This year, Fast Company readers were drawn to stories about the ‘996’ schedule, office friendships—and, yes, RTO.
As employers have wrested back control of the job market, it has been a sharp contrast to the post-pandemic years when workers seemed to hold the power. In 2025, employees fretted about their job security and the sweeping impact of artificial intelligence on their work lives—not to mention corporate America’s continued commitment to keeping them in the office for longer.
Here, we’ve compiled some of the most popular Work Life stories from this year—on the issues that consumed you most.
THE “996” SCHEDULE
This year saw the return of hustle culture in Silicon Valley, as AI startups popularized a grueling work schedule that became popularized in China. The “996” schedule refers to a 72-hour workweek—in other words, working from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week—and has grown more common in Silicon Valley as founders and tech leaders scramble to outrun the competition. But experts say this could stoke burnout at a time when workers are already stretched too thin.
Read the complete Fast Company article BY PAVITHRA MOHAN: https://www.fastcompany.com/91465088/the-workplace-issues-you-cared-about-in-2025
