Generative AI adoption has knock-on effects within an organization
Generative AI has begun replacing tasks at work, especially the dull, repetitive and simple ones. But when a task—or an entire job—is replaced by AI, the change doesn’t stop there. The jobs of the people using AI-produced information change too.
This International Women’s Day, focus on the work that still needs to be done
This International Women’s Day, Desautels researcher, Janani Ramesh is urging us to see the big picture—by focusing a little less directly on success stories of individual women. “Initiatives that celebrate how far women have come or single out women’s resilience do the opposite of what’s intended,” Ramesh told HR Reporter.
Remote work helps busy families manage household responsibilities
Affordability has reached a breaking point, and most households now depend on two incomes just to stay afloat. In this environment, telework has become essential, Jean Nicolas Reyt told La Presse.
Telecommuting has been around for decades—and big companies have never really been on board
Remote work leapt into the public consciousness during the Covid-19 pandemic, when many jobs shifted to a fully remote model for public health reasons. However, the concept of telecommuting long predates the pandemic. “It was invented in the 1970s, for environmental reasons,” Jean-Nicolas Reyt told La Presse.
Men and women respond to work incentives in very different ways
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office reviews hundreds of thousands of applications each year, making efficiency a challenge. When managers introduced cash incentives for meeting quotas, men and women reacted differently. Men tended to increase their output to secure the bonus, but the quality of their reviews declined. Women, by contrast, often prioritized maintaining high-quality work, even if it meant missing out on the financial reward.
Does job hopping affect your career prospects? It depends.
Young professionals are frequently advised that the best way to progress professionally is to pursue new opportunities, even if it means changing jobs. Yet, in some cases, employers may view a history of frequent job changes unfavorably, according to research by Matissa Hollister, an Associate Professor of Organizational Behaviour.
AI replaces tasks, not entire jobs
AI is changing the workplace, but it usually doesn’t replace entire jobs. Before laying people off because of ‘AI efficiencies’, employers need a solid plan. “We may or may not overestimate how much AI will affect the world of work, but we’ve figured out that it does not destroys jobs, it destroys tasks,” says Lisa Cohen, Associate Professor of Organizational Behaviour at McGill Desautels.
Employers are more open to negotiating employment terms than Canadians assume
Relatively few job candidates negotiate the terms of their employment, often because they fear losing the offer. Yet surveys show recruiters are open to negotiation, and it is rare for employers to withdraw an offer because a candidate attempted to negotiate.
Many workers are back in the office full-time—and some aren’t happy about it
The world’s pivot to remote work in 2020 happened almost overnight, altering workplace expectations in ways still felt today. The return to the office is happening more slowly, but many of the country’s biggest employers now require workers to be in the office five days each week—and not everyone is happy about it.
Employers should consider whether hybrid work will achieve the same aims as a return to the office
For many workers, the return to the office is already in full effect.
Former Provost Anthony C. Masi receives Lifetime Achievement Award
McGill Desautels Professor Anthony C. Masi was honoured with the Morty Yalovsky Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Academic Leadership at Fall 2025 Convocation. Over his 46-year career, Masi has shaped the University through his leadership as Provost and contributions to digital transformation, faculty development, and teaching innovation. He founded Teaching and Learning Services, modernized McGill’s IT infrastructure, and advanced the University’s research and academic mission.
Stranded travellers should keep their cool
When 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants went on strike, more than 100,000 passengers were left stranded. For many of those affected, the experience has been an overwhelming one. For stranded passengers, the Air Canada strike combines three powerful stressors: uncertainty, lack of control and crowding, writes Associate Professor of Organizational Behaviour Jean-Nicolas Reyt in The Conversation.
Companies are bringing employees back to the office, but over time, the trend could reverse
Large Canadian companies such as Rogers, RBC and BMO recently announced their employees will be required to spend more time in the office moving forward. Many employees aren’t happy about it at all. “Research tells us that employees are more productive when they can work the way they want to,” said Prof. Jean-Nicolas Reyt in an interview with Radio-Canada’s Les faits d’abord.
McGill Desautels professors and lecturers recognized at Faculty Awards
The McGill Desautels Faculty of Management acknowledges the vital contributions of research, teaching, service, and public engagement in inspiring future leaders. Through our annual Faculty Awards, we celebrate the exceptional achievements of our faculty members across various programs and disciplines. This year, we are proud to honour the following distinguished individuals:
Employees tend to own workplace successes, but blame external factors for failures
Nearly two-thirds of employees feel they’ve been ‘thrown under the bus’ by their colleagues—but an even higher number say they’ve never engaged in blame-shifting themselves. “The axe forgets, but the tree remembers,” says Jean-Nicolas Reyt, an Associate Professor of Organizational Management at McGill Desautels.
