respond on your timeline, not theirs. Always prioritize your due diligence, even if it means walking away.
Ani Ghazaryan, head of content marketing, neptune.ai
Watch for overpromising job listings
A major red flag that job seekers often overlook is job listings that overpromise but under define. If a role boasts unlimited income potential, vague benefits, or rapid career growth but lacks concrete details about daily responsibilities, team structure, or performance expectations, that’s a strong indicator that the listing may be misleading or even nonexistent. Remember that in hiring, clarity is key, legitimate employers know exactly what they need and can articulate it. If a job sounds too good to be true without clear accountability, it likely is.
From my experience, a well-structured job posting reflects an organization’s professionalism and operational maturity. Companies with real hiring needs define their expectations, required skills, and key performance indicators clearly. When those elements are missing, it suggests either disorganization or, worse, a bait-and-switch scenario where the role doesn’t truly exist, or the reality of the job is far from what’s being advertised.
Another critical factor is the lack of transparency about success metrics and internal structure. If a company cannot outline who the role reports to, how performance is evaluated, or what the first 90 days will entail, it signals potential instability. This could mean unclear leadership, shifting priorities, or a lack of long-term investment in employees.
To vet these listings, job seekers should scrutinize the details. Does the job posting explain how success is measured? Is there a clear reporting structure? Are the responsibilities specific, or is it all broad promises? If the listing reads more like a promotional pitch than a structured opportunity, it’s worth questioning whether the job is real, or whether it’s just a tactic to build a talent pipeline without immediate intent to hire.
Stephen Greet, CEO and cofounder, BeamJobs
Check for clear points of contact
Usually, a real job listing includes a clear point of contact. If a posting only provides a generic company email or a web form with no mention of a hiring manager, that is a major concern. A genuine employer will always make it cear who is in charge of recruitment. When there is no name, no department, and no way to confirm who is reviewing applications, there is a good chance the job does not exist. Many applicants send in résumés, receive an automated response, and never hear anything again.
This becomes even more obvious during the hiring process. If you get an interview but cannot figure out who is making the hiring decision, that is a red flag. Companies that post fake openings often go through the motions of interviews, wasting time without ever planning to hire. Asking directly who is leading recruitment and when a final decision will be made can provide answers. If those details stay vague or keep changing, there is little reason to believe the job is real.
To avoid getting caught up in this cycle, always check if the hiring manager is listed on the company’s website or LinkedIn. If there is no sign of anyone connected to the job, that is a signal to be careful. When reaching out, ask for direct contact with the person making the decision. If a company is serious about hiring, they will be upfront. If they are not, you will save yourself the trouble of chasing something that was never real to begin with.
Lucas Botzen, talent acquisition specialist and founder, Rivermate
Research companys online presence
Most companies tech savvy enough to utilize online resources for hiring are also likely to have some kind of online presence. It’s not just about a random job posting floating around. You should be able to find them onlinelike, do they have social media? A blog they actually update? Check out places like LinkedIn or Glassdoor. See what employees are saying or if the company posts anything there.
If you can’t find anything recent about them, no updates, or they basically don’t exist online at all, that’s a huge warning sign. These “ghost jobs” often come from companies that are only names on paper (or on a job board), not actual, real businesses. Or sometimes, it’s agencies using fake jobs to collect résumés or contact info.
Basically, if a company’s legit, there will be some online buzz about themmore than just one lonely job post. If the job listing doesn’t match up with what you find online, it’s likely a fake.
Sha’ Cannon, fractional chief operating officer, Sha’ Cannon Business Solutions
Avoid requests for excessive personal information
A company that asks for excessive personal information is a big red flag. Legitimate employers do not typically request sensitive details (bank account info, social security number, passport details) in the early stages of the hiring process. If the application requires unusual personal data upfront, it’s likely not legitimate, and applicants should stay away. Any requirement to pay a “training fee” or invest in equipment for a job almost always signals a scam. Trust your gut.
Jacquelyn Lloyd, CEO and HR consultant, Jacquelyn Lloyd Consulting
Check posting duration
One key indicator job seekers can use to discern whether a job is fake or a ghost job is how long it has been posted past its closing date. Job seekers often apply to hundreds of jobs to land one. The numbers game is not just wasting time. It’s also increasing their personal information exposure to scammers as it’s likely that several companies are fake or ghost jobs out of the hundred in a month. In fake and ghost jobs, your personal information is vulnerable to scams or marketers for profit.
If it’s a fake job, its legitimacy can often be questioned depending on where it’s posted, who posted it, and how fast the posting disappears. On LinkedIn, fake jobs disappear quickly. The key to discerning the validity is if the company posting is an actual company. Mostly, phony job postings are from fake companies. Job seekers should Google the company and check the website to confirm whether the posting is active. You can also contact the company directly via email or phone to ensure the company is still hiring. You can also search LinkedIn for the recruiter to see if they’ve posted the position.
If you confirm that the job posting is real, the company may have hired the candidate but kept the posting past its closing date. Companies use this strategy to fill their pipeline with future candidates. Some companies post their hiring process flow on their website and give applicants options on how the company can use their application or resume information. Options may include information that could only be used for posted positions, the company’s newsletter, or future positions.
With the increased use of AI for job postings, there are blurred lines between what’s fake and what’s just a ghost job. While this allows many fake job creations or ghost jobs to save companies money by collecting data, job seekers must research companies deeply to avoid scams and save time applying for jobs.
Mark Anthony Dyson, founder, The Voice of Job Seekers
Assess job listing quality
A key indicator to look out for is the quality of the job listing itself. Often, fake or “ghost” job postings may contain numerous spelling and grammatical errors, overly generic job descriptions, or unrealistic promises such as extremely high pay for minimal experience or effort. Legitimate job postings are usually well-written and provide a clear, realistic description of the role, responsibilities, and qualifications required. If a job ad seems too good to be true or poorly put together, it could very well be a red flag signaling a fake job listing.
Gary Edwards, director, Voceer
More than a dozen frozen supplemental shake products are being recalled over fears that they may be contaminated with a deadly strain of Listeria monocytogenes. The outbreak is so far believed to have hospitalized 37 people and led to the deaths of 11 individuals. Heres what you need to know about the frozen shake recall.
Whats happened?
On February 21, food distributor Lyons Magnus issued a voluntary recall of certain ReadyCare and Sysco Imperial Frozen Supplemental Shakes due to fears that they were contaminated with a strain of Listeria monocytogenes.
The shakes were manufactured by a Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc. facility in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Lyons Magnus then distributed the shakes to institutional settings, mainly long-term care facilities (LTCF) and hospitals, in numerous states across the country.
According to a notice posted by the U.S. Food And Drug Administration (FDA), the agency was notified in November about a Listeria outbreak at multiple LTCFs. The FDAs traceback investigation led to Lyons ReadyCare and Sysco Imperial Frozen Supplemental Shakes. Those shakes are now being recalled.
What products are being recalled?
Seventeen individual shake products are being recalled, according to a notice posted by Lyons Magnus. Those products include the following with select “Best Buy” dates, some of which stretch into next year:
ReadyCare Frozen Vanilla Shake
ReadyCare Frozen Chocolate Shake
ReadyCare Frozen Strawberry Shake
ReadyCare Frozen Vanilla Shake NSA
ReadyCare Frozen Strawberry Shake NSA
ReadyCare Frozen Chocolate Shake Plus
ReadyCare Frozen Strawberry Shake Plus
ReadyCare Frozen Vanilla Shake Plus
ReadyCare Frozen Strawberry Banana Shake NSA
ReadyCare Frozen Chocolate Shake NSA
Imperial Frozen Vanilla Shake
Imperial Frozen Chocolate Shake
Imperial Frozen Strawberry Shake
Imperial Frozen Vanilla Shake NSA
Imperial Frozen Strawberry Shake NSA
Imperial Frozen Strawberry Banana Shake NSA
Imperial Frozen Chocolate Shake NSA
The list of products with exact item numbers and Best Buy dates can be found here. The products come in 4 oz. Cartons. Images of the product packaging can be found here and here.
Where were the recalled products sold?
The recalled products were not distributed to retailers and sold to the public. Instead, they were distributed to institutions including hospitals and long-term care facilities throughout the United States.
Has anyone been harmed from consuming the products?
Unfortunately, yes. According to the FDA, the outbreak of this particular strain of Listeria monocytogenes goes back to 2018. Since then, 38 people have been infected20 of those cases happening in 2024 and 2025.
Of the 38 known cases, 37 people have required hospitalization. Unfortunately, 11 people have died.
The FDA says that cases have been reported in the following states:
Alabama
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Florida
Illinois
Indiana
Maryland
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
North Carolina
Nevada
New York
Ohio
Oklahoma
Pennsylvania
Tennessee
Texas
Washington
West Virginia
What is Listeria monocytogenes?
Listeria monocytogenes is a bacteria that can cause Listeriosis in people who consume it. People usually get Listeriosis from eating Listeria-contaminated foods.
While many healthy adults can contract Listeriosis and recover, the FDA says the disease is more dangerous for certain groups of people, including unborn or newborn babies, people with weakened immune systems, and those over the age of 65.
Those last two cohorts are of particular concern with this outbreak as the recalled products were mainly distributed to hospitals and long-term care facilities.
There are two main forms of Listeriosis: non-invasive and invasive.
What are the symptoms of Listeria monocytogenes?
According to the FDA, the symptoms of the more mild non-invasive listeriosis are:
fever
muscle aches
nausea
vomiting
diarrhea
Symptoms of the more problematic invasive listeriosis are:
headache
stiff neck
confusion
loss of balance
convulsions
The FDA says that invasive listeriosis is a potentially life-threatening event, especially in the most at-risk groups.
What should I do if I have the recalled products?
The good news is that most households should not have any of the recalled products as they were not sold to the public at retailers.
However, institutions that may have the products in their possessionincluding long-term care facilities and hospitalsshould not sell or serve the products and should thoroughly clean and sanitize any surfaces or containers they have come into contact with.
Hello and welcome to Modern CEO! Im Stephanie Mehta, CEO and chief content officer of Mansueto Ventures. Each week this newsletter explores inclusive approaches to leadership drawn from conversations with executives and entrepreneurs, and from the pages ofInc.andFast Company. If you received this newsletter from a friend, you cansign up to get it yourselfevery Monday morning.
It’s a tough time to be in the business of environmental sustainability. Earlier this month, seven of the worlds 10 largest countries missed a United Nations deadline for submitting updated emissions-cutting plans, according to Bloomberg. Starting late last year, financial institutions such as Goldman Sachs, Wells Fargo, Citigroup, and others left the Net-Zero Banking Alliance, a coalition of companies committed to reducing their carbon footprints. These moves and many others come as President Donald Trump and his appointees seek to eliminate federal government programs that tackle global warming.
Even so, Jonquil Hackenberg, CEO of leading circular economy charity Ellen MacArthur Foundation, is navigating this new world with a mix of optimism and pragmatism. The circular economy is a system where materials are recycled, refurbished, reused, or composted and where farming is designed to increase biodiversity. In an exclusive interview with Modern CEO, Hackenberg underscored the foundations commitment to addressing global challenges such as climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss.
The circular route to waste reduction
A recent example of the foundations work is the Big Food Redesign Challenge, an 18-month project aimed at helping the food sector design environmentally friendly products. Earlier this month, the foundation showcased 141 products by 57 organizations, including Nestlé and grocery chain Waitrose & Partners, which use circular economy and regenerative agriculture principles.
In addition to such programs, Hackenberg also talked about the role circularity plays in non-environmental issues like supply-chain resiliency. We are looking at critical raw materials through the lens of material security, which plays very well into the new administration and beyond, she says.
A sustainable supply-chain solution
Studies suggest that recycling or reuse of materials can help offset disruptions in supply chains due to shortages or geopolitical factors. The European Unions Joint Research Center, for example, recently issued a report examining how boosting circularity, along with other approaches, could help reduce Europes dependency on China, Japan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, and Ukraine for materials used to make titanium metal products. Companies in the EU use titanium primarily in planes but also in cars, robots, and 3D printing.
Hackenbergs background makes her well-equipped to make the practical case for the foundations mission. She previously served as CEO of Eunomia Research and Consulting, a social-environmental consultancy, and before that was global head of sustainability and climate response at PA Consulting. My experience is really in large-scale transformation, she says. The move to a circular economy is the largest-scale transformation were going to face.
Indeed, despite early gains75 countries have circular economy roadmaps and 55% of businesses, including IKEA and Dell, have made commitments to circularitythe movement appears to be stalled. The most recent Circularity Gap Report found that just 7.2% of materials that entered the economy in 2023 were secondary, or non-virgin, down from 9.1% of materials in 2018.
Circularity logic
Driving further transformation may require highlighting the way circularity can support local economies, for example. If you are looking at governments that are perhaps more protectionist, who are asking, How do I help and protect our own economy? Its a ripe playing field for a circular economy to create new value opportunities and new jobs without global inputs, Hackenberg says.
Hackenbergs broad framing of the benefits of circularity mirrors the way other nonprofits and many businesses are trying to reposition themselves in the Trump era. Fast Company recently reported on how cleantech startups have started emphasizing their role in national security.
But the Ellen MacArthur Foundation isnt walking back its commitment to climate and biodiversity issues. We need courage and leadership to stay the course, she says. Politics will come and go, but facts back up that we are scraping at the barrels of planetary boundaries. Eliminating waste on our streets and in our oceans is a nonpartisan issue.
How is your company handling topics under fire?
Is your company reframing the way you talk about environmental sustainability, inclusion, or other topics that are under fire? Send your comments to me at
stephaniemehta@mansueto.com. Id like to share some of your insights in an upcoming newsletter.
Read more: virtuous circles
Fast Companys best circular design of last year
How HP is using a supply reset to advance the circular economy
Meet Chairish, an 11-year-old, used-furniture marketplace and an Inc. Best in Business honoree
With enrollment on the rise, the California Polytechnic State University in seaside San Luis Obispo has found itself staring down a familiar California problem: a severe housing shortage.
“Cal Poly’s located in this beautiful town of San Luis Obispo. That is one of our competitive advantages, but it also means that everybody else wants to live here, too,” says Mike McCormick, vice president of facilities management and development at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo
This desirability poses a problem for the university, which has seen enrollment grow in recent years, with trendlines suggesting an additional 4,000 students by the end of the decade. “It’s really hard for us to grow without providing housing,” McCormick says. “The city simply can’t absorb any of it. So that’s what’s driving our program.”
That’s led the university to launch an ambitious, fast-paced, and possibly precedent-setting dormitory building project that will add 4,200 beds to the university’s campus housing inventory within just four years. The housingnine buildings primarily made up of six-bed, three-room suiteswill be built through modular construction inside a factory in Los Angeles. It will be the largest modular housing construction project in the country.
[Image: courtesy Steinberg Hart Architects]
The university partnered with FullStack Modular, a company specializing in industrialized construction that has previously built modular apartment buildings up to 15 stories tall, to produce the much-needed housing units quickly and affordably. Construction will commence later this year at FullStack Modular’s Los Angeles factory, and the first of nine new dormitory buildings is scheduled for occupancy in Fall 2026.
FullStack Modular emerged in 2016 after a major 15-building modular construction project connected to the Barclay’s Center arena in Brooklyn faltered. Just one of the project’s buildings, a 32-story tower, was completed. It was, at the time, the tallest modular project in the world. Roger Krulak, an executive who worked on that project, created FullStack Modular and bought out the factory and the production process, and has chipped away at making a market for factory-built buildings ever since.
[Image: courtesy Steinberg Hart Architects]
As the largest modular construction project in the country, the 4,200-bed project now underway in California represents a high-profile test of the modular approach. It’s also a no-brainer example of how modular construction can be used to pump out a fairly cookie-cutter type of buildingthousands of dorm suitesfast and cheap. “We can predict timing and costs and repetitiveness and all of the economies of scale that you hope for in an industrialized process,” says Krulak.
[Image: courtesy Steinberg Hart Architects]
McCormick says the university was quick to latch onto the idea of factory-based construction for this project. That’s partly due to the lack of construction workers in the area to build a 4,200-bed project, and a lack of space to house workers who might relocate there for such a project. “Using traditional methods, we would import a workforce from Los Angeles, from the Valley, from San Francisco, and they would all be looking for housing while they’re here,” McCormick says. “That just exacerbates the problem that we’re trying to solve in the first place.”
Building the project in a factory solves the workforce problem. It also brings the cost of construction down by systematizing the design into repeatable forms. “It doesn’t make sense to build this much housing and not take advantage of the repeatability,” McCormick says.
FullStack Modular is currently building a prototype of the six-bed dorm suite that will make up about 80% of the project’s square footage. Krulak says it will be used to fine-tune the design before putting the factory into full production mode later this year. When underway, the process is expected to move twice as fast as conventional construction, and with much greater certainty over material and labor costs.
Finding an affordable construction solution is not just a speculative real estate decision. At Cal Poly, and other universities across the country, housing is now more expensive than tuition. Modular housing could prove to be one way to increase supply and reduce costs.
“The CSU is the largest university in the country. We have needs for housing all over the place,” McCormick says. “I’s a common problem, especially here in California, so we’re hoping that we create something that is absolutely transportable to other universities.”
Imposter syndrome, perfectionism and people pleasing are just some of the pervasive norms weve come to acceptand even expectfrom high-achievers. And when we hear advice about how we can mitigate this internal strife, we hear phrases like fake it to you make it. All too often, the self-criticism, insecurity, and harsh self-judgement remains.
Take for example Sara, a high-achieving marketing director who recently had a major campaign launch falter. When reality fell significantly short of projected targets, she immediately blamed herself. I spiraled into harsh self-criticism, working excessive hours, and neglecting my wellbeing to try and make up for what wed lost. I knew I was being too hard on myselfbut I thought if I could just push through, Id be able to salvage some success.
If this sounds familiar, youre not alone. Many leaders struggle to show themselves compassion, in part due to the archaic belief that we have to push ourselves harder and harder to achieve results. As a result, we end up tying so much of our self-worth to our outputs, which is a dangerous territory. But research shows that we can achieve incredible results by cultivating self-compassion and fiercely holding ourselves accountable while being kind to ourselves along the way.
Self-compassion is not weakness
According to leading researcher and editor of the Handbook of Self-Compassion Amy Finlay-Jones, self-compassion is treating yourself with the same kindness you would offer a dear friend. And as Finlay-Jones explained to us, an increasing body of research shows that its crucial for effective leadership.
Dont confuse self-compassion with self-indulgence or self-care. As Finlay-Jones framed it, self-compassion isnt just about being nice to ourselves. Instead, its similar to replacing self-criticism with self-understanding and acknowledging our humanity.
She emphasized, Its not about letting ourselves off the hook, but about approaching challenges with a more balanced perspective, which fosters both self-kindness and a commitment to growth.
Resilience through self-compassion
Studies show that leaders who are self-compassionate are better equipped to handle stress, navigate setbacks. They also create a more supportive team environment. Thats because self-compassionate leaders have increased emotional regulation which reduces the likelihood of burnout and fosters work environments that are positive and nurturing.
Leaders who cultivate self-compassion are also better equipped to handle setbacks and support their teams through adversity because they possess a stronger ability to take accountability for their behavior, for their lives, Finlay-Jones explained. Leaders who are highly self-critical, on the other hand, are more likely to project blame elsewhere out of insecurity and fear or failure.
Reap the benefits of self-compassion
When leaders show themselves a lack of compassion, like Sara did, it often leads to counterproductive behaviors and undesirable outcomes for themselves and their teams. In contrast, self-compassion can lead to the following benefits, which extends beyond the individual:
Better emotional regulation: Self-compassion improves emotional regulation, which is crucial for leaders facing stressful situations. Finlay-Jones emphasized the importance of being aware of how were feeling during times of difficulty and really being curious about our emotions and our experiences. This allows leaders to manage their emotional responses more effectively, which prevents impulsive decisions.
Reduced burnout and increased resilience: The relentless demands of leadership often lead to burnout. However, self-compassion acts as a buffer against this. By treating themselves with kindness and understanding, leaders can prevent the downward spiral of self-criticism and exhaustion. This allows for a more compassionate response to setbacks.
Improved decision-making: Interestingly, when faced with difficult decisions, self-compassionate leaders are less likely to succumb to emotional biases and more likely to consider multiple perspectives.
Stronger team dynamics and increased collaboration: By modeling self-compassionate behaviors, leaders encourage open communication, mutual respect, and a shared sense of purpose. Finlay-Jones shares that self-compassion can contribute to a leaders ability to create a culture of psychological safety where team members feel safe to make mistakes and learn from them.
Enhanced ethical leadership: Self-compassion promotes ethical leadership by encouraging leaders to prioritize the individual wellbeing of their teams and make decisions based on empathy and fairness. Leaders who practice self-compassion are better at recognizing and addressing issues of injustice and inequality.
4 ways to improve your self-compassion
If youre looking for ways to bolster your self-compassion and improve your leadership, you might want to consider the following practices:
Cultivate mindfulness: This involves developing the ability to observe your thoughts and emotions without judgment. Recognize them as transient experiences rather than fixed realities. Says Finlay-Jones, Its about being aware of how were feeling during times of difficulty, and really being curious about our emotions and our experiences.
Embrace shared humanity: An important component of self-compassion is understanding that were not alone in our struggles. On the contrary, even for leaders, setbacks and difficult emotions are a universal part of the human experience. This perspective shifts the focus from flagellating yourself with blame, judgement and even shame, to a more compassionate understanding of what youre going through.
Practice self-kindness: Imagine your dearest friend, a child or another loved one. Now imagine extending the same empathy, understanding, and compassion to yourself that would extend to that person. What would that look and feel like? What language or gestures would you use to demonstrate your empathy, understanding and compassion towards that person? How might it feel to direct that language and those gestures of kindness towads yourself?
Establish healthy boundaries: Many people struggle to extend kindness to themselves. The yin and yang of self-compassion, as Finlay Jones noted, recognises the need for both tender self-care and assertive boundary-setting. This requires the courage to say no to unreasonable demands.
Cultivating self-compassion is not a once off, but an ongoing process that requires regular practice and self-reflection. High achievers might find it uncomfortable, but leaders who embrace self-compassion stand to enhance their wellbeing and create a more positive, supportive, and successful work environment.
Susan Kare, designer of the original Apple icons, is back with a new 32-icon collection, one that you can buy in the form of silver or gold vermeil mechanical keys and pendants. Called Esc Keys, the new icons perfectly capture the everlasting magic of her 1-bit legendary past work, always mesmerizing in their extreme minimalism and at the same time as satisfying as triple-chocolate cake.
Kare obviously had lots of fun creating them. Her new designsfrom an alien head to a light bulb to love birds to puppies, plus a Panic! key that we all really need right nowinspire the same joy she was gleaming with when I spoke to her from New Yorkwhere she was visiting for the Esc Keys U.S. launch (and to celebrate her participation in the group exhibition Pirouette: Turning Points in Design at MoMA).
We spoke about this collections genesis and about the attraction and everlasting power of pixel art as a universal language. A code that has seemingly crossed generations, beyond the people who originally experienced it first hand, when her original digital creations saw the world for the first time in 1984, when Steve Jobs presented the Macintosh in San Francisco, California. I sent the first photos of the Alien icon pendant to my own three sons and I remember they all immediately wrote back: Sick! she says. I took that as a good sign.
“There’s hidden meaning on each one”
Kare tells me that she was asked to create the collection by Alastair Walker, the founder and creative director of Asprey Studiothe Mayfair, London, art gallery that sprang up about two years ago from Asprey, a designer, manufacturer and retailer of jewelry, silverware, and all things luxury founded in London in 1781 (The former Queen always bought gifts there! Kare tells me with her charming laughter).
Walker says he thought Kare was the perfect person to design his idea of the “escape keys”: Meaningful symbols that would represent things people might want to do away from their keyboards, physical reminders of the joys of physical life. There’s hidden meaning on each one, Walker says, and the whole idea is that they’re literally in front of you on the keyboard or on your chest. It’s a reminder not to be a keyboard warrior. So its kind of almost antithetical itself.
It’s a little ironic, but it resonated with me and I loved the idea, Kare says. Walker initially asked if she would be interested in designing roughly 10 icons that would be on keyboard keys or mechanical keyboards with universal attachments. The 10 designs quickly grew to a collection of 60 to 70 concepts.
She started doing some icons and then she showed me like a whole bunch of them, Walker says. And then we were like, ‘Oh, well, we can’t get rid of this one, you know. Or this one.’ So then we thought, you know what, just do them all. He was fascinated by the process himself, he tells me. She’s insanely methodical. You speak to her and shes moving a pixel here and then shes like, no, lets move it there.
[Photo: Asprey Studio]
Stop, observe, reflect
The escape keys were a good metaphor of that process too, the idea to stop, observe, reflect, to slow life. There are so many options now, we get sucked into a vortex of choice that make things lose their true meaning and intention. And theres so much meaning and intention in Kares designs.
It’s just so funny when there’s 50 layers of undo now. You forget how amazing it was just to iterate undo and back again, Kare tells me. Andy Hertzfeld [one of the core Apple employees who made the Macintosh] wrote an icon editor as soon as I got to Apple. I did some drawings on graph paper to take to my job interviews, but using that icon editor was amazing. It was so nice to get to do it on the machine.
In the end, Kare and Walker managed to curate the Esc Keys down to 32 final pieces, although additional icons will appear later for some charity events they have planned later in the year, Walker says.
Each icon is a limited edition, from 30 to 120 pieces depending on the icon, with prices ranging from $650 to $2,000 depending on the type of object: You can buy the computer key in enameled silver for $650 or in gold vermeil (a 19th-century technique in which you apply a thicker layer of gold to sterling silver, resulting in a finish that is five-times thicker and more durable than gold plating) for $1,010. The necklace pendant in silver goes for $1,390 while the gold vermeil version is $2,020.
We carefully handcraft everything in the studio, Walker says. Things like the enameling is super sharp. You usually get blotches with enamel, but this is beautifully flushed, hand filed to get these sharp edges on the pixels. Each icon is also paired with a digital counterpart on the blockchain.
[Photo: Asprey Studio]
Shes an icon
But more than their material value, these icons carry something that to me is far more precious: Kare’s unique ability to distill complex ideas into minimal, universal symbols that speak directly to our emotions. There’s somethin intrinsically appealing about the minimalist expression of Kares 1-bit icons, a striking contrast to this age of high-definition graphics, photorealistic interfaces, and artificial intelligence.
Her iconic imagery, which created the modern graphical computing language after it’s protoform was developed at Xerox PARC, is the progenitor of much graphic language we still see today. Her work has an endearing quality that made it ideal for the collection, Walker says. It celebrates Susan. I’ve been looking at digital arts history in general and shes the pioneer. Indeed, Kare is the GOAT and everyone should say that more often. She should be recognized universally for her founding contribution to the modern era of both computing and design, and not just in those industries.
What Kare does may look simple, but the way she distills and synthesizes reality into its purest form, the pure soul of everyday things and ideas in a 16 x 16 or 32 x 32 grid, is nothing but pure art. The pixel aesthetic she pioneered has transcended its technological origins to become something deeply emotional and universally understood, which is the key to these keys.
Some may say that this is just nostalgia speaking, but it goes way beyond being a GenXer reminiscing about the golden years of computing and the Pirates of Silicon Valley. And it goes beyond the faux nostalgia of the generations that grew up on touchscreens too. I suspect they crave these essential pixelated representations of reality, plastering their Tik Toks and playing retro games, not because they are artifacts of the past but because there is an intrinsic appeal in Kares work. Because the simplicity of things, the abstraction process, makes all of us put more of ourselves into those graphics. And thats why I believe pixel art transcends generations and is universal.
[Photo: Asprey Studio]
The beauty of simple forms
There’s science to back this up. Shaped by millions of years of life evolution, our brains love to fill in the blanks. And, in that process, we project our emotions into these visual objects, something that is extremely satisfying at a subconscious level. It’s like the original Lego minifig, where there was only one smile and two eyes. It didnt matter it was smiling: I remember putting my emotions in those ‘blank’ faces. A minigif could be happy or it could be sad. It could be angry or in love because of the simplicity of it. It makes us put our brain and soul into it. It creates a connection.
At this point in our conversation, Kate reminded me of American cartoonist Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics. He has a couple illustrations where he showed a few drawings, like a very detailed pen sketch of a person, and then less and less detail, getting down to just a circle with a slight smile and two eyes, she says. McClouds said that, the less detail, the more universal and the more anybody can look at that and feel as if it represents them.
I always used to think that the pencil icon can look to anybody like a writing implement. If you draw a chrome pen with highlight and shininess, it becomes so specific that it’s not the writing implement you imagine, she says. Even though most people don’t work in 72 DPI anymore or monochrome, I hope in some of these escape keys there’s that beauty, Kare says.
Indeed, thats exactly the beauty of all her work. A beauty that is endearing and, well, cute. “I’ve been accused of being someone who likes things that are cute,” she says. “And yes, I really do think that a tablespoon of cute is good.” But cute may be interpreted as something done on purpose, frivolous and superficial. There’s nothing superficial about her approach to synthesis, however. The cute factor is a side effect of that process and the process of our brain projecting our ideas and feelings into simple forms, which makes them instantly endearing and memorable.
The objects in Esc Keys are a convergence of art, technology, and fine craftsmanship but, more importantly, they demonstrate in a physical and most definitive way how Kare’s visual language, born in the constraints of early computer displays, has evolved into something timeless. These aren’t just escape keys. They are escape pods into humanitys core, in a time where so many people feel divorced from it.
If your company is losing Gen Z talent, chances are, the problem isnt themits you.
The phrase “quiet quitting” has become a catch-all for blaming Gen Z workers for workplace disengagement. Older generations stereotype them as unmotivated, unwilling to go the extra mile, and too demanding. But heres the reality: Gen Z isnt disengagedtheyre just done tolerating bad leadership.
My research, including surveys, interviews, and case studies across industries, shows that what many have labelled “quitting” is actually a rational response to workplaces that lack fairness, structure, and alignment with employee values. Instead of writing off an entire generation, leaders should be asking: What are we doing wrong?
The real problem: Leadership that hasnt kept up
Gen Z grew up amid economic uncertainty, social justice movements, and an increasing focus on mental health. They dont just want jobs; they want workplaces that prioritize psychological safety, transparency, and fairness. And yet, many companies still cling to outdated management stylesrigid hierarchies, inconsistent expectations, and vague career paths.
If leadership is unclear, unresponsive, or inequitable, Gen Z isnt going to stick around and suffer in silence. Thats not “quitting”thats self-respect.
Why traditional leadership fails Gen Z
Leadership models that worked for previous generations often fall flat today. Take transformational leadershipwhich focuses on vision and motivation. It sounds great, but often lacks the psychological safety Gen Z craves. Servant leadership, which emphasizes employee well-being, is a step in the right direction but can also fail if it lacks structure and clarity.
Gen Z doesnt just want a charismatic leader who inspires them; they want fairness, clear expectations, and leaders who actually listen. When those elements are missing, disengagement is inevitable. This is where the model I developed, Engaged Empathy Leadership Model (EELM), offers a solution.
A better leadership model: kindness, fairness, structure
Through my research, I developed the EELMa leadership framework designed to retain and engage Gen Z talent by focusing on three essential elements:
Kindness: Leaders who genuinely care and empathize build trust and psychological safety. Employees are more engaged when they feel valued as individuals, not just as workers.
Fairness: Gen Z expects equitable treatment in promotions, pay, and opportunities. If they sense any sort of favoritism or lack of transparency, they disengage.
Structure: Gen Z demands clarity in expectations, consistent feedback, and transparent decision-making eliminate the ambiguity that leads to frustration. Remember, structure isnt about rigidityits about alignment.
Real-world success: Companies doing it right
Forward-thinking companies are already proving that when leadership evolves, Gen Z thrives. Ive seen it work in several instances.
One tutoring company increased retention by replacing traditional performance reviews with casual one-on-one check-inssometimes over coffee or even during a round of golf. Employees didnt stay because they had to, they stayed because they felt heard.
Then theres the production company in the manufacturing and retail space that shifted bonus structures from individual seniority-based rewards to team-based outcomes. This resulted in less resentment, better collaboration, and a more engaged workforce.
The last example Ill mention is a restaurant that implemented structured weekly feedback sessions. This provided a format for open conversations where employees could ask questions, voice concerns, and get clear guidance. These town halls werent just for top-down critique; they allowed employees to critique leadership in a respectful way and engage in honest discussions. The result? A dramatic boost in engagement and retention.
Debunking the ‘bad attitude’ myth
One of the most persistent myths about Gen Z is that they have “bad attitudes.” In reality, they simply communicate differently and expect clarity. Workplace conflicts often stem from misaligned expectationslike a Gen Z employee thinking a text message is fine for calling in sick, while an older manager expects a phone call.
And lets be clear: no generation is inherently more or less hardworking. Employeesof any agego the extra mile when they trust leadership and see a future for themselves in an organization.
The end of the ‘quiet quitting’ myth
Gen Z isnt quietly quittingtheyre actively deciding where to invest their energy. If leaders fail to evolve, disengagement isnt a mystery, its a predictable outcome. But for companies that embrace kindness, fairness, and structure, Gen Z wont just staytheyll excel. The question isnt whether Gen Z is willing to work hard. The real question is: Are leaders willing to evolve?
