In my role as work futurist and evangelist of open work practices, I spend time in more workplaces than the average bloke (and have the frequent flier miles to prove it). I talk to people up and down the org chart about how they get work done day-to-day, the improvements they’re trying to make, and the challenges they face. What I hear is quite consistent from company to company: we crave more autonomy and meaning in our work.

We surveyed more than 1,000 knowledge workers to find the attitudes and behaviors that lead to highly effective teams. Here’s what we found.

All companies have one thing in common: they’re going through a large amount of change. Part of my role at Atlassian involves me traveling around the world and not only doing talks at conferences, but actually meeting our customers at their offices to learn about the challenges they face. I see organizations of all shapes and sizes (but especially the older, larger ones) having to reinvent themselves and find new ways of working in order to stay relevant.

A mismatch of skills hurts your team’s performance and increases employee churn. Here’s how to recruit the right people.

Chat can be every bit as annoying as email if you and your colleagues aren’t using it right. It’s ironic, really. The whole point of group chat is to be a fast, fun way to communicate. But based on the conventional wisdom around chat etiquette, you’d think sending a quick ping was as delicate as inviting the Queen to high tea.

Virtually every organization in the world is going through some sort of transformation, whether it’s digital, cultural, or agile. Atlassian customers (and non-customers) come to us for guidance in navigating these changes because they understand that what got them to where they are today won’t get them to where they want to be. They want real-life examples from people on the ground of how to drive their transformations.

You’ve heard over and over how valuable mentors are as you move through your career. You’ve listened to your colleagues’ testimonials. You’ve watched the TED talks. You’re convinced. But what’s less clear is the role of mentorship at this point in your career. Right now. If you went out to seek a mentor today, would you know what you need from the relationship? Maybe, maybe not. And you’re not alone.

Chances are, you are totally over your job. The stress, the office politics, the outdated processes you can’t change… some days it hardly seems worth the paycheck. You’re not alone. According to a Gallup poll, only about 25 percent of North American workers say they’re engaged in their work. A separate survey reports 43 percent admit to staying in a job despite being “checked out”. Why are we so demoralized? Is this the new normal?

Emails and IMs and shared docs – oh my! With all the different communication channels we use every day at work, it’s easy to miss their nuances. Sure, email seems like a good go-to, but it has its downsides. And what about Google Docs or Confluence pages? When should they be open vs. restricted?

From its outset, the agile methodology defined how teams operated for decades. Yet, the success realized within product and development organizations triggered an explosion of adoption. From rapid development, faster time to resolution, to improved communication and better product quality, there’s no debate: the benefits of agile are real and they are impactful. Get stories like this in your inbox.