NEWS & VIEWS

🗞 Workplace Wellbeing Bulletin | Vol IV Issue 25 | Issue 176 📅 Published: Monday, 23^rd June 2025

From trauma in the skies to tech-driven etiquette shifts, from toxic exposures to youth expectations — this week’s stories uncover how stress, silence, and system design are shaping the workplace.

🔹 How AirPods quietly redefined workplace etiquette (Wall Street Journal )

AirPods have gone from impolite to invisible — worn in elevators, during meetings, and even while being spoken to. As communication becomes increasingly asynchronous, is always-on audio a productivity tool or a wall against connection? 🔗 Read more

🔹 Anxiety in the skies: Pilots, cabin crew open up about mental health struggles after Ahmedabad plane crash; say ‘every call from family asking if we’re alive just adds to the burden (Indian Express – Jayashree Narayanan)

Following the Ahmedabad plane crash, aviation insiders speak about the quiet emotional toll on pilots, cabin crew, and their families — a community holding its breath through every flight. 🔗 Read more

🔹 Kerala’s film industry moves to curb drug use with new contract rules

The Malayalam film industry introduces a mandatory drug-free clause in actor and crew contracts following increasing reports of substance abuse. A bold precedent for industries grappling with stress-fueled coping. 🔗 Read more

🔹 What India’s youth want from work in 2025 (Hindu Business Line)

A visual dive into what young Indian workers are asking for: flexibility, meaning, and security. This data story explores generational shifts in priorities — and how organizations must evolve to remain relevant. 🔗 Read more

🔹 Workplace safety fears rise in South Korea after metro workers diagnosed with blood cancer (South China Morning Post)

Six Seoul Metro workers have been diagnosed with blood cancers, raising alarm over workplace exposure to hazardous materials. The case is prompting a re-evaluation of worker protections and accountability in public infrastructure. 🔗 Read more

🔹 Quiet-cracking: The new workplace behaviour nobody asked for (MSN / Entrepreneur)

After quiet quitting, now comes quiet-cracking — when overwhelmed employees hide their mental health breakdowns behind a facade of functioning. A reminder that hyper-productivity is not a sign of well-being. 🔗 Read more