Unlimited PTO is the ultimate workplace flex:

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Unlimited PTO
We trust you to manage your time; take as much as you need. It’s a story companies love to tell—and one that employees quietly dread to live.

Without clear expectations, the shiny promise of "unlimited" becomes a minefield of self-doubt. How much is too much? What will your team think if you take that extra week off? Should you even be asking? It’s ambiguity dressed up as empowerment.

What happens in practice? Employees take less time off, not more, because the lack of structure feels risky. And so, unlimited PTO joins the growing list of perks that look better on a Careers page than in the real world.

Employer branding
Employer branding has become its own cottage industry, full of buzzwords and beautifully edited videos showcasing dynamic workplaces with smiling teams, inspirational slogans, and perfectly curated culture moments. It’s a game of perception—catch attention, tell the right story, and hope it’s convincing enough to win talent.

But here’s the catch: when the external story doesn’t match the internal experience, the whole thing crumbles.

A company may promise "limitless growth opportunities" and "a culture that list of denmark cell phone number values your well-being," but if employees encounter rigid policies, micromanagement, or a toxic environment, the trust is gone. It’s much cheaper for a company to buy branded t-shirts, mugs, and office beanbags than to offer higher salaries, genuine independence, or meaningful support.

The focus on branding often prioritizes optics over substance. And while it may work to attract candidates in the short term, it sets the stage for disappointment and churn. After all, you can’t market your way out of a culture problem.

Technology and AI
AI and HR tech have taken the stage as the saviors of efficiency and fairness, promising to revolutionize everything from hiring to engagement. But adopting the latest tech just because it’s trendy rarely works out the way it’s supposed to.

Example of an AI-powered recruitment tool that analyzes candidate data to help streamline the hiring process.
Example of an AI-powered recruitment tool that analyzes candidate data to help streamline the hiring process.
For example, AI recruitment tools are often lauded for their ability to eliminate bias. But if the data they’re trained on is flawed, those biases get baked in, amplified, and served right back. Similarly, the most expensive HR software might offer endless features, but without a clear purpose, it quickly becomes a bloated system that no one wants to use.

The issue isn’t the tech—it’s the blind faith in it. Tools are only as good as the context they’re applied in, and when organizations chase what’s popular rather than what’s necessary, they end up with solutions in search of problems.