Of the many kinds of people in the workplace, one stands out to Shizu Okusa as a major red flag.

It’s someone who communicates poorly, especially during a conflict or disagreement, says Okusa, founder and CEO of New York-based wellness company Apothékary. She particularly dislikes when people publicly criticize their peers at work, because it rarely fosters constructive dialogue and can often lead to conflict, she says.

“When something bad happens, it could be really easy to hop on a meeting with many other people and [call someone out],” says Okusa, whose company brought in $20 million in revenue over nine months last year, according to documents reviewed by CNBC Make It. Doing so “never goes well.”

You’ve probably seen this scenario play out before in a movie or in real life. A boss, dissatisfied with an employee’s work, makes an example out of them during the next team meeting. Your colleague calls out another employee for not contributing to a big project, right in the middle of the office.

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Those situations can alienate employees — including non-participants who are simply uncomfortable witnessing the conflict — and potentially become an HR issue for creating a hostile work environment.

Instead, try “calling people in,” Okusa says: Invite them to talk more privately and address your concerns with them directly, so the two of you can discuss without fear of embarrassment or judgment from others.

“I think that most things fail because of poor communication,” says Okusa, adding that managers especially need to set a positive standard for culture and communication. “Either things could have been said better, things could have been shared better, or the context was off.”

The next time you and a coworker have a disagreement, don’t blow up at them in your next meeting or online. Take a step back and assess the situation, Carolyn Kleiman, a career expert at ResumeBuilder.com, told CNBC Make It in 2022. 

If you prefer to get things done in advance and your colleague waits until the last minute, for example, you can probably address your concern with a short one-on-one meeting, said Kleiman. If your issue is with a person’s character or personality, you may “want to try to limit your interactions,” said Kleiman. “Keep things brief, keep things surface, keep things professional.”

If your problem is with your boss, document it and bring it up in your next one-on-one, Kleiman said. Say something like: “I’ve noticed that you tend to [example of poor communication.] It would be helpful if you did this instead.”

Having a boss who lacks communication skills is difficult. Try to assume positive intent, and if their behavior still doesn’t change, consider escalating the issue to HR, especially if your colleagues have similar experiences, Harvard career advisor Gorick Ng told CNBC Make It in 2022.

“No manager wakes up in the morning thinking, ‘How can I make my team’s life as miserable as possible,’” said Ng. “It’s, ‘How can we get this work done and live a happy life?’”

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While the federal minimum wage has remained $7.25 per hour since 2009, states and cities across the country have been raising their minimum wages to ensure their residents can make a more sustainable living.

On Jan. 1, 21 states raised their minimums, including Alaska, which now has a minimum of $11.91 per hour; Connecticut, which now has a minimum of $16.35 per hour; and Nebraska, which now has a minimum of $13.50 per hour.

Cities and counties have been slowly raising their minimum wages as well — sometimes considerably higher than their state’s. The Economic Policy Institute has been documenting some of the more local wage floors.

Here are the localities with the highest minimum wages according to EPI — they’re all in Washington (where the minimum wage is $16.66) and California (where the minimum wage is $16.50). All minimums are close to or over $20 per hour. Some localities have different wage tiers depending on the size of the company.

Tukwila, WA: $21.10

Renton, WA: $20.90

Seattle, WA: $20.76

King County, WA: $20.29

SeaTac, WA: $20.17

Burien, WA: $19.66

West Hollywood, CA: $19.65

Emeryville, CA: $19.36

Mountain View, CA: $19.20

Sunnyvale, CA: $19

Other localities around the country are getting close to that $20 mark. Denver, Colorado, currently has a minimum of $18.81 per hour, for example, and Flagstaff, Arizona, has a minimum of $17.85. Altogether, 67 localities have adopted minimum wages higher than their state’s, according to EPI.

Many places also raise their wage floors later in the year, so the U.S. is bound to see even more localities getting closer to $20 per hour by the end of 2025.

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Podcasts are all the rage, and they’re poised to become even more popular in 2025. As many as 141 million Americans are projected to listen to podcasts in 2025, according to data from Emarketer. That’s up from 135.4 million in 2024.

For those making podcasts, the venture is not without its challenges. “In the beginning, everyone’s excited to start their podcast,” says Angelique Rewers, CEO and founder of small business consulting firm BoldHaus. “And then they realize what a grind it really is.”

That’s why for anyone considering picking up a side hustle in 2025, Rewers says, “being a podcast assistant is a huge opportunity” that’s growing in demand. Here’s what the gig could look like and how to dive in.

Podcast assistants take on any of the various tasks of producing a podcast.

They could be responsible for researching and booking guests, answering emails, editing audio and posting the finished product, marketing the show across social media and traditional media, writing up show notes, finding brand deals, etc.

Many podcasters are also “starting with video,” says Nicaila Okome, host of the “Side Hustle Pro” podcast, about the trend of posting your podcast on YouTube. Hosts now need video editors, too.

Depending on the tasks you take on, the gig can also be called podcast producer or, if you’re more specialized in your services, podcast editor, podcast marketing strategist, or other titles.

Consider what kind of skills and experience you have, then start researching how best to offer your services.

“You can easily go onto Fiverr and Upwork and see what people are charging,” says Okome, “and then develop your packages from there.” On Fiverr, professionals often list their rate per project, while on Upwork they often list their rate per hour.

Both sites feature project opportunities, and Okome also recommends going on Facebook groups dedicated to podcasts to see what kinds of job offers people are posting. You can look for openings on sites like LinkedIn, Indeed, ZipRecruiter or Google Jobs as well. Projects differ in length. Some are one-time and less than 30 hours altogether, others are weekly and ongoing.

One podcast producer on Upwork is charging as much as $100 per hour.

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This past spring, I moved with my two youngest kids from the U.S. to Negril, Jamaica. So far, living here has been a wonderful experience. I feel so much healthier and more at peace.

I’ve developed a strong sense of community, my living expenses are affordable, (I run my business from my patio) and my days are filled with natural beauty and delicious food. My dad is from Jamaica, and it has meant so much to me to have this time to connect more with my cultural background. 

One thing I’ve been delighted to discover is that the island is home to hundreds, if not thousands, of clever and wise proverbs and parables, passed down through generations and weaved beautifully into daily conversation.  

Here are some of my favorite Jamaican phrases about how to live a happier, more fulfilling life:

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Coco, or cocoyams, are a favorite root vegetable on the island. And as this popular saying goes, if you collect a coco one by one, eventually, you will be able to fill a basket. 

I love this phrase because it teaches you never to give up. It’s a good reminder that little by little, you can accomplish anything, because it all adds up. 

Personally, as a financial counselor, my clients and I talk about this all the time. As long as you make small improvements daily, you are making progress! 

Another related saying is, “Every likkle mek a muckle,” which essentially means, every little bit counts.  

The country’s national motto is “Out of Many, One People.” This saying is like the unofficial foundation of that slogan. All Jamaicans know this phrase, which means that we’re small, but we’re mighty. 

Even though Jamaica is a small island, many great people came from here, like Bob Marley and Usain Bolt.

I like to apply this on an individual level, too. Even though I’m just one person, I believe that I can significantly change my community and the world.

This proverb translates to, “A cow doesn’t know the benefits of its tail until it’s cut off” — because then, the cow can’t use it to fan the flies away anymore.

Sometimes, we go through life not realizing what we have until it’s gone. This proverb urges you to acknowledge and appreciate all the good you have in your life, and live in the present. 

I find that since moving to the island, I have allowed myself more time to slow down and appreciate the little things. 

This proverb translates to, “The mug is not broken, so the coffee is not wasted.” It reminds us that even in the most difficult times, we should count our blessings because it could always be worse. 

I have definitely taken this one to heart. While the move to Jamaica has not been perfect, so many things could have been more difficult. I now look at the bigger picture instead of sweating the small stuff.

If there is a calm river here, you can almost bet that it is deep. Although it is practical advice, it also means never underestimating a quiet person. You don’t know what they are capable of or what they are going through. 

I practice this by treating everyone equally, regardless of who they are. Kindness and understanding can go a long way.

I find that so many people on the island take a similar approach, and that has made me feel all the more welcome here. 

Tiffany Grant is a financial educator, writer, podcaster and coach. Before she was an entrepreneur, Tiffany was an HR professional. She is the founder and host of ”Money Talk with Tiff,” an Accredited Financial Counselor and holds an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Want to up your AI skills and be more productive? Take CNBC’s new online course How to Use AI to Be More Successful at Work. Expert instructors will teach you how to get started, practical uses, tips for effective prompt-writing, and mistakes to avoid. Pre-register now and use coupon code EARLYBIRD for an introductory discount of 30% off through February 11, 2025.

There might be a shrinking share of remote jobs, but it’s still possible to find work-from-home opportunities — if you know where to search. 

On Tuesday, FlexJobs, a membership service for remote jobseekers, released its annual list of the top 100 companies hiring remote jobs in 2025, taking into account some 60,000 companies who listed their openings on the site between Jan. and Dec. 2024. 

FlexJobs saw a 20% increase in the number of remote job listings in 2024 over 2023, returning to growth levels last seen in 2022. About 70% of listings are for jobs at an intermediate or experienced level.

The rebound comes amid a broader decline in remote opportunities. On LinkedIn, just 8% of jobs were remote as of December 2024, down from 18% in early 2022, the Wall Street Journal reports. 

There is some evidence, however, that high earners are starting to win back leverage with flexible work arrangements. 

Ladders, a career site for six-figure positions, reports 10.4% of roles that pay $250,000 or more were advertised as remote in the third quarter of 2024, up from 8.8% in the second quarter. 

While industries such as technology and finance have reduced remote options to “remain competitive,” other businesses are embracing the cost savings associated with reduced office space and the benefits of a geographically diverse talent pool, John Mullinix, director of growth marketing at Ladders, explains in the report.

Here are the top 20 companies hiring for the most remote jobs in 2025, according to FlexJobs (and see the full list here):

1. Working Solutions
2. LiveOps
3. UnitedHealth Group
4. Kelly
5. TELUS
6. Robert Half International
7. Prime Therapeutics
8. Transcom
9. BCD Travel
10. Amplify Education
11. CVS Health
12. Creative Financial Staffing (CFS)
13. AECOM
14. Lee Hecht Harrison (LHH)
15. BELAY
16. GovCIO
17. Everlight Solar
18. Thermo Fisher Scientific
19. Veeva Systems 
20. Insight Global

Among the most in-demand roles that companies are hiring for are product managers and software engineers, both of which offer average salaries exceeding $100,000 in the U.S., according to ZipRecruiter. Yet, remote opportunities are no longer confined to the tech sector.

“Over the past year, there’s been significant growth in remote hiring across fields like business development and communications,” says Toni Frana, lead career expert at FlexJobs. Marketing, accounting, and finance also saw over 30% growth in remote job opportunities in 2024, according to FlexJobs’ research.

In the 20 companies hiring for the most remote jobs, the most commonly represented industries are tech, HR and recruiting, finance and health care.

While companies like Amazon and Boeing have enforced stricter return-to-office mandates in recent months, others, including Spotify and Allstate, continue to champion flexible work policies, arguing that offering employees autonomy is essential for future workplace success.

Frana predicts a shift in the conversation around return-to-office mandates in 2025, that organizations will move from enforcing in-office policies to experimenting more with remote and hybrid work policies. That could open more opportunities for remote job seekers in a crowded market. 

“Although the rise in remote job postings over the last year is certainly encouraging, it’s important to remember that work-from-home roles remain in exceptionally high demand [among jobseekers],” she adds. 

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